Water chillers

[Console]

Ok I have been running a water cooling setup for a few months now , I need somthing new to play with and dont have much $$ right now . So I figured Y not try and setup a chiller but i know nothing about this so I have come to the pros to ask for help .

My WC loop is D5->DD TDX->DD Maze4->BlackIceExtreem III->D5
So first question is where would it go in my loop Before or after the rad? Do i even need the rad in the loop when using a cooler? wouldnt the rad just be putting Ambient air into the loop causing higher temps ? Or is it best to Put the Rad in the sub zero container ?

Next question with a cooler should I insulate around the cpu block and the gpu ? Or will it not be cold enough to need any thing ?

Coolant do you need more when running a cooler so the water wont freeze ? what % would you recomand ?

Now that those questions are out of the way the cooler its self. I plan on trying to find somthing that is old for free(on side of road or @ junkyard) for this build as i have said it is a low cost build . So what should I keep my eyes open for? Old Ac units? old Dehumidifiers? is one better than the other? (get colder) . Now for the container what do people like to use? I figured i could find a old picknick cooler use whould this be suitable ?


This isnt somthing I want to rush into so any other thing that i didnt ask but i should have please inform me . :toast:

[thenrz]

No rad needed. Yes, you WILL have to insulate unless you plan on only running the system down to ambient.

From experience, A/Cs are easy to work with. All you really need is a picnic cooler and some tube insulation. The loop will be cooler -> pump -> block(s) -> cooler.

As for coolant, you'll find that opinions differ, but i'll be using denatured alcohol/antifreeze/water. You could use just denatured and water, but ince you'll be using a cooler full of coolant, tht will get really expensive really fast. denatured, at least here, isn't as cheap as people make it to be, especially when you've exhausted your budget on other things.

[epion2985]

Ok I have been running a water cooling setup for a few months now , I need somthing new to play with and dont have much $$ right now . So I figured Y not try and setup a chiller but i know nothing about this so I have come to the pros to ask for help .

My WC loop is D5->DD TDX->DD Maze4->BlackIceExtreem III->D5
So first question is where would it go in my loop Before or after the rad? Do i even need the rad in the loop when using a cooler? wouldnt the rad just be putting Ambient air into the loop causing higher temps ? Or is it best to Put the Rad in the sub zero container ?

Next question with a cooler should I insulate around the cpu block and the gpu ? Or will it not be cold enough to need any thing ?

Coolant do you need more when running a cooler so the water wont freeze ? what % would you recomand ?

Now that those questions are out of the way the cooler its self. I plan on trying to find somthing that is old for free(on side of road or @ junkyard) for this build as i have said it is a low cost build . So what should I keep my eyes open for? Old Ac units? old Dehumidifiers? is one better than the other? (get colder) . Now for the container what do people like to use? I figured i could find a old picknick cooler use whould this be suitable ?


This isnt somthing I want to rush into so any other thing that i didnt ask but i should have please inform me . :toast:


Yur d5 might crack, its not made for these temperatures. You can try if you want but dont complain if the impeller or the housing cracks. Eheim 1250 seems to last, otherwise panworld 40PX is a good value for a pump that will last. And there are always the iwaki pumps.

Your DD maze4 unlese it has the brass top cracks and leaks. The uneven shrinkage between the copper and the acrylic is a cause for leakage and possible cracking as well. Or the rubber o rings in these blocks shrink/freeze/crack and leak. You need an all metal solid block like the switftech 2006, or buy a block with a metal top, take out the o-ring and braze it shut. Like the DD maze 4 with a bass top, or the much better silverprop (http://www.silverprop.com/cycloneevose.aspx) block.

If you even have to ask about the radiator you might want to hold off. Think about it, if you put a radiator in the loop with what -30C liquid what do you think will happen. First you will loose most of your cooling potantial because instead of cooling your computer you will be air conditioning your room. Then water wills tart condensing on it and dripping off, lastly it will freeze solid and will make a mess when it will though.

Yes you will have to insulate, Everything. The lines the head of the pump, the blocks, fill int he socket with dielectric compaund, the back of the board, the card, everything. Unlese you dont care about looing your hardware. This is no different from a DD in that respect.

Coolant wise you can use something like antifreeze but its thick and doesnt perform well. The better choise is ethanol or methanol alcohols cut with water, you dont need much either. Consult the charts for ratios:

http://www.vulomedia.com/images/72231methanol.jpg

A chiller is "eneraly" more complex then a DD system and costs more not less. The tools involved cost even more. There is a shortcut though. You "can" get a window ac unit and just build a rez around the evap, but the unit will be very large and wont perform all that great or be very quiet, but it works to get you colder on a budget.

Good luck on your project and use the search function here. All these questions have been posted a thousand times already.

[Console]

Hmm so i would need some new wb's and a pump (wish i would have thought this far in advance when i got my WC )
this is the exact cpu wb im using http://www.memoryexpress.com/index.php?PageTag=&page=file&memx_menu=EmbedProductDetail.php&DisplayProductID=8581&SID=

and this is the version on the mase4 i have http://www.memoryexpress.com/index.php?PageTag=&page=file&memx_menu=EmbedProductDetail.php&DisplayProductID=8116&SID=

this isnt so good then as i wanted to do this for a lil a possible and buying new wb's and a new pump is defently out of the price rang i was thinking .
Guess i will have to waite til i get a SS to mess with sub 0 deg temps =(

[thenrz]

if you don't run the system to below freezing, you can still use your current setup...

[Console]

Hmm good to know I still plan on building this so depending on how cold it gets i might be able to use it

[thenrz]

selectively run the compressor. only run it when you need it