basic power question...

[sandman]

Alright, so a 226watt 12V pelt would take like 18 amps, right?

Or I'm not exactly sure how many amps it would take to power it? Do they measure it from the vmax, or from the lowest voltage it can take?

Becayse most pelt can be run in a range of voltages, correct? like 15.4V-10.2V, am I correct in thinking this?

(I just made up those voltages)

[Slickthellama]

yes, actually, they will run all the way down to 1V just not effectively. It will try to draw as many amps as it can to get to the sweet spot (the wattage spec) until it hits it's IMAX. Optimally you want about 12V and about 18A.

[sandman]

Alright, 18 Amps.

Now, one more question. lol.

I have an allied 450watt psu, it is rated for 18A on the 12V line, assuming I loaded the 5V line as well, would this most likely kill the psu?

[Tedinde]

http://www.newegg.com/app/viewproduct.asp?DEPA=1&submit=Go&description=FSP350%2D60PN

I just built a 226watt tec rig for a friend, I was going to sell him an external supply, Tried this Fortron for the hell of it. Seems to be holding up no problem for 3 days now testing running F@H 24/7, And the supply is staying pretty cool.

Dont know about the Allieds, but the fortrons are nice and heavy.

The fortrons have pots to adjust everything.

Id still recommend getting a good external. I've smoked cheap 500 watters in 2 hours just testing if they would hang with a 226 watt pelt.

13.1 seems to be a good voltage that works for me.

[sandman]

Hmmm.....alright.

I geuss maybe I'll just add in this crappy little 300watt power supply I have and see how it works.

Thanks alot.

[Slickthellama]

i wouldnt recommend running the pelt on a system with it's maxed out amperage. Usually PSUs cant live up to their maximum spec. I would recommend about 3amps of slack. With PSUs sometimes they shut off if the amperage is near the boiling point, this would not be good for the thing being cooled.

[sandman]

Yea, I was thinking that too.

Does anyone know if there is a way to run two PSU's in parrallel so that ti would draw like 5 amps from one, and like 13 amps from another?

All the articles I've seen have used them where it pulls an equal amount of amps from each PSU. This wouldn't work with the two PSU's that I would use.

[mdzcpa]

I recommend just getting a quality PSU for dedicated TEC use and be done with it. I use the meanwell S320 rated at 12V, adjustable to +/- 10% at 25 amps. I run it maxxed at +10% or 13.1v....which I find perfect for the 226w pelt. Anything higher produces seriously diminishing returns.

It's been running full tilt this way for 18 months.

[sandman]

I know, but those are like $150 and for me that is like 3 months of allowance + lunch money.

I'd much rather save that money and not go hungry at lunch.

[Slickthellama]

check out these badboys...

http://www.newegg.com/app/ViewProduct.asp?submit=manufactory&catalog=58&manufactory=1998&DEPA=1&sortby=14&order=1

59.00 shipped!

34A @ 12V... Thats not a typo...

:slobber:

[mdzcpa]

I can definitely understand having a budget, and the need to stick to it. Beware, however, that "you get what you pay for" really applies when it comes to power supplies:)

[Hardass]

You can find a used meanwell dedicated ps in our classifieds section for under 100.00. I would not run a 226W with anything else.

[sandman]

Where is this at?

I don't have like any money right now though.....

[Tedinde]

I don't have like any money right now though.....

Then you better chose wisely, Skimping on a power supply for a pelt, can really end up costing you.

From the price of just burning up a Power supply, to your computer, all the way up to burning down the house.

[sandman]

Yea, I know, Which is why i'm thinking of selling off the crap I had to make two power supplies one, and getting that psu that slick linked to, but I question it's durability as well.

What about something like this?

http://cgi.ebay.com/ebaymotors/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&category=50073&item=2445981777

[iceman2g]

Is this psu good enough to power a 226W tec?

[sandman]

I would think so, but it would be expensive if it isn't

[iceman2g]

Well that's the psu i'm currently using, but I can get another one for about $85 CDN used.

[KnightElite]

according to the specs, it should be fine for a 226W TEC. But that will put some pretty hefty drain on the 12V line.

I will throw in another vote for the Dedicated bench power supply. Makes life infinitely easier.

[iceman2g]

Is there a way i'd be able to wire this psu so it came on with my system? This would be dedicated psu for tec and nothing else.

[KnightElite]

Yes, it is quite trivial, actually. Take the green wire on the ATX power connector of the TEC supply (assuming you are using the Enermax you posted above) and connect the green wire to the green wire on the normal power supply. You should connect two ground (black) wires together as well. They will now start simultaneously.

If you decide to go the bench power supply route, which I recommend, then you can build a relay that will activate a power strip when the computer turns on. I am currently using one, and I helped a friend on mine build one recently as well. Very straightforward, I'll make a writeup on it sometime... ;).

[iceman2g]

KnightElite thanks for that. By the way what happened to your Maze 3-1?

[KnightElite]

It died in a TEC accident ;).

[sandman]

IT was so cooked it almost looks tasty.