Any issues with covering a water block in vinyl

[Anniemay]

Hey guys. I am in the middle of a mod and am thinking about covering my copper waterblocks with vinyl as it does not really match my color scheme. I am a little concerned about trapping heat inside when I cover with the vinyl though. Does anyone have any experience with that? I want to make sure that I am not trapping any unnecessary heat in there.

[Sparky]

The water is was takes the heat away, so no I wouldn't be concerned about trapping heat. Just don't put vinyl between the block and the GPU itself :p:

[AMDforME]

Vinyl most definitely will trap heat that is normally taken away via air. How much is difficult to predict other than checking the CPU/GPU temps before and after. You might be able to use spray paint which would be better than vinyl as far as the heat retention issue.

[Sparky]

Vinyl most definitely will trap heat that is normally taken away via air. How much is difficult to predict other than checking the CPU/GPU temps before and after. You might be able to use spray paint which would be better than vinyl as far as the heat retention issue.

It's a waterblock, not an air cooler, so the vinyl should make little difference.

[CrazyNutz]

^^ This.

The vinyl will not effect the performance of the block in any (noticeable) way.

[AMDforME]

It's a waterblock, not an air cooler, so the vinyl should make little difference.

The waterblock absorbs some of the heat from the water which is then absorbed by the air. 100% of the heat pulled from the CPU does not go to the rad. That's why covering the waterblock is not advisable because the thermal efficiency of the waterblock drops and the CPU temp will increase unless the radiator and fan can deal with the added thermal load.

It's very similar to an automotive engine block that gets hot from the coolant that is being pumped to the radiator. Painting an engine block actually increases the water temp slightly. If you were to wrap the engine block in vinyl or other insulating material the water temp would increase even further and add thermal load to the radiator and fan.

[Stewie007]

It is a hypothesis that is worth testing.

It is for the same reason that the high side of a refrigeration system is not insulated. The only time a condenser, discharge line, or compressor are insulated is if sound is a major issue; and we're talking industrial water chillers with screw compressors.... So as it applies to water cooling, the block indeed does absorb and in turn radiate some heat.

Wrapping it in vinyl may have an effect. The see how it affects the water temp, I would like to see some temps. Otherwise, just saying that it won't be a problem is thin air. You may be correct that the effect is negligible...

So in conclusion. Wrap 'er up and see what happens.

[Sparky]

The waterblock absorbs some of the heat from the water which is then absorbed by the air. 100% of the heat pulled from the CPU does not go to the rad. That's why covering the waterblock is not advisable because the thermal efficiency of the waterblock drops and the CPU temp will increase unless the radiator and fan can deal with the added thermal load.

It's very similar to an automotive engine block that gets hot from the coolant that is being pumped to the radiator. Painting an engine block actually increases the water temp slightly. If you were to wrap the engine block in vinyl or other insulating material the water temp would increase even further and add thermal load to the radiator and fan.

Like I said, LITTLE difference. You're right, 100% of the heat load doesn't go to the radiator, but a good 99+% of it does. I'm looking at my waterblock and cannot see how just that thin bit of metal on the edges that is open to the air is going to make any sort of real difference at all.

If that 0.1 degrees C makes or breaks your loop, your loop sucks :p:

[bds71]

some paints actually radiate better than bare metal alone (that's why most home radiators - for warming via hot water - are painted). i don't think it matters one way or the other though. any temp differences will (as was said before) not be noticeable - even with a full metal block.

[zeroibis]

Clearly you should add colored heatsinks to the top of your blocks so you get the color you want and then you can cool the block down better rofl.

Post some pics up though b/c I have never heard of anyone else doing this and it will be very interesting to see how it looks when your done.

[paulbagz]

I'm doing my 780s with wood grain vinyls, should be fun :D

-PB

[AMDforME]

Like I said, LITTLE difference. You're right, 100% of the heat load doesn't go to the radiator, but a good 99+% of it does. I'm looking at my waterblock and cannot see how just that thin bit of metal on the edges that is open to the air is going to make any sort of real difference at all.

If that 0.1 degrees C makes or breaks your loop, your loop sucks :p:

No actually 99% doesn't go to the water which is why I and Stewie007 both indicated that the only means to know how much the vinyl will affect the CPU/GPU temp is to actually test it.

The issue isn't just the small bit of exposed metal on the edges. The entire water-block absorbs heat some of which is removed by water and some removed via convection and radiation. It also has nothing to do with making or breaking the loop. It has to do with the CPU/GPU operating at a higher temp - which is what the OP was rightly concerned about.

The water-block can only pull a specific quantity of heat from the CPU/GPU. The hotter the water-block physically operates at, the hotter the CPU/GPU operates at. To change this thermal relationship you need to increase cooling of the water-block(s) when you effective insulate the water-block(s) with vinyl or any other material.

bds71-

As far as paint yes some paints do radiate better and some hold heat better. Either is better than a vinyl wrap as far as CPU/GPU temp is concerned. That's why I suggested paint as a possible alternative depending on what look the OP desires.

[MpG]

There have been tests done in the past between regular and premium versions of waterblocks where the regular had a delrin/acrylic top, and the premium had a copper top, and the difference was basically moot. If there was heat to be shed through this method, we'd likely be seeing options for waterblock tops actually cut like heatsinks.

Secondly, heat enters the waterblock at the base, where the heat source is. In order to exit into the surrounding air, it must conduct all the way to the edge of the base, then up the sides, then into the top. This whole time, it will be rapidly conducting heat into the moving water. Under those circumstances (assuming decent flowrates), the odds of the top of the waterblock being even one degree warmer than the loop water are fairly slim. The simple fact that waterblock tops don't get warm in a proper loop is a pretty big hint here.

Thirdly, you still won't get any cooling unless the air around the nearby air is cooler than the block. And in a watercooling system, you could very well be contending with the heat coming off power circuits, drives or pumps. Or you might be getting tons of warm exhaust air from your radiators (since you were feeding them cool outside air, right?), which renders the entire question moot.

Go ahead and coat the top of the block.

[Stewie007]

some paints actually radiate better than bare metal alone (that's why most home radiators - for warming via hot water - are painted). i don't think it matters one way or the other though. any temp differences will (as was said before) not be noticeable - even with a full metal block.

Really..... So by introducing a barrier between air and the metal fins in a radiator heat transfer would be improved?

I'm gonna go paint my air conditioner coil! That will surely improve performance.

All kidding aside (don't be offended, I'm just teasing), the coatings on air coils are not for performance. If you see a condenser coil or radiator coil with black lacquer coating it, that is to prevent corrosion due to salinity. Paint is not going to help the transfer of heat between the metal and the air. It will impede it if anything... Generally, its such a thin coating that its largely irrelevant and heat is transferred without hindrance.

I don't know if you're talking about those radiators that are in old houses.... But unless the paint is reducing and carrying away heat with it, there is no assistance in heat transfer. Bare metal will radiate heat better than painted metal (if you can even really measure it reliably).

[Conumdrum]

Really..... So by introducing a barrier between air and the metal fins in a radiator heat transfer would be improved?

I'm gonna go paint my air conditioner coil! That will surely improve performance.

All kidding aside (don't be offended, I'm just teasing), the coatings on air coils are not for performance. If you see a condenser coil or radiator coil with black lacquer coating it, that is to prevent corrosion due to salinity. Paint is not going to help the transfer of heat between the metal and the air. It will impede it if anything... Generally, its such a thin coating that its largely irrelevant and heat is transferred without hindrance.

I don't know if you're talking about those radiators that are in old houses.... But unless the paint is reducing and carrying away heat with it, there is no assistance in heat transfer. Bare metal will radiate heat better than painted metal (if you can even really measure it reliably).

Agreed 100%. It's for looks and in an industrial/car use, it's also for corrosion. I would like to see that posters proof that it helps. Maybe there is such things in space etc, but normal earthbound use? Naaa..

The OP could be talking about steam radiators made from cast iron back in the 30's?

Ohh, let me PM Howard Waskowitz, he would know.......... Crap, gotta wait till next season.......

[bds71]

So by introducing a barrier between air and the metal fins in a radiator heat transfer would be improved?

i was referring to emissivity (if that applies correctly in this instance) - from wikipedia: "The emissivity of a material (usually written ε or e) is the relative ability of its surface to emit energy by radiation." this is how heat is radiated to the surrounding area - and has less to do with heat conductivity of air (which is quite low) than you might think - and can, in some cases, be aided by paint. ever notice how most radiators are powder coated or painted? perhaps this is why? (might not be /shrug). anyway, that is the reason i made that statement :)