Hey all,
Electronics noob here. Had a question on how I would control the Peltier model (TEC1-12706) with arduino. I would like to have a range of control, like changing the peltier's temperature to a temperature that I set (almost like a thermostat). I hear that I need to use a MOSFET and the arduino's built-in PWM, but can't seem to find any information on how to get started. Could anyone give any pointers or good video links?
All help is appreciated greatly and I mean it!
IF all you need is heat, an electric heating element(resistor) is much more efficient and easier to control as it instantly reacts to current changes, whereas a Peltier may take a minute or more. Consider you also need heat sinks on both sides of the Peltier and usually a fan to move the air around the heat sink.
That requires quite a bit of equipment and expertise. You need a high current Peltier driver and power supply (12V at 7 Amperes, minimum), and as mentioned above a heat sink with fan and good thermal coupling.
You will also need a calibrated temperature sensor, PID controlled heating and/or cooling code, etc.
A web search for the phrase "arduino peltier temperature control" will turn up several tutorials and project descriptions.
Although you CAN use PWM to adjust the power (to 50% or whatever) it's easier to cycle on & off like your home furnace or your refrigerator, etc. The temperature can't can't change instantly anyway. And by giving it full-power from the beginning it will reach the target temperature faster.
In fact because if the natural delay, if you try to adjust the temperature linearly you can get an unstable system that overshoots, undershoots, and continuously "hunts" for the target temperature.
The best advice I can offer is to buy more than enough 12706 devices for your experiments. They break in an instant and can never be repaired.
Which is why all such systems always need to be individually tuned, as part of the ho-hum, everyday, boring process of implementing them.
"PWM" works but it should be in the several second time range. Fast PWM causes problems with the unit itself. Also it responds slow. You can control it in in current mode, that will give you the best control.
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