Chamber FAQ
High temperature limits of test chambers
There are many types and configurations for test chambers. One characteristic they all share are high and low temperature limits. Why are different models limited to certain temperatures? Let’s take a look at high temperatures.
Test chambers are heated by wire heaters made of a material called Nichrome. By placing successive loops of heater wire, you increase the amount of heat that is generated. The result looks a lot like the inside of a toaster.
It is very easy to add heaters and increase the speed and high limit of a chamber. ESPEC chambers typically have a high temperature limit of 85, 150, 180, or 210°C. Let me explain why each of these limits exist:
85°C: One of our benchtop models and our walk-in chambers have this limit. These units use expanded urethane for insulation. Urethane can start to degrade at temperatures above 85°C. For walk-in customers who need higher temperatures, we switch to a fiberglass insulation. The benchtop customer can switch to another model. Since fiberglass insulation isn’t rigid, we have to include an angle-iron frame, so we call these models one-piece or solid-construction.
150°C: Our Platinous chambers have this limit. This is due to the limitation of some of the materials used in our heated viewing window. By removing the window, the temperature range can increase. For extremely fast chambers, we may limit the high temperature to 150°C to avoid problems with accidentally tripping overheat protection devices.
170-180°C: Most models stop at this temperature range. This is due to the risk of overheating the refrigeration oil inside the cooling coil. And we all know what happens when a system doesn’t have good oil.
210°C: Our thermal shock chambers have this limit. Because thermal shock chambers separate the hot and cold sides, it is possible to exceed the limits of the refrigeration oil. Around 200°C, you are approaching the limit of several materials used in constructing the chamber.
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