Quick&Dirty suggested WC - comments?

[Mugz]

This is the WC system I'm intending to install in my system:

Pump: Eheim pond pump: ~20psi
Tubing: Chemically stabilised PVC pipes, 18mm & 10mm
CPU water block: custom/unique
Reservoir: 25L sealed canister
Radiator1&2: heater element removed from a VW Golf mkI
Control system: separate pump power, 220V relayed off 12V PSU rail.

Pump(res) -> Rad1 -> Split (CPU & other components) -> Rad2 -> Res

Coming later (once all the bugs are worked out): GPU, NB.

Incidentally, the reservoir will be lurking a floor below the PC, in a cold cellar. This theoretically will lower the water temperature further. Rad1 & Rad2 will both be in the same room as Res. Room temp. in the cellar is 14º~18ºC. Room temp in study is around 25º~35ºC, dependent on weather, whether the PC is on or not and day/night.

Comments?

 

[rwaritsdario]

What model for the block will you be using?? Which Eheim pump is that one, model number?
Make damn sure the rads are clean, and then use a filter because those things are nasty.

 

[Mugz]

The block is a custom-made one - my second from a tame engineering firm I frequently work with. First one (circa 2002) worked very well on an athlonXP 1800+ - reduced temps by about 25~30ºC under load.

I'll have to check on the pump model number (have had the pump a long time, used to be the filter pump for 4 aquaria (1 200x80x80cm, 1 150x50x50cm, 2 100x40x40cm)).

How would you suggest I go about cleaning the rads?

the alternative would be to quietly use the chiller/heat exchanger off my old marine aquarium as it's also lurking in the cellar gathering dust. Haven't run an aquarium in over 3 years, still got ALL the damn equipment - even the glass...

 

[chuckshissle]

Pond pump? You know there's one they made for pc cooling right? Well unless your pick is much cheaper then it cool. Are you going to integrate this components to the system or would it be external/seperate components? For the rads, use push-pull fan setup for better airflow and cooling.

 

[Mugz]

Easily available pumps I can get where I live without having to resort to online buying:
Eheim pond pump @ R250 (around $37)
some random PC pump @ R600 (around $90)
the Gigabyte WC system @ R1,750 (around $250, all inclusive)
Eheim pond pump I possess, bought several years back for aquaria, now considering PCing it.

The only component of the system I'm considering that I'll have to buy is the CPU water block (and GPU/NB blocks if I go that far). After looking into the ins/outs of the whole lot, the block from my tame engineering firm will work out 2/3 of the price (at most) than a pre-made one.

The rads I also already possess, a holdover from the days when I was seriously restoring a Passat mk2 (lllooooooooong story). Size-wise I recall them as being more or less big enough to take a matrix of 2x2 80mm fans (4 per side). 2 rads, 8 fans per rad, 16 fans in total... good thing it's in a separate, colder room.

 

[chuckshissle]

Nice sounds like you got everything set. As for the cpu block, are you planning to do some extreme overclocking or just lower them temps and noise? What's your system by the way, if you don't mind me asking.

 

[rwaritsdario]

I know youll make the block yourself. But is it gonna be impregnant or not? low restrictive?? out of copper?? I guess design was the word, not model lol.

Just get me the max head, max flow, and pressure. Just checking that it wont be too poor for PC or unsuitable.

This is how rads are cleaned:
"1. Flush the raditoar with distilled water. I suggest getting 2-3 2.5gallon jugs and just start pouring about 2.5-3gallons of distilled through the rad.
2. Pour Distilled or De-Ionzied water into radiator. - Pour until full, drain and repeat. Shaking the radiator when it is half full of water will help. Repeat this 3-5 times.
3. Following the same procedure as in step 2, repeat with vinegar.
4. Fill the radiator with vinegar, and let it sit for appx. 6-8 hours.
5.Flush the radiator after 6-8 hours, following the procedure of step 2. Repeat Step 3 as well.
6.Repeat Step 4.
7.Repeat Step 2."
But I would keep on doing it until the water/vinegar you get from it its clean, because the first batch will scare you...

 

[Mugz]

My knowledge of the technical terms in water cooling is limited, but I'll do my best.

the block is of a low restriction type, designed for very high turbulence inside the block. The area that the water is dropped onto is striated with zigzag channels about 2mm deep and 3mm wide, bending every 5mm or so. The water HAS to go through the channels to drain.
The base is copper, the cap? cover? top is aluminium and solidly bolted to the base. Gasketed, naturally. The retention bracket/frame is a simple spring steel frame that fits over the block.
Pressure still needs to be tested, I'm guessing it'll go pretty high (higher than the pump).

Max flow should be in the region of (if I haven't made a major cockup on the maths) 8.35L per minute. Equates to about 2-odd gallons per minute, I think. The pump used to push about 13L at its max setting.

Flushed my Audi's rad last month, so I'm prepared for that muck. I agree it does NOT look healthy (my exact words were 'and THAT came out of MY engine? daaaamn...').

@chuck;
6 months to burn-in, thermally stabilise and develop electronic fan controllers for max airflow/min noise. Then light~moderate OCing.

System specs:
P4D 925
ECS 945P-A (1.1 revision)
2x512MB DDR2-800 modules
ATI X600XT 256MB (my first ATI in about 6 years)
Seagate 250GB SATA
500W PSU

 

[rwaritsdario]

Very nice, Ive seen that design in the interior of full coverage EK 8800 blocks. And it works wonders.

The pump used to push about 13L at its max setting.

Why is it pumping less now?