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Modding Homemade watercooling (everything)

Discussion in 'Modding' started by clayten, 22 Aug 2008.

  1. clayten

    clayten What's a Dremel?

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    Hi all
    I've had an old perspex Gigabyte case that i've been slowly modding over the past couple of years. I read turpija's mod quite a while back; and it really struck me as quite inginuative I loved the look of it, and the simplicity of it all.
    Recently, after a trip, I picked up my beloved case off the airport conveyor belt only to hear tiny bits of smashed perspex rattling around inside the heavly bubble wrapped package. I had abused my case everyday for 4 years (lan Party's, work, etc), but all it took was 1 (one) trip on South African (SH**Y) Airways!! I could have thrown it off the truck myself.
    Anyway, spilt milk, I've looked at all the bust pieces, and decided that I'm gonna go turpija's route and rebuild it around a huge resivour. Iv'e read over his mod and come up with my own version that applies some of his methods, and some of the methods that people suggested. Hopefully my entirelly hand made water cooled system will go together as easily, I only hope I dont butcher myseld like he did.

    I would like to make all the water cooling components myself (bar psu), But i think I'll start with the radiator, and see how it goes.
    I've drawn up plans to make the following -

    -RADIATOR
    -RESIVOUR
    -FLOW RESISTORS
    -FLOW METERS
    -CPU WATERBLOCK
    -GPU WATERBLOCK
    -N/BRDGE WATERBLOCK
    -2X HDD WATERBLOCKS

    The only component I will buy is the pump. (hopefully)
    If my drawings are right, I should only use 6.6 metres of 15mm copper tube (ID) , 1X2m perspex ,and 1x1m copper sheet, and lots of nuts and bolts!

    I do have some questions on some parts that are bothering me, I have searched the net and done some research, but theres nothing like getting some good opinions from the guys at Bit-tech.net

    1. I'm worried about water resistance in my radiator. It'll have 40 passes, and water will travel 6 meters inside the copper tubing (15mm Inside Diameter)
    2. How many litres per hour should my pump pump? Is 450 LPH enough?
    3. What will be best to cool the blocks, Smooth straight through blocks to get faster flow, or Roughed blocks to get turbulance and more copper to water contact?
    4. I've heard that the perspex sometimes cracks ontop of some manufactured waterblocks, should I be worried about this when I build mine? (perspex 10mm thick)

    Will post my plans tomorrow
     
  2. modgodtanvir

    modgodtanvir Prepare - for Mortal Bumbat!

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    Welcome to the forums. I think you might be the first Zimbabwean on here :thumb:

    I'm not too knowledgable with water cooling (I just buy the stuff)... but 450LPH sounds like more than enough. Modern water pumps are overdone slightly... I used to have an old aquarium pump which did about 250LPH and I used to get quite similar temperatures.

    And the perspex shouldn't crack as long as it doesn't fall under much strain.

    Best of luck,
    MGT
     
  3. Burnout21

    Burnout21 Mmmm biscuits

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    just dont add any alcohol to the coolant and you'll be fine.
     
  4. Splynncryth

    Splynncryth 0x665E3FF6,0x46CC,...

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    I can't comment on the water cooling, the thread sounded interesting though.

    My brother got fed up after the airlines treated his system too rough so he reinforced his steel case with half inch square steel tubing :)
     
  5. clayten

    clayten What's a Dremel?

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    UPDATE:

    Went hunting for the best copper prices. Its quite hard to buy a section of copper sheet! Found some nice brass garden hose connectors that should fit nicely into my theme. I think I'll definatly go with 15mm ID cause there's lots of connectors,fittings,barbs,etc in 15mm. So that means my radiator will look a bit like this..[​IMG][/URL][/IMG]
    http://img292.imageshack.us/img292/201/topofradiatorql2.jpg


    This is the top of the radiator, It has to sit in an area 15cmx15x20. The centre whole is a little bigger (20mm), so that a CCFL can fit down the centre. This template will be cut and drilled onto 23 -15x15 squares. Then 15mm copper tubing will be cut to 40 14cm lengths and soldered into these plates. I'll link the tubes with transparent plastic pipe, I just have to find out how to stop it kinking! Will a tube spring really help? What about a sring on the inside? what if I heated it up to almost melting and then bent it?
     
  6. clayten

    clayten What's a Dremel?

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  7. Stuey

    Stuey You will be defenestrated!

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    Looks interesting, I want to see where this goes!
     
  8. clayten

    clayten What's a Dremel?

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    The copper plate will be 2mm thick, with a 2mm gap between each one. The copper tube will stick out 10mm on either side of the plate, so that connect the plastic tubing to the end of each pipe.
    [​IMG]
    http://img368.imageshack.us/img368/5104/sideofradiatorvo6.jpg

    Wich is the best type of waterblock??
    http://img176.imageshack.us/img176/4425/blockswl6.jpg[​IMG]

    I,m worried that the spiral one will build up heat in the corners, so I think I'll be going with the 'S' shaped block.
    The water blocks on the CPU, GPU and Northbridge will all be kinda the same. With the CPU a little bigger.
    The blocks inside will be 15mm all the way through, but should I make the inside rough, so that I get more surface area or smooth, so that I get faster flow?

    The blocks will all be made out of 2mm copper sheet squares with 'S's cut into them. I'll "sandwich" solder 8 squares together then a blank one at the bottom for the base, and a piece of 10mm perspex on the top with 15mm barb connectors screwed in.
     
  9. clayten

    clayten What's a Dremel?

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    You'll have to excuse my drawings, I prefer a pencil, compass and ruler to Autocad.
     
  10. capnPedro

    capnPedro Hacker. Maker. Engineer.

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    The bend radius for plastic hose is ridiculous. Why don't you solder/braze copper pipe elbows instead?
     
  11. clayten

    clayten What's a Dremel?

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    But then I wont be able to fit the pipes so closely on the radiator, and my radiator has 40 passes, so if I put 40 90 degree or " L" shape elbows on the ends, it would restrict flow tremendously. I'm sure that with a little fiddling, heating, and swearing, I'll be able to bend the plastic tube. Maybe with a spring inside the tube, and one on the outside too, to stop it from kinking.

    Has no-one else tried to bend plastic tubing? I've got a PVC pipe bending spring, I'm sure that if I put the spring inside to stop it collapsing , then heat up the outside of the tube, and then bend it to the radius I want. When It cools, It should retain its new shape. Pull out the spring and presto! Bent tube.
    But Maybe its easier said than done. If this doesnt work, I can get a 15mm hard PERSPEX tube/pipe that I know will keep its shape after cooling.
     
  12. Cheapskate

    Cheapskate Insane? or just stupid?

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    It sounds interesting, but it will be a sealing nightmare. Your best bet would be to solder a cap over either end and add an inlet to each cap. -like a traditional radiator.

    For the blocks a 2mm base is a little thin. A thick layer of copper between the chip and the water will cool the chip more evenly.
     
  13. clayten

    clayten What's a Dremel?

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    I get what your saying, It would increase flow, but connectong the caps will be difficult cause they staggered and not inline.
    What if I used two 2mm base plates, so it will be 4mm between chip and water??Is this enough? But if I "Solder sandwich" two 2mm copper plates together. I'll have an air/solder gap in between, & that wont help thermal conductivity.
    Would you also go for an "S" design? Or straight through?
    and Rough or smooth?
     
    Last edited: 23 Aug 2008
  14. talladega

    talladega I'm Squidward

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    For the base maybe you should get a small sheet of 4mm to use, or maybe put thermal paste between the 2mm sheets before soldering them???

    I think the S design would give the best cooling although the Spiral will restrict waterflow better I think. :)
     
  15. clayten

    clayten What's a Dremel?

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  16. talladega

    talladega I'm Squidward

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    im pretty sure a few people on this forum have made them. i dont remember who but if you use the search function and look for 'homemade radiator' you may find something.
     
  17. clayten

    clayten What's a Dremel?

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    Manifold, flow valves & flow meters

    Should be getting all the parts 2moro, had to phone around to see what lenghts they were sold in, then add up all the pieces within those lenghts, so hopefully I'll use everything, and not have many scrap pieces laying around. Saving Money!:D

    I had a problem, cause I wanted to; divide the flow from the radiator into 5 (for CPU,GPU,N/bridge,HDD,HDD), AND I wanted to beable to manually adjust how much flow each component gets, AND I wanted a visual aid showing the flow. So this is what I came up with;

    side view and front view
    [​IMG]
    http://img363.imageshack.us/img363/6113/manifoldflowmetersflowrbn5.jpg

    It will be built with 5mm and 10mm plexi, 15mm copper tube, 15mm plastic tube, little bits of copper sheet and 40mm long bolts and nuts.
    The flow comes into the manifold (a 15mm perspex box), hits a copper plate with holes drilled in that divides the flow into 5 plastic pipes. Each Pipe now runs inbetween 2 bolts, with nuts screwed onto them. There is a bar soldered across the plastic pipe from nut to nut. When the bolts are tightened the nuts and bar will (hopefully) rise press against the plastic tube and restrict the flow for that tube (and slightly increase the rest).
    All 5 pipes will then run into another Perspex box. A 'D' shaped perspex box, that is divided into 15mm sections. In each section, a copper water wheel will sit into 2 drilled holes. It will then go to the disignated component.
    Both Boxes and flow valves will be clamped together with 40mm brass Bolts and nuts, so openening it up shouldnt be too much of a hassle, cause I think that the flow will cause the flow meters to make noise. So they need to fit snuggly.
     
  18. The_Beast

    The_Beast I like wood ಠ_ಠ

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    looks like a great thread


    I can't wait to see some of the stuff you'll be making
     
  19. Unicorn

    Unicorn Uniform November India

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    I have aluminium flight cases for my gear when it needs to go on a plane but mostly its just over to england on the boat in the van :)

    Looking forward to seeing this take shape, have to admit manufacturing your own waterblocks sounds daunting to me, but you have some nice plans for em... mod on!
     
  20. biebiep

    biebiep What's a Dremel?

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    Isn't it a big risk to make your own CPU block?
    I mean, most manufacturers have those microscopical extrusions just above the core-dies themselves and you're just going to have an S shape above the entire heatspreader :p

    That sounds a bit... well... optimistic?
     

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