Scratch Build – In Progress The Mineral Oil PC - 3/24/2011 - More leaks :(

Thanks I worked out the weight a while back: http://forums.bit-tech.net/showpost.php?p=2270325&postcount=550

112lbs!

 

OMG, 50 KG on desk like that... I got an idea, about build a special stand for it with wheels and places to put things, sort of like a fishtank stand?

 

I planned on doing this when I build mine this summer. I was gonna use a pre-existing 20gallon aquarium and just redo the seals, build a top cover to hold the ROM drive, and build a stand with wheels.

Perhaps I'll throw in some Pepsi and an Easter Island head.

I was definitely going to use typical aquarium rocks on the bottom. Anything to help displace the tons of oil I'll have to buy.

 

It's quite a sturdy desk; it's solid wood, not veneered or particle board It took 4 people to get it into my room. Had to take the door off the hinges.

Wheels would be nice.... It's kind of hard to slide 112lbs. Overcoming the static friction causes the oil to slosh and spill so I'm not able to move it when it's full.

edit: 20 gallons, holy crap. You're going to need to take out a mortgage ahaha Try to find some Shell Diala on eBay or maybe a local supplier. You could probably buy a 55 gallon drum of the Diala cheaper than a hundred little bottles from a store.

 

These are the only desks that I can recommend without reservation.

http://www.anthro.com/

Poke through the site, I have had two of these, they are great for computer desks and workshops.

Awesome project btw, an inspiration to us all. I find your problems and how you overcome them to be the most interesting part of all. We always want everything to run perfectly the first time, but as you know as an Engy student, making things works takes more effort. Kudos to you man!

Yours in Romulan Engineering,
Star*Dagger

 

Yeah, Wish I could get it for free like you.

20 gallons will be roughly $300 unless I can find it locally for cheaper. I haven't checked yet but seeing as I live in a backwater area of South Carolina there should be plenty of horse ranches/vets around here.

 

I was able to get mine for roughly $9 a gallon at my local veterinary store, so you're looking at close to $200 with tax. BUT, while I bought 8 gallons, I only ended up using a little over 7 thanks to the displacement of the components and various tank decorations. Though personally I think a 20-gallon should have two motherboards in it to justify the space. :V

 

I prefer to think that all the extra oil will help keep it super cool. Though two mobos would be hawt if it were possible.

I'mma just add a ton of decorations. Like, maybe some filled up balloons or huge rocks.

 

I'm itching for some overclocking numbers now.

I'll expect no less than a toasty 4 Ghz.

 

Balls! I got my Indigo Extreme the other day and can't use it. My water block is circular and doesn't cover the whole CPU. ::shakes a fist at the sky:: Ah well. Just means I'll have 2 uses later when I get a normal HSF.

 

I still don't think I have enough oil flow over the CPU. I had it running at 3.6ghz but it was getting too hot under load. I just ordered one of these bad boys: http://www.crazypc.com/products/pfb1212uhe-58160.html 252CFM, 5500RPM, 48W ahahahahaha. That's more than 5x as much power as my netbook.

Get yourself a nice TRUE

Got some bad news, the centrifugal blower fans on the GPUs are dying. I don't think they like oil. I can see them spinning slower and slower by the day. Even turning them up to 100% in the CCC doesn't help. Looks like I'm going to have to replace the heatsinks with something bigger that can handle passive operation. Like these: http://www.crazypc.com/store/mercha..._Code=prolimatech-mk-13-510012&Category_Code=

 

Either a TRUE or a Prolimatech Megaheylaminamin. http://www.crazypc.com/products/prolimatech-megahalem-508600.html

That GPU HS would be awesome to have anyway. I picture it working better in the oil--even without fans.

I was totally eye balling the same Delta fans for mine. Once again you get to be the lab rat and let me know what happens. I was considering the 92mm version also. It had lower CFM but higher RPM. I imagine RPM being better for churning oil than CFM. Not sure how to quantify that.

 

Something interesting:



Oil is wicking along the inside of the display port cable for one of my monitors. It's wicking 6ft from the inside of the case to the display port input on the monitor itself. Interestingly, the other two monitors cables, which are DVI, are not experiencing this phenomenon.

I only discovered it when I touch the base of my middle monitor and it came away covered in oil. I had a big WTF moment before I figured it out. The reason that only the display port cable is doing this is because it is a male connector about 5/8" long, DVI connectors are female. Thus, the display port cable is dipping into the oil on the video card side whereas the DVI cables do not.

Strange.

 

Oh how strange...


Back to the GPUs, do you suspect you'll have enough oil flow for the passive heatsinks?

 

Actually I had this same problem with my oil pc, the oil would sifter down the mouse cable onto the gaming pad, solved by putting the pc lower than the mouse

 

Drip.

 

I knew you were too lucky to not get wicking. HA

Side note for anyone else interested in doing this: I tried all the farms and vets in the area and none would sell me mineral oil for less than $20 a gallon (which is insane). I then decided to call my local Electric company. They apparently have so much that they were willing to give me a 55 gallon drum's worth. For free. (I provided the drum--thank you construction worker father)

It's got a slight yellow tinge compared to the clear "medical grade" mineral oil but I'll be damned if I'll complain about free oil. If it's good enough for transformers and generators it's good enough for my computer.

 

impressive build

 

WOW I feel dumb. I just went back and read through the first few pages of posts and saw where you work at an electric company and got your oil from them. I came in on page 20ish and felt special thinking I had come with a nice solution to finding mineral oil.

My local guys gave it to me for free because they're switching over to a soy based oil that apparently works better. ::looks for the info:: This: http://www.cooperpower.com/FR3/
What they gave me is Exxon Univolt 60. Not sure how that compares to what you got but free oil is free.

 

Haha yeah, I was ready to pay almost $200 for ~10 gallons but I lucked out and got it for free. Did you have your oil in hand yet? Does it smell awful? Mine smells like ... fluorocarbons.