Peltiers?

[Swampy]

I'm a little new to overclocking. Can anyone explain to me what a Peltier is and exactly how it is used?

[Shadow ÒÓ]

very short explanation.........

it's an electrical device that heats up on one side and gets very cold on the other. The cold side is used to cool the CPU/GPU or whatever where the hot side must be cooled by another form of cooling like a HSF or water block, and even on occasion a second peltier.

Kinda the extreme cooling, and if you're new to OC'ing as you said, I wouldn't worry about one yet........just watch those pro's use em.......it's like going to professional drag races! You Cool Boys!

[Swampy]

I see. It works pretty much like an electric cooler I use to keep liquids cool in my truck at work. It will cool to 40 F below surrounding temps and if you turn the plug around it will heat to 40 F above surrounding temps. Now that I think about it, time to time I have to clean my cooler around the fan. The fan blows onto what essentially is a heatsink and under that is what looks like a ceramic block. I wonder if that is where a Peltier originated?

[Shadow ÒÓ]

I believe Peltier was the guy who invented the thing........

you can find some more info on it here:

http://www.isjm.com/tst/heatsink/peltier.htm

and here:

http://www.peltier-info.com/

[Swampy]

Thanks Shadow. You're a wealth of information.