OpenChill is an open source laser chiller firmware and hardware project using readily available parts from JayCar (Australia) NOTE: You can also now install OpenChill on an MKS Base v1.4 3D Printer Control Board.
Updated March 22nd 2023, OpenChill can be installed directly on an ESP8266, wiring diagram & instructions link will be available shortly. The gist of the implementation is to #define OPENCHILL_ESP8266, set wifi SSID and wifi PASSWORD on lines 183 and 184, and if you want the portal to appear on a static local IP address, you need to #define IS_STATIC_IP then set IP address in segments IP_0,1,2,3, DNS_0,1,2,3, GW_0,1,2,3, and SUBN_0,1,2,3 (lines 191 to 212). You can also change the portal from the default web port 80 by changing #define WEB_PORT 80 (on line 214).
The portal address is simply at http://portal_ip_address<:port (if not 80)> - this will open the basic portal with some simple ajax framework to retrieve the live statistics. If you just want the JSON statistics feed for your own integrations (into your laser software, etc) simply open http://portal_ip_address<:port (if not 80)>/stats - you'll receive a response similar to:
{"environment":{"temperature": "26.5","humidity": "88","dewpoint": "24.3"},"reservior_temperature":"25.5","fridge_status":"off", "override_status":"off"}
A Co2 laser tube requires water cooling to maintain power, longevity and safety of the equipment. The issue is, if the water can't be kept cool enough, the laser starts to lose power and over time, degrades and becomes unusable quicker.
Why can't we just pump icy cold water through it then using a fridge or freezer? Well, great question, it turns out that condensation buildup on and inside the laser tube causes 'arcing' and 'shorting' which can be harmful or fatal to YOU, the operator, and your laser.
This is where OpenChill comes into play.
OpenChill monitors the room's Humidity and Temperature using a sensor connected to the control board. It then calculates the room's "dew point", which is the temperature in which the tubing will begin to generate condensation.
The firmware allows you to configure various settings (via wifi/web browser, and eventually a windows app), such as 'Set temperature of chiller dynamic to 3 degrees celsius ABOVE dew point', etcetera.
It will allow for remote monitoring and configuration, and eventually a touch screen, mounts, and more. It will also incorporate the K40 laser 'Cooler Warning' signal wire to shut the laser down incase certain conditions are met.The sky is truly the limit with OpenChill and I can't wait to see the progress over time of this awesome project.
Images, instructions, firmware, etc all in progress of ALPHA, once ready for initial commit we can begin group collaboration.
Please see the BOM and Schematics PDFs -- parts won't be listed here anymore, only in the files. All parts available from Jaycar Australia
- A water cooler with a working condensor/fridge mechanism. We will be removing the thermostat that it has and installing OpenChill.
- OpenChill Uno Firmware
- OpenChill ESP Firmware
- OpenChill Windows Monitoring Tool
- OpenChill Enclosure Lasercut Files
