Icebox extension

myminifactory

Plenty of nice, cold beer in the icebox sits there, waiting to be enjoyed. But, as soon as you take it out and place it on the counter, it quickly starts warming up. So, think outside the box for a moment. We need an icebox extension that's truly innovative. A 3D printed icebox extension is just what we need! It actively cools a bottle, tin or glass of beer right outside the box. A small Peltier element (4x4 cm) does all the work, which is a low-cost heat pump that transports heat from one side to the other. As soon as electric current flows through the Peltier element, one heat sink heats up, while the other cools down. Peltier elements and heat sinks are common products found in hobby electronics shops everywhere. At the hot side, you really need a large heat sink, otherwise the cold side will start to heat up too. If the hot heat sink is large enough and the fan is powerful, no additional electronics are needed. You can find complete units with fans and heat sinks for about $18 on websites like AliExpress. Maybe the printed parts will need some modification to fit the sizes, as shown in this photo of a white box. This printed gadget has three functions that make it truly useful. The double wall (infill about 30%) serves as a thermal insulator, keeping the cold air inside. It houses the Peltier element with the two heat sinks (the cold one on top). It also holds a fan at the bottom to cool the lower heat sink, keeping everything running smoothly.