Ioport.com Peltier PS Kit

[Al666]

Hi all,

I'm looking for a small PS that fits inside my Enermax 989AL-00 aluminum case to cool down my 1600+ with a pelt (or two).

Ioport is selling one for $100 assembled @ http://www.ioport.com/peltiers.html

pictures from their website:

http://www.ioport.com/images/components/pelt_pwr_lrg.gif

http://www.ioport.com/images/components/pwr_in_case_lrg.gif

They're using this PS to power 156W TB-127-2.0-1.15 pelt in their MaximusPCs.

As I don't see any kind of steel box or anything around the transformer I'm thinking EMI might be a problem with this PS.

Butcher @ pro/forums suggested that a torrodial one is a better solution.

Does anyone know where I can find a small PS like this one?
a better one maybe to power a 172W pelt @ 24V or two 120Ws @ 24V because I think 156W pelt @ 15V might not be good enough for the 1600+...

also I don't want to run into EMI problems...

Thanks,

AL

[Diggrr]

I looked at their stuff, EMI might be a problem. You could put this in an aluminum box from the hardware store. Got a Home Depot close by?

Honestly, there's about 100 different ways to power a peltier cooler. I'd say to search google.com and look for bench power supplies. Some will be $200, but I saw some for less than $100. For a 24volt pelt, you would use an 18-19v transformer. For a 16v tec, use a 12-13v transformer. Probably an adjustable one would be no use, unless it's the only way to hit the voltage you want.
Also watch the wattage, you don't want to run at the transformer's max all the time. Look for 'new' surplus too.

Ya just don't seem to get much for the price with this kit, and could probably find the components for less money.

[KILLorBE]

Maybe you should look for a "Mean Well" PS, they're sold for ~$100 over here.

Mean Well 200 watt industrial PSU SP-200-24 (for use with TEC)
specifications:
DC output = 24volt by 8,4A
The 24volt is manual adjustable +/- 5%
Special PSU for use with the DRIFT-0.8
Fitts perfectly in a 3,5" bay!
http://www.computronics.com.au/meanwell/s-240/911.gif
You could mail Kevin Dare (kdare@computronics.com.au) to see if they're sold somewhere in the US.
Computronics/Mean Well (http://www.computronics.com.au/meanwell/index.shtml)

[Diggrr]

Thanks KILLorBe, great looking ps's. I found US distributors.

Upon searching I found these links to 24v power supplies that can handle the big tecs. I don't know these companies, but they both have been around for a while. (I checked)

www.ipcoutlet.com From Freemont CA
www.duracomm.com Kansas City MO

They seem to carry all of the ps's in this line, so if ya got smaller needs, they got it too. For the bigguns look for S-240-24.

<disclaimer> These seem to be good companies, but I have never done business with them. Judge for yourself.

[Al666]

Thanks KILLorBE and Diggrr...

In the US a company called Peak to Peak Power sells Meanwell PSs, I guess they're the biggest supplier... http://www.peaktopeakpower.com/

Well I guess I'm going in that direction,'cause I can't find a small sized PS with EMI. but it's going to be a reall tight fit though. BTW do you guys have any idea what the difference is betw. meanwell S versions and SP versions? It says Power factor correction 0.98 on the specs page. Is it important 'cause I can get a S320 for $10 more...

[Diggrr]

Power factor correction is used on power supplies that power a device that works on magnetic field. (i.e. motors). A peltier works on raw conductivity, so none is required. The .98 refers to the corrections' efficiency (98% in this case). It's not needed for case fans either, just high current magnetic loads.

In short you don't need it unless you plan on adding a high current 24 volt blower along with the pelt on the supply.

Thanks for the link to peaktopeak, They run cheaper than the others.

[hunter00]

question, these ps's look cool, but for the doubles, does d-120 mean i can power 2 120w peltiers or 2 60w peltiers?

also, im assuming each of the single output ps's can only be used for one peltier right?

[hunter00]

also, i have a question, i was looking at a 300w atx psu and i noticed that the 12vdc line could take 120w (something like that) can i mod it for use with a 120w peltier. how do you do that?

[Diggrr]

Double vs. Single outputs means that the power supply can power two seperate devices without them interfering with each other. Say, a motor and a transformer could interfere with each other magnetically back through the power supply causing one or more to go boom.
The power supply can still only put out a total of it's rating.

Chances are, that psu could power the tec as long as:
The device does not draw more voltage or amperage than the psu. (I recommend looking at both numbers)
If using the 12volt leg of a psu, you need at least a 1 ohm 20 watt resistor across the 5 volt wires (on a molex will do), otherwise the 12 volt side will not produce a full 12 volts.
And lastly, make sure it's ventilated well, jsut like your regular psu. That's quite a constant duty load for a psu (a computer rarely uses a steady load, and rarely at the psu's capacity)

[ButcherUK]

Originally posted by hunter00
also, i have a question, i was looking at a 300w atx psu and i noticed that the 12vdc line could take 120w (something like that) can i mod it for use with a 120w peltier. how do you do that?
Definitely check the volt and amp specs as Diggrr says. A 120W TEC will typically need around 180W of power at full voltage as they aren't 100% efficient. The 120W refers to heat moved not power consumed.
Using numbers off TEDist, a 122W TEC uses 12.4A at 15.9V. This means it'll need approximately 9.36A at 12V which is a power consumption of 112W. So you should be able to run one but watch for overheating of the psu.

[Al666]

Hey butcher (BTW are you the Butcher @ pro/forums?)

are you guys talking about DRIFT 1.15 Potted 122W peltier? Isn't it 24V version... I didn't know there's 12V 122W pelt...

[ButcherUK]

Originally posted by Al666
Hey butcher (BTW are you the Butcher @ pro/forums?)

are you guys talking about DRIFT 1.15 Potted 122W peltier? Isn't it 24V version... I didn't know there's 12V 122W pelt...

Yes I am that Butcher :)

No, I'm talking about the TB-127-2.0-1.5 on TEDists site, it's a 16V, 122W TEC.

[Diggrr]

It's a 48mm x 48mm tec. That's the one I bought. Their 24volt ones (I believe) are 40 x 40. That's why their not listed together on the site.

[Al666]

Hey butch;0)

I wasn't aware of its existence;)

anyways do you guys think the SP200 can handle the Drift 0.8 172W @20V? BTW how am I going to adjust the voltage on this PSU, is there a knob or something?

[Diggrr]

Specs say it's adjustable +- 10%. It looks like there's a knob next to the terminal strip.

[Al666]

I just called Peaktopeakpower to place an order. they don't have S350 in stock and they don't know when they'll have it. They said, it doesn't have UL approval on its safety features yet etc.
So I ended up getting the S320.
if any of you guys are interested in getting a Meanwell PS from peaktopeakpower I strongly recommend you to call them first.

[Diggrr]

That UL rating is far overshadowed by the CE rating it does have.
I used to set up testing for my companies laser systems. CE rating was far more riggorous than UL ever though of. They set it up in a "quiet" facility, usually underground, and blast it with EMI, microwave, shock testing..just about anything you could think of to torture test electronics. The EMI antenna array is similar to having the unit 4 ft from a cell phone tower's antenna.
The CE rating is for electronics that are shipped worldwide, the UL is just for America.

I surely like CE over UL, and will gladly accept CE rated goods.
Thanks for the pointing that out though, I hadn't noticed.

[Al666]

ISO 9001 is good enough for me...
actually I told peaktopeakpower that I really don't care much about UL approval, but they didn't have it in stock aswell. if I could get the S350 version I was planning to sandwich 2X 120 pelts though.