USB PELTIER DRINK COOLER!

[MeDownYou]

So, I had the idea from another post on this forum to use a peltier for drink coolage, however this member wanted to make a tap for his PC-

 

I however found these sorts of peltiers which are flat: http://www.ebay.com/itm/TEC1-12706-Heatsink-Thermoelectric-Cooler-Cooling-Peltier-Plate-Module-12V-60W-/272564522427?hash=item3f761c8dbb:g:GcQAAOSwax5YrJHR

 

AND, thus have decided to make a USB drink cooler which Is small and portable, much like a small platform to place your soda on just like a coaster!

 

Now, I know that USB is 5v and 0.5A for USB2.0 and 0.9A for USB3.0. The peltiers I'm looking at don't appear to be what I want I've found ones that are 40x40 and thin, but and are rated for 12V 60W, but I think USB could only draw 2.5W using 5v times 0.5A right? 

 

I feel like I'm missing something as that doesn't seem like it would help keep a can of soda remotely chilled.

[vanished]

You'll have to let us know how it goes.  I think there have been products like this in the past and to the best of my knowledge, they don't typically work very well.

[MeDownYou]

1 minute ago, Ryan_Vickers said:

You'll have to let us know how it goes.  I think there have been products like this in the past and to the best of my knowledge, they don't typically work very well.

Well, doing the math 2.5W doesn't sound like cooling capability, something like 10W would be substantially better but that would require 2A on the 5V of USB, not unheard of from phone chargers ect, but against USB spec, 3.0 would be 4.5W which I think I'll probably shoot for.

[Enderman]

6 minutes ago, Ryan_Vickers said:

You'll have to let us know how it goes.  I think there have been products like this in the past and to the best of my knowledge, they don't typically work very well.

[MeDownYou]

2 minutes ago, Enderman said:

Perfect, now just cut it off from where the can sits up and remove that part, and that's that i'm shooting for - but still actually keep a drink cold.

[vanished]

1 minute ago, Enderman said:

 

yeah, like that. Do you know if that one is any good? I think most suffer from a lack of cooling power and so they end up keeping the drink not that much cooler than the room

[manikyath]

4 minutes ago, Ryan_Vickers said:

they don't typically work very well.

it's the same reason we use a complex mechanism with extremely toxic chemicals to make our fridges do the thing:

 

peltiers are stupidly, hilareously inefficient. the only thing a peltier has over *other means of extracting heat*, is that it is small.

 

the main issue to these peltier things is that they are power hungry (please..of all things.. dont run it off USB...), and that all that power they pull essentially gets "added" to the hot side, which you need to somehow then keep cool enough for the cold side to stay cold enough to chill your drink.

--

to be honest, if you want to chill your drink, just be a civilized person and get a glass with ice cubes.

[vanished]

1 minute ago, MeDownYou said:

Perfect, now just cut it off from where the can sits up and remove that part, and that's that i'm shooting for - but still actually keep a drink cold.

oh, well good luck

it could be done, but without insulation, you'll need even more cooling power...

[MeDownYou]

1 minute ago, manikyath said:

it's the same reason we use a complex mechanism with extremely toxic chemicals to make our fridges do the thing:

 

peltiers are stupidly, hilareously inefficient. the only thing a peltier has over *other means of extracting heat*, is that it is small.

 

the main issue to these peltier things is that they are power hungry (please..of all things.. dont run it off USB...), and that all that power they pull essentially gets "added" to the hot side, which you need to somehow then keep cool enough for the cold side to stay cold enough to chill your drink.

--

to be honest, if you want to chill your drink, just be a civilized person and get a glass with ice cubes.

Any good alternatives?

[manikyath]

1 minute ago, MeDownYou said:

Any good alternatives?

ice cubes, hooking up a 100W power supply to your peltier with a big heatsink and powerful fans, or one of these:

 

[Enderman]

3 minutes ago, Ryan_Vickers said:

yeah, like that. Do you know if that one is any good? I think most suffer from a lack of cooling power and so they end up keeping the drink not that much cooler than the room

It can keep stuff cool, but takes a reeeally long time to cool stuff down.

 

If you remove the casing then it's pretty much useless.

Needs more watts.

[manikyath]

1 minute ago, Enderman said:

Needs more watts.

i still dont understand why they ever thought these things needed to be powered off of USB...

[vanished]

1 minute ago, manikyath said:

i still dont understand why they ever thought these things needed to be powered off of USB...

I think it's part novelty, and part convenience for we who are obsessed with PCs  

[MeDownYou]

1 minute ago, manikyath said:

i still dont understand why they ever thought these things needed to be powered off of USB...

yeah doing the math you can only run them at a fraction of what they are suppose to run at, which is problematic not to mention they appear not very efficient either.

[manikyath]

1 minute ago, MeDownYou said:

yeah doing the math you can only run them at a fraction of what they are suppose to run at, which is problematic not to mention they appear not very efficient either.

well.. they're made of metal, which i dont need to explain is quite thermally conductive, and you're essentially "creating heat to move heat"; you'll essentially end up having to radiate more heat in peltier, than you'll be radiating heat from your drink.

[manikyath]

3 minutes ago, Ryan_Vickers said:

I think it's part novelty, and part convenience for we who are obsessed with PCs  

but... just put a power brick on it and call it a desk ornament...

[MeDownYou]

2 minutes ago, manikyath said:

but... just put a power brick on it and call it a desk ornament...

Actually, That's apart of the reason for the USB to make it portable, However, It sounds as I almost need a can koozie that chills my soda can at this point due to efficiency purposes, something like this heater, http://usb.brando.com/usb-d-i-y-heating-pad-8-x-13cm-_p03120c0067d015.html but with the ability to cool and sewn into a sleeve.

[manikyath]

7 minutes ago, MeDownYou said:

Actually, That's apart of the reason for the USB to make it portable, However, It sounds as I almost need a can koozie that chills my soda can at this point due to efficiency purposes, something like this heater, http://usb.brando.com/usb-d-i-y-heating-pad-8-x-13cm-_p03120c0067d015.html but with the ability to cool and sewn into a sleeve.

actually, if your gaming sessions get that hot you need cooling on your drink, get a few of these and toss them in the freezer:

they exist in pretty much every shape you can think of, and are essenially an ice pack in the shape of your can, if you get decent ones they gladly go a few hours before getting up to room temperature.

[MeDownYou]

2 minutes ago, manikyath said:

actually, if your gaming sessions get that hot you need cooling on your drink, get a few of these and toss them in the freezer:

 

they exist in pretty much every shape you can think of, and are essenially an ice pack in the shape of your can, if you get decent ones they gladly go a few hours before getting up to room temperature.

You know that's a pretty good solution, Do you think I could Sew something like this http://www.ebay.com/itm/USB-Heating-Element-Film-Heater-6-20CM-F-Warm-Feet-Hand-Warmer-Electric-Belts-/221930790381?hash=item33ac1b1ded:g:KU8AAOSwbdpWVyo1 

 

into something like that to keep my cider/tea from cooling as fast as well? Seems like it should act like insulation either way right?

[manikyath]

1 minute ago, MeDownYou said:

You know that's a pretty good solution, Do you think I could Sew something like this http://www.ebay.com/itm/USB-Heating-Element-Film-Heater-6-20CM-F-Warm-Feet-Hand-Warmer-Electric-Belts-/221930790381?hash=item33ac1b1ded:g:KU8AAOSwbdpWVyo1 

 

into something like that to keep my cider/tea from cooling as fast as well? Seems like it should act like insulation either way right?

you're overthinking this.. just get a darn can cooler

[MeDownYou]

1 minute ago, manikyath said:

you're overthinking this.. just get a darn can cooler

True, but coolers don't heat so i needed a solution for that too  more insulated cups here i come lol

[DragonTamer1]

Power issues aside, you won't have enough contact between the can and the Peltier for effective thermal transfer. You would be better off building an enclosure to house the can. Since cold air sinks it wouldn' t necesarily need a top but it would help.

 

 

[You_are_a_cunt]

To add to the power problem, you need to dissipate the heat generated by the Peltier's hot side, so there's an extra fan to factor into the power draw.

 

Overall a neat idea but not really worth implementing on USB. Would rather have a power plug and the ability to flip the plate (chilly in the summer, hot in the winter)

[vanished]

11 hours ago, revsilverspine said:

To add to the power problem, you need to dissipate the heat generated by the Peltier's hot side, so there's an extra fan to factor into the power draw.

Just add more Peltiers.  It's Peltiers all the way down  

[You_are_a_cunt]

43 minutes ago, Ryan_Vickers said:

Just add more Peltiers.  It's Peltiers all the way down  

6,371 kilometers worth of Peltiers?