I'm currently working on my final university project and need to check performance and linearity from -30°C to 150°C. Unfortunately, all the professors in my department who have the right equipment (like a TE-107) are unavailable for various reasons. Does anyone know of a moderately priced alternative to just using a freezer and oven? I've seen a bunch of cheap temperature controllers on sites like AliExpress, but they seem mostly for heating. Constructing a refrigeration loop from scratch feels a bit overwhelming. I'm looking for any suggestions you might have, as I'm an electronics designer feeling out of my depth here!
2 Answers
For brewing, I use a chest freezer with an STC-1000 clone. They vary in quality, but this one has heating and cooling controls, PID tuning, and delay features. It works for 0-30°C, and you could easily push it down to around -30°C. Just swap out the terrarium heater for a heating element from a toaster oven or a space heater to reach that 150°C mark. It’s a pretty solid option!
Have you thought about reaching out to your department head? They might help you access the lab equipment since it's university property, regardless of professors being unavailable. If you’re in Electrical, for instance, other departments like Mechanical, Physics, or Chemistry might have what you need. It might seem intimidating, but they could definitely help you connect with someone.
Hmm I could try that. I did talk to various professors and managers in the mechE, chemE, and bio departments with no luck so far. I'll definitely reach out to the physics dept now that you mention it. I'm just an undergrad, though, so I worry they aren't taking my requests seriously. Could going to the department head be seen as going over their heads?
Oh wow that's pretty cool, I had no idea this sort of thing existed. Thanks!!