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pHaestus · 06-15-2003, 01:59 PM

I have settled upon a course of action that is now set in stone. Most of the design (and for that matter the equipment) is thanks to Bill Adams.

I do not like CPU as heat source, but I want to get waterblocks tested before Socket A is dead. So I am, for now, going to test out waterblocks using the calibrated AMD internal diode/MAX6655. I cannot get the same size error bars as Bill, and I really need to focus efforts on ADC for some of the equipment so I can log everything more effectively. There are a few problems with my testbed, but I am willing at this point to live with them just to get some real results. Here is how I am testing waterblocks:

On the inlet and outlet side I have 3/4" PVC crosses that have 1/2" NPT threads on them. On two opposite sides are hose barbs so liquid flows straight through. On the other two sides are the connections for a YSI 400 series dual linear thermistor and a reducer so that 1/4" OD tubing can be plumbed in for my digital pressure gauge. Here is a pic of one of the crosses:

I am still fiddling with the pressure gauge; I will probably be a while before I get that properly calibrated by messing with it.

My setup has, of course, gotten a bit oversized and out of control:

Yes it is increadibly cobbled together right now and I am not totally satisfied with it. But it seems to be possible to get good numbers from 0.5GPM to 2.5 GPM so I will go with it and make adjustments as I get a chance. Highlights of the picture are the reservoir (that needs to be replaced with a larger one), the Little Giant 3E-12NYS industrial pump, the large heatercore (it's a one pass from a 1970 Blazer), the crosses, the Digitec 5810 thermometers (red LEDs) and the Omega digital pressure gauge on the right, the GPI flowmeter (it's a paddle wheel type), and then the needle valves and gate valve to tweak flow rates. I am using a big 3/4" needle valve, and when it is supposedly fully closed it still allows about 0.8GPM through. Not sure what is the deal with that. I did have the gate valve and the needle valve on parallel channels but I was not able to get down to 0.5 gpm that way. I have a second needle valve that I guess I will try out this evening. The 0.5 GPM measurement is a bit tricky at the moment because I am using the gate valve to adjust (which sucks).

My strategy is to post preliminary results in this thread, and to post updated pictures and setup as it invariably changes over the next few weeks. Consider all numbers and figures here as "in progress" and not necessarily 100% accurate. When I have good data then you will see it in the form of Part2 of Procooling's waterblock roundup. No sense in waiting months to see that though since certain testing is of immediate interest (Maxe3 vs. Maze4?).

I have a die simulator on the way (just the copper hunk) from Andrew at www.millennium-thermal.com . This is an identical die sim to the one that JoeC at overclockers uses for Athlons. I don't care too much for the big copper socket on this simulator, and I may try to have it milled off and then just cover the top and sides with the phenolic resin that Bill uses. I will need to either get some Minco heaters or a cartridge heater as well pretty soon. When I have that die sim ready, I will retest the socket a blocks on it. I am going to do ALL P4 and Opteron blocks on a die sim from the start and just use heatspreaders (anyone have a P4 heatspreader?) and the different mounting pressure specs to simulate the different chips.

06-15-2003, 01:59 PM	#1
pHaestus Big Player Making Big Money Join Date: Aug 2001 Location: irc.lostgeek.com #procooling.com Posts: 4,782	Testing started: opinions welcome I have settled upon a course of action that is now set in stone. Most of the design (and for that matter the equipment) is thanks to Bill Adams. I do not like CPU as heat source, but I want to get waterblocks tested before Socket A is dead. So I am, for now, going to test out waterblocks using the calibrated AMD internal diode/MAX6655. I cannot get the same size error bars as Bill, and I really need to focus efforts on ADC for some of the equipment so I can log everything more effectively. There are a few problems with my testbed, but I am willing at this point to live with them just to get some real results. Here is how I am testing waterblocks: On the inlet and outlet side I have 3/4" PVC crosses that have 1/2" NPT threads on them. On two opposite sides are hose barbs so liquid flows straight through. On the other two sides are the connections for a YSI 400 series dual linear thermistor and a reducer so that 1/4" OD tubing can be plumbed in for my digital pressure gauge. Here is a pic of one of the crosses: I am still fiddling with the pressure gauge; I will probably be a while before I get that properly calibrated by messing with it. My setup has, of course, gotten a bit oversized and out of control: Yes it is increadibly cobbled together right now and I am not totally satisfied with it. But it seems to be possible to get good numbers from 0.5GPM to 2.5 GPM so I will go with it and make adjustments as I get a chance. Highlights of the picture are the reservoir (that needs to be replaced with a larger one), the Little Giant 3E-12NYS industrial pump, the large heatercore (it's a one pass from a 1970 Blazer), the crosses, the Digitec 5810 thermometers (red LEDs) and the Omega digital pressure gauge on the right, the GPI flowmeter (it's a paddle wheel type), and then the needle valves and gate valve to tweak flow rates. I am using a big 3/4" needle valve, and when it is supposedly fully closed it still allows about 0.8GPM through. Not sure what is the deal with that. I did have the gate valve and the needle valve on parallel channels but I was not able to get down to 0.5 gpm that way. I have a second needle valve that I guess I will try out this evening. The 0.5 GPM measurement is a bit tricky at the moment because I am using the gate valve to adjust (which sucks). My strategy is to post preliminary results in this thread, and to post updated pictures and setup as it invariably changes over the next few weeks. Consider all numbers and figures here as "in progress" and not necessarily 100% accurate. When I have good data then you will see it in the form of Part2 of Procooling's waterblock roundup. No sense in waiting months to see that though since certain testing is of immediate interest (Maxe3 vs. Maze4?). I have a die simulator on the way (just the copper hunk) from Andrew at www.millennium-thermal.com . This is an identical die sim to the one that JoeC at overclockers uses for Athlons. I don't care too much for the big copper socket on this simulator, and I may try to have it milled off and then just cover the top and sides with the phenolic resin that Bill uses. I will need to either get some Minco heaters or a cartridge heater as well pretty soon. When I have that die sim ready, I will retest the socket a blocks on it. I am going to do ALL P4 and Opteron blocks on a die sim from the start and just use heatspreaders (anyone have a P4 heatspreader?) and the different mounting pressure specs to simulate the different chips.