What safety measures for using a pelt?

[Revivalist]

Ok, I almost got all the parts I'll be using for a pelt setup. They are . . .

• Maze4-1 CPU waterblock: (Dangerden )
• Insulation material: Neoprene, conformal coating, and dielectric grease (dangerden)
• 320W (50mmx50mm) Peltier: (15V max, 26A max) (ebay)
• Meanwell 480-15: (trcelectronics)
• Power relay: (bestbyteinc)

My question is what kind of safety precautions can I set up to avoid any disasters including the destruction of hardware or, even worse, a fire? (I just read this thread from Xtreme Systems and I got a little concerned.) So far I already have the following for safety . . .

1. A relay so that the Meanwell (powering the pelt) always turns off when the ATX power supply off. This protects me from accidentlly leaving the pelt on.

2. A program called "Shut-down" which works with Motherboard Monitor to shut the system down if the CPU temperature reaches a certain temperature (which I was going to set to 50C)

Is there anything else I could implement? I was thinking that there is no protection for the following possible problems . . .

1. The relay fails to turn off the pelt when the system is shut down. (This would be really bad if I leave the house right after turning my computer off.)

2. The program "Shut-down" fails to work when the temperature reaches 50C. (I think AMDs have a built-in thermal shut down but I don't know.)

 

[jcw122]

You've got a rather new ASUS board...in your BIOS options there should be a CPU Temperature Shutdown option that you can set...I've had one w/ my Epox and DFI board, and it shuts it down immediately. I think if u have the BIOS option to do it, use it. It's pointless using a program that will take up more resources of your comp if u have the BIOS option, so check that out.

 

[Vio1]

if im not mistaken, i was under the impression that green text was reserved for administrators.

 

[pwnt by pat]

Lots and lots of radiator space/airflow

 

[Revivalist]

@ jcw122 - Thanks for the suggestion. Unfortunately I don't think my board has that. I have already studied every setting in my BIOS and read the entire manual. I think that the CPU or the board might have something built in, but I don't know for sure and there doesn't seem to be any access to it. . .

@ Vio1 - Only in the classifieds section.

@ pwnt by pat - But how would that help a "run-away" peltier?

 

[pwnt by pat]

If you can't keep the hotside cool enough, you won't keep the cold side anywhere near cold enough. Even 226w put out more heat than most expect.

 

[Captain Newbie]

SCRAM switch.

 

[Cap'n Pedro]

SCRAM switch.

I wouldn't like to replace the glass, but I got one of these for kicks.

Look into normally open (NO) relays. You can set it up so if the PC's PSU stops putting out power, the pelt is powered off. I've got the same sorta setup on my (AC) pump, if the pump is off the PC won't power on and when the PC is on the pump comes on.

 

[Revivalist]

Thanks guys.

I do have a relay taking care of turning on/off the pelt when the computer turns off/on. And as for turning off the pelt in an emergency, I can always just unplug the Meanwell powering it. . .

I was just wondering if there was any other simple safety precaution that could work automatically if the temperature was to get out of control without me knowing it (say if the relay fails to turn off the Meanwell when I turn off the computer along with the water pump.)

For example, it'd be great if there was something with a thermal sensor (to tape on the waterblock) that could be wired into the power chord of the Meanwell so that if the temperature gets really high, it would break off the power to the Meanwell. . . . But it doesn't seem like they make anything like that.

 

[squasher]

I don't extreme cool, but do you have a cold plate? I did not see it on your list, and from what I know thats crucial.

 

[pwnt by pat]

The maze4-1 comes with a coldplate.

 

[datura3]

Thanks guys.

I do have a relay taking care of turning on/off the pelt when the computer turns off/on. And as for turning off the pelt in an emergency, I can always just unplug the Meanwell powering it. . .

I was just wondering if there was any other simple safety precaution that could work automatically if the temperature was to get out of control without me knowing it (say if the relay fails to turn off the Meanwell when I turn off the computer along with the water pump.)

For example, it'd be great if there was something with a thermal sensor (to tape on the waterblock) that could be wired into the power chord of the Meanwell so that if the temperature gets really high, it would break off the power to the Meanwell. . . . But it doesn't seem like they make anything like that.

you can use a matrix orbital LCD display to do that for you. Put a temp probe on the peltier. It can monitor the temperature, and you can use the LCDC program to shut down the computer if it gets too hot. I have a pelt. I leave it on 24/7.