using a lower power tec to cool

[Lestat]

hey fellas im kind of rolling around a few options on better cooling than my water.
one is a TEC but i dont wanna go thru all the b.s. of the super sub zero techs.

i just want a tec that will keep my cpu at like oh i dont know 15 20 25 deg.
preferrably 15-20.
Ther eis a guy on ebay i think most of you know him called Thermaltechnologies or something like that. and a year ago i got a small tech from him that on idle keeps my cpu at around 8c.
but under load the cpu shoots right back to higher than water temps.

can anyone show me a tec that would work for keeping my cpu cool in the temps i am looking at.

I'm not sure why this little tec i have just goes to :banana::banana::banana::banana: when i go under load but it does. i would assume my water cooling is enough to keep the hotside cool enough that the cold side could absorb enough heat from the cpu to keep it cool but i guess not.

what wattage of tec would i need to accomplish this.
another problem is the fact that if it keeps it that cool at load then its going to be subzero at idle and i dont like that, unless i put the positive rail on a rheobus(sp).

any thoughts fellas ? even one for my video too....

[Marci]

Well, a low power tec ain't an option really. See my thread here: http://www.xtremesystems.org/forums/showthread.php?t=77260

226w TEC on CPU and 172w TEC on GPU produce the temps you want under load.
Weaker TECs will produce hotter temps. Not worth it. s'Either stick with those two common wattages or don't bother generally.

172w TEC will run off standard PC PSU alongside system. 226w TEC requires standalone PSU.

If you're expecting majorly lower load temps than those shown then you need to be looking at phsaechange.

I'm not sure why this little tec i have just goes to when i go under load but it does.

Cos you're putting more than 80w of load on it. An 80w TEC can only remove 80w of heat. You need to work out what your heatload actually is to judge what wattage TEC will be required.

A 172w TEC would work on a low-end / mid-range CPU... but once overclocked you'd get same problem.

Most CPUs are stock 110w ish and GPUs about 100w. Use a TEC weaker than the heatload and it's just gonna cook, not cool.

Solution to it going subzero at idle? Don't let it idle. Run F@H or similar so system is always under load.

[Lestat]

thanks for the info man

yeah i pretty much new the little tec could offload the heat of an idle cpu but not the wattage when loaded.

even using a Venice @ 1.65v at 2.85ghz isnt nearly the wattage of a pentium lets say...
but still is enough i'd need a bigger pelt.

i just don't want to have to go thru all the poo of greasing up everything seal taping stuff and on and on.

but hey GOOD cool cooling doesnt come easy. i suppose.

i would love to go Phase but bb_mods still wants to much for my broke arse to make me a single phase lol. that and it would take a year just to get him to find the time to do it .

thanks for the info guy.

[Marci]

Then buy a 2nd Hand Prommi MkII instead of custom build.

[Bloody_Sorcerer]

Your best option is a bong. Sub-ambient, but usually not sub-dewpoint, and never sub-zero. then, no insulation needed, most likely. and they're dirt cheap.