Cooling with just one rad

[OldChap]

After a certain chap from Florida set up his farm in the garage and used a couple of car radiators for cooling I thought I would try something similar but for me it will be with less rigs......

My expectation for this is that for most of the year I can run passive but there will be a fan (a serious fan) for high summer use

This log will take a while cos I don't do fast ...I think I have mostly everything I need now so here goes...

I spent an hour yesterday cutting and folding a sheet of 1.5mm galvanised steel
to form the sides of the fan/rad box...I'm trying to use secondhand where I can but this had to be new can't win them all

There will be those among you who are perfectionists...well, look away now....Lets just call this a proof of concept...no use of straight edges no fine measurements just rough and ready cos Heath Robinson is my hero

In the first pic we have Today's efforts setting up a unistrut frame (bolted to the floor and the wall) then fitting the fan box with a channel to hold the rad. In the channel I have placed closed cell foam to protect against possible vibration issues



Second pic is the box finished off (mostly) with the rad fitted



If the weather holds I will add more tomorrow...and a bit more detail too

For those that did not see it before here is the rad

usually goes in one of these

[artemm]

That's awesome, OC.

I'm sure even the perfectionists will be silenced when they see those pics. That is some very CLEAN sheet metal work

Looking forward to seeing the build progress

[Computurd]

nice, cant wait to see how it turns out! I used to do aircraft sheetmetal for 747 Mods, so i can appreciate just how clean that work is, looks great!

[trn]

Excellent metal work

Someone has a great sig that I always think of in relation to these projects. "There's a fine line between extreme and ghetto"

Is the rad going to exhaust outside or is it located outside already?

[OldChap]

It is outside already just outside the shed/workshop. Trouble is it will be in the sun from around 4-5pm during the summer...still got to find a shade solution for that maybe

I only have a cell for taking pics but that is probably a good thing ...so nobody can see the detail of the work...I love my angle grinder and files don't get a look in

[Rise]

awesome work oldchap!! can't wait to see the finished product

sheet metal

[shoota]

you should have named it "One rad to cool them all"

what rigs are going to be hooked up?

[OldChap]

I only have 3 watercooled rigs to put on this to start with

Those of you watching this build should watch this video because tomorrow I want to introduce MOAF

[PoppaGeek]

I only have 3 watercooled rigs to put on this to start with

Those of you watching this build should watch this video because tomorrow I want to introduce MOAF

The description

God I am getting old. Took me forever to figure out M.O.A.F. Would you mind doing a senior citizen version?

Looks good. Thanks for sharing.

Link seems broken.

[Sparky]

That's awesome, OC.

I'm sure even the perfectionists will be silenced when they see those pics. That is some very CLEAN sheet metal work

Looking forward to seeing the build progress

The rivets on the bottom on the 2nd pic are not exactly at the same level, the right one is higher than the left

[jcool]

Very nice work OC
At some point I'm gonna have to do a mass watercooler setup for crunchers as well. I've been watercooling since 2000 (when I was 14) using home depot equipment, garden hose tubing and and old car rad anyway

Keep us posted on results, will ya

[SiGfever]

Excellent!

I can't wait to see your watercooled setup. Maybe you can convince Dave to make use of his cooler northern climate.

[OldChap]

Because I want to use the parts that I have on hand where I can I elected to run this using 22mm (~3/4") copper pipe. The rad had 2 1/2" inlets so here in the first pic is reducing from 2 1/2" to 2 1/4" to 22mm



Now I would like to introduce you to the fan specs ... 63cm, 650rpm, 240v, 0.32Kw and fitted to the rad probably in excess of 2400 cfm



Ladies and Gentlemen I give you the MOAF

note the yate loon 120mm attached for scale purposes....Is this the Mother of all Fans???


It has just started to rain so I will start to assemble the pump and associated pipework. inside ...more soon.

[Jaco]

Sure that will provide enough cooling?

[jcool]

I concur - you need more airflow

[OldChap]

Well, I can try to get a fan controller for it, that would reduce the output to about half and bring the power used to around .25Kw

[/URL]

[Sparky]

This reminds me of what I really want to do some day. When I have space and money to do it.

[shoota]

ditto sparky. that's a long way off
Keep up the good work OC, I'm sure trn is watching with delight

[Otis11]

This reminds me of what I really want to do some day. When I have space and money to do it.

I still have years of school...

[Jaco]

I still have years of school...

Study hard my friend ...

You'll have a good job later and lots of $$$ for computer toys

[PoppaGeek]

You'll have a good job later and lots of $$$ for computer toys

yeah I am hoping he'll hire me as a farm hand..

[SiGfever]

You'll have a good job later and lots of $$$ for computer toys

yeah I am hoping he'll hire me as a farm hand..

Yeah, I am hoping he will hire me to clean out the Hamster cages.

[Origin_Unknown]

good lord - I'm liking the project already - so ambitious / large ... fit's in well around here

[disturbed13]

oh! oh!
i want a job
can i pet the chickens?

[w0en]

Instead of a car radiator has anyone ever investigated using an old Air Conditioning condensing unit with a defunct compressor? Mount your pump where the compressor was. I would think they would be giveaway items. Uses all aluminum instead of steel radiator fins. It would certainly be more stealthy in the yard and comes with a built in fan mounting solution.