A Few Questions
 

Hi all. I am completely new to water cooling and need a few questions answering. I have been looking around on the internet for days and am just going round in circles. I know everything can be found on the internet if i spend more time... but i figured it would take one of you lot 5 mins to sort me out.

So heres my questions.

1) What is the best cpu block for the Barton 2500+?
2) How much will it cost and where can i get it from?

I havnt got the equipment to make my own so I need to buy one. I am getting the impression that danger den would be the best but surely there is some obscure manufacturer that make a much better job. Or maybee someone who makes them as hobby and sells them?

2) Does the ID of the pipes matter? Why so?

I am able to get a hell of a lot of 3/8" clips, tubes, radiators and alsorts of expensive/high quality stuff for free as I put cooling sytems together on the assembly line I work on (For big diggers). But I kinda guess 1/2" tubing will cool my system much better.

3) Does the material of the pipework affect the cooling?

As I said earlier I can get high quality pipework, reinforced stuff with fancy quick release adapters at the end etc. However this is made for very high pressure systems and is very thick. I can give the exact details of the pipe if needed.

4) Does the size of the radiator affect the temperature of the water or just the amount of water being cooled at any one point in time.

5) If I were to use a HUGE radiator would i need a fan on it?

Im talking massive great digger radiator :) not just big ... this thing could swallow a small car. I have access to radiators of all sorts of shapes sizes and pretty colours.

Many thanks in advance. I will start working things out on my own once i have got myself on track :)

intrellix

Cathar (a user here) makes a block that is supposed to be the current best performer. Not sure on cost.

I suspect that the hoses you would be using on your diggers are going to be to heavy and stiff to work well on your PC. I would stick with the usual Tygon or PVC tubing, fittings, clamps, etc. 1/2" is better in theory because it gives less flow resistance, but 3/8" will work for most setups.

Tubing material shouldn't have a significant effect on cooling, although tubing with a smooth interior would be prefferable due to lower flow resistance.

Radiator size is not a big factor assuming it is big enough, cooling to ambient is an asymptotic function, the closer to ambient you get, the harder it is to get more cooling. However at least in theory a bigger radiator will give more cooling, and if you get big enough may allow you to do passive cooling. (See the Silent PC Review (SPCR) website for more on passive cooling setups and other quiet PC info)

Gooserider

This sounds like a good system you have going here - if you can swindle a powerful pump to get the water round that radirator as well - your in buisness - all you need now is the block(s).

NB: a DD Maze 3 is better than DD Maze4 block I'm told.

~ Boli

Ta! I got another question though ... I am wanting to remove some solder off a PCB ... is there some kind of "solder sucker" I could use? I.E If i were to heat up the solder and then suck it off?

I would tell you exactly what i was doing but you would probably just call me crazy :)

intrellix

It is called a desoldering pump.

http://www.twinternational.com/acata...rs_UK_241.html

There are at least three or four different technologies to do this, depends on how much you want to spend. In rough order of cost...

1. Desoldering bulb - cheap, doesn't work very well, but can do the job. It is a squeeze bulb like you'd see on a turkey baster, with a little nozzle. You squeeze the bulb, heat the joint, stick the nozzle into the solder blob and release the bulb.

2. Solder wick - a sort of flux coated copper braid, comes in different sizes on rolls. You heat this stuff up along with the joint, and the solder flows into it. Low starting cost, but gets expensive over time since it is thrown away as you use it. I find it doesn't work well by itself, but is a good 'cleanup' item to use after removing most of the solder with another tool. It works better if you can add a few drops of extra liquid flux to the joint.

3. "Solder Sucker" and variants. - A spring loaded tube with a piston and a latching trigger. You heat the joint, stick the nozzle in the blob, and push the trigger. This releases the spring which shoots the piston up the tube generating a stronger and faster vaccum pulse than you can with the solder bulb in number one above. Probably the most common desoldering tool, no electronics bench would be complete without one. Note, not all models are suitable for use w/ ESD sensitive components, get one that is, because that will work on everything. Cost should be under $20.00

4. Desoldering Iron / station - The ultimate is a "Pace" desoldering station, or equivalent. This is a vaccum pump hooked to a soldering iron with a hollow tip (via a control box). Cost is several hundred dollars, but if you have alot of parts to desolder, and want to avoid damaging the parts or the board, it might be worth it. (Note that unless you are dealing with a VERY expensive component, it probably isn't worth trying to salvage parts for reuse...)

There is also a 'poor man's' version I've seen at Radio Shack (which automatically raises quality concerns...) that has the hollow tip iron with a squeeze bulb. Never used one, but I suspect it wouldn't work very well - that Rat Shack sells it, but I've never seen one at a 'serious' electronics store, or in use at the workplace makes me suspicious...

Gooserider