Fabricating an external water-cooling unit

would it be advisable to build a box, and put a heater-core, pump, and reservoir. How would i go about doing this, most importaint part for me would be how easy it would be to disconnect form the main chassis and ability to move it around

This should be put in the watercooling section under cooling. As for the external box, I would think you'd need a switch that you turn on both tubes(in and out) to stop the flow but then you'd need four of those to keep all the tubes sealed but you'd need something to get them to connect together. Ask the people in the watercooling section as they would have more information on this.

-1cem4n

I did an external shroud. As for easily disconnecting and reconnecting a water system I think you're out of luck, desengaging and refitting CPU and VGA blocks on the fly isn't currently possible.

--Illah

I've used external tank setup before using an off the shelf small aquarium tank. The water pump was inline and installed inside the PC and the aquarium was sitting next to the PC with some colored beads and fake plants inside just for appeal. I'd have thrown in live fishes but I doubt they can survive 40C+ and with added chemical plus I'd need to add filtering system to keep fish wastes and food out of the computer!

building an external housing is only limited to your imagination, and it's well worth it (i've always gone external just for easy of adding water, etc.) as far as connecting, it's a snap too. All you need are 2x1/2" (or whatever u choose to use) barbs with one set having female threading and the other male. So all you ahve to do to disconnect is turn off your pumps, unscrew, and blow out the extra water. of coures you unscrew over a bucket for the natural draining and such but you'll never have to remount your WBs again this way. if your case has a rear fan, that's a good place for the tubes to come out, or cut a couple of holes anywhere you find convenient.

with the external box, if your room has a window, you can also build some sort of shelf and stick it outside for some nice wintercooling and just use towels to block the cold air from coming through the 1/2" crack for the tubing. you'll never be happier, good old waterchiller called mother nature, hehe. enjoy.

edit: be sure you'll be able to put ur WC tower and case close + have some pumps with a decent head rating as your loops will probably increase by about 4ft (measure one and x2). still well worth it!

I used a old HP micro ATX case for my water box. The 250 watt PSU in it worked great for the pump, fans, and few CCFL's. I wired up a 12V 10amp relay to turn the PSU in the external case on and off with the PSU in the main box.

For the connection to the case, I use quick connectors that you would use with air tools(like these http://www.northerntool.com/webapp/...tDisplay?storeId=6970&productId=42547&R=42547 ). Used female connectors on the back of both case's so the water wouldn't leak out when it was disconnected, only the tubing between the case's would have to be drained.

And like nicspits said, be sure you have a powerful pump because of all the extra tubing.