Peltier Cooling.

[Gimmick]

I've really been concidering using TEC (peltieries) to cool my system. Here is my idea, let me know what you all think.

First make my system, or at leas the Motherboard section of my case, air tight. Next install 3-4 100 watt peltiers. I have a 450 watt PS, so if I have 3-4 100 watt peltiers, I should be able to "pump" out all the heat the Motherboard, CPU, RAM, etc, etc.. is generating.

I would mount the Peltiers with 2 heat sinks on each side of the peltier. So I would have a super cool heatsink on the inside, and a super hot heatsink on the outside.

This system of cooling, would not bring in any fresh air. Thus, no condinsation, on the important part of the computer, since I'm recycling the air in the case. what ever water is already in the air, would need to be desposed of. And for that, I would rig the peltiers so if they gathered condinsation, it would fall in a drip pan. I could even insulate the case to keep any ambient air from reaching the outside of the case, and then I won't get any condinsation on the outside either.

This would make my main problem circulating the hot air around the CPU heatsing, ram, vid card, etc... to the cold heatsinks on the peltiers. Which isn't much of a problem.

This is more or less like putting your computer in a extreamily cold room ambient air temp. Say, just above freezing.

One of the BIG draw backs is, I will need a Big Powersupply for the peltiers. I will also have a lot of heat on the outside of my case that I will need to disipate in the air.

So, what do you all think? Am I crazy?

Thanks, Gimmick.

 

[Zero Shift]

Whoa.
what are you planning to do, OC an XP 2600+ into a 3600+ like they did at tomshardware.com?
If so.....

....post the results!

 

[spfd]

wat the hell is a peltier?

 

[Gimmick]

spfd, That is almost what I would have said about 3 weeks ago. I didn't have any idea what one was either. But I found out they have been around since the early 1900s.

From what I've read about them, they are heat pumps. You can get them in a lot of sizes. I've seen 40mm to 70mm. And they are about a 1/4inch thick. When you applie voltage, they "pump" heat from one side two another. And they do so good, you can have as much as, or more than 75 F deg. difference from one side to the other.

If you use one, you can go way bellow ambient. But the draw backs are, they add almost almost as much heat, as they pull away from your CPU. Making your case temp a LOT higher.

Thermaltake makes a heatsink that uses a peltier. The sub zero or something like that. (www.thermaltake.com) It has a controller card that keeps it at ambient case temp. so you don't have to worry about condinsation. But it runs at about $90-120.

I just purchased a peltier off of ebay for $11 (counting shipping). It's one of the smaller ones I've seen. 85-105watt. 40mm. I got it so I could experiment with it.

I've also heard the military uses them in reverse. They use propane to heat one side, and air cool the other side. When you force heat through the peltier, it generates electricity. And it must work pretty good too.

I've even heard it suggested to use a peltier in place of a car alternator. Just put it on the engine block, and it will charge your battery. (Not too sure it would work well though.)

Zero Shift. Sure, I'll let you know how it goes. It may be some time before I get everything together though.

Take Care - Gimmick


- There are 10 types of people in this world. Those who understand binary, and those who don't.