Active Cool AC4G-D Thermoelectric Cooler

[Cataclysm]

Hey.

I just found this Heatsink/Control Unit when browsing - http://www.ac4g.com/technotes/thermoelectric.html - Its got me kinda stumped as to what exactly it's on about (Other then simple CPU cooling).

Someone wanna explain the mechanics of it to me, (eg, Whether its better or worse then normal CPU coolers) and why they're claimin its some kind of revolutionary break through?

[Darthtanion]

Re: Active Cool AC4G-D Thermoelectric Cooler

The page was reaonably self-explanatory to me. While they only talk about the peltier unit itself, it can easily be incorporated into a HSF setup for use as a cooler for modern processors. But there are a couple of issues you need to address where pelts are concerned:

1- You have to have a quality heatsink in place to get rid of the large amounts of heat produced by the TEC unit. Some folks have gone to water cooling in conjunction with a pelt for better overall cooling and reasonable noise levels.

2- Pelts have a very strict wattage dissipation level. If you exceed that level, the temperatures rise very quickly. Many folks have had luck using either one or two pelts each with a rating of 200+ watts.

3- The biggest downfall to a peltier unit is its ability to die in a split second, usually with no advance warning that its getting ready to play out on you. When this happens, you'll be in the market for a new processor most times.

As for actual cooling power, a good peltier setup will be able to keep your processor running at under 0C under load, so yes, you'll also have to do something to keep condensation out of the picture.