New WC rig in beginning stages...Wanting input

[bigben2k]

Dr Evil and Mini-me.

[arcsylver]

Well upon closer inspection of the new cabinet I have determined that the overall desing of things woul dbe far simpler done in the two cabinets instead of one.

The cabinets are designed to be identical in size other than hieght. Which means they satack beautifully.

So now I am going to build the watercooling into the small 24" tall cabinet and the computer will be housed in the 36" tall one as well as possibly a second computer if a friend upgrades his rig and sends me his 2 gig Celeron he has now along with the Asus Black pearl Mobo he is using.

[bigben2k]

Can I assume that the smaller cabinet, with the watercooling, is going to be at the bottom?

[arcsylver]

That is actually the plan yes.

The cabinets have removable panels on the top and bottom that a fan panel can be installed so routing the tubing between the two will be etremely easy.


I still need to get some form of casters or a platform to stabilise the stack a bit. It is 5 feet high as it sits now and 2 feet wide.

Money is a bit tight right now due to putting aside the deposit for Cathar's Cascade block but once I get paid again things should pick back up.

I may go and get some small tubing samples to play around with some design ideas for the radiator.

Next major purchase after the waterblock is going to be the rackmount case for the comp so I have the reference to work with on the tubing routing.

[arcsylver]

Upon waking this morning I came to a realisation.

I may way to purchase a commercial radiator or two for the initial setup of this system.

I am thinking about getting 2 thermochill 120.3 rads to use primarily and possibly use them as comparison for the rad I hope to build .

The reasoning behind this is that the copper to build the rad is rather expensive and in order to get this system up and running I will need something reliable and when experimenting I would rather have functional parts while setting up the computer instead of something that may destroy 2000 dollars worth of computer.

[bigben2k]

You might consider going with heatercores: using Airspirit's database, you can find one or two that'll fit your box perfectly.

Also, a heatercore would give us a better "relative" idea of your performance, because that's what most of us use.

They're also the cheapest "bang for the buck" that you can get, and it can easily be made to look nice.

[arcsylver]

Heh decided to surf E-Pray a bit to see what I might be able to scrounge up in the way of rack mount parts and found this little jewel up for bids.

http://cgi.ebay.com/ws/eBayISAPI.dll...gory=4671&rd=1



On an unrelated note I have cancelled my request with Cathar for the silver Cascade due to car repairs that ate my money for it and I won't be able to make the deposit deadline before next payday.


Oh well the Cascade reportedly doesnt perform any better on a P4 in silver versus copper anyways so I will get the money up for a copper one soon enough.

[bigben2k]

WOW! What a find!

You might have to add a speed controller, if there isn't one already.

[arcsylver]

Yeah I plan to see if I can use a dimmer of some sort or make a control circuit if not.


I also found a sweet Copper Radiator on Ebay as well that will fit perfectly in the Cabinet.

http://cgi.ebay.com/ebaymotors/ws/eB...tem=2429517645


1957 Chevy Copper Radiator.

I am hoping I can win one or both of these possibly as the two together would be a sweet setup for cooling I think depending on what kind of airflow/Noise that blower has and whether or not I can get that rad flushed out thouroughly enough and retrofit with some 1/2 or 3/4 " barbs.


Next thin g I need to find is a couple of kick ass pumps to push water through things.

[bigben2k]

That's a nice find too: good size.

With cores/rads, you have to balance airflow and core size. The smaller the rad, the more airflow you'll need, which is going to end up being noisier.

But in this case, at 22.5" by 23.75" (and 2" thick!), you could easily cool 8 computers, with moderate airflow.

So if you plan to cool only 2 computers, just about any fan will work fine. You should be able to get the water temp within a couple of degrees from ambient, with the above blower.

If you make a final choice on a pump, I can predict "roughly" the CPU temp you'll be getting.

[arcsylver]

Heh,

At homeon lunch break but quick note.

More than likely I will be using one or two Hydor L30's in this setup.


I have the little L20 right now and I am very impressed with the bang for the buck value of it.

[arcsylver]

Heh,

Well if all goes well with PayPal I will be the proud owner of that blower fan very soon.

Just waiting for the paypal deposit to clear and I am sending that guy his money.


Now if I can only win that radiator auction I will be sitting pretty.

[arcsylver]

I finally remembered which site I had pics of my cooling rig after I finished the first version of it.

http://forums.gideontech.com/vps/sho...papass=&sort=1

The entire side shot:
http://forums.gideontech.com/vps/sho...papass=&sort=1


The only change I have made is removing the DD res out of the top because the top cracked on me and running tubing out to my current 5 gallon res beside the comp on the floor.


This is why I am working on this new project. That was my very first W/C rig and only one to date.

[bigben2k]

Nice and clean! What case was it?

[arcsylver]

To be honest I have no idea who makes it.

I picked it up at a computer show locally a couple of years ago for $55.

It was my "leap of faith rig" as it were in to watercooling and I have been sold on it ever since. It is getting aged now though so it is time to make a newer better rig.

That blower fan I got is the first step of course, and if I get that rad off ebay that will be two major components for the system.

The Cascade will be the third and the dual Hydor L30's will complete the setup other than the plumbing which I am still planning to go all copper except in the actuall computer case itself due to flexibility issues.

Considering I will be going from using an innovatech flat flow WB to the cascade I think I am in for a massive surprise in performance of the WB. The innovatek block is nothing more than a flat copper plate with a molded ABS top.


I think I have figured out my pump configuration for this setup.

The smaller cabinet is actually going to be on the top of the stack so waterflow into the computer cabinet will be downwards. I figure the extra little push gravity may provide might help a little.

I plan to have one pump just before the radiator to help push the water through that massive array of tubes and the second one pulling from the outlet of the radiator just before the tubes exit the smaller cabinet to go into the larger one. This way I get maximum flow through the waterblock/s as well.

I am thinking of doing a 1" tubing system in the smaller cabinet and them using a minfold system to step it down to 1/2" in the computer cabinet that way I can add on a NB and GPU block later possibly. (hoping to get a Hydra from Cathar when he finishes it)

Seeing since this setup will be cooling at least two computers once my friend gets himself his new rig and sends me his 2 gig celeron system board and chip and I may add this rig I am currently on as well to the loop as an experiment I think that the cooling requirements are met with the possible exception of the pumps ability to push that much water through that much tubing.

I will find out more once I begin the designing of the tubing layout for maximum efficiency/SHortest routing of the tubes.

[BrianW]

Talk to airspirit. He has aleady done this project. He can help you out a great deal I imagine.

BrianW

[arcsylver]

Not quite the way I am doing it, and he responded on page one and referred me to his article about his setup.

[BrianW]

Ahh I missed that post. sry...

BrianW

[bigben2k]

If you're going to stack these boxes, you might consider anchoring them to the wall, for safety. A couple of simple anchoring bolt would do.

Actually, having Mini-me at the bottom would help, not the other way around. The added pressure at the pump inlet is favorable.

There's something in Airspirit's rig that you can adapt here: if you use copper, you can make vertical runs, in and out, and solder a few tees along the way, for however many PCs you want. Ideally you'd want a removable plug, so I'd go with a threaded adapter, like I was going to use on my HDD block:

[arcsylver]

Well either way I stack the cabinets they are 26" deep by 24 " Wide so stability shouldn't be an issue.

That and it will be in the corner beside my desk when all the modding and installation is complete.



As for teh connections, I was hoping actually to find some shut off valves with a suitable diameter to not restrict flow too much for each branch off I do of the tubing runs at the back of the large cabinet.

I have a smaller version of what I am hoping to find with at least a 1/2" diameter inside the ball valve portion.

[arcsylver]

Was surfing Overclockers.com forums and stumbled onto this little treasure I am thinking about giving a try in this rig for that extra little kick if it is needed.


http://www.marinedepot.com/a_ch_iceprobe.asp


Yeah I know it is a pelt chiller and all but hey I have always wanted to try this idea out and this is in a handy all in one package.

[arcsylver]

Originally posted by airspirit
One other thing to consider as an improvement to my design is using multiple weaker (quieter) pumps, with one on each line after your manifold. As far as the radiator goes, size and shape doesn't matter, as long as it is easy for you to maintain when filling and draining. Plastic is outstanding, I think, because it will not corrode, and can look quite nice if you get the clear stuff, though that is up to you.

As for radiators, you can just get three or four heatercores and wire them up in parallel rather than use one big core. That shouldn't be a problem. I would, however, recommend using the largest fans that you can find to cool them all, as larger usually means more powerful per sound output.

For manifolding, you should be able to find much more efficient ways to do it than I did ... using X intersections of PVC would have done the trick for me, though for some reason I insisted on designing for four blocks ....

For cheap and good pumps if you go with multiples, try a stack of Danner 3 pumps ... they are cheap, reliable, and silent if mounted correctly.

Oh, and try to plan for adding temp sensors into the coolant and such ... I really wish that I did in the beginning! Also, make sure to provision ways to fill and drain it ... that will be your one greatest headache if you don't. I mean it ... a multiple system cooling circuit can be a bastard to maintain in the best of circumstances (though minie is easier than my old setup), and in the worst ... well, I wouldn't curse that on anyone!

Sorry I missed your post airspirit musta lost it in the jumble of replys.


As for the design I think I am going to go with two Velocity T1 pumps for the system. Both pumping in the W/C cabinet. One pulling water from the computer cabinet and on pumpig into it.

As for the temp probes I am planning to use sensors before and after the rad to get temps of the water there as well as posibly at each branch before and after the computer case to guage how much heat is being absorbed in the loop.

Now i just have to find some fairly accurate temp probes or build some to mount in the lines. I was thinking of using T fittings with the probe in the top of the T sealed in with a cap and silicon to prevent leaks and maintain the looks of things.

If I go with a water chiller like I am thinking about I might be able to use these in some sort of control circuit to cycle the chiller or something. That way the electric bll isnt quite so high.

[arcsylver]

UPDATE

I won the copper radiator on ebay for 31 dollars plus shipping


So now I have the majority of the cooling rig accounted for and on the way soon.

WOOHOO

[bigben2k]

Very nice, congratulations!

[arcsylver]

UPDATE:

Recieved the RAdiator today.

Needs a lot of TLC to get her to shine and be clean enought for a Watercooling rg but she is all mine now hehe.

I am going to have to take it somewhere or get myself a Propane torch to remove the mounting bracket fro it because it is a little too qide to fit the back of the server cabinet.

I am also going to have to take it to a radiator shop and have them remove the stock hose connectors and see about having smaller ones installed or perhaps just put copper plates over the holes tha I can later drill out carefully to solder 1" copper tubing connectors to.

Anyone have a goot website for hosting pics so I can take some pics of theis behemoth and give you all an Idea of the scope of this project?