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The Sound of Silence - Everything Water cooled - Update Feb 23

Discussion in 'Project Logs' started by Alvin, 2 Feb 2005.

  1. CraZy

    CraZy Cöstom úser tætel

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    Sweeet :D
     
  2. Alvin

    Alvin Guest

    CyberSol, Dean_j2001, CraZy - thanks for posting. It is always nice to get some feedback.

    As y'all probably noticed in the PSU test fit, I accidently put the tube connectors pointing UP, not DOWN. They sure were supposed to point DOWN into the case.

    I'll fix that later. I have spend Days on the different details of the PSU, so right now, I need to see movement in other parts of the Water Cooling project, before I can make my self go back to fixing more details on the PSU.
     
  3. Alvin

    Alvin Guest

    Water Cooling the Motherboard Low-Voltage MOSFETs

    The onboard voltage regulator MOSFETs positioned next to the CPU usually also get very hot. I suppose that is why the capacitors on my old motherboard eventually dried out and gave up the ghost.

    So on this new motherboard I'll make sure to cool any and ALL components that will create excessive heat.

    I'll use some Arctic Alumina two component epoxy heat transferer glue to hold some alu parts together, so I can cool the CPU MOSFETs.
    I'll cut some slices from the L-shaped Alu-profile, and glue them to the chips, and the pipe.
    [​IMG]


    Here is the finished cooler.
    [​IMG]

    I also glued the three coils to the alu-profiles, as they also tend to get quite hot.
    [​IMG]

    [​IMG]

    And a bit more detailed
    [​IMG]
     
  4. Alvin

    Alvin Guest

    VGA Cooler

    Design goals for the VGA cooler:
    - Only needs to cool the graphics chip
    - Only us the amount of space allocated to one AGP extension card, so it is to leave room for the use of the adjacent PCI slot.​

    I'll use these parts to acomplish those two goals.
    [​IMG]

    Waiting for the glue to harden.
    [​IMG]
    It only takes 5-10 minutes to harden enough for the clamp to be removed, and then a couple of hours to get really tough. After 24 hours you will need your dremel to seperate the items again. Great stuff!!!


    I know that the Alu "block" - well alu-bar - that I am using to transport heat from the graphics chip and to the water pipe is quite thin (0nly 3 mm ~ 0.11") so once it gets powered up we'll just have to see if it is actually enough, or if I'll need to attach more alu-stuff
    [​IMG]
     
  5. Alvin

    Alvin Guest

    Test fitting the newest Cooler blocks

    VGA Cooler, Northbridge Cooler and MOSFET Cooler
    [​IMG]

    If it actually works, then I'll be very pleased with that VGA Cooler
    [​IMG]

    [​IMG]
    Now I just need the L-shaped fittings that will be needed to attach the NorthBridge and the MOSFET coolers.
     
  6. Leeum

    Leeum What's a Dremel?

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    Amazing work, love the custom water blocks :)
     
  7. frodo

    frodo What's a Dremel?

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    really simple block designs, loving them, love the custom mosfet/cap "blocks" on the mobo, looks really good, nice watercooled psu
     
  8. Alvin

    Alvin Guest

    Thank you. So far I am just guessing that they will work. We'll see.
    Otherwise I'll have to add more aluminium to the coolers.

    So far the VGA and the MOSFET coolers at least will probably not leak! as the water runs in straight alu pipes. :thumb:
     
  9. frodo

    frodo What's a Dremel?

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    what i would have personally done is bent a piece of the alu pipe at 2x 45deg angles, and ran it over the core of the gfx card, so that its like \_/ as this would keep it in one slot yet get the water nearer the core, just my 2c or 2p or whatever

    once again, loving the looks and simplicity of the mods
     
  10. Alvin

    Alvin Guest

    Twisting and turning the tubing

    I am using 10mm OD tubing for all the water coolers, as this is what the Asetek Coolerblocks were fitted with, so I am guessing that will be just fine.

    I'll make a distribution block in plexi so the pump and the radiator can have larger tubing sizes.
    I tested this setup with some of the shop coolers attached and some Y-fittings, and it seemed to work fine, but it had tubes ALL OVER THE PLACE. Sorry for not taking a picture of it, you'll just have to see the end results.

    Some of the tubes are quite short and/or experience sharp turns and bends. I have found that the Swiftech Coolsleeves give excelent support to the tubes, and makes sure they do not collaps even under strain.
    [​IMG] [​IMG]


    This is where I use the CoolSleeves so far
    [​IMG]

    The tube at the back of the HD is especially under stress
    Out of the Sound proofing box it does not look too bad.
    [​IMG]

    But take a look at the permanent imprint that is left in the soundproofing material.
    [​IMG]
    Try that with tubes only, and then see how much water will run through it.

    My local shop does however not have CoolSleeves that are small enough for 10mm OD tubing. So I tried to see if I could "adjust" one of the Swiftech CoolSleeves 500 spirals that were just a tad too big.

    I forced the spiral close to one of the alu pipes. It is quite difficult, and I had to tape the ends of the spiral to even be able to force the spiral to bee small enough to fit snugly to the alu-pipe.
    [​IMG]
    And then heated it with a hair dryer. It WORKS!!! :clap:

    The CoolSleeves spiral will keep their new smaller radius. Now I just need to make sure that the water/pipes will never heat up to the 50-60*C that the hairdryer used to change the shape of the spirals.
     
  11. Thrillseekah

    Thrillseekah What's a Dremel?

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    thats some creative **** man :rock: Really like the idear. Will be following this thread.
     
  12. frodo

    frodo What's a Dremel?

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    if i have to do any tight turns with my new waterchill kit i know what ill be getting! that looks really good, might have to see where i can get coolsleeves, as i might have one or two tight turns in my case.

    i like the neatness/originality of this mod, hopefully it works well for you,
     
  13. Alvin

    Alvin Guest

    Yes, that would be the optimal way. The Alu pipe will however not bend easily.

    If I were to use copper pipes then it may have been bent to form a V-shape. It's just that I do not know where to get copper pipe that is small enough.
    Using Copper would have been better as a corrosive protetive meassure as well, as there are other copper Cooling blocks in the system. But I have been unable to find an easy accessible source of copper pipes etc.

    The Alu parts I can buy at any of the hardware stores in my local town, so I choose to start with the alu parts, even though I would much rather have used copper.

    If the Alu system does not work out, then I may switch to copper pipe or even make a shape in plexi, and then connect it in the same style as the PSU Water Block.

    This is one of the "joys" of experimentation/invention. You may find yourself in a situation where the first attempt does not work, and a new idea has to be implemented. I'll cross that bridge when/if I get there.

    Thanks for the input, though.
     
  14. ModKid

    ModKid What's a Dremel?

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    ur playing with your life with that ghetto waterblock you made for your psu.
     
  15. Kipman725

    Kipman725 When did I get a custom title!?!

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    lol... as long as the psu blocks been leak tested there should be no problem especialy if you keep the psu fan. I don't think your graphics cooler is going to work very well. Id advide sticking an old athlon sink on the front of the alu bar with thermal epoxy to help it a bit. How bigs your rad? and is your pump powerfull enough to move all that water?
     
  16. Alvin

    Alvin Guest

    I am thinking about pressure testing the PSU block. You know, make a closed loop, fill up with water, and then add air from an air compressor unit to put everything under some pressure. Or even just hook up things to the appartments water supply, and then open the tap!
    Well, for it to have any effect, and to not simply "blow" the cooling block, I'll need some kind of pressure gauge, so things well keep below ½ a bar (<7 psi).

    Yes, I'll do something like that if it gets too hot.

    The card came with a passive cooler, but after one DVD movie it was very, very hot. I did not meassure the temp, but it was too hot to touch for more than a second or so. At that time I decided that the passive cooling was not going to be enough for me.

    It's a 120mm BlackIcePro radiator with 3/8" inlet/outlet hose connectors, that came with the Asetek CPU cooler block.
    I see now that it is rated for 378KCal per hour @ 5m/sec airflow, 16 l/min water flow rate.
    At this energy conversion sheet I tried to enter 378Kcal (@20*C) and got 439W/h answer. I do not know if this the right conversion, but I know that my PC is using app. 110W/h.


    As for the fan, I have abslute NO worries.
    It's the 120mm Sunon "Extreme Output" fan. It has a rating of 195CFM @ a screaming 63dBA @ 3100 RPM.

    This is however "the Sound of Silence" PC Mod, so I'll be using a serious speed control unit to keep it quiet.
    I actually chose this fan because it has double ball bearings.

    The extreme airflow rating is just a bonus feature to me.
    With this fan I do however feel comfortable about knowing that I have some backup muscle, and that I under ANY circumstances will be able to create the optimal amount of air flow.


    Also the radiator/fan will only be my backup watercooler device, as I plan on adding a passive cooler thingy to one side of the pc. This is after all "the Sound of Silence" PC mod.

    I am looking at this Modular Passive convector/Radiator from AquaCool


    The pump is the Hydor L20, which also came with the Asetek CPU cooling block set.
    It has 700L/h rating, with ½" hoses. This only comes to 11.7 L/min, so it's not a very high water rate.
    I do have a second Hydor L20 pump that I can put into the system if it turnes out that I'll need it, so I'll make sure to make the splitter block be able to accommodate two pumps.

    Good thing you brought this to my attention, and I got a look at the numbers. So far I had just made some tests with different liquids, and different configurations of serial/parallel connections of the NB, CPU and alu pipe. And found a combination that seemed to let A LOT of water run through it.


    As I am completely new to water cooling, I have been thinking, that I may need to make some kind of meassurement to the amount of waterflow that the final system will end up with.
    So far I only have a theoretical approach to the principles of flow/pressure/tube size correlation.

    So I am basically trying to make sure that the pipes where ALL the water will flow through - pump/radiator system - will be as big as possible. So far I have been designing with 12mm ID PVC pipes, as these are readily available locally, and I can get blue plastic fittings for this size.

    Anyway, any and all comments from people who has actually used water cooling, is very, very welcome.
    And as you may have concluded from the log so far, I have no fear of learning using the trial-and-error method. I accept a 98% probability outcome prediction, and then leave the lab test to show the actuall outcome. :naughty:
     
  17. Alvin

    Alvin Guest

    Well, adventures always have SOME element of danger to it. :D

    Why is it that you think that it may become life threatning though?

    As it turnes out, the PSU PCB sits upside down in the case, so any water leaks will actually spill AWAY from the 220V wires, and into the max. 12V PC.
    I will however try to take my precautions to NOT get a leak. I have no desire to fry my PC.
    Anyway, if I DO get a leak, then the PC will maybe short and stop working, but I do not think that any fire hazzards will be created.

    Also, the case is grounded, so the electrical 220V HFI relay in the appartment should detect any electrical short at the 220V level.
    And I use a wireless keyboard and mouse, so there will be no possibility of shorting 220V to my person that way.

    But if you have a good argument, I certainly WILL take that into consideration, and try to implement some protective meassure into my plans/testing.
    It would be foolish to just put your hear under your arm, and leave everything to chance. I do try to only take calculated risks, even on my modding adventures. :thumb:
     
  18. Sc0rian

    Sc0rian Here comes the farmer

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    damn dude, thats pretty sweet. Good work. I hope all goes well with the rest.


    - S
     
  19. Kipman725

    Kipman725 When did I get a custom title!?!

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    Yeah I have a passive 5200 and it gets very hot in gaming, but the one in my sig which I modded from faned to passive runs quite cool... so mabey its just the crappy stock heatsink :idea:

    I like the fan :clap:
     
  20. Alvin

    Alvin Guest

    Yup, let's hope so! This is even an ASUS card. I thought that ASUS were one of the companies that could generaly be trusted to not make lousy standard equipment.

    I know I love the quietness of their DVD drive. And lately I have installed two DVD Writers from ASUS. Again very, very quiet. Quality stuff, I'd say. And then this flimsy passive cooler?!! I mean, whats up with that?

    Oh, I checked out your modded graphics card. Nice and clean mod, that solved a noisy problem. To think that a little more alu, and double the surface will remove the sound problem.

    :dremel: Modding Rules :dremel:

    I am indeed looking forward to doing some experimentation with that fan. They warn people to NOT turn it on until it has been mounted, and have a fanguard in place! And as I try to only take calculated risks, I'll heed that warning.
     

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