Re: Enclosure for electronic speed controller ????


Well I have a box full of all kinds of muffin fans, some 120VAC and
others a mix of varous DC voltages, and installing a fan in a acrylic
enclosure would not incurr any additional $$, and can only be an
additional benefit since heat is a killer of electronics. I am just
thinking of how much space I need to allow around the enclosure I
make. I am sort of limited in space as to where it will be mounted,
and its certainly not the cleanest environment, so thats why I was
thinking adding a fan with filter for the internals in additon to
relying on the heatsink which will stick out the back of the
enclosure. I intend to make the lid sealed with a rubber gasket to
further keep chips etc out of it, so a typical electrical panel type
box would not be suitable. unless it wa a standard enclosure with no
knock outs etc that was designed to be totally water resistemnt.

My chassis is 2" high from the back plate, (not counting the heat sink
out the back as its not going to be included in the box) and measures
6.25" x 5.65" in size,. So do you think an enclosure with 1" space
all aroond the chassis itself would be ok? 8.25" x 7.65" x 3".

I am thinking of pulling air through the enclosures bottom through a
filter and directing the exhaust out and over the heat sink on the
back. Probably overkill but I want to ensure the controller has a
decent environement. Instalal insturctions are quite bland in mounting
it other than saying it needs to be in a place with no chance of dirt
and liquids getting on it........nothing in reagds to how much space
needs to be around it.


On Sat, 25 Feb 2006 10:10:40 -0700, "Al MacDonald" <flyhigh@xxxxxxx>
wrote:
<>I bought a used DC controller off ebay for use with a 1.5hp 180v DC
<>permanent magnet Baldor, doing a retrofit on an old, cheap offshore BP
<>knockoff. The same controller could run a 90v DC motor and/or one with
<>field windings. Finally I can go slow enough! I was worried about metal
<>chips, etc. getting onto the controller but I was also worried about
<>cooling, as it didn't have an integral fan. I ended up mounting it in an
<>old steel electrical disconnect panel, which I put on the wall near the
<>input plug in.... well away from the mill and small chips (or dust in your
<>case).... and ran the motor power cable and low voltage control wires up to
<>the mill. I added an electronic tach also, so my control box on the mill
<>has start/stop, fwd/rev, variable speed pot, coolant switch and the tach
<>readout. The surface area of the metal box increases the heat sink
<>capability and I've had no problem with heat. I have a couple of VFDs good
<>up to 3hp that incorporate built-in fans already. The smaller hp models of
<>the same brand name don't have the fans.
<>
<>al.
<>
<>I recently bought a second new controller (off ebay) to run a duplicate
<>motor I have. It also has no cooling fan.
<>"~Roy~" <wareagle@xxxxxxxxxxxx> wrote in message
<>news:44018110.1420039@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx
<>>I lucked up and found a source for KB Electronic DC controllers
<>> locally that will sell to me wholesale. I had been going to buy one
<>> controller in particular, that was already in an enclosure, but he
<>> explained to me that I would be ahead in the long run buying another
<>> model with the factory installed heatsink etc already on it, as it was
<>> better than the ones yu could add a heat sink to as the components in
<>> the chassis type had the items needing cooling already attached to the
<>> heat sink, instead of just placing a heat sink against the enclosure
<>> box itself.
<>>
<>> So I bought the chassis type, but need to make a box for it. I plan on
<>> making the box out of acrylic plastic, with the back of the box cutout
<>> to allow heat sink to extend throuh outside of the box for cooling. Do
<>> you think it would be a good idea to add perhaps a 1 1/2" muffin fan
<>> or even a 3" muffin type fan to this acrylic box to pull air over the
<>> internals that the box is now enclosing and duct it oput down and over
<>> the heat sink? Or should I be able to just enclose the chassis and
<>> have the heat sink exposed to ambient air for cooling? I do need to
<>> enclose it as its going to be mounted in the lower section of my 20"
<>> bandsaws base cabinet, which does get dust etc in it. I plan on
<>> relocating the speed pot to the front of the saw for easy access just
<>> like my old controller had..... HOw much space should I leave around
<>> the chassis for air flow etc? I am driving a 1.5hp 107VAC 15 amp DC
<>> motor.
<>>
<>> Any suggestions appreciated.
<>>
<>> --
<>> \\\|///
<>> ( @ @ )
<>> -----------oOOo(_)oOOo---------------
<>>
<>>
<>> oooO
<>> ---------( )----Oooo----------------
<>> \ ( ( )
<>> \_) ) /
<>> (_/
<>> The original frugal ponder ! Koi-ahoi mates....
<>

--
\\\|///
( @ @ )
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oooO
---------( )----Oooo----------------
\ ( ( )
\_) ) /
(_/
The original frugal ponder ! Koi-ahoi mates....
.

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