Commercial TEC block or mod my own?

[mcnbns]

I've been doing some research on TECs and I might get one for my upgrade. (320W pelt on a Venice at 3GHz would be nice :drool: )

The one thing that gets me is the only commercial TEC and block combo out there is the MCW5002-64T (outdated block with a 226W pelt).

It seems to me a kick ass combo would be the MCW6002-64 and a 320W TEC.
I'm running a dual 120mm rad with 2x Panaflo H1As, so I've got the capacity for it. The problem is, how do I make my own cold plate?

After seeing the thread on the -37 C dual pelt setup by sjx-qd I can see the potential of a good peltier setup, but I don't know how to go about modding a block to use a peltier.

I'll do some reading tonight after school and post my findings if I learn anything.

Thanks for any help!

[wittekakker]

Hmm, maybe search someplace where u can buy copper (10 ~ 15mm thick), and then cut a 50 mm square out of it (or 40mm if your TEC is 40*40mm). U can cut the copper with a metal saw. Then u take sandpaper to clean the copper and make it flat.
So now u have a cold plate. Maybe u can drill a hole in it for a temp sensor.

Waterblocks: what do u think of the dominator:
http://www.overclock.net/overclock.php?file=articles/dominator-pro.htm
It's P4 not A64, but search some pictures of it, and then u can make a simular block yourself that fits on u'r A64. I've not tested many waterblocks, but I think custum waterblocks is really the best thing u can do. Maze 4 and MCW's aren't bad either.

[mcnbns]

Is there any way I could get away without a cold plate? I haven't heard of anyone not using one (and there's proabably a reason for that).

Has anyone out there converted an MCW6000 series block to a TEC block?

[wittekakker]

U really need a cold plate. Let's take for example the Atlon XP. Those cpu's have a little core, so they will use only a little bit cooling power from the TEC's cold side (The TEC cold side is much bigger). Therefore u need the cold plate to spread cpu's core heat over the intire cold site area. Making cold sides is really easy, u really should give it a try.
Or maybe u can search i-net for shops. I got my TEC from Thermal Enterprises, they sell cold site to I think.

[D_o_S]

U really need a cold plate. Let's take for example the Atlon XP. Those cpu's have a little core, so they will use only a little bit cooling power from the TEC's cold side (The TEC cold side is much bigger). Therefore u need the cold plate to spread cpu's core heat over the intire cold site area. Making cold sides is really easy, u really should give it a try.
Or maybe u can search i-net for shops. I got my TEC from Thermal Enterprises, they sell cold site to I think.

Athlon XP has a small core, and so does an Athlon 64, but couldn't he just use the IHS as the cold plate?

[wittekakker]

IHS? Don't know what that is, i'm not into A64 but I suppose it is the heatspreader.
Well, u should't use the heatspreader only. It isn't thick enough. I've read somewhere that u should use atleast 5mm, and that 10~15mm is optimal as coldplate.

[mcnbns]

I thought it would be really simple just to make a cold plate that would be a little bigger than the TEC and sort of file/sand it down so there's a raised part the same size as the A64 IHS. Does that sound like it would work?

I'm just tossing ideas around here. It'll be a little while before I can piece one together if that's what I decide to do. Thanks for the replies! :)

[wittekakker]

Don't think to much. It just has to be a piece of copper between the core and cold side.
Just take a square wich is 10mm thick and clean it up. It will do the job perfect, nothing more needed.