pump relay kits, what if comp is suspended?

Say you have a pump relay kit and you like to suspend your computer most of the time instead of shutting it down, will the pump turn off?

Does the cpu produce heat while the computer is suspended? enough to need the pump running?

Anyone know? (or know of anyone who knows?)

First of all: my computers never go into "suspend" mode- they all participate in either Folding or Seti

However- as long as the computer is ON the psu should be running i believe; I think suspend minimizes the load on the psu but I don't believe it shuts the power supply off.....and as long as the psu is on and shows voltage the relay will keep your pump running.

You can test this by waiting until your pc goes into suspend mode and then checking voltage at a molex. If voltage is present, ta da!
All set.

You could test it by installing the relay and setting it up like the system is running, with the water block and all - just not have the waterblock installed onto the CPU (leave the HSF there)

The relay should turn off when the computer is in suspend. The PS should only be providing current on the +5VSB line, all others should be off.

Also, it is most likely a +12v relay, which is the same line the system fans run off of. So if the fan are off, the relay is also off.

Since the PS is not providing any main line voltages the CPU is completely unpowered, and should not produce any new heat. But it will still be hot from when it was powered, but I think the copper from the waterblock and some natural convection should be enough to cool it down.

kct2 said:

But it will still be hot from when it was powered, but I think the copper from the waterblock and some natural convection should be enough to cool it down.

Click to expand...

Yeah it should be fine, as that's the same situation you're left with when the computer is shut down.

telexen said:

Yeah it should be fine, as that's the same situation you're left with when the computer is shut down.

Click to expand...

Very true...I didn't even think of that.

kct2 said:

The relay should turn off when the computer is in suspend. The PS should only be providing current on the +5VSB line, all others should be off.

Also, it is most likely a +12v relay, which is the same line the system fans run off of. So if the fan are off, the relay is also off.

Since the PS is not providing any main line voltages the CPU is completely unpowered, and should not produce any new heat. But it will still be hot from when it was powered, but I think the copper from the waterblock and some natural convection should be enough to cool it down.

Click to expand...

Ya if that is true than the fans would go off anyways so you wouldnt need the WCing on as long as it can dissapate the left over heat.

i thank everyone for responding to my question, so far ive gotten mixed responses, some people say it will turn off and others say it will stay on, although some people sound like they know more than others regarding the subject...

Can anyone say with CERTAINTY whats going to happen? or is this a general hit-and-miss type thing?

One thing i think is DEFINATELY true is that the CPU is completely unpowered when suspended, i did a test today and suspended for about 4 hours and the heatsink (im runnin on air for now) is ice cold as if the computer was off.....

Another question i want to bring up and am sure has been brought up many times, i dont like to rely on built-in hardware temperature shutdown, so is there something i can go out and get at radioshack that will set off an alarm when temps get too high? or maybe something i could build to cut off power at certain temps?

i got my relay kit today and gona drill a hole in the case, by the end of next week it should be installed so we should know the answer of this puzzle very soon!

Again thanks to all those who responded!

answer...

ok, i got the answer to this question...

I installed my pump relay kit and heres what i found out:


pump relay kits DO NOT TURN OFF THE PUMP when the computer is suspended.... thats right....


SUSPENDED = PUMP ON!!!


damn, that sux =/

Is the pump relay kit you are using the criticool PCI slot based one? If so, that could be the issue. It uses power from PCI bus to trigger the pump relay. Some boards keep some power on the PCI bus for modems and other things that can wake up the system from suspended state.

Personally, I hate that criticool design since there is exposed 120 VAC on it - you could get seriously injured just by brushing against it. I prefer making my own from relays and enclosing the whole thing in a small case (on the top of the computer case - just in case something starts leaking).

If you are using a different relay that's driven by one of the power supplies 4 pin Molex connectors for drives and such, then this should work, unless the computer you have isn't configured to use ACPI S3 mode, sometimes called suspend to ram. If it's just in S1 mode, the disks won't spin down and then the relay won't shut the pump off. That's what you want there, since the system isn't really powered down all the way.

Can you give us some specs on what relay you are using and motherboard, etc...?

Thanks,
Mike

Well, heres my relay kit:

http://www.cooltechnica.com/Merchant2/merchant.mvc?Screen=PROD&Product_Code=PRSK

Motherboard:

http://www.abit-usa.com/products/mb/products.php?categories=1&model=6

More about my watercooling setup:

http://forum.oc-forums.com/vb/showthread.php?s=&threadid=206102&highlight=blackjackel


And the relay kit is connected to the same power that powers up my harddrive, CD-rom/rw's.....

And i own an Antec Smartpower 350 watt powersupply

Do your disks shut down in standby mode? This will indicate if it's an S1 or S3 state.

BTW, that kit includes what looks like an ELK 912 relay module, which can be had cheaply from many security or home automation sites. Still needs the other parts of course to make it work in this context.

Mike

i have no idea if my disk shut down when suspended or not.... is there a way i could have them shutdown or turn off the power that powers them?

Well, when the computer is suspended, does the hard disk make any noise? If you are touching it, is it vibrating at all? After 30 minutes, is it still warm? Do the case fans keep turning?

If yes to any of these questions, you are in S1 mode not S3, and the pump should stay on...

Thanks,
Mike

I just got my Criticool kit yesterday. Ill be installing it in within a week at most. (need to test the current system outside case for leaks)

BTW MikeSM they fixed that problem with the design. It was only with the first batch that the problem existed. Now they have hotglue everywhere on the back.

well then lets suppose i was in S1 mode (havent tested yet, no time but will later) how would i make it go to S3 mode?

If you're in S1 mode, then your motherboard needs to be told that you want to enable suspend to RAM mode, and then windows told to use S3 for suspend...

It's possible your motherboard doesn't support S3 mode and so you just can't make it work.

Mike