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Electrical questions

  • Thread starter lithopsman
  • Start date
  • #21
Casper, you can't just add a resistor, the resistor would never take that much energy dissipation. And a POT would probobly go out in a blaze of glory.

Peltiers come in many shapes, sizes, and power ratings. Including different voltages. I will admit that you can often hook them to a 12V rail without out a problem. Why?, because many of the ones that are available on the user market were purchased by suppliers that intended to sell them individually to the average user who would most likely use a 12V source such as mounting it onto a CPU. However if the chips are bought from an actually electronics parts supplier (not talking about radio shak or Jameco) then they could be for any voltage. I some cases the design may require that the chip run off five volts with much higher current, or a much higher voltage with lower current. If you check out a web site of a peltier manufacture you'll get a good idea of what is really available.

Of course I have no idea where lithopsman got his chips, in all likelyhood they are 12V, but it is better to be sure.

Joe
 
  • #22
Ok, now I'm really confused, and this is starting to cost WAY too much, especially if I have to replace the burnt peltier cell! I am a little bit dissappointed now, and I'm really open to suggestions on how to make do with what I have, and maybe a power supply. I'd like to not have to buy a new pelt, also, the pelts came with ZERO info in the package, not even an invoice... Thanks again!!
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  • #23
Sorry lithopsman, that chip is toast. The chips are made of lots of very small bimetal connections. Too much current kills them, and yours is very killed. Unfortuanately I can't imagine a single chip cooling a ten gallon tank. For that matter I can't imagine two chips cooling a ten gallon tank unless you wrap it in insulation.

If you really want to use this method, buy a large cooler with built in peltier cooling and add lights to it. Or better yet, a small dorm fridge would be way better. You just aren't going to get the results your looking for in comparison to the trouble you are going through.

Sorry I can't provide a ray of hope. On the other hand if you continue on current track you will learn a lot of valueble information.


Joe
 
  • #24
Sorry that you doubt me, I have had lots of people say that it is possible, though, because the peltier cell will be attatched to a heatsink/fan and coldsink/fan, and it will blow into the ultra-highland area of the 50 gal. long tank, the other side is for the plants that are a bit less ultrahighland (ie: N. x 'Judith Finn', N. ventricosa, N. maxima, etc.) Thanks Casper for all of your support! Also, the two heatsink fans have 3 wires with a little female hook-up thingy ma watsit (with 3 inputs at the end) and the pelt is just 2 raw wires. Will these work on the same power suppy without lots of equipment? THANKS AGAIN!!
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  • #26
For an example of the differences between AC and DC. AC is what runs your ceiling fan, grow lights, kitchen stove, and air conditioner. DC is what you find running your flash light, walkman, and cordless drill. In other words, DC is what you find in batteries, AC is what you find coming out of your walls.

However, there are things we plug into our walls that run off of DC and not AC. This is were a AC/DC power converter comes in. You find the AC to DC converters in compters, cordless phone chargers, battery chargers, cordless drill chargers, etc. If you have seen the converters for you car that allow you to plug in TVs, Laptop Computer Battery Chargers, those convert from DC to AC.

Ok, that was long and probably boring.
 
  • #27
DC is not just batteries. Batteries are a device that stores dc power.
I don't think many people know this but Thomas Edison worked with dc power. He wanted dc to be the main power that was to be used instead of ac. He used ac power for the electric chair he built to try and make people think that dc was safer than ac, hoping that would scare people away from using ac power.  Edison's support for electrocution was motivated by a devious scheme to gain control of the electrical industry. Apparently, Edison's primary motivation for the development of the electric chair was an attempt to make people associate AC current with death, and thus increase the market for his own DC technology.
If anybody has been schocked by both ac and dc power, they know that dc hurts alot more.
 
  • #28
Hence the name DIRECT current?
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How do you get shocked by DC Ozzy? Ac just feels like a buzzing sensation kind of hurting at the same time. It doesn't hurt but scares the #### outta ya.
 
  • #29
</span><table border="0" align="center" width="95%" cellpadding="3" cellspacing="1"><tr><td>Quote </td></tr><tr><td id="QUOTE"> Ac just feels like a buzzing sensation kind of hurting at the same time. It doesn't hurt but scares the #### outta ya.[/QUOTE]<span id='postcolor'>
I can tell by that statement that you have never had a good shock from AC. If you ever get hit and you're grounded it's going to hurt.
I've been shocked many times by as many as 480 volts AC. Trust me it hurts and it hurts for a long time.
The worst shock I ever got was in a walmart.
The second worst was a telephone.

</span><table border="0" align="center" width="95%" cellpadding="3" cellspacing="1"><tr><td>Quote </td></tr><tr><td id="QUOTE">
 How do you get shocked by DC Ozzy?[/QUOTE]<span id='postcolor'>
I've worked in alot of factorys that use dc motors, 100v dc feels like 250v ac.
 
  • #30
I have gotten shocked with 120Volt AC and 9v DC, felt the same to me, just tingly, with a slight SPARK sensation!
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Anyways, does anyone know about what to do for the power thingies mentioned on my last post? I still haven't done anything because I am not sure... THANKS AGAIN!!
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  • #31
First of all, I have gotten juiced up a few times myself. When I was working offshore I grabbed a 4ga wire that was "locked out and tagged out" Should have been impossible to be live. Now, I won't go into graphic detail, but I wasn't right for days. The second I did it, I thought I was going to die. Anyway, be carefull with electricity.


What thingy are you talking about? I think we have come to the conclusion that your pelts are fried.

Personally, if you can find a free powersuply *I* would test them, but thats just me.

Other than that, I don't know what your asking.


Casper
 
  • #32
</span><table border="0" align="center" width="95%" cellpadding="3" cellspacing="1"><tr><td>Quote (lithopsman @ Oct. 04 2003,10:35)</td></tr><tr><td id="QUOTE">Thanks Casper for all of your support! Also, the two heatsink fans have 3 wires with a little female hook-up thingy ma watsit (with 3 inputs at the end) and the pelt is just 2 raw wires. Will these work on the same power suppy without lots of equipment? THANKS AGAIN!!  
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[/QUOTE]<span id='postcolor'>
Ok, sorry I didn't make that clearer, I was in a hurry, but here is what I was referring to... The full post is on page one... THANKS AGAIN!!
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  • #33
cut the molex connector off

Splice the wires, except for the ground, tape it up.

Match colors.

tape up

turn on


If the colors don't match, read the packaging and find out what is your pos wire.


Read your powersupply to find out what color is ground, usually black, I have seen some weird color combos though, so read the side of the powersupply. All the info is there.


Casper
 
  • #34
Sorry I don't know anything about electrical wiring, like Molex and splicing, If you have a simpler way to explain it, I would much appreciate it!! Also, the heatsinks did not come with a package, so I don't know what to do for that, or do you mean the power supply? Sorry I sound so dumb, I just have zero knowlage about these kinds of things... Casper, your help has been key to my success, I don't know what I would have done without your help! (Probably short the whole neghborhood's circutry)
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Anyways, once I get this set up, and after about 10 years or so, I may have a villosa big enough to take a cutting... So get back to me then for a thank-you gift... J/K, but thanks a million for your help, I wish I had something to give to you for all of your help, but I suppose that this will do...:

THANK YOU CASPER!!
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THANK YOU CASPER!!
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THANK YOU CASPER!!
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THANK YOU CASPER!!
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THANK YOU CASPER!!
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THANK YOU CASPER!!
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THANK YOU CASPER!!
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THANK YOU CASPER!!
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THANK YOU CASPER!!
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THANK YOU CASPER!!
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THANK YOU CASPER!!
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THANK YOU CASPER!!
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THANK YOU CASPER!!
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  • #35
Lol, I appreciate the thanks, but I enjoy teaching, so bear with me grasshopper.

Molex is that plastic thingy that plugs into your competer perephrials.
Open your computer case, find your cd-rom and look at the power wires plugged into the back of it. That plastic thingy with the wires in it is a molex conector.

To hook a psu up to a pelt you need to cut that plastic thingy off (just cut the wires behind it) Figure out which wire coming from the psu is the ground (look on the side of the psu {psu=powersupply}) Now, you will be left with 3 wires. Next you need to figure out which wire is your 5V rail (once again, look on the side of your PSU)

Once you have these two wires, electrical tape them and forget them.

Now, find your 12V rail (follow above steps) and splice it to the POS of your pelt. Splice the remaining wire from your psu to the one left from the pelt. Tape em up and fire your powersupply up.

on a side note, if your heatsink is the clip type, there is a product artic silver makes that is an epoxy (a glue, and also creates good thermal transfer)


Hope that explains it all, any more questions just shoot.


Casper
 
  • #36
Ok, thanks again, but I am really lost, because I know zero about these things and I think I described wrong... The pelt is just two raw wires, and the heatsinks are the ones with the three wires and the little dealy ma watsit at the end... Also, does PSU mean the powersupply or something else? Sorry I am so clueless, but I really appreciate your help, and I will learn! (eventually) Thanks again!!  
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P.S. I honestly don't know what splicing is, is that my way of hooking up wires?
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  • #37
Splicing simply means putting two or more wires together.
 
  • #38
Ok, I don't mind helping out but..... please read my post.


" Also, does PSU mean the powersupply or something else?"

From my previous post.
{psu=powersupply}

So yes, PSU does mean powersupply.

As far as the heatsink, its still the same thing I described. If it has a molex conector, and your powersupply does to just plug it in. If it DOES NOT have a connector, see my last post. The heatsink/fan should not be a problem for you to hook up, if it is, maybe you should back up and do some research. Not to sound harsh, but it is a simple function. Where as, running a pelt is getting a little deaper.

Splicing is stripping a wire bare of its platic coating (down to bare copper, wires are usually made of copper) and twisting them together. You should protect the twisted wires with electrical tape and wire nuts.


Casper
 
  • #39
With all the electrical questions, some by somebody that does not know what splicing means.
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. I think that we need a little electrical saftey rules. Since I am qualified to give the rules, here goes.

(these rules are for the US. 120/240v 60hrtz system. If you live in another part of the world, these rules may not apply to you.)

1. If you don't know anything about electricity, then don't do anything, ask somebody who knows for help.

2. Never work on anything that is energized. Always unplug anything you are going to touch.

3. Anything over 60V can kill you.

4. 1/4 of an amp can kill you. Your wall plug has 15 or 20 amps.

5. The voltage in your telephone is dangerous.

6. Almost everything has the voltage and the amps posted on it somewhere. First look at the voltage. If it is anything other than 120V DO NOT plug it into your wall. Look for the amps, Make sure you size the wire by the number of amps.

7. If you don't understand any of these rules, reread rule number one.

8. If you don't know what splicing means, reread rule number one!!!!!! (just joking lithopsman).
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Remember all these rules, it's your life at risk.

I'll be glad to answer any electrical question, so please don't fry yourself.
 
  • #40
Sorry casper, I missed that part, I think I must have just over-looked it... Ok, unfortunately, as simple as this is, I really don't get it... I'll try to work even harder, it would help if you could describe a PSU for me so I could visualize, if it's not too much trouble... Also, can you just plug aPSU into the wall, or would I need to keep one of the little AC raw wire thingies? Thanks again for helping me (the absolute novice) through all of this!!
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