Is this overkill?

[Random Nonsense]

Hi guys, i think this will be the cooling set up im gonna use....

2 X 156 watt peltiers
2X home made waterblocks, maze type design
Cooling tower, 6ft drop 6 inch diameter
(would 1 ft diameter be better? with 2 or 3 showerheads?)

I need advice on the pump really, and whether the cooling tower could cope with that kind of heat or should i run a pair in series?

This is to cool a palamino 1.53GHZ @ about 1.8 GHZ, or 2ghz if it will make it!

reason im using the 156 watt peltiers is they were the only ones that would work acceptably with 12 V and still be powerful enough, using 2 to try and keep sub zero temps at full load :D

also will a 350 WATT PSU be able to handle both pelts? if necessary i have a pair of 300 WATT ones, but 3 PSU's in one case is a bit over the top IMO

[ken257]

Computer PSU's will not handle a 156w tec. You will need something like this 12v 21amp supply, one for each tec.

http://www.teamdelta.com/products/prod3.htm

[Random Nonsense]

hmmm if you say so, but if its rated to supply 300 watts, surely 156 watts is only 50% of its rated output? I would buy one of those ones you posted teh link to, but i dont wanna spend any more money than i have to... also i live in the UK so they would be useless as they would require 110V AC input, all we got here is 220 V

[Random Nonsense]

ok i understand now, its the amperage, 156 watt pelt is 16 amps, and 300 WATT ATX PSU cant cope with that? am i right?

[Hoot]

The 156W peltier only drew about 11A at 13V, the last time I measured it. Still, using a PC PSU to power a Peltier is a bad approach. They are not designed for that kind of implementation.

Hoot

[ken257]

The 156 watt rating on the tec has to do with how much heat it can dissapate, it has nothing to do with how much power it uses.

[RedDeathDrinker]

In response to your initial question.

Yes.

It is a bit of an overkill.

What sort of overclock are you hoping to acheive in the end?
Here in the UK, a 1gig Athlon will go to 1.45ish quite happily on fan cooling alone (For the record, mobo monitor records 39C at full load with 1*120mm and 2*80mm fans....)

Better cooling will be obtained with a wider cooling tower, why not add some fans to the cooling tower to drop the temp even more?

Post some pics when you get this baby up and running, it should be an impressive sight....

[Random Nonsense]

ok, i'll try to find a 13/14v PSU or 2 for the peltiers, i was planning on using fans in the tower reddeathdrinker, and i'm also in the UK!!! (croydon, surrey) im getting myself a palamino 1.53 for my birthday and hope to reach at least 1.8 GHZ preferably 2ghz....

i suppose i could try it with a single peltier but would be happier using a 172 WATT one for that, unfortunately these seem to need 24volts, and i cant find a cheap 24V psu anywhere!