BIX question

[Lothar5150]

Hello everyone! I am wondering if people are looking for a shroud for the BIX or the BI. It seems that the fan mounting surface is a little close to the heat-exchager core and they look like they are less efficient than they could be if they had a proper shroud.

[RonnieG]

Get a heatercore then shroud it.

[UberBlue]

If your set on a BIX, you're gonna have to make your own shroud. Nobody makes one that I'm aware of.

[Voodoo Rufus]

Yeah, I've looked around for 120mm extensions, or offsets, and can't find one either. I'd be very interested if someone found one.

One idea I came up with for shrouding a BI series radiator is to take 4 bolts and use jamnuts to offset and lock the rad in place as far as you want from the fan. Then use maybe aluminum duct tape to seal it. I've been meaning to try it but never got around to taking apart my system again yet.

[UberBlue]

Originally posted by Voodoo Rufus
Yeah, I've looked around for 120mm extensions, or offsets, and can't find one either. I'd be very interested if someone found one.

One idea I came up with for shrouding a BI series radiator is to take 4 bolts and use jamnuts to offset and lock the rad in place as far as you want from the fan. Then use maybe aluminum duct tape to seal it. I've been meaning to try it but never got around to taking apart my system again yet.

That's what I did, only I used 1" strip styrene instead of tape. Tried the tape thing, it didn't work to well.

[Lothar5150]

Thanks for the input. Next Question....If I designed one and manufactured a shroud for BIX do would you guys buy it?

[UberBlue]

I ditched my BIX, so no.

[Voodoo Rufus]

Possibly. If it was 3/4" to 1" long.

[Lothar5150]

Originally posted by Voodoo Rufus
Possibly. If it was 3/4" to 1" long.

I'm thinking 1" would be best for performance. Do you think there are a lot of people that have been looking to shroud their BIX?

[Voodoo Rufus]

Well, I'd say those who have a BI-class rad who care a bit about looks might be interested. I think there would be a demand.

[Lothar5150]

Originally posted by Voodoo Rufus
Well, I'd say those who have a BI-class rad who care a bit about looks might be interested. I think there would be a demand.

Thanks Voodoo!

[Voodoo Rufus]

You're welcome. Let me know if it happens or not.

[MikeTimbers]

I broke a blade on a cheapo 120mm fan by mistake so I gutted it and put that between the working fan and the BIX. Instant shroud.

[Voodoo Rufus]

Yeah, I've thought of that. But who wants to gut working fans just for a shroud? If they ARE really cheap, then I wouldn't mind so much.

[Lothar5150]

Originally posted by Voodoo Rufus
You're welcome. Let me know if it happens or not.

Hey Voodoo

What do you think?
Shroud Pic 1 (http://home.socal.rr.com/lotharspub/ISR-55-(23).gif)

Shroud Pic 2 (http://home.socal.rr.com/lotharspub/ISR-55-(15).gif)

[necromanx13x]

Thats really nice looking, I may be interested in one or two of those if your selling them and depending on the price.

[Lothar5150]

Thanks necromanx13x email me and I'll send you one of the prototypes for free. Honestly what would pay for one?

[Bleed]

would those fit in a BI pro?

[Lothar5150]

Originally posted by Bleed
would those fit in a BI pro?

Yes any of the rads with 120mm fan mounts

[Bleed]

nice... are you selling 'em coz im also interested :D

[Lothar5150]

awsome. I'm not going to sell them direct. Hey bleed what do you think a fair price is for a shroud.

[Bleed]

hehehe.... not really a business minded person but ummm... maybe 10-12 bucks? :D. Dtek shrouds for the Pro-core is about 15 bucks.

[Lothar5150]

but you do buy water cooling equipment.

[felinusz]

Wow, great idea, lovely design! I have two BIX radiators, I prefer them because of the size, and I would buy four of your shrouds from you if the price is right.

I made a makeshift shroud from a dead 120mm fan, but I need 3 more fans (and fans never die, plus they look ghetto as heck), before I can use them as shrouds.

I PMed you, hopefully we can work something out! :)

[Voodoo Rufus]

Hey Lothar, those look pretty slick. Very nice. I've been wondering if this thread would come back. YGPM.

[Lothar5150]

Originally posted by Voodoo Rufus
Hey Lothar, those look pretty slick. Very nice. I've been wondering if this thread would come back. YGPM.

Thanks Voodoo

[IceWilly]

How much do shrouds really help. Are they just for looks, i am also planning to pick up a BIX and maybe i would like to grab one of those sweet shrouds you made. You think they could be made/painted silver ;)

Oh yeah... bleed if you are a TF fan just wait til you see the case/WC system i am making...

Lian Li pc-60 with custom TF window...
http://www.geocities.com/icewilly27/images/moddedwindow.JPG

Window (http://www.geocities.com/icewilly27/images/moddedwindow.JPG) (black obviously is cut out)

Will have blue and red cathodes on top and bottom to show off the rig. ^^ Hope i can cut those letters out.


paste the link in location bar if it doesn't work.

[Soja]

Check out a shroud how-to on the frontpage (http://overclockers.com/tips1022/index02.asp). At the end of the 2nd page there is temp recordings of before and after. Shrouds should never be optional. Even a cheap homemade cardboard one is better than none unless you don't care about performance, but why would you be watercooling in the first place :p

[jackal2513]

i wouldnt bother with a shroud
chances are it will just make your rig noisier

if you want better temps then get a prometia.... in any case teh tests ive tried with shrouds didnt show any noticeable improvement.

In fact i had one of my 120mm fans round the wrong way the other night and that didnt make any diference idle or under load.

[Voodoo Rufus]

Shrouds make your system quieter actually. They do this because the dead spot is reduced, and let the flow straighten out after it comes out of the fan. Since the dead spot is reduced, it can help temps.

[jackal2513]

but, soon as a fan touches anything, shroud included .. it will make more noise

by definition a fan/shroud has to be sealed ... therefore NOISE

[Voodoo Rufus]

Ok, I'll try to explain it better.

Take your hand and hold it in front of you, and blow air across it with your hand vertically. Then blow air across it horizontally. Can you tell a difference? Same idea. Without a shroud and a fan very close ot on the blades of the radiator, the flow comes out somewhat sideways because of the rotation of the blades. Airflow noise is caused either way, but a shroud reduces it. The slower the flow entering the radiator, the less noise there is as well. You get a slightly slower air velocity because the dead spot has been reduced enlarging the area where the air can go. Additional vibrational noises could bec reduced by using a foam gasket like was shown in Lothars pictures. This seals the air and can help reduce the noise from vibrations.

[felinusz]

Where can you buy a foam gasket like that, or the foam to make one?

I am making my shrouds from some old Server 120mm fans (I needed them fast, and can't wait for Lothar's design to hit the market :().

And yes - the BIX series have fairly dense fins, and make a lot more noise when the fan is up close to them. Having it farther away is much quiter.

[Voodoo Rufus]

You should be able to buy foam gaskets at the hardware store I think.