Fanless watercooling build

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Jimmah

Jimmah

Golden Member
Mar 18, 2005
1,243
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Started work on a fanless build using old aluminum scrap and cheap parts found on craigslist. Cannibalized an old build I did years ago for the rad tubes and picked up a pump from a friend, CPU and GPU blocks already built and a pile of plexi is waiting for me to have a mess of free time to start hacking away.

Parts list so far:

CPU block
GPU block
Pump (C-Systems aluminum housing 12v pump)
Radiator tube x4
Fittings
Misc aluminum shapes and scrap
12" x 48" x 3/8" frosted plexi sheet

Intending to get the block and res done this weekend, if I get enough time in the machine shop on Monday I think I can get the distribution blocks finished, maybe the fill tube but that is doubtful. Will have more progress by tomorrow.

http://i12.photobucket.com/albums/a235/xhiron/IMG_3380.jpg
Block, old distribution block, misc leftovers, pump

http://i12.photobucket.com/albums/a235/xhiron/IMG_3379.jpg
Tubes
 
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B

Blain

Lifer
Oct 9, 1999
23,643
3
81
mfenn said:
Unless your radiator is absolutely enormous, you're not going to be able to remove enough heat via convection alone.
Click to expand...
He could bury an 80 gallon tank outside his house deep enough to displace the heat into the ground.
 
Jimmah

Jimmah

Golden Member
Mar 18, 2005
1,243
2
0
mfenn said:
Unless your radiator is absolutely enormous, you're not going to be able to remove enough heat via convection alone.
Click to expand...

With the finned tubes, res, distribution blocks, fill tower and a coolish basement I don't see things staying relatively close to the temps I have now being a problem. It should have about the same or better surface area as a reserator, and similar flow speeds.

I should have mentioned, I'm really not aiming for the coolest temps possible without noise, just a serious drop in the noise I have now while costing almost nothing (currently sitting at 10$ in scrap, 30$ for pump, my time is free).

Will post pics later of todays progress.
 
Jimmah

Jimmah

Golden Member
Mar 18, 2005
1,243
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Finished tapping the block for the cap screws, looks a lot better than the machine screws and nuts clamping the business together.

http://i12.photobucket.com/albums/a235/xhiron/IMG_3382.jpg

Also rough sanded the soon-to-be reservoir, drilled out the existing internal holes and re-tapped them for more cap screws. I should mention, it was at one time a hard drive enclosure that died, sat on my shelf for about a year as I never get around to fixing things.

http://i12.photobucket.com/albums/a235/xhiron/IMG_3383.jpg

Tomorrow the distribution blocks get drilled and hopefully faced flat, maybe even tapped if I can find my pipe tap.
 
Jimmah

Jimmah

Golden Member
Mar 18, 2005
1,243
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0
Finished making the collector/main reservoir yesterday, hopefully painting it black later tonight. Working on the internal reservoir tomorrow or Sunday time allowing. Rear panel tube pass-through finished the other day, might get time tonight and leak test the parts I have finished.

Will post pics of un-painted parts and the leak test (if I do it) later tonight.
 
B

betasub

Platinum Member
Mar 22, 2006
2,677
0
0
Thanls for the update and pictures. Interesting to see how it all comes to together, physically and in terms of heat disapation.
 
Zap

Zap

Elite Member
Oct 13, 1999
22,377
7
81
Jimmah said:
Also rough sanded the soon-to-be reservoir, drilled out the existing internal holes and re-tapped them for more cap screws. I should mention, it was at one time a hard drive enclosure that died, sat on my shelf for about a year as I never get around to fixing things.
Click to expand...

Is that going to sit externally?

What about picking up a used Reserator to use as the reservoir and additional cooling? You can probably pick up used ones for cheap.
 
Jimmah

Jimmah

Golden Member
Mar 18, 2005
1,243
2
0
Zap said:
Is that going to sit externally?

What about picking up a used Reserator to use as the reservoir and additional cooling? You can probably pick up used ones for cheap.
Click to expand...


I was aiming for it to be mounted in one of the 5.25 bays, not sure if I will use it now, I've had little sleep this week and the effort just doesn't feel worth it right now.

I did have a line on a reserator a few months ago, foolishly I let it go.

Almost 24h and no leaks, once my son takes a nap I'll try to get things mounted to the wall.
 
Jimmah

Jimmah

Golden Member
Mar 18, 2005
1,243
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Didn't like the wall mount, looked ugly and half-assed (mostly because it was). Bought some scrap aluminum plate, drilled and de-burred it, gave it a rough brushed look and mounted everything to it. This is a rough fit and everything is still loose:

http://i12.photobucket.com/albums/a235/xhiron/DSC_1055.jpg

Looks better I think, going to have it hook onto the top/side via rubberized magnets. Then off to sanding/painting. Getting closer :)
 
Jimmah

Jimmah

Golden Member
Mar 18, 2005
1,243
2
0
Project completed (mostly).

Got it running and such today, all mounts and blocks have no leaks, which was suprising. Was a bitch to get the lines bled, was coughing for almost an hour it seemed. On a disappointing note, the pump isn't up to the task it seems. Have barely any flow, not suprising with the 4 rads + dist block + restrictive CPU and GPU blocks. I'm estimating flow is somewhere between .25 and .5lpm, byt the look of the water coming out of the GPU block. Disappointing indeed, am looking for a rebuild kit for my spare eheim 1250, 4 times the flow of the C-Systems pump I have in it now.

Pics will follow tomorrow morning, camera batteries died and need a few hours in the charger.

Edit: Temps under load 46c CPU 45c GPU, ambient hovers around 18c. Poor showing, better pump should fix that I think.
 
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