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Planning Watercooling potential

Discussion in 'Modding' started by atc95, 8 Dec 2012.

  1. atc95

    atc95 I have the upgrade bug!

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    In another post i mentioned I was modding an xbox 360 elite chassis into an itx based pc.

    For cooling I would like to watercool it and think a 120mm enclosed loop like the h60 would fit if I used a slim fan like the scythe slipsteams.

    My question is whether it is possible to use a reservoir and pump on an extremely small scale and have a 140mm radiator which could cool the cpu (at this stage a i3 3220) and a radeon hd 7750, i know these components don't really need watercooling but in the limited space I think watercooling would be quieter and far more effective than air.

    Also if it isn't possible to find a combined reservoir and pump that fits, is it possible to mount them externally bearing in mind I will be taking this system around with me, to the occasional lan party?
     
  2. siliconfanatic

    siliconfanatic Johny-come-Lately

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    just how small are you talking for the res? and an even better one: what type? normal(ie:box) or cylindrical? alomost all water cooling suppliers make pump/res combos.. and what type of mounting for the radiator? fron? back? Blowing out the side panel? what flow rate are you looking for etc. more info on what you want would make it much easier to help you.... and what's yer budget? bone dry wallet or is it hemreging money?
     
  3. atc95

    atc95 I have the upgrade bug!

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    Hadn't really thought of flow rate but dimensions are 275mm x 215mm x 65mm which will be filled up by a 7750 low profile, tfx psu and itx board.

    Flow rate isn't that important but most air coolers I have researched that will fit keep the cpu in the high 60 degree celcius region at load so anything below that is great.

    Radiator will be mounted almost directly on top of the cpu like a top down cooler, and on the case I will have 2x60mm exhaust fans.

    Cylindrical or box works, whatever one fits and/or mounts on the outside safely.

    My budget is probably maximum £100 but could be adjusted if there is a real benefit to cooling :)

    EDI|T: I have seen 50mm reservoirs and they would probably be small enough
     
  4. siliconfanatic

    siliconfanatic Johny-come-Lately

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    okay... much better. lemme do a couple of google serches and ill have results. 140mm right? and sounds alot like yer gonna need a slim one from those dimms.
    EDIT thik i just found the right res fer ya:
    http://www.aqua-computer.de/e_index.htm
    the aqua-inlet is what its called... gonna still need a pump to mount on it... it'd be nice if companies were balls enough to show prices :hehe:
     
    Last edited: 9 Dec 2012
  5. The_Crapman

    The_Crapman World's worst stuntman. Lover of bit-tech

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    Considering the tiny amount of space you have to work with, why not get 2 closed loop coolers and splice them together. That way you're combining your block and pump into one.

    I also think that even with a low profile fan, you're not going to be able to get a rad into the confines of an xbox case. Even if you managed it, it's performance would be seriously dented because of the restricted airflow. I'd mount the rad or fan on the outside, depending what direction you want your airflow. You still need adequate airflow through the case to cool all the other chips and components.
     
  6. siliconfanatic

    siliconfanatic Johny-come-Lately

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    even if it were to be blowing/sucking from a low-profile rad? i swear i saw a 30 mm 140 rad.
     
  7. atc95

    atc95 I have the upgrade bug!

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    How would i splice 2 closed loops together, and in which case are there any 80mm closed loop radiators as I don't have room for 2x120, my plan was get a pump to fit inside and then mount a reservoir on the outside of the xbox casing, kind of where the wifi kit used to attach to the elite if anyone had one.

    Is it safe to mount a reservoir on the outside if I am going to move this pc around from time to time?

    Also the link with the aqua-inlet, how big is the smallest pump that will mount onto it.

    I have worked out that if I have a push system on the h60 i can mount the fan on the outside of the case which would be ok as I could put a fan grill on it or something, and the depth is:

    27mm (block) + 27mm (radiator) + 12mm (scythe slipsteam) = 66 so the fan would just be sticking out, will this work If i have another 80 or 92mm case fan dedicated the the 7750. Or alternatively I could mount the 7750 or 7770 if there's room using a pcie riser so the gpu fans would be taking in cold air directly.
     
  8. asura

    asura jack of all trades

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    Where water-cooling is quieter and more effective than air-cooling is where you're able to get a higher amount of surface area for the water/copper/air exchange than for the heat-pipe/aluminium/air exchange.

    So were you to fabricate a portable radiator-box (which could also house the pump) then I'd say it was a project worth undertaking. With a few sets of quick disconnects you'd just turn up with your two boxes, your two lengths of pipe, all with their water still inside, and plug them together.

    I'm not really up on hardware at the moment, but isn't the 6XX series cooler than the 7XXX series for equal levels of performance? If so, and if you were sticking with a single box air cooled solution, then that may be the way to aim.

    Personally I think single box = air-cooled. Two boxes = water-cooled.

    Air cooling in really tight spaces, and providing the unexpected (super-powerful mini-pc in an XBox case qualifies) is, in my opinion, cooler than water-cooling it.
     
  9. atc95

    atc95 I have the upgrade bug!

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    Fair enough, I just thought water for at least the cpu would be better as I don't think there is a clear enough airflow that would keep both the cpu and gpu cool, also I thought watercooling would be better as the afox 7850 lp would be my next upgrade (or the team green equivalent) as I need a low profile card regardless of riser or no riser
     
  10. siliconfanatic

    siliconfanatic Johny-come-Lately

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    asura has a very good point. even a rather small alu box could make this so much easier. the quick disconnects would have to be good tho as i have heard they can be unreliable if your not careful who you buy them from. but if you do the external box you could even upgrade to 240 and have that much more cooling... sorry for the late post but i was at an RC aircraft expo at Geneva. will try @ find you a rad in a few, but i still highly suggest a second box.

    EDIT: the specs/ desription on the res say which pump you can buy, but those are irelevent. get the pump you want, as eheims are a tad on the pricey side, and a couple of reducers if it isnt the right diameter. if the site is a tad vague, copypasta the item name into google/insert search here) and insert review at the end. if there arent any reviews its either new or from a ominous source, you gotta be careful with these. some sites also explain helpful stuff like inlet size/ inlet diam./power draw.
     
    Last edited: 9 Dec 2012
  11. atc95

    atc95 I have the upgrade bug!

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    Ok well until asura mentioned it I didn't know that was possible so will do a bit of research myself, the plan is that it will be small enough to fit in a satchel bag so I could take it to friend's houses. So 240 is definitely a maximum but that would be awesome, plus if i don't need room for a radiator inside i can use a normal height card :D
     
  12. siliconfanatic

    siliconfanatic Johny-come-Lately

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    a double 120 aren't the only options ya kno... there are 100x200 mm rads out there, so that could work too. only 40mm of area is lost if my math is right(which it always is unless theres a missing variable). and i would not really suggest the closed loop thing as they aren exactly fond of modification...wont break necessarily tho. and apparently opera doesnt know the metric unit of millimeters.:rolleyes:
     
  13. atc95

    atc95 I have the upgrade bug!

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    Would it be possible to put all the watercooling in another xbox 360 case (not elite this time) as by the time period I am doing this project I will be taking that with me to uni? It doesn't necessarily have to stay as an xbox though as I basically never use it apart from halo4.

    That way i could get a 240mm radiator for a higher end gpu like a gtx 670 or something and an i5 rather than i3 and have room for a larger pump and reservoir inside another casing. Would that work? Also how easy would it be to detatch the pipes into the pc xbox without causing a flood?
     
  14. siliconfanatic

    siliconfanatic Johny-come-Lately

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    of course its possible. just use quick disconnects.
     
  15. Vetalar

    Vetalar *learning english*

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    IMHO with riser it's even possible to fit into the 1 case...
    small jingway pump, 2*80 rad
    there not too much heat and 2*80 would be fine...
    but external radbox gives You a lot of potential
     
  16. jamsand

    jamsand Minimodder

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  17. atc95

    atc95 I have the upgrade bug!

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    Specialtech is the retailer I am looking at so great links! :)

    Are either of the pumps you mentioned compatible with this reservoir? http://www.specialtech.co.uk/spshop/customer/Bitspower-Z-Multi-150mm-Water-Tank-Reservoir--BP-WTZM150P-BK-pid-11460.html

    Also what kind of pump and reservoir are reccomended for a i5 ivy bridge and gtx 670 as that would be the ideal gaming rig if there is room in 'xbox casing number 1'

    If it is possible, would you be able to spec out a parts list of what I would need including tubing and everything as I am clueless, although I think this is the best radiator as it means i can use 4 x scythe slipsteam 120mm as cooling for push pull:

    http://www.specialtech.co.uk/spshop/customer/Hardware-Labs-Black-Ice-GT-Stealth-Lite-240mm-Dual-Radiator--GTS240-LITE-pid-4902.html
     
  18. asura

    asura jack of all trades

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    With that radiator you'd need four fans, it has a very high FPI (Fins Per Inch) which greatly reduces air flow across the radiator, it's not for low static pressure / speed fans. Those sorts of radiators really start to sing at 2,500/3,000RPM and above!

    Something like one of these would probably be better for low/mid fan speed.

    You've got so little space to work with I'd tend to go for a T-line rather than a reservoir.
     
  19. atc95

    atc95 I have the upgrade bug!

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    I'm going to sound really stupid but what is T-line?

    I had no idea about high fpi, the radiator i picked was more based on being 275mm in length which means it fits end to end in the 2nd xbox case with 9cm for reservoir and pump down the side.

    And although 100x200mm radiator sounds good, I need 120mm fan mounts for the scythe fans which are the only ones I can find in 12mm of depth which allows push pull on the radiator.

    They come in 1200rpm and 2000rpm varietes so I presume 2000 is best, I am not overly concerned about noise.
     
  20. jamsand

    jamsand Minimodder

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    Sorry just getting back to answer this, for a i5 and a 670 at stock you'll need a 240 and a 120 rad if you intend to overclock your probably going to need 2 240 rads. The pumps have 1/4 inch threads like most components for watercooling now days so yes it is compatible however as said a t-line input would work well in this case

    Specialtech are a great retailer that'll do everything they can to help. I'd advise that if you want to watercool look up more about the components involved before you take the plung as one wrong install could send water flying all over that 670 lol. A t fitting btw is a t shaped 3 input output cross section

    http://www.specialtech.co.uk/spshop/customer/PrimoChill-12-ID-13mm--T-Piece-pid-12667.html

    You use it to put a break in your tubing so that you can use it as a fillport which you get special fittings for aswell, it is best mounted to the top of the case for easy filling and a process called bleeding where you get all the air out the system.

    dazmode has some great tuts on watercooling and understanding the basics I'lll see if i can dig them out. Specialtech also have their own forums with a very helpful community.
     

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