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View Full Version : Home made watercooler, CPU block



kalor_alros
01-31-2009, 08:53 PM
Ok, so I have been wanting to maximize space, and yet watercool. In the case that I have, a ST. Francis Mid-Tower case, Revision 1, there just isnt much room, at least not with the older, clunky hardware currently in there. So, I went looking for a lower-profile in-line flow CPU block. I can't find one. (If anyone else can, please, post it here... it would save me a LOT of work!) I also can't find one for a socket 370 processor (yes, it's old, and slow, and doesn't NEED watercooling, but it's being built out of my old case for my girlfriend, who demands that it be watercooled... so watercooling it is! Besides, it fits the theme better.) So I've decided that I will probably need to custom build the CPU block.

What I've looked at elsewhere hasn't been very useful, except here. I found the modder's challenge #1 in the forums... ( http://www.thebestcasescenario.com/forum/showthread.php?t=3388 )
which was to build a home-made watercooling system. What I was looking at was the stacking cooling vanes/resevoir. I was thinking of using this design, and drilling out (With some modifications to the design of the stack, mostly width) two holes for barbs, one on each side, or one on two different plates, and mounting the barbs there, in a line.

The two questions are this:

First, does this sound viable? I guess that's the important one. I think it does, but I'd like to have an idea of problems before jumping into it.

Second: Would I want to put the barbs lower, closer to the CPU, or higher? My original thought was to put them both at the top.. the colder water coming in would sink, displacing the warmer water, which is inclined to rise anyways, and cause it to rise to the outlet port. I don't think that it's really a necessity, as this system won't generate much heat at all, but if the design works, I might use it in future mods.

I appreciate any input anyone might have, especially in the areas of making this design watertight, also. That has been my biggest concern so far, though I would have it hooked up and mounted (probably to a cardboard box, to save electronics) and running for about a week before I considered putting it into the system. The weak points that I see in the watertightness are the joins in each stack, and the barb mounting holes. The stack is an easy one, since I intend to run a square bore pipe down the center of the stack, and seal it with JB weld, silicone, or something else. The weakness then would be the barb mounting holes, which I think should be fine with o-rings, gaskets, or sealant, or a combination. I am definately open to other suggestions though, as I am DEFINATELY not a plumber, on any scale, or even close to it.

Thank you!

rithunder916
02-01-2009, 01:53 AM
ok, well I don't know about making your own, but I found this.

http://www.atacom.com/program/print_html_new.cgi?USER_ID=www&Item_code=WACC_INNO_FF_SA&cart_id=5669860_96_233_142_64

you might want to check that out.

also just found this cheaper version.


http://www.directron.com/cpu200.html

MIke

kalor_alros
02-01-2009, 04:44 PM
Those are helpful, especially since now I know that coolers exist for sock 370. I'm still looking for something inline, though those look a lot more low profile that I'm used to... thank you much! I'll have to consider those instead.

Spawn-Inc
02-01-2009, 07:01 PM
does the motherboard have bolt through holes or just the side clip things on the socket itself?

just get a flat style block and make a custom bracket for it.

rithunder916
02-01-2009, 07:53 PM
Since the koolance looks to be a threaded port, you might be able to get 90 degree fittings that would fit, make things lower profile still. and i'm sure they exist for the innovatek, my friend had one on his old socket a machine.


Also, No problem! glad to help!


mike