Case Mod - In Progress Project: Cold lava~A custom WC'ing project -1st Oct- The cursed log part 2

I used a dull hand miter saw to cut my copper blocks. It clogged less than the hacksaw.
I always enjoy seeing stuff build from scratch. Buying the blocks is just too much of a convenience.

 

Always among the first to comment! Although i think waterblock Pr0n is a bit overrating it . But its nice to hear/read thanks bro!

The oil comment means i'm reading too many of cheapskates logs...

Hmm i don't have a miter box .
Thanks for the comment
I just hope that these will actually work

 

Yeah lol I love reading Cheap's logs due to the massive pr0n Both modding and ... the other thing! Peace bro cant wait to see more so get back to work! ;p

 

You're not going to dremel a million slots into those?
-Also, a word of advice: Don't drop them on your foot! You could lose a toe with that much copper.

 

Sweeeeeeeeeeeeet this is getting cool you've got a whole wcing setup from scratch amazing work

 

@ ang3l - I'm going i'm going
@DeadP1xels - Thanks, im trying my best.

@cheapskate - Yes thanks for the advice, that big block weighs a ton.
Just picking it up is enough to make you careful.

Should i dremel a million slots into the blocks? I thought that slots would hardly make a difference with this kind of waterblock design (Then again i may be wrong)

What sayeth you who hath dabbled in the dark art of custom waterblocks?

 

I had to do it.

 

Here's an interesting thread. I used the idea of drilling dimples in the copper for my waterblocks.
http://www.overclock.net/cooling-products/618663-62mm-tec-water-block.html

 

I'd say I have no idea what you're cooling, but it never hurts to add to the surface area.

 

Actually I had to do it. Couldn't resist

Thanks! interesting link, but I have no way of reproducing that kind of design
(unless i get really creative and precise with the drill. )

Big plate in pic is a cpu plate cooling a q9550
small plate is a gpu plate, cooling the main chip on a 9800gt
Another gpu plate to come.

The biggest block will be cooling two peltiers giving off a whooping 274watts in the space of 2 cpus(side by side). I was thinking of using the 10mm copper for this one.

 

I was had access to a mill. My design was pretty simple. I got the idea that dimples produce turbulence and also provide a larger surface area.


I soldered the copper chunks together.

 

That looks sweet!
How well did it perform?


Quick mini update.

I made the second Gpu waterblock yesterday.



Same as before, but made the holes a little deeper.



Better than the last ones



Circuitry and Deals

For the peltier coolers I planned on using a thermostat so as not to get it too cold, because i don't want condensation all over my parts.

But I still hadn't got my thermostat circuit design finalized, so I was bumming around teh interwebs, looking for circuit ideas and how to implement certain functions.

I had been searching for a while when i came across this on ebay:



12V Temperature Control / Thermostat 0˚ to 100˚C Kit

This board is like a thermostat which works from 0 - 100 ˚C. Controls your device by switching on the relay when the warm temperature you desire is reached (for a fan/air conditioner), or when the low temperature is reached (heater), depending on the state of the two position switch. Runs on 12 V DC. Already assembled.

Technical information.

- This circuit is a measurement of temperature.
- It has cut-off circuit when the lower or higher temperature varied 2˚C from your setting.
- It can be set to detect the temperature from 0˚ TO 100˚C.
- Use IC LM335Z is the detector temperature.
- The temperature range can be adjusted be potentiometer.
- Operating voltage : 12 VDC.
- Current consumption about 50mA.
- PCB dimensions : 3.8" X 2.1"


It only cost 23$ inc shipping.

Now if i had built it myself, it would not have all the functions and it would cost me 16$ in parts.
(Without pcb and not counting accidentally destroyed parts, and not factoring in my time and designing the circuit)

So the extra 7$ is well worth it.
I know this mod is about DIY, but seriously, can you blame me for buying this?


Another ridiculously cheap piece of hardware i found was this:



dimensions: 4.8 x 2.8 x 1.5cm
Cable length: 80cm
Temperature range: -50°C ~ + 70°C (only display in °C)
Usage temperature: -10°C ~ +50°C (only display in °C)
Usage humidity:5% ~ 80%
Accuracy: ±°C
Distinguishing temperature: 0.1°C
Power: 2 x 1.5v LR44 batteries ( included )

1$ for said item and 1$ for shipping.

I wasn't looking into any external temperature readout but SERIOUSLY? 2$ for that with batteries included???

I bought 4 of em.
They aren't high tech and backlit and stuff, but for that price....


Well thats it for now. and i leave you with a parting shot:



(Fuzzy, but i like the lighting )

Cya next time!

 

Love the custom waterblocks, and the copper porn
Keep it up!

 

Cool temp. meter with the LCD I have an eye on your casemod.

 

I don't think the peltier cooler relay will work too well. The peltier will get the processor nice and cool, then will shut off, the processor will heat up again, which means endless clicking from that relay. Peltiers also take a while to "warm up." imho just straight water cooling seems like the best choice, but that's just me.

 

Thanks a lot

Thanks and welcome to bit-tech.

Yes I agree. My original plan was to use a solid state relay to do the switching, so if I find the relay on the circuit too intrusive I can always swap it out, but i always use headphones while gaming and using the pc, so I don't think it will bother me.

As for the warmup time of the peltiers, they take around 3 seconds to get cold/hot. I already considered this and I think it should be fine. I want to try something a little more creative than just straight watercooling.

But in case this doesn't work as it should be aware that you now have dibs on saying :"I told you so!"


Sooo another mini update:

The beast is born

It was time to get started on my peltier waterblock.

My friend had tried to make this waterblock on his cnc, but decided that it would take too long.
You see, he can only do it when there are no current jobs, and routing deep enough would take 10+ hours for just this block.

So I had to take it and do what I could with it.



This is the trial routing on the 10mm bar.



as you can see he made a little mistake and plunged the bit 7mm straight down, making a nice hole in the copper

Next I took a grinder to it to make the grooves a little deeper.
The dremel also suffered as I used it to ground some more material out, then I cut and shaped it.

And here we are:



A massive waterblock (10mm) which took ages to shape.



Soooo some waterblock stats:

Gpu waterblock: 90g with top

Cpu waterblock: 150g with top

Peltier waterblock: 360g with top.

Thats 294g just for the baseplate which is more than all three other blocks with their tops on!
Good job this isn't going anywhere near the mobo

A size comparison :



Cpu block on the left and gpu block on the right.



And finally a pic with the peltiers on top:



Nice fit
This block should get the heat to the water fast enough (I think)


Tops and stuff

Next I sanded the acrylic top's edges (which were extremely rough).
I used a 200grit first, then some 400grit and finally 600grit



Cpu and gpu top polished and tapped with a g1/4 tap.
Nice and smooth. I didn't go extreme in the polishing I think that this semi-matt edge looks pretty good

I then screwed in the connectors (koolance) to get an idea of what the tops will look like:

Peltier block top


Cpu block top


Gpu block top



Then I couldn't resist putting the tops on the copper to get an idea of the finished products.

Cpu block



The beast (peltier block)





And finally the gpu block



That gpu block looks kinda neat

Now I just have to tap the small holes and bolt the blocks together with gasket silicone (I got some grey silicone which will look sooooo much better than red )


Thats all for now.

Till next time

 

Really great work BC. The end result is just terrific.

 

My God those blocks look really awesome mate! I just cant wait to see what you are up to! This is going to be sick thats for sure! Mod on buddy! Give us more!

 

These blocks do look awesome

Can't wait to see what is next!

 

I am impressed with your water block design BC, I will be waiting for more .