
We struck gold by finding a transparent case to show off our DIY oil PC masterwork.
The underlying thought behind this project was to design a system that cooled the components by total submersion in a liquid-filled case. The lab engineers immediately set two conditions: The system should run silently and only choice hardware should be used. We also sought out an attractive container or case. Using an aquarium was excluded from the very beginning - cables and connections couldn't be cleanly brought from the inside to the outside. The system had to look good, too. In the end, we decided on a transparent PC case made of Plexiglas, which however meant an immense labor expense. All contact surfaces of the individual edges had to be glued and made airtight. The sealing of boreholes and openings on the individual slabs meant additional effort. Step by step, first special glue and then silicone were used. The latter particularly needs time to cure, making the use of a dryer recommended.

All screw joints in the case have to be loosened, followed by wetting with special glue.

To seal the openings, we got Plexiglas slabs that we cut accordingly. If you expect the oil smell to be a problem, then you should plan for a top cover right away. However, the heat exchange between the oil liquid and the environment will then be altered.

All parts of the case must have airtight contacts.
- Dousing Your Athlon FX-55 With Eight Gallons Of Cooking Oil?
- VIDEO 18 TO DOWNLOAD: Fascination Surrounds The Oil PC
- Ready For The Plunge
- Pre-Conditioning In The Oil Bath
- DIY Step By Step: Tools And Aids
- Sealing The Plexiglas Case
- Sealing The Plexiglas Case, Continued
- The Important Step Of Sealing The CPU Base
- Assembly And Placing Of Components
- Pouring In The Oil During Operation
- Bottom Line: DIY Fun With Oil PC Based On The Athlon FX55
This is the first article I've seen mentioning the sealling of he base of the CPU. Other's some in the forums are concerned that there is not enough cooling flow under sockets.. since liquid is thicker than air it tends to want to create hotspots here. Air will swell and vent heat more. This article notes that they "had" to seal the base for stability. I understand the dielectic effect. But anyways for a socket 775 anyone know for sure what we should do?
Anyway, I'm curious about the long term effects. This project was started a couple years ago. Is the computer still running, or did they decided to can it. Seems like everyone that does this ends up draining it before it get's a chance to fail from oil-related reasons. Pity - It would be nice to have some data to see whether it really could be a viable solution for a silent PC that would last literally for as long as the cpu transistors normally last.
Before considering that I purchased a tiny (15 litre) fishtank for a low end setup that was built/sealed with silicone, so I guess I'll soon know xD (hopefully not by it falling apart and spilling oil all over my carpets lol).
I have an existing 3 foot tank which I intended using for my 'production' system which will be more than double the power in every sense
I'll do my best to pop back and post on this new consideration to let you know how the silicone behaves under extreme usage.
Oh and another thing, on the mineral oil... in all experiments the folks mentioned difficulty in getting hold of mineral oil. I initially thought the majour problem would be in the fact that it's classed as a known laxative and any distributor would be hesitant handing over that much of it for legal or safety reasons. Turns out most people don't even know what it is xD!! That got me onto some research into it's common consumers, and in so doing found a bunch of alternative names for it, which I DID see at some stores.
I'll list them here for acedemic interest but please keep in mind that common or trading names may differ from region to region so ask the right questions (Low viscosity, high flash point, no electrical conductance) AND test it in a controlled outdoor enviroment on smaller (cheaper) components before going the whole way
White oil
Nujol
Paraffin oil (Not normal paraffin, like for lanterns, far as I know)
Baby oil xD (Yep, though I'm suspecting the fragrance additives may have some unwanted properties, probably mildly corrosive)
Anyways, happy modding for now
l8r,
OnyxxOr
Don't use a food-based oil if you do this.