The Water Cooling Dream?

E

Evil Result

Weaksauce
Joined
Mar 17, 2004
Messages
77
Well after a long time of visiting these forums and reading all there is about water cooling, i'm at the point where the fans must go... well at least most of them.

So i'm calling for your assistance in creating a rig. I'm not a crazy overclocker so i don't need fantastic expensive waterblocks although the benefit for some overclocking would be nice :) Just need to get rid of this horrible noise, besides i think it gives me dry mouth :p. I also want to attempt to keep the cost under $250-$300.

Unfortunately, I seen alot of fantastic work with water and i like to see something deceptively complicated, and mabey pointless but fun :)

So i'v been thinking of cooling my CPU, Norhtbridge, and video card in a parallel manner.

I got XP2800+ Barton 333 FSB with Corsair TWINX 512 Meg 2700LL on an Epox 8rda+ with a GeForce 3. I'm not shure how much heat this is putting out, but a fair ammount i would assume.

i'm not going to use a Res even though it might make things easier.

The loop i'm hoping to run would be...

Pump -> Radiator -> Divider -> CPU, NB, GPU (Parallel), Collector, Pump.

i'd run 1/2 from the pump down to the radiator across to the divider then up through the rest of the water blocks back to the collector then 1/2 back to the pump.

The pump I have my eyes on the Swiftech MCP-600 12volt v2.0 for the convenience and safety, it expensive but it looks like i could have some fun with it(Rheobus) since its DC. I'v heard bad stories about the last model i'm wondering who has the MCP-600 version and how it performing for them.

The waterblocks would be from swiftech as well because of the wide selection of parts, smaller hose barb attachment and tubing.

I'm kinda lost on a selection for a Radiator, swiftechs i tiny and i don't belive they could handle the heat being put out, although i did see a 6"x6"x2" radiator that i can barely manage to fit at CrazyPC along with the Pump.

I was also thinking of using a bypass for the radiator to reduce restriction (if any) or to test the effects of such a device.

Also the Divider and Collector to distribute the water, I was thinking of using Lexan or a couple blocks of plastic and drill the paths for water, although i'm not shure where i could get something like that to work with.


I think I overshot my budget. Anyways tips, suggestions, thoughts, and ideas.
 
Instead of making a box to split it you could just use two y hoses:

http://www.frozencpu.com/cgi-bin/frozencpu/ex-tub-17.html

If you wanted to make a box I would suggest acryllic/plexiglas instead of Lexan and then use acryllic solvent to seal it since it will provide you with a water tight seal. Lexan is harder to work with and the solvent doesn't work on it.

As for your system, I'd use a resevor since it makes everything much easier, your call though.

No matter what I would test the system throughly before putting it near any electronics! ;) Especially if you use your own box to split and collect the water.
 
Eheim also has a 12V pump that draws power from a molex. That should get rid of any pump reliability concerns you might have.

It's probably easier to use one Y splitter and line up the Northbridge and GPU coolers in series. My Northbridge block comes after my CPU block in series, and the temp on my Northbridge is consistently lower than the CPU by a good margin, something like 20 C load.
 
Overclockers hideout used to make a three way block so you could run things in Parallel.
They've since dropped from the face of the earth..
I don't think it would be to hard to have someone machine you a wb to split up the system though.
 
The MCP-300 WAS a raging peice of crap...having the actual pump housing crack was utter BS, and not something expected from a name brand maker....especially for the price.

My Eheim is very nice, but was costly. I heard the MCP-600 had better pressure though, which might be of importance in your setup.
 
I'v been looking around; couldn't find the 12V Eheim, although i did see DangerDen's 12V pump very small compact with better flow rates than the Swiftech but looks somewhat less refined. Both the swiftech and the Dangerden cost about the same but swiftech has a 2 year warrenty, and there's FrozenCPU in my state about 2 hours from home(save shipping?) that sells them.

I'v seen perfect dividers at McMaster-Carr but there frickin expensive so i'm gonna visit the plumbing store and make some (should be fun).

The bypass valve seems more interesting everytime i think about it since the water dosen't collect as much heat as it could and running it through the rad would place more restriction, so allowing some water to flow pass the rad unrestricted to collect more heat, although this might raise temp should be fun... i could make a double bypass to avoid the heatsinks at the collectors and send the water for extra cooling, or a mobius loop :p
 
Originally posted by Evil Result

The bypass valve seems more interesting everytime i think about it since the water dosen't collect as much heat as it could and running it through the rad would place more restriction, so allowing some water to flow pass the rad unrestricted to collect more heat, although this might raise temp should be fun... i could make a double bypass to avoid the heatsinks at the collectors and send the water for extra cooling, or a mobius loop :p
Click to expand...

Why would you want to do this? You'll just raise your water temps, I don't see the point. I don't think you have a grasp on how heat transfer goes about in a loop system... but I'll tell you that doing this will not benefit it.
 
Originally posted by zer0signal667
Why would you want to do this? You'll just raise your water temps, I don't see the point. I don't think you have a grasp on how heat transfer goes about in a loop system... but I'll tell you that doing this will not benefit it.
Click to expand...

I don't Evil Result has any idea what he is talking about either. Trust me, a physics major with several thermodynamics courses under his belt, when I say that heat transfer and water temperatures don't work as simply as you think they do. Just because the water isnt collecting as much heat as it should the first time through the blocks doesnt mean you will get lower temps after sending it through the loop again before going the radiator. ALL cooling is done in the radiator, and the equlibrium temperature (total water temperature regardless of the placement in the watercooling loop) is ENTIRELY dependent on how much heat your radiator can dissapate. By somehow "bypassing" your radiator to "lower" restrictons (which doesnt happen BTW), you are only limiting the ammount of heat you can dissapate. By adding loops, you only put more and more and more heat into the water that the radiator cannot handle.

You seem to be worried about restrictions too... Adding tubing in complicated "bypass" loops that only serve to raise your equlibrium temps will also raise your restriction. More tubing = more restriction. Its a simple as that.

As for your pump, to cool 3 blocks in parallel, you will need a pump with one hell of a flowrate, and pressure to boot. The swiftech pumps can not match quality of ones from Eheim. Look at the 1250. Also check out the Danner Magdrive 3 from most aquarium stores/petsmart. Much MUCH better pumps for your parallel system than what your are looking at. Also, if you do get a 12v pump (DON'T), you had better not play with the voltages by hooking it upto a fanbus. Thats one good way to fuckup a pump.

As a matter of fact, dont get swiftech blocks at all. Dangerden and Dtek make much better parts for the money.

The waterblocks would be from swiftech as well because of the wide selection of parts, smaller hose barb attachment and tubing.

I'm kinda lost on a selection for a Radiator, swiftechs i tiny and i don't belive they could handle the heat being put out, although i did see a 6"x6"x2" radiator that i can barely manage to fit at CrazyPC along with the Pump.
Click to expand...

Swiftech, just the same as EVERY other company out there make a variety of parts. For the best pressure and flowrates through all the blocks, use only 1/2'' ID tubing and barbs. Why would you want to use smaller tubing and barbs? Do yourself a favor and get only 1/2''.

For the radiator, to actually get decent cooling, you will need a dual 120mm radiator. Check out the Black Ice xTreme II, or the thermochill 120.2. For single radiators, you wont get nearly the cooling and high temps for what you are looking at. If you have to get the thermochill 120.1 or the regular BlackIce xTreme.

Let me know if you have any questions about thermodynamic properties of watercooling setups, and any other questoins about your setup. Check out www.dangerden.com and www.dtek.com They have everything I was talking about here, and are very good as far as prices/shipping/customer service etc...

-OMP
 
Its seems as though I don't communicate my self clearly enough for you to grasp what i'm doing. I'm water cooling to have fun, to experiment, and to enjoy this project and not just to make my setup as simple and as direct as most systems for the single goal to overclock, I'm not water cooling just to do so. Many do just for that reason and few don't, and the few that don't have many reasons of there own to choose water cooling. Some like the quiet, some want to be different, other just enjoy the concept of it.

I belive I said this would be fun in the first post. I'll try to keep it that way.

Anyways i'll have bypass valves to adjust waterflow.
 
Originally posted by Evil Result
Its seems as though I don't communicate my self clearly enough for you to grasp what i'm doing. I'm water cooling to have fun, to experiment, and to enjoy this project and not just to make my setup as simple and as direct as most systems for the single goal to overclock, I'm not water cooling just to do so. Many do just for that reason and few don't, and the few that don't have many reasons of there own to choose water cooling. Some like the quiet, some want to be different, other just enjoy the concept of it.

I belive I said this would be fun in the first post. I'll try to keep it that way.

Anyways i'll have bypass valves to adjust waterflow.
Click to expand...

Ok, I understand that you're doing it to have fun, I still don't see what's fun about a bypass valve though.
 
Originally posted by Evil Result
Its seems as though I don't communicate my self clearly enough for you to grasp what i'm doing. I'm water cooling to have fun, to experiment, and to enjoy this project and not just to make my setup as simple and as direct as most systems for the single goal to overclock, I'm not water cooling just to do so. Many do just for that reason and few don't, and the few that don't have many reasons of there own to choose water cooling. Some like the quiet, some want to be different, other just enjoy the concept of it.

I belive I said this would be fun in the first post. I'll try to keep it that way.

Anyways i'll have bypass valves to adjust waterflow.
Click to expand...

It's your money:D Do whatever feels right. Experimenting for the sake of experiments is all good.
 
I think that there is one other point that I would like to mention. In a parallel system the water flow is NOT going to be equal amongst the three tubes - it will attempt to follow the path of least resistance. Since the CPU water block will most likely be the largest component and may introduce the most amount of flow restiction - unless it is something like the RBX - you may have more water flowing through the GPU and northbridge waterblocks and less through the CPU waterblock. Introduction of a double Y type separation or even changing to a smaller diameter tube for the northbridge cooler might be an option.
 
I will just recommend against it for 1 single reason. More leak points (3 components to cool right?)
-> 10-12 leak points in typical setup vs 18-20 leakpoints (the variance of 2 is due to reservoir or in-line system)
Riskier and not as efficient. (not as efficient since not all blocks will have same flow rate thus it most likely won't have sufficient flow to be fully effective in at least one of the block most likely).
Doing it for fun is cool though, until it starts costing you too much. If you have budget, add other fun factors such as peltier cooling in it instead. Not much harder but costlier for sure. Now, thats fun if you can handle the heat pumping out of the computer (which is equivalent of small room heater).
 
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