Cooling rad with a TEC?

[ginnz]

ok, i know this is a stretch, but after seeing the freezone cooler, i was wondering if one couldn't attach a tec or two to there RAD in a water cooled loop, to assist in the cooling process?

or maybe machine a block, out of copper,say 5"x5"x1.5", with water channels through it that would have tecs mounted on each side, that would "chill" the water in the loop?

say, in this configuration:

pump>cpu>nb>rad>("tec cooler block"), back to pump?

the rad would provide the initial heat dissapation, and then the "tec cooler block" would further drop water temps before hitting the cpu?

does anyone have a couple of spare TECS laying around?;)

this is just an idea, for a "hybrid" water/tec system.....

seems like it could be fun to experiment with :rolleyes: :D

[Marci]

Savrow put this into practice in a retail system 2 years ago, and many others have done so also - lotsa threads in here covering it. Think the most indepth stuff on the subject can be found here: http://forums.overclockers.com.au/showthread.php?s=&threadid=141703 & http://forums.overclockers.com.au/showthread.php?s=&threadid=141703 & http://www.xtremesystems.org/forums/showthread.php?t=137937

[n00b 0f l337]

Yep Marci's got the links ;)
Not all heat is removed or picked up per loop, so if your blocks made the liquid drop in temp, the rad would then heat that back up ;)

[NaeKuh]

Yep Marci's got the links ;)
Not all heat is removed or picked up per loop, so if your blocks made the liquid drop in temp, the rad would then heat that back up ;)

but nol, were thinkn of adding the chiller after the radiator, b4 the cpu.

Im kind of interested in this concept as well. The radiator would intially drop the water temperature to whatever bottom point you had. The TEC's would maybe drop the water coolant temps slightly below ambients.

The hard part tho, is trying to get the chiller setup so it doesnt freeze the water, or worse bring the water down below dewpoint and cause condensation nightmares. I think if the chiller could drop the temps of the water 5C below whats coming out of the radiator, i would be happy with that if it was possible on a downvolted 60W tec. or a even further downvolted 226W tec.

[[XC] mysticmerlin]

And so then you have to run 2 water loops 1. for the tec and one on the cpu. Why not just put the tec on the cpu and run one loop?? Just my :2cents:

[littleowl]

but nol, were thinkn of adding the chiller after the radiator, b4 the cpu.

Im kind of interested in this concept as well. The radiator would intially drop the water temperature to whatever bottom point you had. The TEC's would maybe drop the water coolant temps slightly below ambients.

The hard part tho, is trying to get the chiller setup so it doesnt freeze the water, or worse bring the water down below dewpoint and cause condensation nightmares. I think if the chiller could drop the temps of the water 5C below whats coming out of the radiator, i would be happy with that if it was possible on a downvolted 60W tec. or a even further downvolted 226W tec.


WOW The electric your talking abut having to use........... For the cost of everything your thinking of doing it would be twice as cheap to run a chiller 24/7!!!

[friedchips]

you know I think you may want to check this out.....
http://www.blujay.com/item/CoolWorks-IceProbe-Small-Aquarium-Chiller-50-Watt-11160305-1353905

I would actually put the rad right after the cpu, then the reservior with this little bugger. What do you think? TEC all ready to rock!!!

[NaeKuh]

i've seen this unit. it honestly sucks and I don't know if it would help. I would prefer the tec after the rad so less work would be required to get the sub ambient water temp.

I was thinking of using the swiftech mcw tec block and sandwitch a Apogee GTX on the cold side. the hot side would run on its own loop with a PA160.

I don't want uber sub ambient temps. just enough to bring my overall temps near or at ambient during full load.

I have the space for a meanwell and a 226W tec wouldn't cause condensation nightmares would it downvolted of course.

[friedchips]

i've seen this unit. it honestly sucks and I don't know if it would help. I would prefer the tec after the rad so less work would be required to get the sub ambient water temp.

I was thinking of using the swiftech mcw tec block and sandwitch a Apogee GTX on the cold side. the hot side would run on its own loop with a PA160.

I don't want uber sub ambient temps. just enough to bring my overall temps near or at ambient during full load.

I have the space for a meanwell and a 226W tec wouldn't cause condensation nightmares would it downvolted of course.

you have seen this unit before? I was thinking about getting one to check it out. It is intented for a cold water fish tank. Got a link to where you've seen it used? That's what I was saying though cpu>pump>rad>reservoir cooled with TEC>back to cpu... I'd imagine you could use a pretty good sized reservoir as this is intended for a 10 to 40 gallon fish tank. Tempurature down to 45F

[[XC] mysticmerlin]

Swiftech (http://www.swiftnets.com/products/MCWCHILL-452.asp) did this once and it was a flop. Just not worth the power v cooling guys.

http://www.swiftnets.com/assets/images/products/MCW-CHILL-452/MCW-CHILL-452-400x414.jpg

[Marci]

Same conversation, different section... more relevant info... http://www.xtremesystems.org/forums/showthread.php?t=150946

[Tony]

All ready personnally working on this idea, efficiency is key though on the TECS so undervolting specific TECS looks to be the answer. High Efficiency waterblocks and temp control of cooling make the power usage more efficient also.

Bonus with water chillers is capacity, whole PC cooled not just the CPU ;)

Marci, if you watch shop orders you will have seen 3x120.3's coming my way, now you know what for ;)

[emaniac]

A week ago, my 2 buddies and me were made this, say, experimental setup.
Tec is of unknown wattage, but we think about 40W, no more...
Loop goes : res->pump->rad1->rad2->tec block->cpu->back to res

System startup cpu temp is 7-8 C lower then without Tec.
Idle cpu temp is lower 5-6 C and full load cpu temp is lower by 2-3 C
Ambient room temperature was 24 C and temp of liquid was 2C below ambient, 22C
Amb & liquid temps measured with Zalman ZM-MFC2
Cpu temp measured with A64InfoTool (by Lukia & Audiofreak)

comp : Venice 3200+ @ 2750MHz 1.56V , TT BigWater SE with additional rad , 4x120mm CM silent fans on rads@1200rpm , Tec cooled with TT Sonic Tower+140mm Sharkoon fan @ 840rpm

[Fr3ak]

Isn't that exactly what CoolIT is doing for years? Cooling a rad with TECs...

[Tony]

Wouldn't radiators add heat to the loop?

Try large res, no fans and 320W tec running 12V, have a hot side loop with 120.3 and 3x60cfm fans on closed loop no res.

Cold side res and tube need to be insulated.

If you have a nice spare PSU run 2 320W TECS 12V and add the second TEC to the existing hot loop...it still should cope.

[emaniac]

Wouldn't radiators add heat to the loop?
No, we allready gained 2C below ambient of coolant with this weak Tec.

It's our next step. We managed to get an 320W Tec but haven't enough powerfull psu for him atm...bad carma.
Insulation will be peace of armaflex or similar. Have also 1 liter res.

[emaniac]

i found (by Google) attributes of this small TEC - it's rated 12V/5A and ~45W usable