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Lately my brothers love for astrophotography left me to embark on this endeavor.

He has a metal CCD camera and in the sport a major way to reduce image noise is to cool the camera.

So I ordered some artic silver 5 some peltiers and found and old heat sink.

I would like use and old power pack I have which is giving out 12.27V and 12A.

From everything I can find on the peltier it is 12V 6A and 60W .

Edit:

Also I need it bringing down more for the fan as follows 0.8A for the fan.

Now I have read up on many components on limiting the current and I tried using a Zener diode which worked successfully but the diode created a lot of heat not good for the job in hand I could really do with keeping it down to minimal as I am really desperate on not using a PCB and hopefully something that can be concealed in heat shrink.

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madyotto
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    Sounds like an interesting project. From a brief skim of your question: It sounds like you have a Peltier and a fan that are designed to run at 12 VDC. It sounds like you have a 12 VDC power supply that can handle that much load -- if so you can go ahead and hook them up. It sounds like you want help bringing "it" down; but we can't help you if you don't tell us what "it" is. What exactly is the question? – davidcary Aug 31 '15 at 02:06
  • Well the power source I have is 12 amp how can I. Bring it down using minimal components which ones would suit my needs best? Thanks for reply – madyotto Aug 31 '15 at 02:29
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    The power source can supply _up to_ 12 Amps, but will not force 12 Amps into your loads - the loads will only draw the current they require, if you provide the correct voltage. You don't need to "bring down" the current. – Peter Bennett Aug 31 '15 at 02:33
  • Ahh ok it's just what come up on my multi metre steady 12 amps I would be happier limiting it some how as a safe guard as once I have a proto type I will be doing this mod for other and I am just worried that left open it might surge also I should of mentioned it is dc not ac if it makes any odds – madyotto Aug 31 '15 at 02:37
  • Did you measure the power supply current by connecting your meter in Amp mode directly across the power supply terminals? If so, that is a serious NO-NO - you are measuring the short-circuit current of the supply, which will probably be much greater than the designed output current (and you may blow fuses and/or damage the supply or your meter in the process.) – Peter Bennett Aug 31 '15 at 03:09
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    [Question](http://electronics.stackexchange.com/questions/34745/choosing-power-supply-how-to-get-the-voltage-and-current-ratings) about power supplies, worth to read. – Bence Kaulics Aug 31 '15 at 07:35
  • Yes Peter I did do just that my bad which changes my question a little the power pack I'm using is only rated at 1a so obviously needs changing for a more sutible donor but could the peltier still be pulling 6 amp like when I shorted it also voltage stayed the same and didn't drop – madyotto Aug 31 '15 at 09:27
  • So to clarify both the peltier (12v6a) and fan (12v0.8a) in parallel wouldn't need any risistors or anything – madyotto Aug 31 '15 at 09:39
  • Tell you something it's one cool fan so far at 15 ℃. Below ambient – madyotto Aug 31 '15 at 10:44

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Cooling a camera with a fan is not the way to go as very small vibrations coming from the fan would degrade the image quality. I suggest you go with passive cooling like heatsinks and if that is not enough go with liquid cooling where the cooling unit is far away from the camera.

Gilad
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  • Thanks for your reply but Google an neq6 pro – madyotto Aug 31 '15 at 08:56
  • Thanks for your reply but Google a pic of a neq6 pro. He is hardly using a tripod for A camera 99% of the industry use next too silent pc style fans on heat sinks even cameras that cost thousands do it the same way the less noise minus air movement noise the less vibration the weight on these equatorial mounts would render miniscule move nil and void – madyotto Aug 31 '15 at 09:03
  • A pic of the same setup he is using. http://i990.photobucket.com/albums/af26/_tich_/Astronomy/IMG_2610.jpg – madyotto Aug 31 '15 at 11:01
  • I understand your project. If it is just stills, you could turn of the fan before taking the image and turn it back on after taking the image. What camera are you going to use? in many cases, if you have room for a large heat-sink and weight is not an issue then you don't need a fan at all. – Gilad Aug 31 '15 at 11:46
  • Ok well I will state the entire setup and honestly the fan I am using has no noticeable vibration at all stills well yes but not typical exposure time these exposures can last for 10 mins or more! Even with 10 minuite exposures and both the fan on the cam and the 12cm fan for due control on the bottom of the scope it is still no issue at all. Camera is a zwo 120mc mount is a neq6 scope is skywatcher 200p with following mods flocking due control fan the guide scope is a skywatcher st80 and also use a modified camera – madyotto Aug 31 '15 at 12:03