Worst case scenario
 

Well, I get all of my equipment together to water cool one of my computers: a new tower case, water block, radiator, pump, the works. First, the pump is a piece of crap and won't work. I ended up spending a fortune on another one. Then I realize that I need to chop my case to fit the radiator in right. I buy a dremel and chop away. Then I realize that I mismeasured and now my power supply won't fit. So I chop some more and it all was fixed. So I put everything together and my computer won't start.

Woe is the man who uses a metal cpu shim.

It dug into the top of my processor card and shorted some of the guts. I quickly had a fried processor.

So, I buy a new processor and motherboard (I couldn't OC on my other one and didn't want to risk that the damage was from that end as well) and RAM to go with the new board (I didn't run DDR before and the new one ONLY runs DDR) and after unlocking another damn XP chip I slap it all together.

I feared what would happen when I pushed power ....

Everything worked perfectly (except that the system read my XP1900 as a 1200Mhz) and I pumped my proc up to 2000+ just for giggles (I still had to install drivers and I'm going cautiously with the water system for now) and try to load windows XP.

Blue screen of death: you have a virus or hardware error and must restart. Please uninstall any new hardware before restarting.

Duh, I just replaced damn near everything!!!

So I reinstall XP and the bugger won't let me activate and I end up having to plead with this tool over the phone to get my machine activated.

After 4 days of hell and $800, I finally have my machine put back together and working at 43C under load (ambient of 90+). I'm thinking of mailing BECooling a dead skunk for sending that POS shim to me.

Anyway, I just thought you all would be entertained by my ordeal.

parts: Black Edge Waterblock, BIXr2 radiator, NurseryPro NPU500 pump, 1/2" tubing, HyperLube surfecant, 120mm panaflo exhaust fan (3x80mm intake)

I'm going to try to get a picture of this thing on the board so you guys can laugh at my pathetic @$$.

Moscow, hehe I was just down there Friday doing a delivery:p Glad to see you got it going, but $800? dang that was an expensive trip down watercooling lane:D

Welcome welcome and enjoy water cooling but boy that was a hard first run. I just shot water all oveer my vid card ram and mobo today but it all runs fine accept the switech water block I was trying fried my mp2000. No more swiftech for me. I can do without thier garbage waterblocks thank you.

Heh, the one thing I did right was NOT getting water on anything. I have the water fittings all clamped down to max pressure and double silicone sealed (except the pump intake line which if it blew would blow fluid out of the case). But yeah, I ended up buying:

1 x water block
1 x block clamp
1 x shim (MY DOWNFALL!!!)
1 x radiator
1 x 120mm fan
1 x submersible pump (never ended up using it)
1 x dry inline pump (rubber case, 500gph at 4ft rated, actual flow of 80 gph at 3ft, 7ft total length)
8ft 1/2" hose
assorted pipe fittings/adapters
1 x Athlon XP1900+
1 x Motherboard
1 x Motherboard diagnostic attachment (in case of further headaches)
1 x 256MB DDR memory
1 x Network adaptor (previous one was onboard)
1 x Silver block goop
1 x Defroster repair kit
1 x Super Glue De-cure (got too glue happy on the proc)
1 x dremel with cutting attachments (I tried a battery powered one ... yech! 5 minutes per charge. I ended up getting a high end unit and returning that POS to WalMart)

The only good thing that comes out of this whole mess (other than it working ;) is that I got a replacement plan at CrapUSA that allows me one free product replacement during the next 12 months. If I fry my proc again, I get another free. Even better, if I dont, I'll dremel the crap out of it 11 months down the road and trade it in for whatever is new (if they don't have a XP1900+, they have to give me the AMD upgrade, be it a new Barton chip or even a Hammer). Needless to say, I'm not as worried about what I'm doing now.

Currently I'm running 2000+ at 140FSB and 1.75V and it's stable as a rock (1750 Mhz). Whenever I raise the FSB any higher it won't load WXP. I'm thinking of upping my voltage to 1.85 and seeing if that'll help, but I don't know ... my chipset didn't come with a fan and that worries me (I'm contemplating putting the AMD heatsink fan on the chipset until I have the cash to get a chipset block ... I can't figure out how to attach it, though).

Last question: I have my fan attached to the side wall of the case blowing out with the radiator attached directly to the back of it. I'm not getting hardly any airflow through it at all and I was wondering if I should flip the fan so that it's blowing into the radiator/case. With how my fans are laid out the air shouldn't ever reach the motherboard (there is a 6x6 opening in the back above the PSU for extra venting until I get a second PSU for a pelt). What are your thoughts on that?

Yeah shims help more then they hurt its a fact sorry you had to learn that the hard way.

shims.... blaaaa ! Runaway!


I see all kinds of problems when people try to save money on various pumps. I really wish people would stick with Eheim and Danner pumps. And preferably Eheim. I know they are a bit pricey but is it really worth ruining your system or setup over a 20 or 30 dollar premium over the cost of other pumps?

Well I hope you enjoy your finished WC project. WC can be frustrating but what else are you gonna do with your time?

I agree on the pump thing, now. The pump I ended up with is WAY overrated for the job but is damn near failsafe. What I like about it is that it is almost perfectly silent (you have to put your ear on the case to hear it) and comes with a thick rubber housing around it (in case it shifts a bit against anything). I'm running a 1/2" system but my block is 3/8", and it has no problem forcing the water through the bottleneck.

Hehe I was there, man it hurt just watching. did you get it running web? hows that maze 3?

Here are the pics! (Please don't laugh too much .... )

Pic #2:

Pic #3: