Custom Water cooler, Using parts not made for WC

[fella272]

For the last mount i have be working on a water cooler project CPU and GPU.

I started the WC because i wanted a very low noise cooler but keeping a good degree of efficiency that i could do a OC and in a low budget.

So the specs are:

1° Low noise
2° efficiency for OC
3° Low budget
4° looks don't matter

Explain the low budget part...

I'm Brazilian and leave in Brazil and here PC parts are very expensive.

We don't have custom WC store and everything we need must came form outside of the country, we import staff from US or China, and paid using Dollar.

The Dollar is 2,5 times Brazilian coin, the tax of importation is 30%, nationwide minimum wage level is US $1.23 per hour, so things are very expensive for us.

The system specs is:

Case Thermaltake V3 Black Edition
MB ECS A790GXM-AD3 gold
CPU PHENOM II X4 965 BE 3.4 ghz
Two HD 5850 XFX and Asus
12GB DDR3 1333 KINGSTON
HD 3 x 500 Gb Seagate 7200.12 + Ssd 60gb Corsair S.O.
Power SATELITE 600W SL-8600E


Before i started WC i was testing with normal air cooler, using the default AMD cooler for OC is very limited, and my XFX VGA don't have good cooling.

Bust i was able to OC with a fill tweaks.

I started putting on top of the CPU cooler a 120 mm fan, that give me room for overclock but was very noise.

zoom

I remove the Fan that is on the front of the HD and put on the below the DVD blowing in the direction of the CPU, with the back case fan blowing out created a sort of ''air tunnel''.

with that i manege to make o 3.9 Ghz OC on the CPU.

For the GPU i only managed to get 765/1100 and if the day was hot i have to let the case open.

So after that i started to thinking WC.

After research a lot, i started to by the staffs.

Aluminium blocks
Thermal past, Gelid Gc-extreme
Pump Shurflo 500 Gph bilge Pump
Radiator is used from a car heating system
car coolant
Reservoir a bucket
Fan CoolerMater FAN PACK 4 x 120mm 1200 rpm 19 db FAN
+ two cheaper 120mm 3000 RPM 40 DB FAN
Normal garden hose 3/8'' and 1/2''
and electronic components and general etc.

Hear same pictures.

The budget.

I manged to get averting but the Block from in side of the country, and i was luck that the block is very cheap and the Brazil custom house did not tax it, they don't tax everything they x-ray and analyse everything but some things they aloud to passe without tax, of course only things that are not expensive.

The total is R$ 296, that is US $ 117 on today exchange rates USDxBRC.

 

[fella272]

Putting things together:

This is the first prototype i made to see if it works and how match i code push it...


In the FAN and pump i use a voltage regulator cct, for me to control the noise:

I remove all the case fan grid because it makes some noise.

Measure cut and mounted all...

this is the visual result.

The thing is very ugly but worked.

 

[fella272]

The Noise, OC and Temp test:

After putting all together, the ugly ting worked and the OC is very good.

The ambient temp of the test is 17°c.

Noise:

After regulating the FAN and Pump voltage the system is very low noise i don't have any noise measure thing, but form 3 m away you cant hear the PC noise.


GPU OC:

*I changed the OC limit in the Bios of the XFX VGA to match the Asus Direct Cut.

The max OC VGA is:

For playing games in Crossfire is:

and the temps are...

CPU is at default clock and under voltage, GPU is OC, the HWmonitor only shows one GPU but the two are in the same temp.

Running Furmark stress test for one hour.

Playing Tomb raider for one hour..

CPU OC:

I manged to get a 4.1 ghz at 1,465v and 50°c Full Load.

Even forcing the voltage to the maximum, I did not get a higher clock, but the WC holds the temp good.

I only use this PC to play games and watch videos, i run games at 1080P in that resolution change the CPU clock do not change the max FPS so i decided to let the CPU at default and undervoltage.

3.4 ghz at 1,1875v and 36,5°c Full Load.

 

[fella272]

Some Benchmark test:

Resident evil 5 1920x1080 all MAX.


CPU 3.4 GPU 725/1000


190,4 FPS


CPU 3.4 GPU 880/1130


216 FPS




Grid 2 1920x1080 all MAX.


CPU 3.4 GPU 725/1000


Min 24
Media 39
Max 45


CPU 3.4 GPU 880/1130


Min 29
Media 44
Max 54




Tomb Raider 2013 1920x1080 all MAX.


AMD TressFX on


CPU 3.4 GPU 725/1000


Min 18,9
Media 28,4
Max 35,8


CPU 3.4 GPU 880/1130


Min 19,6
Media 30,7
Max 40,8


AMD TressFX off


CPU 3.4 GPU 725/1000


Min 29,1
Media 37,5
Max 46


CPU 3.4 GPU 880/1130


Min 34
Media 43,9
Max 54


Furmark.

CPU 3.4 GPU 725/1000

CPU 3.4 GPU 900/1130

Unigine Heaven 4.0


Config

CPU 3.4 Ghz GPU 725/1000 CrossfireX 5850

CPU 3.4 Ghz GPU 860/1120 CrossfireX 5850

CPU 4.0 Ghz GPU 860/1120 CrossfireX 5850

3D Mark 2011


Config

CPU 3.4 Ghz GPU 725/1000 CrossfireX 5850

CPU 4.0 Ghz GPU 860/1120 CrossfireX 5850

 

[fella272]

Benck ...

3D Mark 2013


Ice Storm


CPU 3.4 Ghz GPU 860/1120 CrossfireX 5850

CPU 4.0 Ghz GPU 860/1120 CrossfireX 5850

Cloud Gate


CPU 3.4 Ghz GPU 860/1120 CrossfireX 5850

CPU 4.0 Ghz GPU 860/1120 CrossfireX 5850

Fire Strike


CPU 3.4 Ghz GPU 725/1000 CrossfireX 5850

CPU 3.4 Ghz GPU 860/1120 CrossfireX 5850

CPU 4.0 Ghz GPU 860/1120 CrossfireX 5850

Fire Strike Extreme


CPU 3.4 Ghz GPU 725/1000 CrossfireX 5850

CPU 3.4 Ghz GPU 860/1120 CrossfireX 5850

CPU 4.0 Ghz GPU 860/1120 CrossfireX 5850

 

[fella272]

So this is it.

I'm already on the ''4.0'' stage of this project.

Prototype is the past post.

2.0 i fix same things and made it more compact better appearance

3.0, better appearance level 2, better flow try.

4.0, Keep better appearance level 2, Fix some things...

all ways keeping the low budget off course.

Later i post more pictures of the things i did.

If you want spoiler it, you can see the full album is only at level 2.0 yet.

And or see the Brazilian Forum i use, that is only at level 2.0 too.

 

[BrightCandle]

Make sure to check that the liquid you are using will stop the galvonic erosion between the aluminium in the blocks and the copper in the radiator. I suspect it does.

Very ghetto but also very much like what a lot of people used to build 10 years ago before we had standard parts. Its much cheaper that a typical custom loop.

 

[aigomorla]

keep an eye on that copper mosfet sink.

The metal next to your cpu blocks covering the mosfets on your board.

You removed the fan which was designed to blow down on them and assist in cooling.
Now you either need to watercool the mosfets.. or get a fan to blow some air over them.
I realized.. most of the time, that rear exhaust is not sufficient in cooling those mosfets down.
Its only good for reducing overall case temp... but not in that corner where heat can stack.

If it has a metal sink.. it was not designed for passive.
If the vendors say passive, they really mean u dont need to put a fan right next to it... fan air movement from case will be enough.
Try to redirect some air to that section of your board, and i dont see any problems after that.

Very ghetto but also very much like what a lot of people used to build 10 years ago before we had standard parts. Its much cheaper that a typical custom loop.

:O 10yrs? .. i think not.. 10 yrs ago.. 2003 i was on the swiftech STORM with cathars injectors...
oh fond memories... lets try at least 15 yrs.... i remember playing with things like this 15 yrs ago.

 

[Nec_V20]

Sorry but I could not help but pissing myself laughing at the title of the thread:

"Custom Water cooler, Using parts not made for WC"

I don't know about the US but "WC" means toilet in the UK. So I read the title of the thread:

"Custom Water cooler, Using parts not made for toilets". I was thinking, "This takes bog standard to whole new level".

That having been said I admire greatly what you have accomplished and it has been incredibly interesting to read - it was just the title of the thread that had me hanging off my chair laughing.

 

[fella272]

Sorry but I could not help but pissing myself laughing at the title of the thread:

"Custom Water cooler, Using parts not made for WC"

I don't know about the US but "WC" means toilet in the UK. So I read the title of the thread:

"Custom Water cooler, Using parts not made for toilets". I was thinking, "This takes bog standard to whole new level".

That having been said I admire greatly what you have accomplished and it has been incredibly interesting to read - it was just the title of the thread that had me hanging off my chair laughing.

Good that make u laughing.

That was the point, I like to use words with double meaning.

I lake too see people face thinking ??

But would be cool if the tread was "Custom Water cooler, Using parts made for WC"

And in the inside i really used part made for toilets...

I'm Brazilian but i now WC is toilets, even if i don't speak English here in airports and important places is all translated to US/EN terms for the tourist.


This WC staff is really interesting i'm learning a lot...

tnks, keep watching, I'm doing a few more things i will post another day.

 

[Nec_V20]

But would be cool if the tread was "Custom Water cooler, Using parts made for WC"

Oh man that title would have been AWESOME. And I think I would still be laughing sometime next week

 

[fella272]

Make sure to check that the liquid you are using will stop the galvonic erosion between the aluminium in the blocks and the copper in the radiator. I suspect it does.

Very ghetto but also very much like what a lot of people used to build 10 years ago before we had standard parts. Its much cheaper that a typical custom loop.

yes i now about the galvonic erosion, the coolant i use says that is for it, but Brazilian staffs tend to say and not do.

i did not say before the radiator i use is original from a car that stop being produce in 98 so the radiator have a least 15+ years so it is very resistant.

tnks.

keep an eye on that copper mosfet sink.

The metal next to your cpu blocks covering the mosfets on your board.

You removed the fan which was designed to blow down on them and assist in cooling.
Now you either need to watercool the mosfets.. or get a fan to blow some air over them.
I realized.. most of the time, that rear exhaust is not sufficient in cooling those mosfets down.
Its only good for reducing overall case temp... but not in that corner where heat can stack.

If it has a metal sink.. it was not designed for passive.
If the vendors say passive, they really mean u dont need to put a fan right next to it... fan air movement from case will be enough.
Try to redirect some air to that section of your board, and i dont see any problems after that.



:O 10yrs? .. i think not.. 10 yrs ago.. 2003 i was on the swiftech STORM with cathars injectors...
oh fond memories... lets try at least 15 yrs.... i remember playing with things like this 15 yrs ago.

15 yrs ago u old and very wise i read yours post's have very interesting thing about WC.

15 yrs ago i did now PC exist but i never have touched one yet.

I did not pay the appropriated attention for the copper mosfet sink, but i'm luck and is all fine, the fan i put on the side and base of the case are blowing in and make the job.

I cut the pictures of the HWmonitor on the top of the CPU temp shoes the system temp have 5 set of temp and all are now lower them before i WC all under 40°c.

The reason i think is good, is because the fan are blowing on the right direction, and The CPU and GPU are no more producing heat in the inside.

but tnks, is one thing i did not now to care.

 

[fella272]

Oh man that title would have been AWESOME. And I think I would still be laughing sometime next week

yes would, good about u laughing, that cheers me up.