non water tec and power supplies

[FattyMcNastyXK]

I was looking into doing something to cool my cpu either by water or by peltier (sp?). I've been looking at getting the parts instead of a kit and trying to get a heat block off a dead car or something. But as I'm looking at this MCX4000-T, i notice it says that there should be another power source. It gives a link to this $100+ psu thats only 320. I don't see why i couldn't get a cheap 350w psu and piggy back it ontop of my case or find a mini atx psu and somehow fit it into a drive bay or something. Does anyone know why they suggest this low wattage, expensive psu for the MCX4000-T? But then there's that Thermaltake tec cooler which all you have to do is plug that pci card into a wall outlet. and boom.

 

[I.M.O.G.]

There's more to a PSU than just wattage.

I'm guessing the $100+ PSU can put out 25+ amps on it's 12/15 volt rail... Cheap PSU's cannot typically put out the necessary amperage that the TEC will draw when powered at 15 or 12 volts. Sometimes people combine two PSU's, or they find one good PSU that can power the pelt and their computer, or they find good bench PSU's for good prices on ebay.

Have you looked into the shortcomings of trying to cool a 226 watt TEC and an overclocked processor with aircooling? Your performance will be VERY poor from the performance/cost aspect.

 

[FattyMcNastyXK]

so maybe i should go with a cheap wc kit? like the Aquarius by thermaltake, i've never had my system watercooled before.

 

[I.M.O.G.]

Well low end water-cooling won't get you very good performance either, but it might get you marginal performance that's easier on your ears and it will take very little of your time.

Your best option would be ordering the parts to assemble your own kit as everyone else around here will tell you - if you don't want to spend any more money than a cheap kit costs, you are best off to make your own. A DIY watercooling kit should get you temps that are comparable to very good air cooling but much quieter and with much more subtle fluctuations in temperature. There are many DIY guides on watercooling in the watercooling forum... The best way to find the guides is to use the search terms "water" "sticky" and "guide".