Refrigerated Wireless

Members of the ISP-Wireless discuss using a small fridge to cool a fixed wireless antenna. Kids, don't try this at home.

[October 5, 2001]

On the ISP-Wireless list in September, EF asked,

"Anybody got ideas for an enclosure to hold an A/P or two with a built-in A/C unit?"

MKS opened up an entertaining debate with his highly practical response:

"Those tiny or 3 cubic foot dorm room fridges. They're pretty well sealed up, and there's more than one guy from these lists using them."

A number of doubters appeared, however:

[CQ warned] "It will never keep up, and the compressor will die a slow and painful death the first day."

[CF added] "There is a potential problem with COLD. In the winter, with the temp down to 20 degrees, these units could still be cooling, so if it is 20 degrees outside, it could be -20 inside. That might be out of the range that the radio will find comfortable."

[JD asked] "What about humidity problems with these units? If you had a local alarm system, you could wire a water detector in the fridge to notify you if you get water in the system. But that's probably a bit overboard for a cheapo cooler."

But others, some former detractors already among them, defended MKS' creativity:

[CF noted] "What humidity? The radios will be warm. The cooling plate is cool. Any humidity in the air will condense on the cooling plate. Hopefully there is a small drain hole to allow it to drain out of the box. But if not, it will be anywhere but on the warm radio."

[BB added] "If you want to use this type of box, you could have the thermostat changed to a digital type and then adjust it to 70 degrees or so. Mind you, a normal refrigerator like this will come on and off a lot, as the box is really designed for 40 degrees. The seals on these units should keep out a lot of the moisture you're talking about, since moisture enters a refrigerator only when you open the door. My best advice is to find a nice refrigerator guy and tell him what you want to do. I bet you will find one that will share your sense of adventure, and he'll be happy to change the box to be the equipment shelf you want."

—End