Geoptek DSLR "cool box"

[Davey-T]

Bought this second hand a while ago and just got round to sorting it, when first tried it was actually getting hotter inside not cooler.

Stripping it down it seems to be a poorly conceived design and even more poorly executed.

Internally there are four fixing holes for the heat exchanger fan but the fitted fan appears to be the wrong one as it doesn't line up with the holes so it was fitted diagonally using two holes so it wasn't sitting squarely on the peltier, there are wiring routes but none of the wires were in them.

The external heat sink is fixed to the box with hot melt glue which had broken loose and there were big dobs of glue preventing the peltier from being pinned between the two heatsinks and the cables from the peltier were stuck between the heatsinks also preventing them from trapping the peltier.

The fitted thermometer, obviously some off the shelf component designed for something else, was useless, it has no on /off switch which means removing the battery every time you use it and  no illumination so has to be read with a torch.

The power socket plug only goes in a very short way meaning if knocked it looses contact or falls out.

In spite of the claim in the instruction leaflet of it drawing 2.5 amps it seems to  draw over 10.0  unless my amp meter is faulty.

So rebulit it and fitted a red LCD thermometer and tested it in doors and it drops from 20C externally to 10C internally in short order.

Also done a bit more modding to fit 60Da ,  made new front panel to move the lens hole and moved the tripod screw that holds the camera in place, was hoping to use it out in the field but needing all that power can't stray too far from a mains supply

Will give it a try one clear night.

In conclusion if any one is thinking of buying one of these I'd think twice and make one yourself from scratch, think there's a Gary Honis DIY version somewhere on the net.

Dave

[DIYASTRO]

Hi Davey,

Seems like you have inherited something of a challenge.

At least you have got a good handle on what needs to be done to sort it out.

Some pics would be good?

Some time ago some people where posting about such things but I don't remember when/who.

Perhaps a search on this within this section may help.

Peltiers are greedy little things, lots of energy required to covert to the lower temperatures that are required.

Good luck with the project and let us know how things go.

Boyd

[Mick J]

Yep, some pictures would be nice Davey,  there are a couple of threads on ice in space just now

Here and Here   first one runs to 7 pages, second just started with an interesting idea,  guess they have more problems with heat than we do.

This link from the first made me think of the Geoptek box.

[Gina]

Gary Honis' cooling box.  His main web site

[pete_l]

Bought this second hand a while ago and just got round to sorting it, when first tried it was actually getting hotter inside not cooler.

Stripping it down it seems to be a poorly conceived design and even more poorly executed.

But can you be sure that the box was delivered to the original owner like that? It's possible someone before you had a bash at "tweaking" it and didn't manage to put it all back properly.

[Davey-T]

No it all looked original. I had to remove the insulation to access the wiring etc and it had obviously not been disturbed, just looked like it had been thrown together by someone who didn't give a toss.

Dave