Does it make any sense to use an aluminum case with H20?

Jim · 05-13-2002, 10:41 AM

I was thinking ahead about my next build, watercooled and was wondering if you guys think it made any sense to use an aluminum case for watercooling?

I am considering Skyhawk or a Skyhawk knockoff.

Jim

UpAllNight · 05-13-2002, 10:56 AM

i dont think it would be as much of a impact on watercooling as it would be with air cooling...but then again my case tems are still pretty high...i didnt relize all the heat comomg off different places on your motherboard...and the heat that a geforce3 the can create...so i believe that i would have to vote for aluminum

besides what could it hurt

Cyco-Dude · 05-13-2002, 12:05 PM

it doesnt really matter one way or the other, unless you want something a little lighter for lan use. whats more important if is the case has the right dimensions, etc., for the setup you want.
and that whole "aluminum cases help cool better" is a bunch of BS, dont buy into that kind of hype.

pompoen · 05-13-2002, 01:02 PM

like Cyco-dude said,

you dont cool your system trough the alu from the case (only by a small margin). The only real case-coolig happens by airflow

DarkEdge · 05-13-2002, 10:52 PM

Well personally I like alu better. I bought one and have enjoyed it more. I was able to drop my temps a couple degrees, 2 at most. The benifit for me was that I could cut back on the fan speed of my remaining fans, thus making it almost silent.

If your going to lan I would get an ALU, otherwise I don't think it would be worth it from a price standpoint. The cheapest ALU cases I have seen are the SkyHawks, and they retail around 120 with no PSU.

deeznuts · 05-14-2002, 03:42 AM

does it make any sense to use aluminum? i sold off my cooler master 201 to get another alu case that i could cut up for watercooling! (cooler master was too much work). i can't wait to get at it.

Nordic · 05-14-2002, 08:08 AM

Aluminum might be easier to work with from one standpoint, it requires less expensive tools, but it's also easier to damage.

If someone experiences a temperature difference when switching to an aluminum case, I'd wager that the difference is mostly in the air flow within the new case.
Many "virtual-hideout" geeks should take a look at a professional server cases and check out the air ducts, some configurations even rely on ducting to cool the processors, with no fan on the processor heatsink. Of course this might not look as flashy, but I prefer practical and efficient "looks".

Brad · 05-14-2002, 02:14 PM

with all the extra money spent on the alu case, you'd be better to spend it on other cooling stuff, or computer hardware. unless you've got enough money to buy everything top end

deeznuts · 05-14-2002, 06:25 PM

$200 alu case
$100 shipped BIX chrome
$30 TC-4 (prototype for p4) block
$45 via aqua pump and alu res (sold my eheim, too big)
$36 Tygon Tubing (damn usplatics charged $10 to ship some tubing)
$16 for adjustable 120mm fan
$15 for two clear blue 80mm case fans.
$15 dyelight

damnit, if my girl finds out she will kill me! actually she knows about it already, but thinks i'm pretty looney.

DarkEdge · 05-14-2002, 08:43 PM

If you want to keep it from getting damaged, then you should powder coat it. You would not believe the diffrence in strength that powder coating makes.

Brad · 05-15-2002, 02:39 AM

the only danger is that she will expect you to spend that much on her for her birthday

deeznuts · 05-15-2002, 03:22 AM

Quote:

Originally posted by Brad
the only danger is that she will expect you to spend that much on her for her birthday

lol. i will put up pics next week when it is done.

Brad · 05-15-2002, 04:53 AM

of your gf or the computer?

UpAllNight · 05-15-2002, 09:21 AM

Quote:

the only danger is that she will expect you to spend that much on her for her birthday

Brad hit the nail on the head with that comment

a 125.00 dollar case in reality is a 250.00 dollar case..

deeznuts · 05-15-2002, 11:26 AM

Quote:

Originally posted by Brad
of your gf or the computer?

lol. ok i will do both.

deeznuts · 05-20-2002, 07:44 PM

Quote:

Originally posted by deeznuts

lol. ok i will do both.

ok here are some teasers on my new setup:

and a pic of my gf

Jim · 05-20-2002, 07:52 PM

Maze2? Good choice. Good choice on the lady too!
Jim

deeznuts · 05-20-2002, 08:51 PM

Quote:

Originally posted by Jim
Maze2? Good choice. Good choice on the lady too!
Jim

thanks. and actually that is not a maze2, hehe, it is a prototype TC-4 from dtekcustoms for the P4. only one in existence as far as i know. here is some pics comparing the size difference

and here is a pic ripped off of dtekcustoms of the inside

it beat out the maze2 on my p4 setup by 2-3c with my very unscientific testing methods.

Brad · 05-21-2002, 03:20 AM

damn that TC-4 is huge! what is the flow restriction like? will it handle pelts?

deeznuts · 05-21-2002, 04:27 AM

it flows very good. it does have sharp turns, but the channels are big, 1/2", so that helps. i can't really tell the difference between it and the maze2, so it isn't any worse, and not THAT much better. it is big because of the design of the socket 478. i really don't know much about pelts, but it should be more than hardy enough to handle a pelt.

05-13-2002, 10:41 AM	#1
Jim Cooling Savant Join Date: Feb 2002 Location: Illinois Posts: 389	Does it make any sense to use an aluminum case with H20? I was thinking ahead about my next build, watercooled and was wondering if you guys think it made any sense to use an aluminum case for watercooling? I am considering Skyhawk or a Skyhawk knockoff. Jim

05-13-2002, 10:56 AM	#2
UpAllNight Cooling Savant Join Date: Apr 2002 Location: HILLBILLY LAND Posts: 159	i dont think it would be as much of a impact on watercooling as it would be with air cooling...but then again my case tems are still pretty high...i didnt relize all the heat comomg off different places on your motherboard...and the heat that a geforce3 the can create...so i believe that i would have to vote for aluminum besides what could it hurt __________________ XP1800 @172x10.5 Maze 3..Ehiem 1250..Chevette Rad 1 120mm panaflo @7v 1" shroud All fits nicely inside my case ambient(74 F) 2.0v Core(33.5) Loaded idle(31.5c) Enermax 431 watt Antec 1030B Gainward Geforce 3 TI200 241/548 Sony CDRW Creative 52x CD Soundblaster Live

05-14-2002, 08:08 AM	#7
Nordic Cooling Neophyte Join Date: Mar 2001 Location: Umeå, Sweden Posts: 98	Aluminum might be easier to work with from one standpoint, it requires less expensive tools, but it's also easier to damage. If someone experiences a temperature difference when switching to an aluminum case, I'd wager that the difference is mostly in the air flow within the new case. Many "virtual-hideout" geeks should take a look at a professional server cases and check out the air ducts, some configurations even rely on ducting to cool the processors, with no fan on the processor heatsink. Of course this might not look as flashy, but I prefer practical and efficient "looks". __________________ Pump:Eheim 1048, Radiator:LPD radiator 100x150x20mm, CPU block:DD Maze-2, GPU block: DD GPU block, Chipset block:Zalman NB32 AMD XP 1500+, EpoX 8K7A, PoV GF3Ti200 Pic of my YY-cube

05-14-2002, 02:14 PM	#8
Brad Thermophile Join Date: Oct 2001 Location: Nuu Zeeelin Posts: 3,175	with all the extra money spent on the alu case, you'd be better to spend it on other cooling stuff, or computer hardware. unless you've got enough money to buy everything top end __________________ 2x P3 1100's at 1400, Abit VP6, 2x Corsair 256mb PC150 sticks, 20gb 'cuda ATA-III, 2x 40gb 'cuda ATA-IV in raid 0. 20" Trinitron. No fans 2x 2400+ at 2288mhz (16.0 x 143), Iwill MPX2, 2x Kingmax PC-3200 256mb sticks, 4x 20gb 60gxp in Raid 5 on a Promise SX6000. Asus Ti4200 320/630. Cooled by Water

05-15-2002, 02:39 AM	#11
Brad Thermophile Join Date: Oct 2001 Location: Nuu Zeeelin Posts: 3,175	the only danger is that she will expect you to spend that much on her for her birthday __________________ 2x P3 1100's at 1400, Abit VP6, 2x Corsair 256mb PC150 sticks, 20gb 'cuda ATA-III, 2x 40gb 'cuda ATA-IV in raid 0. 20" Trinitron. No fans 2x 2400+ at 2288mhz (16.0 x 143), Iwill MPX2, 2x Kingmax PC-3200 256mb sticks, 4x 20gb 60gxp in Raid 5 on a Promise SX6000. Asus Ti4200 320/630. Cooled by Water

05-13-2002, 12:05 PM	#3
Cyco-Dude Cooling Savant Join Date: Feb 2002 Location: Dayton, Ohio Posts: 836	it doesnt really matter one way or the other, unless you want something a little lighter for lan use. whats more important if is the case has the right dimensions, etc., for the setup you want. and that whole "aluminum cases help cool better" is a bunch of BS, dont buy into that kind of hype.

05-13-2002, 01:02 PM	#4
pompoen Cooling Neophyte Join Date: Mar 2002 Location: belgium Posts: 41	like Cyco-dude said, you dont cool your system trough the alu from the case (only by a small margin). The only real case-coolig happens by airflow

05-13-2002, 10:52 PM	#5
DarkEdge Cooling Savant Join Date: Mar 2001 Location: Sugar Land, Tx Posts: 176	Well personally I like alu better. I bought one and have enjoyed it more. I was able to drop my temps a couple degrees, 2 at most. The benifit for me was that I could cut back on the fan speed of my remaining fans, thus making it almost silent. If your going to lan I would get an ALU, otherwise I don't think it would be worth it from a price standpoint. The cheapest ALU cases I have seen are the SkyHawks, and they retail around 120 with no PSU.

05-14-2002, 03:42 AM	#6
deeznuts Cooling Savant Join Date: Nov 2001 Location: san diego Posts: 142	does it make any sense to use aluminum? i sold off my cooler master 201 to get another alu case that i could cut up for watercooling! (cooler master was too much work). i can't wait to get at it.

05-14-2002, 06:25 PM	#9
deeznuts Cooling Savant Join Date: Nov 2001 Location: san diego Posts: 142	$200 alu case $100 shipped BIX chrome $30 TC-4 (prototype for p4) block $45 via aqua pump and alu res (sold my eheim, too big) $36 Tygon Tubing (damn usplatics charged $10 to ship some tubing) $16 for adjustable 120mm fan $15 for two clear blue 80mm case fans. $15 dyelight damnit, if my girl finds out she will kill me! actually she knows about it already, but thinks i'm pretty looney.

05-14-2002, 08:43 PM	#10
DarkEdge Cooling Savant Join Date: Mar 2001 Location: Sugar Land, Tx Posts: 176	If you want to keep it from getting damaged, then you should powder coat it. You would not believe the diffrence in strength that powder coating makes.

05-15-2002, 04:53 AM	#13
Brad Thermophile Join Date: Oct 2001 Location: Nuu Zeeelin Posts: 3,175	of your gf or the computer? __________________ 2x P3 1100's at 1400, Abit VP6, 2x Corsair 256mb PC150 sticks, 20gb 'cuda ATA-III, 2x 40gb 'cuda ATA-IV in raid 0. 20" Trinitron. No fans 2x 2400+ at 2288mhz (16.0 x 143), Iwill MPX2, 2x Kingmax PC-3200 256mb sticks, 4x 20gb 60gxp in Raid 5 on a Promise SX6000. Asus Ti4200 320/630. Cooled by Water

05-20-2002, 07:52 PM	#17
Jim Cooling Savant Join Date: Feb 2002 Location: Illinois Posts: 389	Maze2? Good choice. Good choice on the lady too! Jim

05-21-2002, 03:20 AM	#19
Brad Thermophile Join Date: Oct 2001 Location: Nuu Zeeelin Posts: 3,175	damn that TC-4 is huge! what is the flow restriction like? will it handle pelts? __________________ 2x P3 1100's at 1400, Abit VP6, 2x Corsair 256mb PC150 sticks, 20gb 'cuda ATA-III, 2x 40gb 'cuda ATA-IV in raid 0. 20" Trinitron. No fans 2x 2400+ at 2288mhz (16.0 x 143), Iwill MPX2, 2x Kingmax PC-3200 256mb sticks, 4x 20gb 60gxp in Raid 5 on a Promise SX6000. Asus Ti4200 320/630. Cooled by Water

05-21-2002, 04:27 AM	#20
deeznuts Cooling Savant Join Date: Nov 2001 Location: san diego Posts: 142	it flows very good. it does have sharp turns, but the channels are big, 1/2", so that helps. i can't really tell the difference between it and the maze2, so it isn't any worse, and not THAT much better. it is big because of the design of the socket 478. i really don't know much about pelts, but it should be more than hardy enough to handle a pelt.

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