Why don't more people build external WC units?

[Erasmus354]

Why do you need air filters? After a couple of months my radiators seem to be doing a fine job of filtering out the dust all on their own

 

[Bigbacon]

internal water cooling also stopped my cat from sitting on top of the case. though he still likes to de-fur himself into the intake fans in the front of the case. I don't use air filters either, I just clean everything out with the air cans and tissues every few months.

 

[King Icewind]

internal water cooling also stopped my cat from sitting on top of the case. though he still likes to de-fur himself into the intake fans in the front of the case. I don't use air filters either, I just clean everything out with the air cans and tissues every few months.

My case came with some air filters, which I have one. They're full of dust within a few weeks. So not only do I have to clean my air filters, I have to clean out the inside of my case, because the filters don't block everything . Putting air filters on my fans/rads is too much of a pain to have to take em off. I mean look at where my fans are...

 

[Direfox]

King Icewind, it may look a little bit ghetto, but the design concept is very nice. I can see how it would be a good project for one of the 'super modders' here to make this look diamonds. The case looks perfect for this kind of mod.

 

[BillParrish]

Why do you need air filters? After a couple of months my radiators seem to be doing a fine job of filtering out the dust all on their own

/haha mine too. Finally figured out what that vac funny attachment with the brushy stuff on the business end was for.

 

[switchg3ar]

 

[King Icewind]

Cool. So thats your P2 system? lol

 

[Dan_D]

Cool. So thats your P2 system? lol

I doubt he's got such an elaborate cooling system for a Pentium II.

 

[King Icewind]

I doubt he's got such an elaborate cooling system for a Pentium II.

I know, im just playing. Read his "Main Rig" in his signature.

 

[Dan_D]

I know, im just playing. Read his "Main Rig" in his signature.

I did. That's how I knew we were talking about a Pentium II rather than a Phenom II.

 

[Monkey God]

The minor difference in temps can be made up with more airflow or more radiator surface area. Simplicity FTW.

 

[switchg3ar]

I love my P2, the stock 40 mm fan on it makes a ton of noise and the voodoo card runs hot especially with tiny heat sink.

The external box is about a good 7 feet away from the comp. I also have a discharge hose on the side makes changing the water easy.

And to avoid external power supply

 

[Main]

Because internal watercooling is beautiful....

@ http://www.million-dollar-pc.com/systems-2008/lian-li/dark-prodigy/lian-li-v1200.htm

 

[Main]

A much better solution for this.... run a vacuum cleaner through your house on ocasion. I somehow doubt a couple of undervolted 120mm fans are going to clear a noticable amount of dust from the air. On the other hand I don't doubt that those filters will hinder airflow across my radiator which is why I have the fans in the 1st place. Dust filters do have their place, however they are not a universal must.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=odWWQswh5wY

My computer-room and workshop is vacuumcleaned /washed every tuesday and friday - but still it were a lot of dust accumulating.
So I started looking for better filters than you can buy at the computeroutlets.. an I did find MUCH better filter in Viledon.... and the really good part is that whilst Viledon is a lot more effective than "ordinary" filters - it is also cheaper.

Here is two other filters I have inhouse just now - and Viledon;

Let us take a look at them against my rooflight ;

As you can see the two first filters will not be effective at anything else than pretty big particles.
Does this mean that Viledon is much more restrictive ? - I have no way of measuring that - but it is VERY easy to breath thru Viledon - and it is also sound dampening.

I put Viledon filtermat between two wiregrills - there is no "OEM" manufacturer of Viledon Computer Filters" - you will have to buy Viledon on rolls is the smallest - 10x1 meter (or at least that's how it is here)

Sorry for my bad #english#

 

[Main]

Update: this is a Viledon filter which sits in my htpc that is located in my living room...

I changed this filter 2,5 months ago, and it is vacuumcleaned two times a week, every 3 month i wash it. Every 6 months I replace the filter with a new one.
What you see on the picture is particles so small that filters from the computeroutlets wouldn't have stopped.
My house is not located near roads with heavy traffic, nor do anyone smoke in our livingroom, and hell yeah - I live in healthy Norway - and this htpc runs about (at least) 6 hours a day.

I shall also say that this picture is taken just after the filter was vacuumcleaned... do the math...

 

[Dark Prodigy]

@ http://www.million-dollar-pc.com/systems-2008/lian-li/dark-prodigy/lian-li-v1200.htm

Yes, I know. DualBrain saw my worklog and asked if I wanted to submit my pc to his website... and I accepted.

 

[rjolin01]

Mines on the outside...

It looks cooler on the outside, and as mentioned before there's less water in your case so less chance of leaks

I am in the process of doing this with my antec 900 also. Just waiting for the triple rad. I think it look cool. Not as bad as some of the eyesore cases out there. As long as its all same color I think its good.

I currently have my double rad inside the case right behind the fans and my temps at idle will dip as low as 20. Only thing is I now have a GTX280 and want more cool air flowing till I get a water block for it. So I am moving the rad to the side.

 

[Main]

Yes, I know. DualBrain saw my worklog and asked if I wanted to submit my pc to his website... and I accepted.

nice

I just got too much equipment in mine to get it tidy enough to be accepted in such places...

 

[Main]

I am in the process of doing this with my antec 900 also. Just waiting for the triple rad. I think it look cool. Not as bad as some of the eyesore cases out there. As long as its all same color I think its good.

I currently have my double rad inside the case right behind the fans and my temps at idle will dip as low as 20. Only thing is I now have a GTX280 and want more cool air flowing till I get a water block for it. So I am moving the rad to the side.

I was just thinking....

And with a radbox ?

 

[King Icewind]

I looked into doing that for my computer. I couldn't because it blocks up all the pci slots, and my video card. There wasn't even enough room to plug my monitor in one plug. So on the side they went. It's too bulky looking too.

 

[Main]

I was thinking on that for your outside mounting....

I would also consider to mount the radiators horisontally with the suctionside downwards, err.... I mean it can't be much uglier than it already is anyaway - so you might just as well try to get as much performance out of it as possible ?

 

[tron256]

Here are some pics of an external WC unit I made. These are older pics before it was done. My camera is broken so I can't take any new pics. I replaced some of the parts. Right now it has 4 high speed Delta fans and a Lamptron FC-5 Fan controler.

Front with a Scythe "KAZE MASTER ACE" I changed out the Scythe because it didn't have the wattage. I blew out my first scythe, I burned another one up, and the 3rd one I modded for 2Amps(24watts). But that wasn't going to be enough when I swapped out the SilenX fans for Deltas.

The case is a Thermaltake LAN Box. This pic with the SilenX fans. I was not happy with the SilenX fans. I have had a few before and found that once they get dusty they start to break or have problems starting up. Also I have seen where the dust makes them go off balance, they start to leak out their bearing fluid and freeze up.

The back is panted lexan. I have replaced the back with metal because the lexan wasn't strong enough and started to bend. The quick-disconnect are from koolance. There are two power connectors. One is for the 12v power and the other is for 12v from the PC. The 12v from the PC triggers a relay that starts the cooling system even if the power button on the front isn't pressed.

Inside tubing. When I removed the SilenX fans I also removed the filters. The radiators both have two temperature censers one on the water-in and one on the water-out. They are connected to the fan controller. It has a mini ATX PSU to power the fan controler.

The old 1Amp Scythe. Its mounted with hot glue. I have remade the front and have a different mounting method for the FC-5. I'm thinking about remaking it again but out of panted metal. The black lexan looks cool but it scratches way to easy.

Last one.

 

[Main]

sweet lil box !!

 

[rjolin01]

I was just thinking....

And with a radbox ?

I was going to do a similar side by side as King so it wouldnt make case plus rads to wide and I would go in series from one rad to the next. Essentially making it a penta-rad. Or would it be quintuplete-rad???? Anywho I got the parts why the heck not. I will get pics once done.

Just wondering King Ice...Where you get the brackets to raise the rads off the sides?

 

[CrimandEvil]

Just wondering King Ice...Where you get the brackets to raise the rads off the sides?

They look like bent PCI brackets.

 

[MrGoat]

This is the way I was going to go before I decided to integrate the workstation into the new desk I'm building.

Was going to close this up with some 1/4" ply and paint it black with some nice grills. Never got around to finishing it however so there it has sat for the last year. I'll be stripping it out in the next few days to put into the new project.

 

[Main]

I was going to do a similar side by side as King so it wouldnt make case plus rads to wide and I would go in series from one rad to the next. Essentially making it a penta-rad. Or would it be quintuplete-rad???? Anywho I got the parts why the heck not. I will get pics once done.

Just wondering King Ice...Where you get the brackets to raise the rads off the sides?

You can get brackets from here http://www.performance-pcs.com/cata...t_info&manufacturers_id=185&products_id=26190

 

[CrimandEvil]

It's not done but I plan on having my rad outside my case, just not enough room to really mount it inside but I mostly really like how it looks.

 

[mcoffey]

The OP offers a good question. My answer "they do"

Hardware:

CPU: Q9650 4.25, 1.37v, 9x472 FSB
GPU: SLI EVGA GTX 280 756/1566/1248
MEM: GSkill DDR-3 1600, CAS 8 timings, 1888 Mem Speed, 2:1 divider
MB: EVGA 790i Ultra
HD: Seagate 250's in Raid 0
PSU: Corsair HX 1000

Cooling:

CPU Loop 1: EK Supreme, Twin TC PA 120.3, Twin D-5's
GPU Loop 2: EVGA Hydro FC blocks, Twin TC PA 120.3, Twin D-5's
Chipset Loop 3: BP NB/SB combo blocks, BP mosfet blocks, Single TC PA 120.3, Single DDC-3.2 XSPC top.

Controls:

Main Case: CyrstalFontz 635 USB fan controller
Rad Box: Sunbeam Rheobus EXTREME - 6 Channel 30 Watt Fan Controller 5.25"
Fans Main Case: All Yate Loon D12SM-12 x 8. Average RPM 975
Fans Rad Box: All Zalman ZM-F3 x 12. Average RPM 1100

Misc:

All BP fittings, except custom copper high flow elbows for rad interconnection in Rad Box
All Tubing Feser 1/2-3/4 UV Blue
2 White CCFL's, 2 UV Blue CCFL's
Sunbeam 4 port Molex Power Port x 2

Case:

Mountain Mods : Pinnacle 24 for main case
Mountial Mods : Custom Monacle 24 for Rad Box

That's pretty much everything.

andyc

Based on my experience after 7 high end LC builds, it's the most efficient use of LC possible.

andyc

 

[Main]

The placement of that case (with wheels) up on that drawercabinet does looks really macho

Drawbacks with a system like that is several, unpracticality, added restriction because of long watertubings... I would really consider to replace those 90 degree connectors with 45 degrees too, even tho 90' bitspowers is less restrictive than ordinary 90'.
I would also at least have replaced the watertubing from the cooler unit to the pc-case with watertubes with bigger internal diameter.

But thats me - I prefer all my components in one case - in an emergency I could have mounted a rad on the outside - back - of the cabinet.

 

[Deimos]

The reason I did it is like everyone else mentioned, need to be able to move the thing easliy.

My next system will probably be in a TJ07 though so I can have a seperate chamber just for the rad, pump and res, that way you get the best of both worlds, although it will wiegh a ton.

 

[mcoffey]

The placement of that case (with wheels) up on that drawercabinet does looks really macho

Drawbacks with a system like that is several, unpracticality, added restriction because of long watertubings... I would really consider to replace those 90 degree connectors with 45 degrees too, even tho 90' bitspowers is less restrictive than ordinary 90'.
I would also at least have replaced the watertubing from the cooler unit to the pc-case with watertubes with bigger internal diameter.

But thats me - I prefer all my components in one case - in an emergency I could have mounted a rad on the outside - back - of the cabinet.

All those issues where tested and worked out before the build began

Flow rates still up over 1.5 GPM on the CPU loop with the dual D-5's, so BP 90's not an issue. Tubings 1/2" ID-3/4" OD. CPU temp at 50 average 100% load @ 23.5 C ambient running Boinc 24/7, so I'm pretty happy with the design and implementation.

Any drawbacks from extra tubing length is far out weighed by the cooling performance gains by not having the rads exhausting heat into the main case. Right now my case temps are at or below the fluid temps in the loops, so the design really does work if done right.

Just depends on the build and what your design goals are regarding external rad boxes and such. Based on my criteria, a multi case system was the only way to go.

andyc

 

[Main]

All those issues where tested and worked out before the build began

Flow rates still up over 1.5 GPM on the CPU loop with the dual D-5's, so BP 90's not an issue. Tubings 1/2" ID-3/4" OD. CPU temp at 50 average 100% load @ 23.5 C ambient running Boinc 24/7, so I'm pretty happy with the design and implementation.

Any drawbacks from extra tubing length is far out weighed by the cooling performance gains by not having the rads exhausting heat into the main case. Right now my case temps are at or below the fluid temps in the loops, so the design really does work if done right.

Just depends on the build and what your design goals are regarding external rad boxes and such. Based on my criteria, a multi case system was the only way to go.

andyc

Your system is one of the better looking ones compared to to a lot others I have seen with external LQS - thats for sure.

I went for a case with room for it all - and with two separate compartments as the Tagan A+ Black Pearl have heatdump isn't a issue.

Now in the rebuild of my mainsystem I decided to add a dedicated GFX loop - this radiator will be installed in the upper compartment since there is really no more room in the lower compartment. In the lower compartment I now have a Feser Monsta rad with 6x140 fans attached and the enormous Koolance LQ 1700Watt PSU ( + 25cm long ! ) , a 120mm rad for the psu and a whole three pumps.

To remove the heatdump from the dedicated GFX 2x120 rad - which will be installed on the inside of the right hand side door - I did install 2x140 mm fans on the inside of the left hand door - almost straight in line for the GFX rad.
In order to get the airstream from the gfx rad straight over to the 2x140 exhaust fans I did use beam air adapters.
It seems to be working very well - and I still maintain positive pressure in the upper compartment since I have three casefans too.

Even there are 16 fans in my system - it is not much noisy - all fans do run on very low speed.

You can see some pictures in the link in my sig.

 

[mcoffey]

Your system is one of the better looking ones compared to to a lot others I have seen with external LQS - thats for sure.

I went for a case with room for it all - and with two separate compartments as the Tagan A+ Black Pearl have heatdump isn't a issue.

Now in the rebuild of my mainsystem I decided to add a dedicated GFX loop - this radiator will be installed in the upper compartment since there is really no more room in the lower compartment. In the lower compartment I now have a Feser Monsta rad with 6x140 fans attached and the enormous Koolance LQ 1700Watt PSU ( + 25cm long ! ) , a 120mm rad for the psu and a whole three pumps.

To remove the heatdump from the dedicated GFX 2x120 rad - which will be installed on the inside of the right hand side door - I did install 2x140 mm fans on the inside of the left hand door - almost straight in line for the GFX rad.
In order to get the airstream from the gfx rad straight over to the 2x140 exhaust fans I did use beam air adapters.
It seems to be working very well - and I still maintain positive pressure in the upper compartment since I have three casefans too.

Even there are 16 fans in my system - it is not much noisy - all fans do run on very low speed.

You can see some pictures in the link in my sig.

I'll check it out. I'm getting ready to do another build with more cooling capacity using the same concept this winter.

Gotta love it

andyc

 

[schoenda]

You guys are of the fing charts awsome!! Water cooling boxes should have its own sub board. I totally know what I am going to do with my current Koolance/Lian-li case when I build my new 800D...it's gonna be the external cooling unit! Hot Dam! I really am excited about something new and the perfect use for 1000w heat dissipating potential of the Koolance...lets see, now just add bigger pump, second radiator, and about 6 more fans...water cool the hard drives and the ram, mobo, 2 video cards, cpu...what else? I will have a heatless computer...

How far can I effectively put the heat box from the rig? I mean how many feet per pump unit of power? How about like in the basement? Hah...central watercooling....the next big thing!

 

[Carlitos714]

here is what i did with my antec 902. got the brackets at home depot for like 2 bucks or something like that. i almost put the rad in my case but i would of needed and external dvd drive and mount my hd vertically somewhere. so i did it externally.

 

[rjolin01]

I know its been nearly a month with no post in this thread but I just wanted to say that I am working on a P180 case mod where the radiator is on the outside just like Kings. I will post pics when I finish. Also going to attempt to put a window in the side panel too.

 

[King Icewind]

I know its been nearly a month with no post in this thread but I just wanted to say that I am working on a P180 case mod where the radiator is on the outside just like Kings. I will post pics when I finish. Also going to attempt to put a window in the side panel too.

Good luck, man. If you have questions about what I did pm me

 

[ohvrolla]

I just went back to external recently. Like it better myself. Pics are close to the finished product, and yes it's on the big side. Two '77 bonneville heatercores, two cpx-pro pumps, two 12v comair rotron fans, and a home made high amp low dropout voltage regulator to tame the fans. You don't want to hear them at full blast . Top is screwed down with foam weatherstripping underneath and everything else siliconed so all air flow is making it through the heatercores. Plenty of cfm at 7ish volts and not that loud.

 

[King Icewind]

Cool, man. So you don't have any fans on the rad's?

...Missing a tube