MAZE2 1/2" outlet barb mounting hell

[schoolie]

I decided to upgrade my system to 1/2" because I'm a sucker. The MAZE2 outlet barb with hose makes it nearly impossible to get the spring and nut on the upper-left bolt. Add a hose clamp, and it really is impossible. Short of carving out a hole in my case's motherboard tray, and mounting from the back, is there a solution?

Thanks,

Rob

[Kevin]

Tried mounting the block first? And then putting the hose on?
-Kev

[schoolie]

Thanks, that's worth a try, but I'd have to drain the water from my reservoir to mount it. I think I might try 3/8" hose on the block-outlet->reservoir link.

[Brad]

or just have the hose up a little bit, like just enough so the nylon nut clears it, screw the nut in as far as possible, then push the hose down the last couple of mm

[UnaClocker]

Should try the Maze1C.. I swear that thing wasn't designed to be used with 1/2" hose, and there's no way in hell you can use a hose clamp AND their clip.. Ahh well.. You know, someone was telling me the other day that using 5/8" barbs with 1/2" ID silicone hose works GREAT. It's fairly easy to force the flexible silicone hose over the larger barbs, and with it stretched like that, it doesn't leak a drop. You also get less restriction at the barbs with 5/8" barbs..

[EMC2]

Or instead of running the entire return line 3/8", use a short piece of 3/8" on the block and then put a 3/8" to 1/2" reducer on it so the rest of the line could be 1/2". (regarding the mb tray, you wouldn't have to 'carve out' a hole, just drill a hole large enough for a nut driver to fit through, about 1" would be large enough)

[pHaestus]

I have the same problem. I use "the backwards way" and find that that is superior to the standard mounting anyway. Kinda a pain if you swap mobos a lot though because the hole for the socket isn't always in the same place.

[schoolie]

Thanks. I ended up using some nylon spacers to take care of the problem, and I'm using 1/4" steel bolts instead of the ones provided. I also switched to a steal hose clamp, which helped too. My temps are just stinking lately, no matter how many times I reseat this thing, and my core imprint on the block looks even. I think drilling holes in the motherboard tray would make mounting a lot easier. A problem with this kit is that the spring diameter is too large, and that can cause the spring to scrunch to one side and not compress evenly. I put a flat washer over each spring which helps a little. I can't help thinking that there's a better way to mount this block

One question I have for you MAZE2 users: How far do you compress the springs. Do you tighten the nut as much as possible? Anybody have a good system?

Thanks

[DigitalChaos]

well i compress the springs so that the space between each ring is about 1.5-2 times the diameter of the actual wire... ( my springs are 7 loops tall) i used to only tighten them half as much but i never really noticed any temp changes.

dont worry about the spring bending to the side... they will still push down on the block, and maybe only a little of the pressure will go into the side force on the post. but if you have yours as tight as mine... then you wont have a problem with it bending.

[EMC2]

On the temps - all else the same (ambient temp, flow, method of reading the temp, etc.) ?

Are you sure you aren't getting too much thermal compound between the die and block? (from my experience the compound should be thin enough to be translucent when you take everything apart).

What about the mounting pressure?


Regarding mounting pressure and springs... I don't know what the specs on the springs that DD provides are, but springs are spec'd by the amount of pressure it takes to compress them from full to minimum height. If you knew that, you could calculate how far to compress the springs to get the right pressure on the core. If DD selected them properly, then at full compression you would have just the right core pressure... I would suggest contacting DD and finding out from them. (from the pic on their sight it looks like 3/4" inch compressed spring height...)

If you can find cup washers at your local hardware store, that would solve the 'spring scrunch' problem.

[Brad]

Una, thats a good idea, I've done that with my pumps, the outlet is about 15mm, putting 1/2" ID silicone onto it means there is NO way the tubing is going to come off, it is like 10 minutes to put on, and a lot of muscle to pull it back off

[Fixittt]

I have a maze 2 sitting right here, was given to me in a trade for a system I built. never really tried mounting it to anything, it just sits here. Its one of the very first maze 2 blocks, with the smaller NPT hose fittings, no way can I get 1/2 fittings in it.

[schoolie]

Thanks for all the help! I lapped my block better, applied the AS more carefully, andfinally got a good seating of my MAZE2. If I complain about my temps once more, then please ban me for life

I bought this really cool thermometer for my water and ambient temps, accurate to 0.5C. It has a probe with a long lead that I keep in the reservoir. It's called "Little Time and Temp" by Lifeguard. Anyway, I still want to use that MAX1880 chip and wire up my CPU diode to my SMBus. Geting the chip is not too easy, so far.

[EMC2]

Hope that was a typo Schoolie The Max1880 is a DC-DC converter. The Maxim IC you want is a either a Max6657 or Max6658. Micrel makes a similiar part, a Mic280.

Your best bet is to contact Maxim direct. Here is a link. They will sell in low quantities, unlike some manufacturers. The online stores I know of that carry their parts don't carry those particular parts.

[schoolie]

Oops...I meant the MAX1805. Thanks for catching that

[EMC2]

NP, just didn't want you ordering the wrong thing Just so you're aware, the 1805 accuracy is +/-2C to +/-3C. The Maxim 665x series are +/-1C to +/-2C, as are the Micrel 280.

If you don't mind the lower accuracy of the Max1805 and don't need 2 remotes, Micrel makes a similiar part, the Mic184, that Newark has in stock.

[mashie]

I tightened the screws so it's only one turn left until the springs are fully compressed.

[EMC2]

What are the various temps now with the Maze2? And at what FSB/Multi/VCore?

[schoolie]

Thanks for the tip on the MAX chips. I didn't see in the specs that the accuracy is only 2C.

I think my water temp reading were off in my last evaluation. At the moment, Water 16.3C, CPU 26.3C (Compunurse), KR7A CPU 32C, Air 14.7C.


XP2000 1921MHZ
FSB 174 MHZ
Mult x11 ( think the bus freqs are higher than nominal to boost benchies
VCore 2.08V


I have an idea for a MAZE2 turbulator. Basically a copper wire in the form of a helix, about 11cm long and 1cm wide. It's going from the 1/2" tubing to the base of the MAZE2 inlet and should get some nice mixing going on

[EMC2]

Air 14.7C? You have your window open for some benchies?

So you're at 10C delta CPU to water and the Innovatek was 9.4C. Too close to call and within the margin of error for your instrumentation.

How long were you running Prime before taking those readings? And is that water temp before or after the block?

On the helix - keep the coils about 0,5 to 1cm apart. You might also want to make it spiral progressively inward (start at tube diameter and gradually decrease to about a 1,5mm diameter. Then put a final full spiral the diameter of the fitting to hold it in place).

Side note, nice CPU/FSB What mem timings that at?

[Jim]

Originally posted by schoolie
Thanks. I ended up using some nylon spacers to take care of the problem, and I'm using 1/4" steel bolts instead of the ones provided. I also switched to a steal hose clamp, which helped too. My temps are just stinking lately, no matter how many times I reseat this thing, and my core imprint on the block looks even. I think drilling holes in the motherboard tray would make mounting a lot easier. A problem with this kit is that the spring diameter is too large, and that can cause the spring to scrunch to one side and not compress evenly. I put a flat washer over each spring which helps a little. I can't help thinking that there's a better way to mount this block

One question I have for you MAZE2 users: How far do you compress the springs. Do you tighten the nut as much as possible? Anybody have a good system?

Thanks

Schoolie,

How the hell did you get 1/4" bolts through the block and the MB? Did you drill out the block?

I have the same complaint you do with the 1/2 hose interferring with the upper left bolt/nut. I wanted to put a couple more turns on the nuts after the block was mounted and working so I had to remove the clamp and use needle nose pliers on the left one and a socket on the other three. PITA! I also place washers over the springs before I put the nuts on to get an even pressure downward. I substituted 8/32 round head machine screws for the nylon rods. My springs are almost fully compressed, I used a metal 6" rule to measure the distance from the block to the top of each nut and keep them all the same.

My idle is 35c I still feel to high (ambient 72f). But load stays around 36-37c.
Jim

[EMC2]

How the hell did you get 1/4" bolts through the block and the MB? ... I substituted 8/32 round head machine screws

Jim, isn't 8/32 = 1/4

* runs and hides *

[schoolie]

Yeah, I have my radiator on an open window sill. I should add that my temps were running genome@home, not prime95. My delta with prime95 is about 10.5C. I'm running 4-way interleave, CAS2, 2T-6T-2T, 4-level queue depth, Fast cmd decode...uhh, I prolly forgot some

Thanks for the advice on the helix. I'll use your suggestions and report the results.


It's odd with the Innovatek. Even though I'm getting lower temp readings, my computer is not completely stable. Sometimes prime95 fails, or I get a floating point exception. Also, my water temp reading were too high. With a better water thermometer, my water temps are about 1C lower than my CompuNurse readings. I've re-installed my hose barbs on the IT block so that they extend about as far down as the original fittings, so I should test it again. I'm tightening the IT block until it's impossible to turn the knob further, and the imprint from the core is perfect when I remove it.

Jim, I think the 8/32 is 1/4". I guess the diameter are always reported in 32ndth of an inch. I really recommend the nylon spacers. They help a lot.

[redleader]

Originally posted by EMC2


Jim, isn't 8/32 = 1/4

* runs and hides *

I think 8/32 references the screw maching, as in 8 and 32, not length.

[Brad]

I've known them to be called 2-56, 4-40, 6-32, 8-32 instead of a /, but then thats just from Du-Bro screws for rc aircraft..