• Administrator
  •  
    Before your membership becomes valid, you will receive an email that must be answered.
    Please check your spam folder or this email.
     

LIPO Heating case

Discussion about Tx, Rx, Servo's, Batteries, Chargers, and all the other things we like to talk about..
Moderator: VinceC
User avatar
Peter Balcombe
Posts: 1399
Joined: 18 Mar 2015, 10:13
Location: Clevedon, North Somerset, U.K.

LIPO Heating case

Post by Peter Balcombe »

For anyone who has seen the commercial LIPO heating case article in the March 2012 edition of RCM&E & may have thought about making their own, I think this is entirely practical & should result in a much cheaper equivalent of the commercial items (£144 for the basic case & £256 for the master version).

The heated case units are based on a standard metal flight case (which has been lined with aluminium foil backed insulation foam) plus a handful of off-the-shelf items which can be found on eBay or similar.
The internal circuit connections are pretty simple as the external 12V heating supply connector powers a digital thermostat/relay module and small air circulation fan. The relay powers 2 small 12V, 12W heating pads connected in parallel when activated by the thermostat, sensed by a flying thermocouple lead.
The fan and heating pads are shown in article (master version?) to be mounted on a plate which is spaced off the lid to allow air circulation around the heated plate to the batteries located below when the case is closed.
The thermostat/display unit is mounted in the lid, on the front edge near the catches, so the display is visible when the lid is closed. The 12v input power connector & fan/heaters are also mounted in the lid section of the case.

The 12v thermostat module used in the magazine article can be found on eBay here at a cost of around £7.44 +£1.30 postage:
https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/12V-24V-110V ... 3217174558

The self adhesive 110x77mm 12v, 12w heating element pads very similar to those in the magazine article can be found on eBay here at a cost of around £5.40 each plus £1.45 postage for both:
https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/Self-Adhesiv ... 1744328650

The 12V 35mm fan can be found on eBay similar to here at a cost of around £5.90 :
https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/12V-3-5cm-35 ... SwVexfRm3U

An aluminium flight case approx 310x240x130mm can be found on eBay similar to here at around £16 :
https://www.ebay.co.uk/p/1808091443?iid=293197563209

Thus I would have thought it viable to make the equivalent of the master option for £50 or less if anyone is interested.
Note that at no time are the LIPOs connected to anything. The heating supply is from an external source. When connected, the internal temperature is visible on the thermostat display, which is visible on the outside of the case.
Peter
John Mcnamara
Posts: 92
Joined: 19 Mar 2015, 15:43
Location: Leeds
Contact:

Re: LIPO Heating case

Post by John Mcnamara »

Good research Peter,
I am planning to make one of my own rather than pay the silly prices of the commercial equivalent.
John
Post Reply