DIY Control Board

[Alaska209]

I’m attempting to build a DIY aquarium controller board using an old pedestal-style fish tank stand. The stand will house the controllers and power supplies, and I’m planning to add ventilation openings.

For anyone who has built something similar, would you recommend installing a cooling or exhaust fan, or are ventilation openings usually enough?

 

[Fish Fan]

Honestly, I'd suggest nothing

With that said, ventilating your electronics is an excellent idea, especially if your ambient air runs warmer than mine.

I have a 25 gallon tank built in to an unusual corner space in our downstairs. I built an even smaller cabinet than yours to house my electronics and I was quite concerned about ventilating the electronics cabinet. In the end, I found that the cabinet never rose over 80 F, monitored with a temp probe and my Robo-Tank controller. Cooler would be better for electronics, but I don't think this temp is that bad.

Point of my story, I'd check your temps in your cabinet before going through the trouble of adding ventilation.

Here's some pics of my setup; I thought I had better, but in these pics my electronics cab is on the right, behind the tank. It looks smaller than yours and so far I've not had any problems with heat.

Good luck!

 

[Alaska209]

Honestly, I'd suggest nothing

With that said, ventilating your electronics is an excellent idea, especially if your ambient air runs warmer than mine.

I have a 25 gallon tank built in to an unusual corner space in our downstairs. I built an even smaller cabinet than yours to house my electronics and I was quite concerned about ventilating the electronics cabinet. In the end, I found that the cabinet never rose over 80 F, monitored with a temp probe and my Robo-Tank controller. Cooler would be better for electronics, but I don't think this temp is that bad.

Point of my story, I'd check your temps in your cabinet before going through the trouble of adding ventilation.

Here's some pics of my setup; I thought I had better, but in these pics my electronics cab is on the right, behind the tank. It looks smaller than yours and so far I've not had any problems with heat.

Good luck!

I appreciate the feedback.

 

[Seregus]

I do suggest to install cabinet fans as long as you can. There are plenty of nice options. Or simple computer fans like Noctua.

Datacenters will run without AC - yes, but short time. Obviously consumer electronics build to a different standards, but I would say fans will extend its potential ‘ups something went wrong’ for a little bit longer, especially if you have AC in the room.

 

[WallyB]

If are just running the controllers you show in photo they don't generate that much heat. However since you also have a power bar and AC adapters in the cabinet, you will get more heat..

You will get heat accoumilating in the closed cabinet, however your cabinet look pretty good size. Some heat will dispate through the walls, even the cracks around the cabint door.

So best is to do as suggested by post above and check temp in the cabinet to be in safety range. It's not so much that the temp will start a fire, it's more so the AC Adapters/Power Supplies don't overheat, or run too warm that they fail early.

After a few decades of running tanks and equiptment, my "power supplies" have failed much more often than controllers, so is't best to keep them cooler to last longer.

You may not need a fan. It may be enough to get adqequate venting by simply creating One or Two Vent Ports in your cabinet for air flow. Even just at the back to not ruin the look of your nice cabinet.

As stated. Before you drill, test temp while all equiptment running. No venting may be needed.