external watercooling

[zero0ne]

hello all, after my original post got lost because my computer froze this one will be a bit shorter

i plan on making a external case like so: http://www.computergoodies.ca/item555.htm

and was wondering if there are any pointers you can tell me that would make my life easier

some things like:

what would the best tubing to use since there will be a bit extra that at times will need to be flexible so i can move the watercooling part around...

should i use quick disconnects?

should i be getting a much stronger pump since its farther away...

id like to have a res still, so should that go in the external case area or the actual computer case?

there are more i had, but im mad that it froze at that perfect time right when i was about to hit submit so yeah

Thanks again,

zero0ne

[Razor6]

I built an external enclosure using a $9 plastic file cabinet. I lined the inside with pieces of fiberglass ceiling tile to try and cut down on the reverberation of the pump. I would use wood now because the fiberglass was a pain to work with and didn't work as well as I thought it would. The radiator is a large heater core, 2 pass, 9"x6.25" fin area. It's attached to the side of the cabinet with two wooden brackets that wrap around the tanks and have bolts that run through the bracket and cabinet wall. A 120mm fan is mounted on the oposite wall of the cabinet. The pump, a Danner Mag 5, sits on the bottom on top of one of those fiberglass pieces. I used 1/2" ID tubing for everything. One big mistake I made concerned whether to use a resevoir or not. Initially I wanted to use a T fitting to fill and bleed the system but soon found out that it woulnd't work so I made a 2" PVC resevoir and mounted it outside the cabinet. Obviously a redesign would internalize the resevoir, either inside the cabinet or maybe an empty drive bay in the case, it doesn't really matter. 1/2" ID tubing doesn't incur much of a pressure drop for the distance of tubing you'll need so I wound't worry about needing a really beefy pump. I've seen a graph somewhere on here which showed what the pressure drop of different tubing sizes is, maybe someone will post a link so you can see how 1/2" and 3/8" sizes differ. I wanted to use self sealing quick disconnects on the back of my case but those are pretty expensive and I didn't think non-sealing ones would be worth it. Here are some drawings of the tank brackets and the resevoir just for kicks.

[pHaestus]

I made my external box from scratch using angle aluminum and sheet metal. I then cut up a Lian Li front bezel to make it match my case. I'm pleased with the results

[christovan153]

what about acrilic (bad spelling i know) or plexiglass??

would those be easy to use?

if i remember to cut those its easier to use a razorblade to sort of precut it where you can just hammer the piece off and it will break where you razorbladed it...

(i remember my dad trying to use his circular saw on one of those and it basically shattered....)

the other questions still remain though, is a enhiem 1250 decent enough for that system? and since its going to be clear, are the HWlabs rads decent? (although expensive)

and one more i was thinking about, should the res go in the external case or the actual case, i only ask because depending on where i put the external case, it may not be at the highest point in the system..

[Kobuchi]

Originally Posted by christovan153

what about acrilic (bad spelling i know) or plexiglass??

would those be easy to use?

if i remember to cut those its easier to use a razorblade to sort of precut it where you can just hammer the piece off and it will break where you razorbladed it...

(i remember my dad trying to use his circular saw on one of those and it basically shattered....)

Plexi's very easy to work with, plus you can do it cleanly and quietly on the livingroom carpet. Use a (cheap) specially shaped knife called a laminate & plastics cutter - it's a scratching tool. Just clamp a straightedge to the plexi, and scratch repeatedly 'till you're half way through, then snap. Scoring both sides before snapping gives a slightly cleaner break. You may also score all the way through, but this is arduous. Sand the edges with a rasp, file, or sandpaper. You may also lap edges down to accurate dimensions.

A tablesaw makes fast rough cuts, and piles of snow.

[zero0ne]

thanks the plexi advice, ima go out and get all that tomorrow and start on that part of the project

[Meethoss]

Here's how I built mine (http://forums.procooling.com/vbb/showthread.php?t=8639), if you are interested. PM me if you need more details as I'm very busy at the moment.

[zero0ne]

ok quick question, i was wondering whats a good rad to get for a setup that will be cooling the CPU and GPU?? (and possibly the northbridge) is one HWlabs black ice 2 pro or whatever good enough to get good temps out of that?

i could go a heater core, but the problem with that is that the external case is going to be completely clear... and it would stick out like a sore thumb...

[pHaestus]

Here's the internal layout of mine:

http://www.procooling.com/users/phae...ture%20003.jpg

And a picture of the exterior:

http://www.procooling.com/users/phae...x/radbox04.jpg

[Meethoss]

I wouldn't go BIP. Maybe BIX (X = Extreme). If possible then go heater core. My external has a h/c and it does the job BRILLIANTLY. If your case is see through then just do something to it to prettify it (maybe paint it black - I've seen a lot of that which looks good).

[zero0ne]

Originally Posted by Meethoss

I wouldn't go BIP. Maybe BIX (X = Extreme). If possible then go heater core. My external has a h/c and it does the job BRILLIANTLY. If your case is see through then just do something to it to prettify it (maybe paint it black - I've seen a lot of that which looks good).

what is it called to get the heatercore "painted"

can i just spray paint it myself (ok thats stupid because i doubt thats gunna work :P) anodizing??

also what are most heater cores made out of copper or aluminium...

[pauldenton]

Originally Posted by zero0ne

can i just spray paint it myself

yes. you want to mask the faces though..

Originally Posted by zero0ne

also what are most heater cores made out of copper or aluminium...

copper or copper&brass....
aluminium cores are to be avoided if possible...

[Razor6]

Originally Posted by pauldenton

yes. you want to mask the faces though..

It would look nicer if he just sprayed at sharp angles hitting only the edges of the fins and not the part with water flowing through, that way he gets looks and performance.

[zero0ne]

alright as I finish installing autodesk inventor on my computer i was thinking about the ideal loop setup for this...

since the pump, 1 res and rad will be in the external case, and there will be a GPU WB, CPU, WB and another res in the case i was thinking this setup:

pump -----> CPU -> res in comp case -> GPU -----> rad -> res in ext case -> pump

the reason for this as i see it is that flow will be fastest right after the pump and if im correct, you want high flow for all the current CPU WB's it then goes to the res in teh comp case because the CPU is higher up than the GPU and the res will be at the very top to get out air bubbles... then it goes to the GPU so that there is some decent speed from gravity (not sure if gravity would help it out enough to make a difference if its even helping it out) then from the GPU to the ext case (so all that long tubing,hence the "------>" and not "->")
and to the rad when the flow is slowest (I would think) so that it has as much time to stay in the rad cooling off as possible. then to the res so it just chills there waiting for the pup to suck it down

comments on that?

[Razor6]

Originally Posted by zero0ne

alright as I finish installing autodesk inventor on my computer i was thinking about the ideal loop setup for this...

since the pump, 1 res and rad will be in the external case, and there will be a GPU WB, CPU, WB and another res in the case i was thinking this setup:

pump -----> CPU -> res in comp case -> GPU -----> rad -> res in ext case -> pump

the reason for this as i see it is that flow will be fastest right after the pump and if im correct, you want high flow for all the current CPU WB's it then goes to the res in teh comp case because the CPU is higher up than the GPU and the res will be at the very top to get out air bubbles... then it goes to the GPU so that there is some decent speed from gravity (not sure if gravity would help it out enough to make a difference if its even helping it out) then from the GPU to the ext case (so all that long tubing,hence the "------>" and not "->")
and to the rad when the flow is slowest (I would think) so that it has as much time to stay in the rad cooling off as possible. then to the res so it just chills there waiting for the pup to suck it down

comments on that?

Well the flow is constant in a closed loop so you don't need to worry about posistioning things for speed. You also don't need to have a resevoir at the highest point for bubble elimination. If you only had the resevoir in the external case the bubbles would still rise to the surface when the water slowed down. Your layout minus the case resevoir would be great, although you may want to put the radiator after the pump so that it can disipate the pump's heat before it goes to the cpu.

[zero0ne]

Originally Posted by Razor6

Well the flow is constant in a closed loop so you don't need to worry about posistioning things for speed. You also don't need to have a resevoir at the highest point for bubble elimination. If you only had the resevoir in the external case the bubbles would still rise to the surface when the water slowed down. Your layout minus the case resevoir would be great, although you may want to put the radiator after the pump so that it can disipate the pump's heat before it goes to the cpu.

ty sir, did not know that, that is an excellent idea (i may keep the res in the comp too, just cause it may look cool, dpending on what i do to the case

(havent decided yet)

when i start this project ill be doing regular worklogs on a blogger thing i just created too :P

oh i forgot to mention one thing the entire time, its going to have a TA (total annihilation) theme
just not 100% sure what exactly i plan on doing for that aside from adding a polygrfx sticker to a side panel or 2...

[zero0ne]

ok i plan on going with 2x radiators... what radiator should i get (aka what car radiator should i get) and how should these be set up ideally?

series or parallel..?

EDIT: what would lok better for an external case for the watercooling parts,

an all acrylic ext case (IE the frame will be of acrylic also, and ill use chromed nuts and bolts to put it together (so i can change out parts/panels)) or would it look better with an aluminium frame (chromed of course) and acrylic panels all around? (once again chromed nuts and bolts to put it together)

[Meethoss]

Personally, I'd say aluminium would look better. But it also costs more. Mine cost £50 in material but acrylic would've been about £20.

[zero0ne]

wait so one radiator or two?

ill easily be able to fit 2 in the external case, but wondering if 2 heatercores would have any benefit for just cooling the CPU and GPU

[Butcher]

Originally Posted by zero0ne

wait so one radiator or two?

ill easily be able to fit 2 in the external case, but wondering if 2 heatercores would have any benefit for just cooling the CPU and GPU

Minimal at best.

[Meethoss]

One for each if you can afford it and can fit it all in