Few thoughts on my TEC cooling

[noskill]

Here's what I have ATM:

Hardware:

P4 2.6 (sucks ass), will go for 3.0 Prescott in next few days
ASUS P4C800
2 x 512 Kingston DDR400 RAM (ValueRAM :D )
ATI 9800 XT

Cooling:

MCW5002-PT, 226W TEC on CPU, powered by Meanwell S320
MCW50-T, 80W TEC on GPU, powered by aux ATX PSU
MCP600 rev2 pump
RAD676 with 2 x 120mm Mechatronics G1125S fans, 55 CFM @ 25 dBA

Temps:

CPU: -10C idle, +5C load
GPU: latest RivaTuner shows up +65C / +61C (core/ambient) :confused: WTF? My northbridge with MCX159 is 33C! Any ideas on this?

So I'm going for a 3.0 Prescott (SL7KB to be exact) next days, maybe even today. Hoping to get at least 3.6+ speed, since it was already tested with stock HSF at that speed.

I'm hesitant a bit about having oc'ed Prescott with about ~120 of heat and just a 226 TEC. There will be ~31C difference between cold and hot sides, so if I'll have a coolant at 30C, it will be +1C on cold plate, then you can make idea what kind of temps will be on core. I think that will be around +25, we'll see that.

I also decided to grab a 176W Peltier unit to replace that one in MCW50-T. That unit is called Drift and rated at 11.3A @ 24.6V. I think I will get a Meanwell S320-24 if you won't give me a better idea :)

However, this means more heat to dispasse and, truly saying, I don't really like my coolant temp, it is about +40C.

Possible solutions:

#1
Grab a second radiator. How shoudl I put it to get best results? I think to put it in parralel with first one. What radiator I should get? I think about another RAD676 to make my setup look OK with similar rads.

#2
How about getting Black Ice Xtreme III with three 120mm fans?

#3, very radical
Get two Black Ice Xteme III, and one more pump. Then make one loop which cools CPU with 2x Black Ice and second loop (with own pump) connected to RAD676. How do you like this? :D

Please give me any thoughts you might have on this.

[rabeb25]

Waaaaaaaaaaaay to much money into to it is my opinion. Either go straight water or go phase change. I have tried every form of cooling to date. Wanna know my setup? hydor pump, maze 4 blocks(cpu/gpu) napa heatercore...thats it. 100-200 mhz does not matter for me anymore ESPECIALLY with the headaches running a pelt setup.

[noskill]

Too much money you say?

Let's see:

RAD676: $30
Peltier: $20
PSU: ~$90
Fans: ~$20-25

$160-165 in total. Could save about $60 by ordering 12V Peltier for 112W and used ATX PSU, then it would be $100.

What I can get with plain water? I hope to push new CPU beyond 4GHz (SL7KB is meant to!) and cool down 9800 XT a bit with that. Is that worth just a $100? You right, it is :D

One more thing I forgot to write about. I want to have silent rig, my MCX159 is silent, my PSU (Zalman) is silent, my pump is almost silent, case fans with 20 dBa are silent. The only things with 30+ dBA are 4x 120mm fans for radiators (Mechatronics, 93 CFM, 33 dBA) I'm going to order too.

But going phase change... Well, it requires a lot of more work and headache if you're building that on your own. I lived with PC which consisted from mobo and parts laying "plain" on my desk, I cannot hold that anymore! ;) What phase change gives? You're right, I'll have exact :banana::banana::banana::banana:load of thing around me. And don't forget about noise, it is much more than four 33 dBa fans.

Of course I can get a VapoChill, but it cost a fortune to buy it! I mean c'mon, $800 for SE? You'd better kill me.

100 Mhz doesn't matter, I'm kinda off from being benchmarking addict. I was used to do a lot of benches with my GF4 Ti4200 when I had it (and was ranked 4th in own category with just air cooling and MrIcee was on 1st with his -35C phase change on GPU core), but again, I'm kinda tired. I want to have 4+ GHz machine, quiet and mean :)

[afireinside]

55 CFM fans? OUCH! Get a dualie heatercore to add with AT LEAST 80 CFM fans.

[noskill]

Dual heatercore? Something like this?

http://dangerden.com/images/heater_core/dbl_heater_core_lg.jpg

Won't two RAD676 with two 120mm 93 CFM fans on each work good?

[saaya]

yes, get better fans, delta has great fans that move a lot of air at low noise. 120mm wfb1212hh are great, have 4 of them :D at 5v they are wisper silent and at 7v pretty silent (depends on your rad) and move a lot of air.
the temps on your card are probably correct, the 80W tec running at 12v is at its max, probably the card is even putting out more heat that the tec can remove.
your water temps are already VERY high, im surprised to see your low cpu temps... very surprised tbh, maybe the mobo is reporting optimisitic temps...
the dd dual heatercores are good, dont know about your rad. have a pic of your rad?
are you running the 227W tec at 12v? can the meanwell go higher than 12v?

you only paid 90$ for your meanwell 320W psu? :eek:

[noskill]

yes, get better fans, delta has great fans that move a lot of air at low noise. 120mm wfb1212hh are great, have 4 of them at 5v they are wisper silent and at 7v pretty silent (depends on your rad) and move a lot of air.

These Delta move 95 CFM @ 42.5 dB! Ouch! I can get Mechatronics G1225E, they're 105 CFM @ 41 dB or even G1225H (93 CFM @ 37 dB). I cannot stand fan noise anymore after using TT Spark7 ;)

the temps on your card are probably correct, the 80W tec running at 12v is at its max, probably the card is even putting out more heat that the tec can remove.

Anyway, I'll change it to 172W one...

the dd dual heatercores are good, dont know about your rad. have a pic of your rad?

Sure, here: http://swiftnets.com/products/h20-220-0.asp

are you running the 227W tec at 12v? can the meanwell go higher than 12v?

Yes, at 12V exact (measured with multimeter). TEC consumes 24A @ 12V, so that makes 288W power consumption. Meanwell is rated 320W (25A, 12V), I was able to adjust 12V rail to about 13V, but didn't like that since PSU load is near 100% which isn't good.

you only paid 90$ for your meanwell 320W psu?

What's so strange about it? I know they cost more than $100+ usually ;)

Anyway, for 172W GPU TEC (24V, ~9A) I'm going to build up custom-made PSU from two ATX PSUs. I will save about $60 :)

[Nimrod0031]

I don't know that changing to a 172w tec is the answer there. An 80w tec should do the job but it seems your water is already to warm by the time it gets to the gpu block so its not doing you any good.

my 80w tec on my 9800pro stayed about 10c underload but I didn't have a 226w tec on the line before it either.

[jinu117]

Well, eventually, you will realize how much money you poured down on peltier cooling setup down the line. Won't be satisified with
1) room heater you just can't turn off unless you want to turn the system off.
2) Headache everytime you need to remount, move, etc stuff.
3) Wondering what would make it better once you hit the top with peltiers.
4) Look at electric bill and wondering what is going on if you use it 24x7.
By default, peltiers are VERY inefficient method of active cooling. It is fun while it last and has certain appeal. One thing that no one should get delusional is that it isn't cheap, nor it is easy to maintain. only thing I might consider peltier chilling now a day is GPU and even that gets iffy with heat outputs the current highend GPUs do have.

[trans am]

I think I am going with phase after reading. I am now faced with the sub 0 / winchester dillema. I have k8n neo2. is there a way around this?

[noskill]

I don't know that changing to a 172w tec is the answer there. An 80w tec should do the job but it seems your water is already to warm by the time it gets to the gpu block so its not doing you any good.

my 80w tec on my 9800pro stayed about 10c underload but I didn't have a 226w tec on the line before it either.

Yeah, and then don't forget I'm going to add up even more heat with Prescott. That hurts and I believe second radiator and 172W TEC are kind of "must" things.

[noskill]

Well, eventually, you will realize how much money you poured down on peltier cooling setup down the line.

Well, at least when I'll get children I'll be able to tell them "look son, i wuz crazy with pelts when I was in your ages" or something :cool:

1) room heater you just can't turn off unless you want to turn the system off

Not a issue.

2) Headache everytime you need to remount, move, etc stuff.

Imagine if MachII goes wrong. And freon evaporated. Isn't filling broking ph-ch system is much more bigger headache than Pelts? :rolleyes:

3) Wondering what would make it better once you hit the top with peltiers.

Phase-change I say!

Again, I'm not against phase change. But I'm not in the moment, where I should throw my crap off and grab a Vapochill or Mach. I cannot sell this stuff so easily as you guys do in US.

4) Look at electric bill and wondering what is going on if you use it 24x7.

Almost 24x7, I've been running this stuff for three months already. Electricity is dirt cheap here. Like, if my system consumed 1 kW/h, it still would be $20-25 month running 24x7 and 30 days. Hell, I can fill all my house with TECs and pay ten times less than you would :D

My system ATM consumes about ~600 W/h. That's $15/mo running 24x7x30. Ha!

[jinu117]

Well actually the #1 reason I did move away from peltier was the room heater factor (I live in sunny california, even during some winter time, it does get uncomfortable during winter with windows open).
That aside, I had 2.4b SL6RZ running @ 3.7ghz, R9800Pro running pretty high somewhere on MCW-50T and MCW-5000PT with Eheim 1250, 1048, 2 heatercore and 1 BIX all in 1/2" ID. (talk about messy waterlines). The case is still in duty atm in phase cooling with bunch of holes all over (well at least it got a new paintjob by me over this weekend).
Now from my experiences if you do plan to stick to peltier, this is what I would recommend.
1) Separate loop for the GPU and CPU. Hot water will negatively impact GPU. Besides, your radiator is not really that good for heat dissipation compared to even BIX. It is way too thin and desgined for low restriction and low noise setup, not for decent performance.
2) I would use the radiator for GPU block alone. Get heatercore or double heatercore for CPU on separate loop. Get some cheap pump for GPU and use the nice swifty on CPU.
You will immediately see significant improvement on temperature of both components. (more so on GPU) Also, your TEC might work harder than before as it is operating at better range now (added benefit).
Proposed cost is some tubing+heatercore+couple of fans+decently cheap pump. Another possibility is getting MCW-50T's peltier swapped around with something else. But that can be done after above experiment is done anyway.
Good luck.

[noskill]

Well actually the #1 reason I did move away from peltier was the room heater factor (I live in sunny california, even during some winter time, it does get uncomfortable during winter with windows open).
That aside, I had 2.4b SL6RZ running @ 3.7ghz, R9800Pro running pretty high somewhere on MCW-50T and MCW-5000PT with Eheim 1250, 1048, 2 heatercore and 1 BIX all in 1/2" ID. (talk about messy waterlines). The case is still in duty atm in phase cooling with bunch of holes all over (well at least it got a new paintjob by me over this weekend).
Now from my experiences if you do plan to stick to peltier, this is what I would recommend.
1) Separate loop for the GPU and CPU. Hot water will negatively impact GPU. Besides, your radiator is not really that good for heat dissipation compared to even BIX. It is way too thin and desgined for low restriction and low noise setup, not for decent performance.
2) I would use the radiator for GPU block alone. Get heatercore or double heatercore for CPU on separate loop. Get some cheap pump for GPU and use the nice swifty on CPU.
You will immediately see significant improvement on temperature of both components. (more so on GPU) Also, your TEC might work harder than before as it is operating at better range now (added benefit).
Proposed cost is some tubing+heatercore+couple of fans+decently cheap pump. Another possibility is getting MCW-50T's peltier swapped around with something else. But that can be done after above experiment is done anyway.
Good luck.

Thanks, pal!
;)