Project : X3O2

[DocNitrous]

Hi everybody!

Im new to this wonderful forum, finding it out while searching some info for my actual project!

I decided to start right here, describing my actual work in progress.

First a little background. I worked as a car audio installer for the last years and recently got hooked up to modding computers while assembling my current rig.
So working with tools isnt new to me.

After doing some research I decided to take the path of home made water cooling and internal case modding of the computer im building for my girlfrind ans as a second gaming rig for my friend.

My current PC not needing to be modded, i had to find a project to start with.

First the case.

http://i2.photobucket.com/albums/y47/docnitrous/Compute/DSCF0759.jpg

My friend changed his Thermaltake Xaser3 for a Taichi, and i had the luck to put my hands downs on it for a few bucks. Its in great shape, except for the lock and the fans controllers who dont work anymore (danm lock... it broke the day i brought it home, had to dissasemble 3/4 of the case to remove it!)

A Xaser3 dont need to be modded you say, with its 7 silent fans and his great conception, but its the whole fun of it . Making something great in something even better!

http://i2.photobucket.com/albums/y47/docnitrous/Compute/DSCF0765.jpg

The external look of the case is to be left untouched for now... (for now...)

The internals of this project are to be quite humble and simple, being my secondary machine, i cant afford putting as much as my main rig. Budget is a concern with this project as i have to deal with the parts i already have...

CPU: P4 2.8 Northwood socket 478

MB: Asrock socket 478 p4i465

HD 100 Gb IDE

RAM : 2 Gb OCZ platinum dual channel (4 X 512 Mb )

Video: ATI Radeon X800XT all in wonder

PSU: Twin ; one 450W for MB, HD , one 350W for Dvd Drives, Fans, ligths, pump.


The goal of the project is to Watercool the CPU and GPU,


The first step is to fit the aux PSU somewere safe. After some thinkering, the best solution was to fit it in the last 5.25 Bay...

Here i go dissasembling the PSU and a old CD rom drive (manufacture date 1994, is that old enough?). The fit is real close but possible..



The water cooling system plan:

I plan on using a used CPU cooler, drill holes in it to insert 5 copper tubes.

This one :
http://i2.photobucket.com/albums/y47/docnitrous/Compute/Photo006.jpg

For the GPU my Waterblock plan isnt made yet, but i plan on doing something similar with another CPU cooler.

I will use copper tubing everywere to maximize heat transfer while water is circulating.

The tank is still to be found, i have some different old tank from cars and the like but not the right size, so i plan on doing one that will fit two 3.25 disk bay from 1/2" acrylic.

The pump is not found yet too...

For the radiator I have two choice for now. One i cant speak of yet, the other is simply making winding runs of copper tubing in front of the existing fans in the case. More precisely the 2 back and the single top exhaust fans.

http://i2.photobucket.com/albums/y47/docnitrous/Compute/Photo003.jpg

http://i2.photobucket.com/albums/y47/docnitrous/Compute/Photo004.jpg


No more pictures for you guys today, my camera batteries are dead, I learned as i was to take some correctly sized pics. Tommorow i should add some.


EDIT: The Goals

1- Make this case cool as ice, using a home made water cooling.
2- The cost need to be kept as low as possible.
3- The cooling sytem must support extreme overclock
4- Both GPU and CPU need to be cooled
5- Provide the power (+600W total) without buying a new power supply (AUX PSU)
6- NO RADIATOR
7- SILENT

[jdbnsn]

Welcome to TBCS DocNitrous,

Your pic sizes are great, no need to change them. I love home built watercooling rigs, one of my favorite things to see. Can't wait to see what you come up with!

[simon275]

Nice large case you have there a perfect base for a water cooling setup. You could use a small radiator from like a car or something for setup.

Oh and welcome to the forum!

[Bucko]

You could use a small radiator from like a car or something for setup.

Actually a heater core from a car would be a good start. A lot smaller and easier to manage.

[DocNitrous]

Yeah i tought about the heater core, but cant find one that please me and my plans... but still looking.

Anybody ever used or heard about somebody using a car fuel pump in his setup?

Here is a few teaser...

My last project, actually its my car. And its still under work... a nice project is never done...

http://www.eclipseforums.org/article28.html

and my lovely and trusty toolbox.

http://i2.photobucket.com/albums/y47/docnitrous/tyke/snap.jpg


And for those wondering, my actual gaming rig...


http://i2.photobucket.com/albums/y47/docnitrous/ordi009.jpg

[armadilloben]

sweet name for the project dude! i wish i thought of it i love sg1!

[DocNitrous]

sweet name for the project dude! i wish i thought of it i love sg1!


i dont unserstand the link with sg1... i dont listen to that tv show..




Back to the project!

Tonight i worked on planning and prepping the AUX PSU in the CD drive casing.

http://i2.photobucket.com/albums/y47/docnitrous/Compute/DSCF0753.jpg

I removed, by unsoldering, all the unused wire to get a clean job. I kept only the power wires i will be needing.

http://i2.photobucket.com/albums/y47/docnitrous/Compute/DSCF0754.jpg

I jumped the AC selector switch (115-230v) to 115 V by soldering the jumper to its corerct place on the board.

http://i2.photobucket.com/albums/y47/docnitrous/Compute/DSCF0767.jpg

I Jumped the Power on lead to the ground, so as soon as the AC is coming up the PSU is too. Im gonna connect the ac directly inside the Primary power supply.

http://i2.photobucket.com/albums/y47/docnitrous/Compute/DSCF0766.jpg

I measured and test fitted everything inside the case, planned my holes for AC cord connector and wires outlet, and the fan. I soldered a new fan, more silent, to the PSU board. As well as some grill for air to come in right were the heat sinks are...

http://i2.photobucket.com/albums/y47/docnitrous/Compute/DSCF0755.jpg

http://i2.photobucket.com/albums/y47/docnitrous/Compute/DSCF0756.jpg

http://i2.photobucket.com/albums/y47/docnitrous/Compute/DSCF0757.jpg

http://i2.photobucket.com/albums/y47/docnitrous/Compute/DSCF0762.jpg

http://i2.photobucket.com/albums/y47/docnitrous/Compute/DSCF0763.jpg

The tools i used in the proccess today

http://i2.photobucket.com/albums/y47/docnitrous/Compute/DSCF0768.jpg


Next step cut everything in the case and paint job! (tommorow, now its late)

Today was was a special day, i couldnt stop thinking about modding my laptop... in fact i was thinking about modding anything... so much project too little time!


My fan inside of it died, so i was wondering how to improve the cooling in such a limited space! :D


Anyone ever heard of a Water Chilled Acer Ferrari 3400 ?

Me neither...

:think:

[armadilloben]

i dont unserstand the link with sg1... i dont listen to that tv show..
the x302 was a made up plane that could go into space in stargate from an existing ailen technology caled gliders linky (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/F-302#X-302)

hey i remeber you from the sli zone i rated your pic rig! btw are you really running sli because neither of your cards have the sli connector are you useing software sli?

[DocNitrous]

Thanks for the info on the plane,quite informative... :)

Edit: My actual project name is X³ O² o2 like in dioxygen and H20 :p

But i admit il look much like X 302 :)


I cant run in SLi, My graphics cards being two Asus ATI X1600 pro 512 Mb

So i run in Crossfire, on an Asus A8R MVP.

you cant have rated my pics, becasue i never posted anything there.

Edit: i dont know if im gonna have the time to do some more on my project today, the time i had today was taken by a friend who wanted me to change his computer case. I foud him a Raidmax Smilodon case, and all the time i was assembling it i couldnt stop thinking about how cool was this case to be modded...

Like someone said here (im new but i read quite a bit :devious: )

" Because i CAN "

:D

Want some pics of the Smilodon Case before i bring it back to my friend?

[LiTHiUM0XiD3]

YES YES YES OH PLZ YES!!! GIVE US MORE!!!
oh and dude..... b00m eclipse.... finaly a car with ballz.... gettin sick of ricers with pop can exausts and ****y sound systems that sound like a bunch of pissed off chipmunks in a tin can..... dude love the work and creativity....

[intergalacticman]

omfg you must have extensive knowlege of all this psu stuff
good job

stargate sg1 was my fav show 3 yrs ago or smthing because the guy from macgyver was in it

[intergalacticman]

yes post the pictures!

[DocNitrous]

Ok then here are the pics of the case who took all my thuesday afternoon time!


There are only one mod on this case, i cahnged the front fan with a lighted fan.. everything else is factory...

http://i2.photobucket.com/albums/y47/docnitrous/Compute/DSCF0774.jpg

http://i2.photobucket.com/albums/y47/docnitrous/Compute/DSCF0771.jpg

http://i2.photobucket.com/albums/y47/docnitrous/Compute/DSCF0770.jpg

[DocNitrous]

Now some fresh news about my actual project!

Today was the day.. I found the long awaited motherboard, those 478 (with AGP slot) are hard to find around here, in fact i had the feeling i bougth the last one in the world! lol


http://i2.photobucket.com/albums/y47/docnitrous/Compute/DSCF0776.jpg


So today ill bring this machine to life, having all i need to have a functional PC, and my girlfriend is more than anxious to get his desktop back..

I will use a standard P4 cpu cooler, it will also allow me to get a check to operating temperature and stock perfomance before i start the real thing...

http://i2.photobucket.com/albums/y47/docnitrous/Compute/DSCF0777.jpg



The so essential artic silver 5 thermal compound
http://i2.photobucket.com/albums/y47/docnitrous/Compute/DSCF0778.jpg



Your wondering what the blue heat sink will be for??


ineed to cut off the two mounting bracket on it and i have a perfect sized cooler!
http://i2.photobucket.com/albums/y47/docnitrous/Compute/DSCF0781.jpg

Sexy baby... Show me your heatsinks!

http://i2.photobucket.com/albums/y47/docnitrous/Compute/DSCF0782.jpg

http://i2.photobucket.com/albums/y47/docnitrous/Compute/DSCF0779.jpg

[simon275]

Heatsinks! This is too grown up for me.

Yeah I AGP is annoying I spent a lot on a AGP card just before PCI-E came out without knowing it.

[DocNitrous]

The machine is up and running smootly.

The temperature is good for a OEM cooler.

Nothing special today except my basement look like this because of scatered computer parts...

http://i2.photobucket.com/albums/y47/docnitrous/Compute/DSCF0783.jpg

http://i2.photobucket.com/albums/y47/docnitrous/Compute/DSCF0784.jpg


And my next victim. I hace a fan problem with my laptop and it was quite hot even with the fan running.

http://i2.photobucket.com/albums/y47/docnitrous/Compute/DSCF0785.jpg

http://i2.photobucket.com/albums/y47/docnitrous/Compute/DSCF0786.jpg


Water cooling that thing wont be easy, but its my next challenge! right next after this one.

[LiTHiUM0XiD3]

and my girlfriend is more than anxious to get his desktop back..



girlfriend??? his???
lolz dude.... u do know the AGP x1950 wouped the PCI-E x1950 in the benchmarks right??? agp still rocking the boat..... but beeing phased out...

[DocNitrous]

X1950... I will put two of them im MY rig before buying one for my girlfriend!!

LOL

[DocNitrous]

girlfriend??? his???




Yep the X3O2 will be a girl PC...

But i must admit i will use it as experiemntal platform to discover the limit of oveclocking those Northwood.

I'd try everything to have her change her mind and choose another one of my leftover cases, but thats the one she wanted... i agree, she have good tastes...

[DocNitrous]

Today i found the copper tubing im gonna use!


It cost me 25$ for 25' of 1/4 copper tubing. I also found all the connectors too!! The pressure connectors arent bought yet as i want to calculate the exact number im gonna need before.


I also saw 1/8 tubing... its gonna be perfect for my next project of watercooling my laptop!

The good part is coming up!!!


Pics of the tubing and my work will be up tonight, after my work.

Including screens of actual HSF cooling temperatures. Idle and under stress.

22C idle CPU temp
20C Case temp

The machine is working real quiet, even with all the fans on.. in fact its the quieter PC in my basement, and its the one with the most fans in it. DUH!


Stay tuned!

[mellojoe]

SWEET PSU MOD!:banana:

[DocNitrous]

I played a bit with Sketch up tu show you idea of the water block, in case you didnt figured it ou by the explanation...

http://i2.photobucket.com/albums/y47/docnitrous/Compute/cpublock.jpg

http://i2.photobucket.com/albums/y47/docnitrous/Compute/cpublock2.jpg


By the way it was my first experience with this software so dont expect too much.

anybody know how i could make a curved round tube in sketch up??

[mellojoe]

"Follow Me"

Draw the end circle... then draw the "path" or arc that you want to follow, then use the "Follow Me" command to drag the end circle along the path.

[DocNitrous]

Thank you for the Info!! It works!!

here is the pic of the Tubing

http://i2.photobucket.com/albums/y47/docnitrous/Compute/Photo017.jpg

[DocNitrous]

Today i drilled my water block and started to play with the copper tubing.


http://i2.photobucket.com/albums/y47/docnitrous/Compute/Photo022.jpg

http://i2.photobucket.com/albums/y47/docnitrous/Compute/Photo020.jpg

http://i2.photobucket.com/albums/y47/docnitrous/Compute/Photo019.jpg


The piping placed aproximatly were it will stand.


Take a good look at how the pipes are aligned with the fans airflow.

Maybe i wont even need a radiator...

[DocNitrous]

hey im back on my project again!

with my wife being a the end of its pregnancy and my job giving me more hour it was hard to find time to work on my project.


So far since last time i gave you news, i had put together the VGA water cooler. ive sold me modded psu in a 5.25 bay to a friend, didnt had time to take picture of it he was shooting me money to own it...

That gave me the occasion to think about another psu mod for this project.
ive got a better PSU to mod...

Im still in need of an adequate water pump... no money for a new one and cant find what im looking for for cheap. Anybody has one for donation or cheap sale?

ive got plenty of other mod project for the future that germinated in my head.. (woah just thinking of it make me dizzy.. )

one in particular is already in work.. my desktop pc Speakers were inadequate... so i Modded my high fidelity ribbon speaker to fit my desk. ill save some picture for you when everything is in place

[DocNitrous]

My AUX 5.25 PSU is almost watercooled... :smoker:

After some intensive thinkering i decided to start over again on the CPU water block. My original idea cant be completed as i really wish, so i changed my design, adding some criteria... the water block has to fit the CPU using the standard 478 CPU cooler hardware.



I came up with a great idea for the front face plate. (i know i didnt wanted to mod the exterior but cant resist it) After comptemplating the idea of a waterfall, i changed direction and chose the LASER route...

yes Laser beam on the front, directed to form kind of a grill, in the bottom of the front, were the thermaltake lighted logo is originally.:twisted:


I know, im cheap on pics lately, but i should correct the situation tonight, giving you some pics to feed your hungry eyes.. (if time allow me)


Still needing a Water pump, if anyone has one used for sale, for under 50$ shipped, pm me..

[DocNitrous]

Here is the AUX PSU in its simplest form... all naked!

parental supervision is suggested here, the following pictures may contain scene of violence and/or nudity


BEFORE:


http://i2.photobucket.com/albums/y47/docnitrous/Compute/X3O2004.jpg

NOW :

http://i2.photobucket.com/albums/y47/docnitrous/Compute/X3O2006.jpg


http://i2.photobucket.com/albums/y47/docnitrous/Compute/X3O2007.jpg





This is the Future Main PSU A 450W Antec (now using a 400W Antec)

Still undecided if i watercool it or not...
http://i2.photobucket.com/albums/y47/docnitrous/Compute/X3O2003.jpg


:think:

[Eclecticos]

Watch out if you touch that thing while its on it will shock the piss outta ya.
I know. . I was repairing a computer. I turned to look at someone with my hand in the case "Berrrnttt" :bunny:

What did you do. . Put a new switch on it?

[Ichbin]

nice piping idea. I dont see how the pipes would get that much cooler from those fans. the coverage of pipe on the fan is very small.

[The Black Pumpkin]

Another copper pipe watercooling mod! Awesome!

To be honest, when I saw the name, I thought of the fighter they made in Stargate.

[DocNitrous]

nice piping idea. I dont see how the pipes would get that much cooler from those fans. the coverage of pipe on the fan is very small.

its not only a question of coverage but air velocity. For sure more surface area you have the more cooling capacity you have, but too much obstruction decrease air velocity and dont do much good in fact.

as the air velocity increase around the pipe, the pipe temperature goes down.
i did some testing, and by just putting the pipe in front of the fan, the pipe temperature goes down by a at least 10 degrees Celsius. Around 15 degree when my internal case temp is around 30 Deg. the trick is to pull the air around the pipe, not pushing it, creating high a pressure on a side on the pipe, and low pressure on the other side, like a plane wing.

I was very skeptical at first, feeding my project with theories, but when i tried it the first time i was amazed at how efficient it was...

I may do a small video explaining it eventually, when i find the time...:p

The goal on this project is to use mainly copper in the whole construction of the water cooling, so every part dissipate the heat from the water. Placing those parts (tubing, connectors, tank) at strategical area, where airflow (velocity) is good, increase the heat dissipation capacity of the setup. I want to make the baisc part so efficient, i wont need a radiator.

Using a standard CPU HSF (without a fan) as the base of the construction of the water block also increase passive heat dissipation capacity of the system. The possibility to even keep a fan on th e Water block keep me safe in case of water cooling failure of if i really need EXTREME cooling, making it an HYBRID system.



About touching the heatsink when the PSU is powered, i already know, dont worry about me :hurt:

Anyway who would play with a naked powered power supply? :rolleyes:



It seem like it will fit like a charm.

http://i2.photobucket.com/albums/y47/docnitrous/Compute/X3O2009.jpg

The LASER diode i plan using.

http://i2.photobucket.com/albums/y47/docnitrous/Compute/X3O2014.jpg

[psychowit]

NO offence to you and I know its gonna get dirty again but plz clean it a bit...

[DocNitrous]

NO offence to you and I know its gonna get dirty again but plz clean it a bit...



??????

Clean what??

Nothing is done so there is nothing to clean...

Sorry, no offense to you, but i dont get it..

[Tech-Daddy]

I think he's referring to your basement... ;)

and when you started this mod, she was your girlfriend, and now she is your wife? baby? wtf?
:D

You a BUSY guy!!!

[DocNitrous]

My basement does not look like the picture anymore!!! LOL


I have three kids with my wife, yes im quite busy. (i still refer her as my girlfriend even after 10 years together..)

[The Black Pumpkin]

Watercooled PSU's are always interesting, since they aren't done a lot.

Btw, where'd you get your copper tubing?

[DocNitrous]

Watercooled PSU's are always interesting, since they aren't done a lot.

Btw, where'd you get your copper tubing?


at an indusrtial supply store open to the public in my area, they have all kind of pipes, fittings and fastener. I Buy all my shop supply there...

any plumbing store should have that...

[DocNitrous]

Updates!!

i found a pump! or what used to be a Pump...

At my job they had a old watercooling kit they removed from the computer.. its a basic system with a mag drive pump attached to the water block. And a copper radiator made from 1/4 pipes. But whe i tried the pump the impeller (plastic s**t) broke so i will make my own impeller and pump assembly reusing the motor and magnets. Adittional work but so much additional satisfaction in the end...


I know pics worth a thousand words so ill add some later tonight!

EDIT :


Here is what used to be a watercooling kit... Probably Ebay stuff...

http://i2.photobucket.com/albums/y47/docnitrous/Compute/water038.jpg

[alphastryk]

lookin good man...

[DocNitrous]

Updates!!

Summer keep me away from my workbench for a while but i almost finished The water cooled AUX PSU for this project.

Still to do on the PSU : Painting, Front face, installing a LED and Final assembly!

But pics are worth more than words here are the latest!!

http://i2.photobucket.com/albums/y47/docnitrous/PSU001.jpg

http://i2.photobucket.com/albums/y47/docnitrous/PSU002.jpg

http://i2.photobucket.com/albums/y47/docnitrous/PSU003.jpg

http://i2.photobucket.com/albums/y47/docnitrous/PSU011.jpg

http://i2.photobucket.com/albums/y47/docnitrous/PSU006.jpg

http://i2.photobucket.com/albums/y47/docnitrous/PSU008.jpg

http://i2.photobucket.com/albums/y47/docnitrous/PSU009.jpg

http://i2.photobucket.com/albums/y47/docnitrous/PSU010.jpg



I will paint it all black, With a plexiglass red ligthed grill in the hole of the CD drawer.

All connections are modular

The standard 4 Pins are to connect the Main PSU, when it power on, it activate the relay who control the "psu ON" signal for the aux PSU.

the small 3 pin ia a "3.3 V LED connector"

the IDE connector is 5V on the first third, ground on the second and 12V on the third of the connector.

The losse diodes is to be fixed to the case during final assembly.


I had to move some components to clear to fit the heigth of a 5.25 Drive.

All wires are either soldered to the PCB or to the components, no taped wires jonctions.

The PCB is to be mounted upside down in the CD DRIVE casing.


About the water pump, i decided to not "fabricate" one, ill just buy one sooner or later. I thing i should concentrate on not making this project too long to complete. So many other "mods" are ready in my minds and waiting for my hands... my Ata-tendo, My external water cooling system for my Thermaltake Shark (using an armor JR" case), my combined "router/modem/switch", and of course my water coolled Acer ferrari laptop (here will go the Pumpcrafting time)


I am working too on modding a case for my brother, a kind of "sleeper" look, a worklog is coming for this one too. Its really a short and straigthforward project...


So hope you enjoy my new pics. Actually the PSU should be working now, but i didnt did any testing yet. im waiting fir it to be fully assembld to avoid unwanted incident or accident!

Too sad i cant enter the Modders challenge currently going on with this one, its almost finish and with some "motivation" i could have completed it before the deadline..

[Collinstheclown]

Whoa! Why the hell didn't I think of that?? It just seems so simple now... I was tring to watercool my PSU also but desiging blocks for it then milling them and all that just seem far fetched. I'm gonna get me some copper pipes next time I hit up Home Depot.

+Rep for sure!




-CollinstheClown

[The boy 4rm oz]

Damn thats some nice work. I'm not sure how effective the copper pipe will work as a radiator though. +rep for the fantastic idea

[DocNitrous]

Updates!!

in fact theres is no updates.

I'm hanging this project for a while.

The reason is i rarely have time to work on this computer, my wife always use it when im available to mod it.:rolleyes:

So i started other projects. Including finally modding my own Thermaltake Shark case and water cooling my system. And two other "side project" using older computers.:devious:


About this one, its not dead, the Watercooled psu still nedd the finishing touch and im still looking for a cheap pump, But its now a third priority work.:neutral:

Keep your eyes open, i m about to start a new worklog for my new actual projects...:D

(as well as amazing pics of the computer i assembled for a good friend.):twisted:

[The boy 4rm oz]

Hmm I was wondering what happened to this mod. Shame its not done yet lol. Good luck with your other mods.

[SXRguyinMA]

Progress? love the idea!

[DocNitrous]

This project is on a long term hold.

All stuff i had for my wife computer is now reassigned to AKULA!!

Its not dead but wont be back up for a while...