Laptop project: Hydro6000

[Outlaw85]

Quick story. This is using one of the infamous HP DV6000. It started with a motherboard replacement and upgrade. For some reason, at normal speeds 1.8Ghz or 2.1Ghz, it would not stay cool enough, even at idle. It was required to run in power saver at 800Mhz which was no good. It couldn't even handle HD media playback.

Original Spec:
CPU: TL-56 1.8Ghz
RAM: 2GB DDR2 667
HDD: 120GB 5400RPM
GFX: 7200m
Cooler: Stock

New Spec:
CPU: TL-62 2.1Ghz
RAM: 2GB DDR2 667
HDD: 120GB 5400RPM + 500GB ext (to be installed yet)
GFX: 8400m GS
Cooler: 1/4" copper block over GPU and CPU/Chipset. Ramsinks over GPU copper block. CL-W0052 Tidewater over CPU/Chipset.

Completed So far:
1. Cardboard template for cooler pad which will house all external components including power supplies.
2. Cut out bottom of laptop for heatsinks.
3. Successfully mount water cooling to CPU/Chipset and test.
4. Power cooler with external psu.


Need to complete:
1. Build cooler pad using angle Aluminum.
2. Get and mount second block for GPU.
3. Get mini subwoofer and amp.
4. Mount Dell soundbar to cooler pad.
5. Get and mount usb hub to cooler pad.
6. Connect external psu with additional equipement.
7. Quick disconnect for laptop removal from cooling pad.

Here are some pics of the progress so far.

720P Playback before custom cooling (at 800Mhz):

720P Playback after custom cooling (at 2100Mhz):

Size comparison of Cooler to Laptop (15.4")

If you get one of these coolers, make sure the res is completely full before using.

Testing cooler over CPU/Chipset

GPU copper block and aluminum ramsinks

Test fitting board in base after cutting out case

How it sits now. Copper ramsinks over GPU are just stuck on with double sided tape.

I think that is it at the moment. My ultimate goal is to get this working properly and upgrade to a much better laptop and transfer the cooling to that. The cooler pad should be able to accommodate up to a 17" (most).

Cooler pad idea. (Please ignore the 16.5", that was before I learned 8.5+8.5=17. lol)

The cooler pad dimensions will be (as planned so far)
Length (front to back) 11" x Width (left to right) 17" x Front Height 1.5" / Rear Height 3"

 

[mannyman]

That is pretty cool, I have wanted to liquid cool a laptop for a long time.

 

[Outlaw85]

Thanks!

Surprisingly (sarcasm), it's been a pain in the arse. lol With the hardware spec of this laptop definitely reaching old age, I would prefer to do a much more current machine so I could get more use out of it. For example, I loaded CS:S and needed to turn the settings to Low/Med to get 40-60FPS.

It is awesome. So the enclosure you are building is a watercooling radiator/pump house.

Yes, the pad/enclosure is going to hopefully fit everything I need/want and when done, only have 1 AC power cable to plug in from the wall.

 

[mannyman]

Well I hope this goes well, Ill be watching.

 

[HAF72]

Wow, very interesting. I will be watching as well!

 

[Outlaw85]

Thanks guys. It is still definitely slow progress though. Next up is hopefully going to be the framing for the pad. I have a 8ft 1/16"x1/2"x1/2" angle aluminum that I'll be using for the outer edges, then have to get more for the 17" width runs and other smaller support pieces.

 

[howardsternspenis]

better hope the Nvidia GpU in there doesnt fail before you get the mod done. those laptops are by far the worst laptops ever in the history of laptops. ive seen hundreds if not thousands of those come in my shop for the same problem. no amount of cooling will help. but hey, awesome job on the mod, very good idea, just sucks that its such a faulty laptop.

 

[Outlaw85]

Thanks. I am well aware of their issues which is partly why I am chopping this one up. I already owned it so I didn't have to buy a new laptop to screw up. Plus this is helping for the cooler pad template.

If done right, they can sometimes be saved. It is actually the chipset that causes the failures. Doing a 'reflow' can revive them. You have to remove the crap thermal pad and put in a proper copper shim though. Doing this with AS5 or the like helps dramatically except for this laptop for some reason. This one compared to others I've worked on is extremely hot running. What happens is the chipset gets hot enough to soften the solder, because of the pad, it starts to pull off the board causing breaks in the contacts.

The cooler is up and running already for the CPU/Chipset which at idle is upper 20's to low 30's Celcius and under HD playback maxes out in the mid 40's. GPU with current cooler maxes out in the mid 50's.

Outlaw

 

[Outlaw85]

Just a stand still for now.

Had some car troubles and have to replace my phone.. Hopefully next couple weeks will have a real update.