I'm looking for a basic thermal switch to control a cooling fan in desk (Sounds weird huh? My CPU case in an enclosed cabinet in a built-in desk).

I want to control the fan by using a thermal switch because I know my wife would routinely forget to flip the cooling fan switch, if I went that route. I really don't to fry my new machine!

I tried Radio Shack.com and no luck. All the searches I've done return industrial results, I really don't need a switch that's good to 1850 degrees C .

Anyone know where I can buy a thermal switch to control a 12V DC 160ma circuit?

Thanks!

 

Try your nearest University. They've got so many things like that...and they know where to get 'em. Sorry I couldn't be of more help...good luck.

 

just get a fan and leave it on all the time. why mess with a thermal switch? there's no such thing as over-cooling a processor.

 

The thing is, you can't create energy. Leaving the fan on all the time is not necessary. The fan will be noisy. Maybe you could get a thermometer to beep at a certain temp., like those BBQ forks. When it beeps, put the fan on.

 

[QUOTE]Originally posted by Incubus
The thing is, you can't create energy.

 

[QUOTE]Originally posted by Incubus
The thing is, you can't create energy.

 

Have you considered internet based data acquisition? There is a program that can monitor, and maybe even alert you (via comoputer) of any breach of a temperature threshold.

 

Here's an alternate thought on the fan idea:

We had a team at work who had several computers under a desk. So what did they do? They went to WalMart to get a $10 clip fan, which they clipped to something under the desk. After about a year of continuous use, the fan finally siezed up. It generated enough heat to set the fabric of the cube on fire. Luckily the cube happened to be direclty under a sprinkler head which did eventually pop. Made a huge mess. It was on the 5th floor of our corporate headquarters and we had water damage all the way down to the 3rd floor. Not saying it's going to happen to you, but it's something to consider.

BTW, I do believe they make an x10 module that's triggered by temperature, but I can't locate it online at the moment.

 

Why not just run the fan from the computer's power supply?

 

They have quiet fans now a days. Technology has come a long way .
You can go down to your local PC-Club and slap a nother fan or a replace a fan onto your PC's case.

OR you could go with a liquid cooling solution, which is very affordable now a days.