Flowmeter for aquaero in 'high flow' setup.

[GoneUpInSmoke]

I am planning on buying an aquaero (http://www.aqua-computer.de/e_content/e_aquaero.htm) for my new 'high flow' watercooling setup.
The pump would be a laing DDC1+ controlled by AC poweradjust USB (http://www.aqua-computer.de/e_content/e_aquaero.htm).
The waterblocks would be D-Tek Fuzion v2 for CPU and D-Tek Fuzion GFX 2 for GPU.
Tubing would be Tygon 3/8 ID.

The aquacomuter sofware looks very cool. With the aquaero and poweradjust combined you can monitor and control everything.

Seems ideal... if not for one major problem. Measuring the flow with the aquaero.

The AC flowmeter (aka Digmesa FHKC G1/4“) is only suitable for low flow systems (like less than 1l/min). At higher flow rates it introduces a huge pressure drop and makes lots of noise. (http://www.effizienzgurus.de/main/index.php?content=article&action=view_spec_article&article_id=141)

As an alternative I could buy the GMR AFS1-T (electronic) Flow Meter. This is a very decent flow meter with very low restriction. (http://www.effizienzgurus.de/main/index.php?content=article&action=view_spec_article&article_id=144)

But there is more... http://www.effizienzgurus.de/main/index.php?content=article&action=view_spec_article&article_id=136
As explained in this german flow meter roundup the aqaero doesn't count the pulses generated by the flowmeter, but measures the time in between two pulses. This gives high accuracy for low flow rates, but also low accuracy for high flow rates as the time between two pulses becomes too short to measure. The aqaero can measure up to 2500pulses/min. Both flow meters above (Digmesa FHKC G1/4“ and GMR AFS1-T) generate about 500 pulses/liter. This results in a maximum measureable flowrate of 5 liter/min. Any higher flowrate would be unmeasurable by the aqaero using one of these two meters. Another option would be the Digmesa FHKUC 70, but I don't like the plastic fittings and I even don't know where to buy it (the previous two meters on the other hand are widely available in european webshops). Innovatec flow meters are unsuitable because they are also very restrictive and don't fit on 3/8" tubing).

As I am quite sure my setup will result in a flow rate higher than 5liter/min I am left with a problem... I realy like the GMR AFS1-T but with it I cannot monitor and control the flow rate with the aqaero an can only connect the flow meter to a fan header and read out the RPM to convert that to flow rate.

Possible sollution? The only thing I can think of would be to divide the pulse rate with an electronic circuit. Dividing the pulse rate by two would be enough. But what would be the easyest way to do this? I think the flow meter RPM signal will be the same as a fan RPM signal. In this case the RPM signal wire should be connected to a collector of a transistor inside the flow meter (open collector). To use this signal you should connect it to the ground thru a resistor. Thats all I know for know...

Any help would be highly appreciated (and could be usefull for many of us).

Greetz,
Stijn

 

[R1ckCa1n]

You could output the Aquaero data to Samurize and have it do the math for you?..?

 

[Thor]

You could output the Aquaero data to Samurize and have it do the math for you?..?

for the most part in my high flow setup, i only worry about is it on and not how fast is it flowing... the way i look at it, as long as you have some sort of value, that will show it as working... good enought. faster or slower dosent seem to really matter as much to be honest, the loop will normalize at a certain temp pretty much no matter what (your talking gobs of line befor you start to see a difference.) i littlerly see a .5°c temp difference between the 8ft of tygon i normally use, and the 20 ft (28ft total)i left hooked into the loop last time i went to flush and refill.

how ever, i also know the feeling of...well, i have the feature, so i'de like to use it. on that note, i would have to go and dig up books that i just packed (as per the PWM), becuase i dont remember this stuff on the top of my head. so hopefull someone else can chime in there

 

[egawrangler]

My two cents -

I've got an Aqua Computer flowmeter and have had no issues. The pulse rate problem was known and recognized when I bought it, but that didn't stop me. The "high flow" measuring problem that you spoke of is really only applicable if your loop contains no blocks. Add one waterblock and the restriction is enough to keep the FlowMeter from overwhelming itself. On another note, I hear you loud and clear with "is it on" comment. There are other ways to get around this though. I use an Aquatube in the reservoir to give a visual indication of flow. The splash on the sightglass is almost always enough to tell me whether water is flowing.

BTW, I also have tried the GMR flow meter. It's available from www.aquatuning.de. Problem with that flowmeter is the connection. There is no gasket on the threads, and no adpater (other than an NPT flange) that will accomodate the meter using one. I actually went through two of them before I gave up. If you go with the AC FlowMeter, make sure you drill out the in/out ports. They are VERY restrictive from the factory and can kill your flowrate.

-EGA
Chemist, Computer Scientist, and Captain of Marines