Need to buy a TEC. Don't know what to buy.

[jonnyGURU]

Ok. I need to replace a TEC that I currently have running at 5V.

I don't know what the specs of this particular TEC is, but at 5V it's drawing 1A (5W.)

I have 6A available to it (30W.)

I see most TEC's are rated with a Vmax of > 12V. DOH!

I'm aware that you just don't do simple V * A = W math to figure out what TEC you need, but the math you do use is a bit confusing to me.

What kind of TEC would I get that would not draw more than 6A @ 5V, but would cool more than this one I have now that's drawing only 1A?

Don't worry about what I'm cooling. It more of a novelty than anything. http://www.xtremesystems.org/forums/images/smilies/wink.gif

[stargate125645]

Ok. I need to replace a TEC that I currently have running at 5V.

I don't know what the specs of this particular TEC is, but at 5V it's drawing 1A (5W.)

I have 6A available to it (30W.)

I see most TEC's are rated with a Vmax of > 12V. DOH!

I'm aware that you just don't do simple V * A = W math to figure out what TEC you need, but the math you do use is a bit confusing to me.

What kind of TEC would I get that would not draw more than 6A @ 5V, but would cool more than this one I have now that's drawing only 1A?

Don't worry about what I'm cooling. It more of a novelty than anything. http://www.xtremesystems.org/forums/images/smilies/wink.gif
Actually, from what I understand, you want to run your TEC at less than its rated voltage. In other words, you would get a 12V TEC and run it at 5V. Also, what is this TEC for? Assuming it is the CPU, because your CPU is dissipating 100W+, and you will be undervolting the TEC, you want the TEC to be able to handle more wattage than what your CPU outputs as heat (it's TDP), so you will want a 250W+ TEC. In other words, it does matter what you are cooling... You need to know its TDP, and your TEC should be able to cover that when undervolted significantly, as mentioned above.

You really should visit overclock.net, as although I have picked up a lot of this stuff from there, they can explain why better than I. I can only tell you what. You can sign up under a different name so you don't get mobbed by adoring fans. (I know at least a couple people that would probably give you marriage proposals the second you surfaced on those forums...)

[newhit]

I have run TEC's in a previous life (yes, a bit old now but it worked then). Do you just want to cool your water loop down (I read another thread where you mention it)? If so, again from previous experience, you may have problems getting out what you want to counter what you need to put in as the other side of the TEC needs substantial cooling of its own.

[jonnyGURU]

Well.. when I posted the OP this weekend, it was a TEC for a mere beverage cooler. But I got that working with a TEC cannibalized out of a MACS Sorceress GPU cooler.

As for the TEC cooled water loop, I plan to run two loops for that. Two rads, two pumps. One for the hot water, one for the cold. We'll see how that works.

[MrWicked1968]

any comments on this, Jonny?

CoolIT Eliminator (http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16835227001)

it uses three TEC's and a closed loop to chill liquid. reviews are generally favorable. My question is the PSU requirements, one review used a Neo HE 480 another used a PC P&C 1kw.

[Oklahoma Wolf]

any comments on this, Jonny?

CoolIT Eliminator (http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16835227001)

it uses three TEC's and a closed loop to chill liquid. reviews are generally favorable. My question is the PSU requirements, one review used a Neo HE 480 another used a PC P&C 1kw.

I'll be reviewing that for the site as soon as it gets here. Not sure about PSU requirements on it just yet, but I'll be using a CWT 1.2kW if that helps any :D

[jonnyGURU]

any comments on this, Jonny?

CoolIT Eliminator (http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16835227001)

it uses three TEC's and a closed loop to chill liquid. reviews are generally favorable. My question is the PSU requirements, one review used a Neo HE 480 another used a PC P&C 1kw.

Yeah... in the Gen Hardware forum I've been talking about the carbon fiber build I put together for the Showdown LAN in San Jose. It has a custom CoolIT Eliminator cooling the CPU and a custom CoolIT Freezone cooling the two GPU's.

It's loud. It's heavy. It cools well until you try to overclock.

It also uses a lot of power. My QX6900 w/ two 8800 Ultra cards jumped from using only 300W to boot up, 250W idle and 400W under load, to a minimum of 500W and as much as 750W from the wall during benchmarking.

I'm just not a fan. Unfortunately, I was not involved in the decision of it's implementation.

We'll see how OKW's review goes once he finally gets one.

LINK: http://www.jonnyguru.com/forums/showthread.php?t=2075

[Oklahoma Wolf]

It's loud. It's heavy. It cools well until you try to overclock.

I've been getting that impression already... I'm expecting it probably won't be much, if any, better at cooling than the ChillTEC was.

I figure it'll probably want around 180W at 12v all to itself. While I could see the old Silverstone ST56ZF being able to handle that with no problem, I will admit to being somewhat glad I have the 1.2kW for the review.

[MrWicked1968]

so, could a Neo HE 480w run one of these things without long term problems?

http://www.cluboverclocker.com/reviews/super_cooling/CoolIT/Eliminator/Page3.htm

edit: I am not interested in buying one of these, but I know someone who is.

[Oklahoma Wolf]

I don't think I'd do it for long with one of those. A Truepower Trio 650W maybe, since that one's a single 12v model.

Edit - I see the review claims a 40W power draw for all three TEC's... that seems a little weird to me after the ChillTEC's single TEC wanting 50W @12v.

[jonnyGURU]

When I get to San Jose on Friday, I'll use my clamping ammeter to see if I can measure an exact power draw. There's a power distribution modular zip tied to the side of the drive bays that should give me easy access to the power leads.

[Oklahoma Wolf]

That'll be interesting to see after I got this issue on the ChillTEC after several months:

[madmat]

You're heading to San Hoser? Have fun man. Heh, my sister was born there, I had the good sense to be born in Concord.

Anyways, how'd those bay covers work? You haven't mentioned it nor posted updated pics so I'm asking since I thought of it reading this thread.

[jonnyGURU]

I didn't have time to put them in before having to ship the thing to San Jose. I got something in there now that CoolIT made that's sandwiched between the CF and the aluminum frame. I shipped the TT ones you sent to the hotel and Ultra has something shipping to the hotel so I'll have a chance to compare all three. :D

[jonnyGURU]

Here's the clamp meter on the power feed for the two CoolIT's:

http://www.jonnyguru.com/images/Showdown/DSC01715.JPG

Of course, this 8.91A accounts for BOTH CoolIT's as the power connector I'm clamped onto is feeding the power to the distribution block feeding the power to both units.

This was during boot up. I couldn't get a measurement "during load" because after I had the PC up and running, they asked me why I had the DMM on there. I said, "Well, it's to make sure that the TEC's are running properly", I removed the DMM and put the side panel back on.

My guess is it doesn't draw more than 10A.

[Oklahoma Wolf]

Good to know.