Temperature‑Controlled Fan: DIY Relay System for Media Furniture Cooling
Use a relay‑driven circuit to automatically turn on a fan when the ambient temperature inside your media cabinet exceeds a set threshold.
Background
While using my media center—Blu‑ray players, gaming consoles, and other electronics—the cabinet started to feel noticeably hot. To address this, I designed a compact, low‑power system that not only protects the hardware but also keeps the environment comfortable.
The design splits into two logical circuits: a 5 V low‑power side that interfaces with a Raspberry Pi, and a 12 V high‑power side that powers the cooling fan.
A 5 V relay, wired to the Pi’s GPIO pins, serves as a bridge between the low‑ and high‑voltage sections. When the Pi detects that the internal temperature has risen beyond the preset threshold, the relay closes, supplying 12 V to the fan and activating it.
The Pi continuously polls a digital temperature sensor mounted inside the cabinet. At each interval, it evaluates the reading and toggles the relay accordingly, ensuring timely cooling without manual intervention.
Read more detail: Temperature controlled fan
Manufacturing process
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