TEC project get started here
TEC project get started here
http://imgur.com/cd15M1a so I'm done with all my tests and picked a general build for this thing. This setup is going in a box that keeps it sealed, so no one can touch the computer case physically. I want some thoughts on what I'm proposing here. I use antifreeze, so freezing the coolant won't be an issue. Since I'm boosting the cooling power of my water system, I also swapped out the clocks for my hardware, and now the CPU clock is running at 5Ghz while the GPU clock runs at 930Mhz. I've already tested these clocks and found them stable with my gear.
It looks way too hard to manage. Do you think a vacuum helps keep things from turning into liquid? Just adding some extra sensors and keeping temperatures above the dew point should be enough.
I have a small camera inside the vacuum chamber to prove nothing is freezing up. With no water loop running but just one TEC active, the water cooled down to -35C, while only the CPU was on it, so the water stayed right around 0C. I tested this with just the CPU and one TEC before, but when I added a 5Ghz clock on the CPU, it held steady at 38C under load. The goal for this build is to keep my hardware running between 25C and 50C while still getting the same temperatures as now.
Can we just use nitrogen instead of air and get the same result without any water getting on it? It's simpler because there won't be anything to turn into liquid.
I never worked with nitrogen before, but I have built satellites and tested them in vacuum chambers, so that method was already working for me. The only trouble was finding a box big enough to hold everything. I got a cube chest for about $47, had to drill a hole in it, then seal the hole shut after running wires and soft copper pipes through there, but this was still a cheap way to stop ice from forming everywhere on my water blocks.
To know roughly how close my project is to being done, I still need two more power supplies. Right now, I'm using the PowerMax 12V 45A units for each TEC, and I only have one of them, so I'm missing another one. I also need two more radiators that are about 360mm long. Since I already own four, I just need to get those extra ones. I also need some fittings to connect the water loops because most are already in place. All these things listed below will be upgrades for my build. I want to swap out the old motherboard for a new Asus Rampage IV Black Edition model, and then buy a 3960X CPU so that it can go all the way. To finish, I also need some motherboard blocks. If I decide on those upgrades now, I might be ready in about six months or even a year depending on how many extra things I choose to get. The Asus Rampage IV Black Edition is actually really important for this build.
Hey, I have been watching this build log all day and I've seen you on your Ryan's TEC sticky before. You said you tried putting water on the hot side of the TEC but it just stopped working right? Maybe you'll need some software to control how much water flows when you turn those peltiers on so the temps don't get crazy. Anyway, that is super cool and I also want to say: IT IS SO AWESOME YOU ARE WORKING ON SATELITES!!!! I am still a kid but wow. Also, won't this use up way too much power? The main reason I can't do this at home is because my dad said no, he wouldn't let me use 200W just for cooling. My idea is to put in a solar panel and some big battery instead. Anyway, awesome build and I am really interested to see what happens next. Good luck!