Extreme cooling systems (Or, water in a rack!)

[OddOne]

This should inspire a few folks...

I'm racking my computer and cooling system as I've grown tired of kicking and bumping the &^@%#@^ thing. (It's in an Inwin Q600 now, and it's in my way under my desk.) Since I run a rather aggressive water/Peltier cooling system, I decided to move it into its own rack enclosure.

So, what started as this:
http://www.ocmojo.com/guides/rackmount_coolingsystem/images/chassis_brokendown.jpg

...now looks like this:
http://www.ocmojo.com/guides/rackmount_coolingsystem/images/faceplate_complete_before_painting.jpg

A Power One SPL1012-250 industrial switching supply and my AC cooling system controller will hide behind the small fans at left, the big opening in the middle is the inlet for the rear-exhaust radiator, and the controls at right work the cooling system controller so I have fingertip control of my pump, fans, and Peltier supply. Plus, I threw in a Seetron SGX-120L 120x32 serial graphic LCD for status info to be fed from the computer via serial port.

The faceplate was a blank 3U rack plate (the large gray plate in the first pic) before I started - I cut every opening out with a RTX and a Roto-Zip routing bit. Given that the plate's 1/8" thick, it took me a few days to do it.

I think it turned out okay so far... Now to cut the openings in the back!

oO

[Coolio]

Looking good!;)

[touser]

whoa! thats fancy!, yes u have inspired me :) hehe, when u are done could u post somewhere some more pics i am very interested.

[OddOne]

Just when you thought it was safe...

Bad things happen when a modder gets close to unfinished metal while having access to spray primer and paint and a bunch of sandpaper. That's high-gloss, bay-bee! (Couldn't take a head-on pic as the paint reflected the flash! :eek: )

http://www.ocmojo.com/guides/rackmount_coolingsystem/images/faceplate_complete_after_painting.jpg

Do not meddle in the affairs of case modders, for they are subtle and quick to mod... :D

oO

[mudguts]

Yeah Yeah! post more pics!! That is awesome! I want rackmount now dammit! heh heh:p Btw..I like that signature...kinda rings a bell...hmmm

[[Oc]acaridans]

Ya I want more pics to..how about a finished product pic??

And have you tossed this into the case gallery in the alternative mod section?

[Bender]

BUMP

Post some more pics when your done please.

[OddOne]

I'm doing an EXTENSIVE writeup on it for the site i'm webmaster for (check my sig) with tons of pics, so everyone will be able to see the whole process in detail when it's up.

It'll be part of a whole series on rackmount computing "for the masses," including how to build a complete rack cabinet for as little as $50 (and not a small one either - I'm talking 18 units of height!), how to move a computer to a rack case and what to watch out for, the cooling system of course, how to mod a traditional standalone USB hub to make it rackmount (stupidly simple and only uses 1 unit of height), a review or two on some killer products I've encountered in my rackmount travels, and a couple other neat things everyone might be interested in that aren't rackmount-specific (such as how to build a -simple- electronic flow sensor to detect a failed pump)

However, it'll take me a good few weeks to do all the work these articles' projects will require. So patience will definitely be a virtue... In the meantime I might post teaser pics here in this thread, unless everyone prefers I don't :D

oO