Why not use the ATX 12V power lead for a Pelt?

L337 M33P · Jun 5, 2003

Yes i'm a n00b

Why not use that 4-pin connector as it has more cross-sectional area than a Molex, plus it allows you to have more HD's, etc in your PC as a whole Molex line is freed.

This probably won't work with P4 boards as they use the ATX12V connector anyway

attack · Jun 6, 2003

it will draw too much current. I have a 550 watt PSU the 12v rail is rated to 24A...a 12v pelt at 120 watts would be 10amps! that's a large hit on your PSU...and that's an antec 550 watt. I guess it might be possible if our not running too many components but it could really crap out your PSU fast, or cause insdtabilities.

Paxmax · Jun 6, 2003

Those connectors made for ATX12V and regular ones for HD's and such aren't really meant to carry a really heavy ampere load.
Some max out at 7A some are of better quality and may hande up to 15A, it all depends on contact material and surface treatment. When you reach the connectors amperage limit it will get too hot and melt the plastic carrier, possible making a short circuit.

L337 M33P · Jun 6, 2003

That's what I mean - only using a good quality PSU with a peltier is allowable anyway. The ATX 12V connector has 4 wires which is more than the 2 used if you plug it into a molex. A simple rewiring mod would make use of all 4 wires, lessening the chance that the thing will melt/fry/burn. The really high power peltiers definitley do need their own PSU as a PC one just isn't going to provide the juice.

Wicked Klown · Jun 6, 2003

With a good PSU you can run a high wattage pelt. However thats the only thing you can have on it. YOu have to add the ampage of the HDD's CDs Video cards. and all that and plus with like my 226watt pelt it draws 24amps.

L337 M33P · Jun 6, 2003

That's a pretty high power peltier - what are your temps?

see - you do need 2 PSUs for a high-power peltier. I reckon a 400W PSU will power an AMD PC and a 156W peltier @12V (120W ish)

Wicked Klown · Jun 6, 2003

So far I only know my winter temps. With the window open and my 1900+@1800MHz and a Vcore of 1.80 I was getting idle temps as low as 3C and load temps as high as 15C.

attack · Jun 6, 2003

you know the more I think about this the more I think you could run a 120 watt pelt from my 550 PSU atleast with my setup. an 8k3a XP1700 2 HDD's 1 CDROM...video card, and SC and wireless NIC. I still wouldn't do it, but i'd say it would work.

L337 M33P · Jun 6, 2003

MMM that's pretty cool.

did you insulate your motherboard and spray it with conformal coating or whatever?

Dissolved · Jun 6, 2003

400watt with a pelt and amd system? heh
i dunno if your trying to burn your psu or cool your cpu.
But ud need a good 30amp 12v line if you wanted to do so. i Would keep the pelt off the computer psu. i dont think comp psu's are made to run Full power 247, but who knows, try it

L337 M33P · Jun 7, 2003

I think the brand of PSU matters - Tom's Hardware guide did a review of several power supplies and ran them at 100% for a set amount of time or until they burned out.

Anyway I'm not talking about EXTREME extreme cooling, just cold enough to have about 0C at idle for a stock CPU

Why not use the ATX 12V power lead for a Pelt?

L337 M33P

Member

attack

Member

Paxmax

Member

L337 M33P

Member

Wicked Klown

Hard *** Southern Boy Senior

L337 M33P

Member

Wicked Klown

Hard *** Southern Boy Senior

attack

Member

L337 M33P

Member

Dissolved

Member

L337 M33P

Member

Similar threads