Cooling question for a dual Xeon

[Jester4176]

I have a dual xeon server thats as loud as a 747. I'm going to add watercooling in order to quiet it, or my wife will throw me and the server out the window.

I plan on building a custom external smoked plexi enclosure that will hold the radiator, fans, reservoir, and pump.

My question is this....Since it's a dual 2.8 xeon, that I may overclock because I can, will I need 2 radiators? From what I have been reading on the forums, am I correct to assume that I cannot run the coolant from cpu1->cpu2->radiator?

Will I either need to add a 'T' before the water gets to the waterblocks....OR...Should I get another radiator with a fan to mount to the rear fan enclosure of the case, which is inline between the 2 procs?

IE...reservoir->pump->cpu1->internal radiator(Black Ice Micro)->cpu2->external radiator. Rince and repeat.

Which one of these two options would work the best?

The rear fan port is an 80mm, so thats why I picked the BI micro. I'm also wondering what would be the best block to use on a xeon proc if there is one. If not, I can fabricate one myself, but would rather not have to go to the hassle.

Thanks in advance for any info you guys can provide. And please excuse me if my questions seem like they're being asked by a n00b....Cause I am



Thanks,

Jester

[ralf_c]

personally if i was to build a system like yours i would get a bix 2 or a shrouded heater core with a cooling surface of 9"x6" with two 120 mm fans, a swiftech mcp600 pump, and xeon converted maze3's or d-tek white water waterbllocks. all plumbed in series for 1/2" and housed separately.


here is a link to a heater core that would work great.

http://www.partsamerica.com/PartDeta...pe=524&PTSet=B

[Jester4176]

My external radiator is actually fairly similar to that one, and I was thinking of using 4 120mm fans in a push/pull config for optimal cooling.

If I plumb it series, won't the heat from the 1st proc keep the 2nd proc considerably warmer? Or will the 1/2" plumbing move water sufficiently?

Thanks,

Jester

[ralf_c]

I was thinking of using 4 120mm fans in a push/pull config for optimal cooling.

u took the words right out of my fingers

If I plumb it series, won't the heat from the 1st proc keep the 2nd proc considerably warmer? Or will the 1/2" plumbing move water sufficiently?

not by much, the h20 will be fairly the same temp at any given point of your loop therefore the second cpu will not be substantially hotter (plus or minus 2 degrees)

swiftech makes xeon flavor blocks so u might want to look into it.

[Jester4176]

Thanks for the help Ralf

[Lothar5150]

I have a 2x Xeon workstation that I water-cool. A single chevette heatercore does the trick. I avenge about 5c above ambient with both cpu's and the video card water-cooled.

By the way my downstream CPU runs a 0.5C hotter than the upstream CPU.

[g.l.amour]

you would only want to consider a second HC in case u want to go for insane OC (high VCore, very high). i don't think that is the objective of a server. if u go for the highest oc on standard VCore, 1 HC will be very ok to go with push pull 5 - 7V.

go dual rad for absolute quiet, but realize that at that time your vga cooler or psu cooler will outdo your quiet rad setup.

if u want one of the above and some l33t bragging rights, go dual.