DIY Cooler for ZWO again...

[Stub Mandrel]

I know it's been done before, but I think this is as simple as it can get (and therefore more efficient).

Peltier out of a cooler fridge tight against the camera with a THIN layer of servisol heat sink compound. PSU heatsink on the other side with fan  - sleeve bearing and freshly re-lubricated with light oil (peel back the sticker on the fan) so it is very quiet and smooth. Insulation from 6mm close-cell foam.

Other designs I have seen seem to have too much extra metal between where the heat goes in and it comes out. Some designs had uninsulated material between the peltier and the (insulated) camera - that just injects heat exactly where you don't want it. The camera needs to be as close to the peltier as possible. Heat sink goo from a tube is also better than any other type of compound/sheet.

Proof of the pudding? From 32C to 20C took 5 minutes 30 seconds, and that was running off a duff 12V battery only giving 6.75 volts. Full 12V won't just work the peltier harder, the fan will run faster too, so a 20C drop should be easy.

[michael.h.f.wilkinson]

Looks very good. I have a Peltier cooler lying around for such a mod, and have a heatsinc and fan from a Core-2 Duo processor which could fit neatly on the back of the ASI174MM or ASI178MM.  Should give it a go one of these days