Anyone seen a temperature controlled relay?

[PaulH]

It is a nifty little device, but it has 1 problem - a narrow temperature band (won't go to 100°F):

temperature range: 41°F to 86°F (5°C to 30°C)

Right, at 86°F the fan would almost always be running considering TiVo and the set-top box are always running... In which case I would be better off just running a fan without a thermostat.

I think I'll do some temperature tests in the cabinet with the doors closed so I have a better idea of what to expect.

You could 'pad' the pot (add or change the value of resistors on either side of the control) and shift the control range.

 

[roussell]

You can use an Attic Vent Thermostat - The one I got from Lowe's Has a range of 50-120 degrees. I use it in a similar situation, well, similar if you call cooling a communications cabinet at the top of a crane 140 feet over the Caribbean sea similar.

I looked for it on Lowe's website but couldn't find it. I paid less than $20 for it and found it in the roofing/attic section of the store. It's in a clear plastic container with a blue cardboard backing. The name on the package is "Power Attic Vent Adjustable Thermostat" Made by Air Vent Inc. The UPC is 0 46388 16343 2.

I've attached a picture of it mounted in the communications cabinet. It's the device in the top middle and it controls a fan on the top-left side.

HTH,
Terry

 

[robertmee]

How about something like this:

http://cgi.ebay.com/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewI...em=200130789436

 

[BraveSirRobbin]

THIS is $40 and should do exactly what you need (contacts are capable of a lot more current capability).

 

[johnnynine]

That's quite a few choices, thanks guys.

Any ideas on which ones would be fairly quiet? In other words which one would not be making a noticeable clicking sound every few minutes while I'm watching a movie, etc? Maybe that's wishful thinking.

 

[johnnynine]

I ended up going with a thermally-controlled variable speed pc case fan and a couple 12v transformers. They don't turn off automatically which is what I was looking for, but it turns out that my cable box generates so much heat the fan needs to be running anyways. Antec 120mm Smartcool

I also went to the hardware store and bought some 6in x 6in sheets of rubber and cut out a mounting gasket and home made rubber washers to keep the vibration noise down -- you can't even hear them now.