Using a TEC waterblock the other way 'round..

[PCduster]

This is probably one of those questions that pop up every once in a while, but I couldn't find anything through a search..

If you were to use a tec and waterblock combo, say the Swiftech MCW60-T, where you flip the cool side onto the waterblock and you use something like a Thermaltake Orb on the hot side, would there be any drop in overall cpu and gpu temps in the watercooling loop?

I cannot quite tell if it would, but to me it seems as if it would at least help in some setups. If you are currently using a Thermochill 220 or larger rad, you may not see a difference, but with a Swiftech 220 rad and a dual core proc with an 8 series card, I can't help but to think it would help. How much, I don't know, but I am not thinking much.

I was thinking of giving it a go, just to see for myself, but I figured I would look for some input here first..

[cyberspyder]

Something like this: http://www.procooling.com/index.php?func=articles&disp=84&pg=1 ?

[PCduster]

Wow, yep. Although I was thinking of something a bit less extreme. Thanks for the link tho! It proved to be an interesting read. My thoughts were to take a decent watercooling loop and add 1 or 2 lower wattage pelts just to "take the edge off".

Some of the drawbacks to using pelts as they normally are for me are the power cost and what happens when they fail. I like the idea of adding something that if it was turned off, the system would operate normally, albeit a tad warmer.

I guess more specifically, I have a hand full of 30w pelts that I was going to mess with. Sort of add one, check temps, add another, etc.. until I start getting too cold for comfort. Maybe have a secondary setup that kicks in when I am benching. I don't know, just tossing around ideas at this point.

Current setup would be used if I tried it: Swiftech GT, MCW60, MCR220

If it would knock 5C off my temps I would be a happy camper.

[theelectic]

You're going to end up with an air conditioner. Think about it: coolant lower than ambient, heat moves from hot to cold, so you'll actually be putting heat INTO your loop, not out of it.

What you're describing is what the CoolIT guys use; in that case you'll have to get rid of the radiator and have the chiller as your only way of getting rid of the heat. Going by my experience with the Freezone, I'd say don't waste your time.

[PCduster]

I am not quite tracking you there. I am not looking to go sub ambient. With the addition of a volt modded 8 series card into my loop, I am expecting my idle temps to be 5-6C above ambient. I am looking to add only enough to bring me back down to near ambient, or a couple degrees under(usage in an air conditioned home does not cause the condensation issues to an extent). My questions are more aimed at wondering if adding a few pelts will be more like dropping an ice cube into a swimming pool.

It is funny that you mentioned the CoolIt product. That system works with peltiers only. Low wattage pelts at that. Granted it falls flat on it's face when the processor is under load in many cases, but it is working with pelts only. It almost defies logic to me to say that incorporating the coolit design into a functioning water cooling loop would net no returns. And hell, if the coolit design was used, you would have pelts that only kick in as needed, keeping you above ambient.

I am not dismissing what you say, I just would like to talk about it some more... to understand better.

It would be nice to say that my idle and load temps are within a degree of each other.

[theelectic]

If you check your coolant temp (not CPU temp) under full load right now, it should only be a couple of degrees above ambient. If you want to maintain your CPU at ambient, then you're going to have to get your coolant well below ambient. If you run coolant that's below ambient through a rad, and blow air through the rad, heat from the air goes into the rad. Warm air in = cold air out. Heat goes into the water, not out.

[PCduster]

Ah, I understand what you were saying now! Thanks for taking the time to explain it for me.. ;)

So as long as the coolant in my loop is above ambient, I could theoretically cool it to(or near) ambient with a peltier. Anything more than that and the system would heat back up to ambient. I would imagine that it would stabilize at ambient though, as once the coolant is above ambient, it can be cooled back down.

The funny thing? I am actually happy to hear that it would heat the loop back up based on the difference between ambient temp and coolant temp. To me, it seems like a decent peltier could effectively keep your coolant at ambient when used with a decent water cooling loop. Wire the pelt up with a little bit of electronics throttling the power based on an ambient temperature sensor and wham, you have a near zero delta between idle and load in coolant temps!! I would imagine that could help shave a couple degrees off of idle and load temps for the proc, possibly even the 5C I was looking for if the coolant in my setup is above ambient by any decent amount with the 8 series card in the loop.

Very interesting. Let me know if I have made some assumptions in this post that are incorrect, as I am more than likely going to give it a try.