Advantages of Thermoelectric Cooling:
Precise temperature control
Changing the polarity of the DC power supply causes heat to be pumped in the opposite direction and thus can become a heater
Low power requirements
Low cost
No moving parts
Highly reliable - when used properly, modules can exceed 100,000 hrs. of steady operation.
Environmentally friendly - no gases
(excerpt courtesy of www.overclock-watercool.com)
There is a lot more to a complete peltier cooling system than what we have stated above. Peltier cooling can be tricky, yet very beneficial. I would not recommend installing a peltier cooling system on a Pentium 100. If your system has been overclocked a great deal, or runs very hot, then the peltier is an option. This type of cooling requires some skill and knowledge of the subject. If you decide that you have to have a peltier cooling system, please read all you can and do some research. There are many sites out there with kits and info to direct you to deciding on the specs of a peltier cooling system that will suit your needs.
Along with peltier cooling systems come the addition of water blocks for water/peltier cooling. In the next section, I give an overview of the basic essentials needed for this type of setup.
There are four main elements:
Water block
Water Block: There are now a number of places selling copper, aluminum and plastic water blocks which we have tested and work very well. Copper, in general, cools better than aluminum, but better designs (e.g. Tidal Pool) have closed the performance gap. Plastic blocks are also coming on strong. Prices range from $20 - $40.
Radiator
Radiator: These are usually small units that are used for transmission or oil coolers. As such, they are pressure tested to something like 100-200 psi - the potential for a leak is nil. Expect to pay $20 - $60.
