NEWB for TEC's pleas help

[buff]

Okay, I got an 80w 12v TEC for my r300. I am going to be using an old ATX power supply to power it. Do I need a cold plate for the TEC? I assume I do. Also, how do I wire the psu to turn on when I hit the power button to my comp, and shutdown when windows shutsdown?

thanks
Buff

[2fast4u]

I know alot of people have used an atx for powering tec's but they seem to come to a premature death due to the large amp surge at start up. You will have to have a cold plate and a way of removing the heat from the hot side also (hs/fan or water block). You also will have to insulate to prevent condensation. I would suggest looking through the forum at the different examples that have been posted previously on the forums in the tec section. As far as wiring the psu to start and stop with the pc, I'm not sure but someone else here will know.

[buff]

Ya, i got a nice HS/F for the hot side, and I got the silicone stuff to seal it. Where can I get a coldplate?

[KnightElite]

Easiest way to get a cold plate is probably to get one machined.

As to turning on/off with the PC, if you buy a power strip, and a cheap relay from radio shack, you can make a power strip that only turns on when the PC is on.

That is what I have, and my friend and I just made one for him yesterday.

[Jabo]

Originally posted by buff
Okay, I got an 80w 12v TEC for my r300. I am going to be using an old ATX power supply to power it. Do I need a cold plate for the TEC? I assume I do. Also, how do I wire the psu to turn on when I hit the power button to my comp, and shutdown when windows shutsdown?

thanks
Buff

I wouldn' recommend any cheapo PSUs. The ones that burned were cheap and cheerful ones ;) Use high quality ones, in UK retail prices are half these of dedicated TEC PSUs like Meanwell.
I am happily running MCW5000P-T and the rest of my system (except MCW50-T) from single Enermax 465 431watt PSU with no probs :)

As relay switches... unless you know what you are doing (this is extremely important since failure here leads to cpu/gpu meldown). Otherwise buy one in which is ready made.

My solution is much cheaper and much more failure/fool proof one :)

Get an extension cable with as many sockets as it takes to power your PC, pump and TEC's PSU. Cut power cord of this extension and insert surface mounted type light switch box.

THe way it works is as follows - you switch this swithc on and your pump TEC and PC's PSU get power. TEC and pump are running, PC is not but its PSU has power so you can press a button to turn it on. THe beauty of this setup is that you are not able to turn your PC onwithout turning your pump and TEC(s) on :) and it's dead cheap :)

[buff]

Gonna try and do it the "Jabo" way.
still gotta get a coldplate. I have no idea where to get one machined.....

[KnightElite]

A machine shop probably :p:. There's bound to be some near where you are. Contact them and see what it would cost.

One thing to keep in mind though, is be VERY, VERY sure to turn the TEC off as soon as you turn the PC off. Given that then fan on the heatsink will likely be powered off of the computer PSU (if it's not, this is not quite so important), your TEC will just be a big, poorly cooled heat source sitting on the vidcard as soon as the computer turns off. With an 80W TEC though, you are probably fine running it off the same power supply as the PC, assuming you have a good quality one.

[buff]

My comps main PSU is a Fortron Aurora 350w, so I dont think it'll be able to handle the TEC. How would I set up an ATX PSU to be "on" as soon as its plugged in?

[KnightElite]

On the main ATX motherboard connector, use a wire to connect the green wire with any of the black wires. Then it will be on as long as it is plugged in, and the switch on the back is set to ON.

[buff]

thanks

[David302]

who knows that side of the peltier of 226w is the cold and which is the hot ?

[KnightElite]

Easiest way to find out is hook it up to a 9V battery briefly (Red wire to +, black to -). The hot side will get hot, cold side cold, but not enough so to damage the TEC (current limitations on the battery). Then mark one of the sides with a permanent marker to indicate which it is.

[CSOFT]

Originally posted by David302
who knows that side of the peltier of 226w is the cold and which is the hot ?

If you install it backwards you can always revearse the wires, asumming that you test it b4 you put it on your video card. Also, if your going to be using a heat sink you wanna test it for sure the heatsink handles the load of just the TEC alone.

[David302]

ok thanks I will try to make it