Project: What Is THAT?

[dotHectate]

Translation: This is a simple image showing my plan to make my computer operate at or above full speed using watercooling.Constructive feedback is greatly appreciated.

This is my first case mod AND the first time I've done watercooling, so any advice is likely to be new information to me. I HAVE researched carefully (and I hope it will show) the various aspects of case modding and watercooling. I'm the Obsessive-Compulsive type of person who reads all the fine print, manuals, and instructions when doing something new, so hopefully I'll avoid any newbie mistakes. Anyway, on to the worklog!

Step 1: Preparations!

I've already started to aquire the various peices of this project. I have yet to obtain pictures, but that will happen tonight. The concept, on the other hand, is pretty solid and ready to go.

As you can see in the image above, I will be combining a laptop and a computer case (link below, HTPC sized). The reason for this is that the laptop has a horrible cooling solution (I call it el problemo) for the GPU. Since one major component of any project is a happy wife (or significant other as it applies), I couldn't just leave the pump, tubes, rad, and res sitting out on my desk. YOU might be able to get away with it at your house, but my wife complained when I put two monitors on my desk ("it looks tacky!"), so yea...
Anyway, the computer case (Newegg.com) will be turned onto it's right side. I'm going to add some LED feet underneath it for a nice blue glow to match the front. I plan to cut a window out of the (now) top side so I have access to the bottom of the laptop and thus the CPU and GPU. Since the case itself isn't going to have any computer parts in it, I've got a USB hub that will go in a the front bay area for extra plugs. The PSU that comes with the case will power the pump and hub.
It should be fairly easy to keep a good airflow. The case comes with two 60mm fans (which I may not use) and I've got two 120mm fans. With nothing but a few tubes and power cables, it should run nice and smooth.

And BTW, the reason I'll be (basically) turning a nice laptop into a desktop is because it keeps overheating on me. I'll show you a picture of the "stock" GPU heatsink, it's horrendous. Essentially, I would rather have a desktop that works than a laptop that doesn't.
Also, I'll be using one of my monitors in conjunction with the laptop screen. The CRT will be a primary screen and the laptop will be a secondary screen (for reading Blender tutorials and hardforum.com!). Obviously the laptop's keyboard would be difficult to use, so I intend to continue using a regular keyboard and mouse instead.
I'll be starting tonight, so check back tomorrow for a big update! UPS should deliver the case tomorrow, while the LED feet and USB hub are scheduled the day after (thank you Newegg!). In the meantime, time get get the WC gear cleaned and leak tested. Let me know what thoughts and concerns you have. Cya!

 

[DirtyLude]

What is that?

 

[Mav451]

What is that?

Mission accomplished.

 

[Ozone77]

wait, you are turning it into a desktop because of overheating?

How about re-reseating the HSF? putting new thermal paste on it? buying/making/moding a new HSF that will fit? or maybe you just need one of those laptop rest surfaces with fans and all to get fresh air to the fan...

Anyway, mod on, you may give me some ideas

 

[dotHectate]

How about re-reseating the HSF? putting new thermal paste on it? buying/making/moding a new HSF that will fit? or maybe you just need one of those laptop rest surfaces with fans and all to get fresh air to the fan...

Re-seating the HSF : Been there.
Thermal paste : Done that.
Laptop coolers : Got the T-shirt.

None of the above seemed to work. Not sure why exactly, but look below and see what you think of the GPU heatsink.
Ok, now that viewer mail is out of the way... on to...

Step 1.2: Preparation with Pictures!

First start by getting some Free Goop! and a res in need of some new barbs.

A few seconds, twists, and/or brain cells later...

Tada! It's got a new set of threads.. har har har

Do a little cleaning of the parts because they're used

Don't you just love the smell of vinegar? Yummy, look at that salad on the bottle, just think of all the E. Coli you could kill with a nice strong vinegar dressing!

After all that cleaning it's time to try and get it started!

After many false starts and lots of water on the floor...

It Lives!!
All that running water just gushing and splashing and sloshing makes me want to tinkle. BRB
I'll tell you what I learned about My First Watercooling Loop(tm) at the bottom of this update. Oh, and yes, the res was still "curing" as The Goop dried, and I took out the rad to save some air bubbles as I was trying to get it going.

Anyway, on to the next part!

 

[dotHectate]

Part 2: Persperation

The laptop in question is about yey wide...

and about yey deep...

and the Adelphia mousepad is an old freebie that I dug up from my parents house. Because The More You Know.

So now it's time to take this bad boy and see what it's made of.

Would you look at that... let's take a look at that horrendous GPU heatsink I mentioned earlier...

and here is it removed and flipped over. You can see the yucky lavender colored adhesive pads that were meant to help transfer the heat. Ick

Notice that one of the pads stuck to the chip. Apparently Artic Silver has greater adhesive properties than these things. I had put some on there in the past but it didn't help because the pad was still there. The only reason I left it on there was because I needed it to fill the gap between where the chip stops and the heatsink starts. Poor design.. blech.
You can also see that it was designed as well to pull heat from two SIS chips (not sure what they're for, I can probably get away with some ramsinks stuck on them) as well as a few other chips spaced around it (video ram I would have to assume, they say samsung on them).

Here it's all cleaned up and pretty now, with a good view of everything and the space that I have to work with.

Now that I can clearly see what we're going to be doing, lets take a look at those brackets...

[H]ouston, we have a problem. Not only does the bracket not fit, the waterblock doesn't fit either! Ok, that's it. Cancel the mod. Skip the case. Forget the laptop. I give up.
.
.
.
.
Ok, I lied. So here's my solution.

Wow! The OTHER waterblock fits on there perfectly! Give or take some different screws/bolts and we'll be in business. So I guess I know what I'll be using that one for. Moving along to the problematic GPU itself, what to do with that?
A little thought and checking with a square paper sized to match the footprint of the monolithic waterblock results in a viable location.

As you can see I'll have to make a small triangle cut out of a small piece of the plastic cover over the optical drive, but I've got plenty of room. I tried to take that plastic part off but I couldn't. There's too much going on between the case and the screen and I don't want to break it. I've never taken out so many screws and then put them back, and still come up missing a few. Sigh.

Anyway, UPS delivered the case today. I'll pop the box tomorrow and get some pics. Exciting!

 

[Pkirk618]

subscribbled.

 

[dotHectate]

Oh yes, and as I mentioned. Words of wisdom from someone who has been there.
If you are thinking about watercooling for the first time, be sure to read my...
Things I Learned While Making This Work
1. Tubing isn't as flexible as you think. Maybe if you warm it up a little first and set it in the shape you need it it could help, but don't expect it to like it.
2. 10 feet of tubing sounds like a lot, but once you cut it up it disappears fast. If you've never watercooled before, I would now recommend getting 10 feet of cheap stuff JUST for the initial setup and testing. Be sure to order your Tygon or Kevlar-braided tubing as too though, if you plan on going that route.
3. If you've never tried, you will learn fast that it is harder to get your loop started than you might think. The pump doesn't move air very well, it needs to be able to push water, so be sure to supply it with a steady stream. I was able to use two res's. One was my gallon jug of distilled water (you ARE using distilled water aren't you?), and the other was that green bowl. You'll want to have the water source (the jug) higher than everything else so that gravity helps the pump get started. Assuming that you are actually using a res, it could be easier. Mine was still drying at the time.
4. Expect that you will spill water, plan on it.

If I think of anything else, I'll let you know.

 

[dotHectate]

I got me stuff! w00t!

I'll be using thumbnails from imageshack to save the download time.

Part 3: Presents!

The case arrived and looked so pretty. They packaged it well and it arrived in one piece.

The plastic wrap came off easy and didn't have any residue or stickyness to it, which was a nice suprise.
You can see in this next picture that the front has a clear plastic rim that goes around the outside edge. It wasn't visible in the Newegg photos, but it looks good so I don't mind so much. I'll be sure to comment that in my product review.


The back has all the usual holes that are needed, plus those nifty thumbscrews (or whatever they're really called). Two of the PCI slot covers popped off during transit or storage. I found one inside the middle of the case. I didn't find the second one until I took the drive trays out.
Here is how it came, minus a few accessory peices and papers that were sitting inside.

The front panel comes off with ease. I really like the design, it is so simple to get to the different bays and parts in there.


This little box was one of the things that was inside the case. How nice of them to send me two zipties, a bag of assorted screws, and a pc speaker (I think...)


Of course, I had to gut it and move a few things around. The drive trays came out. The fans and fan brackets came out too. I put the res in to see how it fits... this is going to be a tight mod. And I don't mean tight as in a Hummer rolling on 20's and a lot of phat bling. This is like cramming a V-12 into a Geo Metro.



I also received my other package! Inside was the LED case feet and the USB hub.

You can also see that I received my Free Quattro Titanium in the mail today. I love free stuff.

I had a problem with the USB hub though. Since it's designed primarily to be external, it has little rubber feet on it.

The combination of the feet and only having one set of mounting holes (not the hub, the drive tray) caused it to kinda tilt upward. Tomorrow I'll take it back out and break it's kneecaps for being so difficult.


In the meantime, here are a few more pictures of the case for you.

First, as it would look if you just used it as-is for a Home Theater PC.


And if you wanted it on it's side instead.


And of course, with the power-on LED lit up!

You can see that the LED is located on the left side of the lighted area. There is a second LED on the opposite side that is marked for use as a hard disk activity light. I expect that it is blue as well, although the manufacturer states that they make a multi-color version as well.

And of course, a quick mock-up of what it would look like when I'm done... I guess anyway.

Doesn't it just remind you of a newer, shinier version of those really horrible "laptop" computers that were made back in the days of the 386 and 486? Yea, just think about it, I'm going Retro! I'm gonna go to Goodwill and Salvation Army and pick up some flares! It'll be [H]ot!

 

[kaotic504]

that's some nice watercooling equipment there

 

[RobotChild]

Looks pretty cool.

Wouldn't it be fairly bothersome to use though?

 

[dotHectate]

Props to kaotic504 to having good taste in watercooling equipment.

Bothersome? Not sure how particularly. Since I'll be using it as a desktop, mobility isn't an issue. I won't even need to touch the keyboard because I'll be using a separate, full-sized one instead (hate small laptop keyboards).
Even having the screen set back a little further as a result of that won't be an issue, because it will be the secondary screen. The video card can support dual monitors, so I'll be using my usual CRT as the primary and the LCD on the laptop as a secondary.
As you can see, I've got a USB hub where the floppy drive normally goes, so I'll have plenty of USB ports for any accessories even though the laptop itself only has 3 originally.
Did I miss anything?

Thank you, btw. I don't expect to win any beauty contests, but it doesn't have to look bad either.

 

[dotHectate]

Part 4: Presence

I broke open the LED feet today and got them plugged in. They glow pretty nice. I'm not how well they will reflect the glow out from underneath it just yet, I guess we'll have to see. All I have to do is slap some vinyl flames on the side and a big spoiler on the back and people will mistake it for a rice burner.

As you can see, they are very nice and blue. They even match the blue from the case! I'm going to see if I can wire the HDD activity LED into something. I haven't decided yet...
I'm also debating about the on/off switch. I could use the PSU switch to turn everthing (LEDs, Pump, usb hub) on and off, but a switch on the front would be more convenient. Since I pulled out some of the stuff, I have the perfect little spot for it with a cover.

Does anybody know if there is a type of switch that will close (complete the circuit) upon receiving a small charge across another wire? What I have in mind is using the (now unused) laptop's fan 2-pin connector to register the "ON" state of the motherboard and activate the case's PSU (and thus the pump, hub, and LEDs). Obviously it would have to be a switch that turned off when the current on the other wire ceased. Any other thoughts on making it a one-button deal? I don't want somebody to try and use the laptop and not turn on the watercooling stuff and it all go up in smoke

I also fixed the USB hub. You can kinda see the little rubber feet sitting there on the table. They were just little plugs that went into the screw-holes, so it wasn't a difficult process. Just keep it in mind if you are thinking about ordering one.


And the last thing I was working on today was the big problem. There currently doesn't exist an appropriate mounting bracket for the GPU waterblock! I've got a pretty good idea of what I need, I've just got to finish designing it. The guys at the metalshop won't create the design for me, so I've been working on that part of it. Here is what my workspace looked like when I left for work tonight. And when I graduated from HS I thought I would never need to use my Geometry and Algebra again!

 

[Tman]

interesting mod.
I really am wanting to wait to see how this thing turns out

 

[dotHectate]

Part 4.5: Procrastination

Sorry, no update today. I did pick up a rotary tool over the weekend. Other then that it was too busy to start anything. I got the B&D RTX with some Dremel accessories for the project. I didn't want to spend too much for something I was only going to use every now and then. Look tomorrow night for some fun images of Geeks Gone Wild, now with 50% more Power Tools!

 

[jmroberts70]

hmm. this is a twist I hadn't seen coming.

 

[dotHectate]

Better watch out, I might cut ya!

Part 5: Precision

I began the process of slicing and dicing up my brand new shiny case. I wasn't in any particular rush to do so, but once everything was ready, I didn't hesitate either. That is what I got it for, didn't have any reason to fret over it. Here is how it looked right before I started.

And on to the job at hand! It was alot easier than I expected it to be. It was like a combination of cutting through frozen butter with a dull spork and burning rubber at the drag on the green light. Good times.

There were a lot more sparks than shown above at various times, depending on where I was cutting and the pressure applied. Lots of fun, fourth of July all over again! I'm glad that I had the safety glasses on. More than once I needed to lean right over into the shower of sparks to get a good, clear look at what I was cutting through.

This is what the opposite side of my first cut looked like. Obviously the line isn't as straight as it could have been. I think that it's pretty good for my first time though.

Now we've fast forwarded our Tivo to scene four, where the good-hearted but nervous doctor has finally completed all four incisions, albiet a little shakily. The patient is in stable condition and only two minor surgical nips are required to complete the process.

And lookitthatisntitsopretty-ivegotawindowforthesideofmycasenow [big breath] ohmygoshimamoddernowwoot!

A quick run around with the grinding stone attachment to get rid of a few burros (what in the world a bunch of donkeys were doing in my garage I'll never know) and it's on to the rest of the case!

First I cut a hole in the side of the hard drive bays to run cables and tubes cleanly.

Then a quick run through with a drill bit in the four spots I'll be mounting the feet.

Unfortunately the drill bit is only 1/8" as you can tell.

So then I had to pull the blarney stone back out and make a few wishes for fatter pipes. About the size of a paper hole-punch is perfect for these feet.

Finally, after all that work (believe me, the grinding took a while) just peel off the adhesive stickers and give that case a new set of kicks!


One problem I had with the feet is that I had to run the LEDs, wires, and everything (including the slot cover) through the slot hole because the button itself is too big to fit through it. So instead of just dropping it in place, I had to pop the button out of the slot
cover, push everything except the button through the slot, and then put the cover in place and snap the button back into place on the outside edge of the slot. Not particularly what I expected.

Regardless of all that, it came through alright. Check out this picture. Between the glowing feet and the table reflecting them, it looks like a spaceship blasting away on blue rockets! We are go for liftoff. Count with me, T-Minus 3...2...1... [H]ardforum we have ignition!


I also threw the laptop onto it again for another mock up. It looks even better in person (don't they always?).


Just a few more things to do! The one major factor is the mounting bracket for the GPU. I've got it figured out though. I think I may have to take another chunk out of the left edge of the "window panel" to fit the CPU waterblock's screws in properly. I've got to figure out about the tubing for the watercooling system too, it's pretty tight in there and I don't want kinks. I have a few ideas. Let me know what you think or if you have any suggestions. Thanks!

 

[kill4killin]

Not quite sure what the point of putting a laptop on top of an old case is...but it looks pretty cool.

I really like the lit up feet...i might just have to mod my next case to do that

 

[dotHectate]

I won't fault you for just scrolling through and looking at the pictures. I do it too
It's an old (2 years, but still fairly decent specs) laptop on top of a new case, technically
The reason is because I'll be watercooling it. Putting everything in a case gives me something to actually "mod" and keeps the wife happy by not having a mess allover the desk.

Part 5.5: Preoccupation

That's right! Nothing was done again today! Well, not with the mod anyway. I was busy doing other things that are required to keep the wife happy (remember, that is a vital ingredient). So tomorrow I'll get back on it.

I can say that I'm still wondering if there's an easy way to have everything turn on with a single switch. I'm suprised that nobody has any ideas, not even the half-baked ones... odd.

Anyway, thanks for stopping by!

 

[dotHectate]

I've been pretty busy, so this won't be much of an update. But at least I got something else done.

Part 6: Plastic

Remember above where I mentioned that I needed to cut a section of the back of my laptop out? Well here is a look at that section again.


And this is after I made a quicky cut with my rotary tool.


I was really nervous about doing this because of the exposed electronics, but I had no choice. It turned out pretty good. If you need to cut plastic, be sure to do it on a nice, low setting so it doesn't just melt the plastic and gum everything up. I had anticipated this, so it turned out alright. There was a small metal piece below that I had to take care of too. Since I didn't want lots of sparks getting everywhere, I just creased it a little and then snapped it off. I think everything went well.

On the other side of things, it has been Customer Service Appreciation week where I work (I think it's actually national or something). Today the higher-uppers supplied us with Subway! Here I am digging through the leftovers...

That was only one of the two that they had, the second one was good. Jalepeño cheese and turkey, mmmm.
And yes, I'm wearing pink. I guess today (at least here) is Breast Cancer Awareness Day also. Remember, guys can get it too. Besides, I look [H]ot in pink

See ya next week!

 

[dotHectate]

Remember how that bracket didn't fit properly? Well this week is all about fixing that!

Part 6: Perplexed

Originally I had in mind some sort of fancy, machined, custom bracket to hold the block in place. That would cost loads of USD that I do not have. After a little (or maybe a lot) of thought and examination of the problem I developed a different solution. Originally I was a bit concerned that the block might shift around, seeing as how it would be sitting upside down with some water-filled tubes clamped onto it. Now I have nearly no concerns about that happening, because I will be using a modified version of the original "stock" bracket! So let us...

Git Er Done!

The bracket was obviously made of much more durable material than the case was. I could have guessed that just from how rigid it was, but it was suprisingly tougher to cut than I had expected. Not to mention that it got very warm to the touch as I was doing so. Anyway, after getting rid of the unnecessary screw-hole tabs and grinding it a little smoother, it appears as thusly...

Of course, it is not yet complete. I *should* (some reservations apply) have the final pieces tomorrow. Unfortunately I also need to be at work 3 hours in advance of my usual schedule, so actual work may not proceed until this weekend.
I did, however, pick up a few other useful items.

Ever handy products including one (1) roll of 300 inches electrical tape, four (4) hex bolts sized at 5/16th diameter by 1.5 inches long, one (1) model 8193 Dremel grinding stone, and one (1) package of "World's Finest Cold Weld" J.B. Weld.
My only grinding stone is the bullet-shaped one, so I wanted to pick up this one too for other uses. Also, I'm excited about my solutions for the bracket problem. I don't know if anybody has ever tried anything like this before, so maybe it'll help someone else out in the future. You never know. In the meantime, I'm still looking for ideas about the power switch issue. I'll post in the electrical forum too I guess. Thanks for looking.

Edit: I've got the pieces I need, so look for a fun update sometime later this week!

 

[dotHectate]

Revival!

Yes, I'm bringing my thread back to life. This weekend my goal is to complete the waterblock mount and extend the screws.

See you in a few!

 

[michaLcoughliN]

5 months later... ....... GG.

btw......... is this water or Dust ??? Lawl!!.. HAR HAR
I noticed it and ahd to ask..