I’m currently building a soundproof enclosure for my PocketNC V2-10 and I was wondering if cooling and ventilation would be necessary? (The box will be thermally insulated due to the soundproofing.)
My main questions are:
Is there a max ambient temp we can run at?
Does it have any thermal shutoff/overheating protection?
And are there any parts of the machine/electronics I certainly shouldn’t overlook when it comes to keeping it cool?
If I am to cool it, I figured a non conductive liquid cooling would be the quietest option as you can still seal the box this way.
But also wondering if I even need to spend the money and should just let it run a bit hotter to see if it can handle it for now?(if theres shutoffs built into the machine that is).
Yes you will.
On long programs, the motors and machine will heat up and around 37ºC, it will halt the program.
I have an acrylic enclosure. In warm summer days, say 29-30ºC, it doesnt take long before reaching the 37ºC mark. I have the air cooled spindle. I also have some ventilation. Yet, on long programs, I always have to keep an eye on the thermometer. The solution I have considered is to add a Peltier cooling element / system to cool down the main housing, then evacuating the heat away from the machine.
Your idea of liquid cooling is very good, as you can put the heat exchanger far away or outdoors…
Thanks heaps for the advice, it sounds like the spindle and controllers are the main thing to keep cool then…
Peltier would be a great way to get the heat away from the machine.
I should probably also go for a liquid heat exchanger with the insulated box.
Mineral oil looks like a good low cost coolant - Being non conductive and will only lubricate the machine if it leaks. Ideally should stay below an 80°C normal.
Apparently it has a 160-220° flash point so the search for a good tool/chip evacuation coolant continues.
While the V2-10 does not have a known maximum operating temperature, it is still a good idea to try and keep the machine ventilated and cooled, the spindle motor and the side electronics compartment, especially.
The V2-50 has a built-in temperature shutoff to help protect the machine, the V2-10 does not.
