need help building a water-cooling system

[Guest]

Archived from groups: alt.comp.hardware.overclocking.amd (More info?)

I have been thinking about water cooling this system to make it cool
more efficiently and quietly, and I have a few questions:

1.) Do I really need to buy a pre-built water block, or can I remove
the fan from my heatsink and encase it in a (very well sealed of
course) plexiglass box? I have an Antec Solution Series heatsink for
Socket A, and it has microfins, would this restrict circulation?
2.) Instead of using a radiator, can I build a small copper tank for
the water to flow through and attach a small peltier cooler to the
outside to remove some of the heat? If I placed an 80mm fan next to
the peltier on exhaust or intake would it be enough to dissipate the
excess heat?
3.) Would doing this be any cheaper than purchasing a pre-built kit,
like the ThermalTake Aquarius II watercooling kit? Would the
difference in price be significant enough to justify building my own?

Thanks in advance,
-Hukuis

 

[Guest]

Archived from groups: alt.comp.hardware.overclocking.amd (More info?)

Thus spake hukuis:

>1.) Do I really need to buy a pre-built water block, or can I remove
>the fan from my heatsink and encase it in a (very well sealed of
>course) plexiglass box? I have an Antec Solution Series heatsink for
>Socket A, and it has microfins, would this restrict circulation?

Yes, you can make you own waterblock. What kind of tools do you have?
A Dremel and a hacksaw is enough, a drill press is better, a milling
machine is ideal.

A heatsink doesn't make a good starting point. The fins are the wrong
thickness and spacing, the bases are too thick. Better to start with a
piece of copper bar stock. Know anywhere in your area to get metals?
(it gets expensive buying small quantities online)

>2.) Instead of using a radiator, can I build a small copper tank for
>the water to flow through and attach a small peltier cooler to the
>outside to remove some of the heat? If I placed an 80mm fan next to
>the peltier on exhaust or intake would it be enough to dissipate the
>excess heat?

Pelt cooled reservoirs don't work with a damn. Standard solution is an
automobile heatercore, available really cheap at the local salvage
yard or moderately priced at the auto parts store. Autozone has the
very popular '77 Bonneville w/AC heatcore for around 20 bucks.

>3.) Would doing this be any cheaper than purchasing a pre-built kit,
>like the ThermalTake Aquarius II watercooling kit? Would the
>difference in price be significant enough to justify building my own?

Yes, you can save money doing it yourself. But it will cost you more
in time and won't give quite as good results. My first watercooling
set up cost around 40 dollars - it was really ugly and beat stock
cooling by only ~5 degrees, but was a lot of fun for me.

If you do go kit, stay away from the Aquarius. It's barely better than
a decent heatsink, in both noise and temperature. Swiftech makes some
nice kits, though the pumps need some extra vibration dampening to
quiet them down.

--
sls