Reflex Action: Passive Cooled Rig (56k warning)

Reflex · Jun 6, 2005

I’ve been lurking around these forums for quite a while and have now finally done something (hence Reflex Action) and here its is:

Water cooling bits:
CPU: Cathars G4
GPU: SwiftTech MCW50
Pump: Hydor L30 II
Passive radiator: 12 * 1/2m 15mm copper pipe
Active radiator: XSPC R120-D http://www.xspc.biz/r120d.php with 2 * panaflo 120mm M1A
Tubing: XSPC ½” ID ¾” OD
T for draining Y for filling/bleeding
3 pairs of colder quick disconnects

The loop

The two rads and pump are mounted in/on a box that goes under the main case.
It’s made from parts of a drawer from an old cupboard.
The small white blocks in the gaps between the pillars are magnetic catches that are used to hold cupboard doors shut, here they will hold plastic panels in place so you can’t see in the box but its easy to get at the insides.

Leak testing the radiator box. Far right is the drain point. In the foreground on the left is the bleed point for the passive rad.

Different angle

This is a view from the back of the box (the pump is at the front). The idea is the hot air from the active rad comes out of here.

more to come..

Reflex · Jun 6, 2005

...

Now with the lid screwed on.
There are four bolts with wing nuts that are used to mount the case on the rad box.
The red plug coming out of the front box is for powering the fans.
There is foam around the pipes to protect them and to stop hot air rising into the case from the rad box.

The passive radiator is built in two banks of 6 vertical copper pipes (15mm) each 0.5m long.
Water goes from the bottom right of the back row of pipes to the top left into the front row of pipes and back to the bottom right.

The copper pipe at the top that doesn’t connect to anything is to hide a bad cut between the top and side panel of the case.

...

Reflex · Jun 6, 2005

...

Where the passive rad joins up

The header tank I made leaked so while I fix it I’m just using a bit of pipe.
Note the front of the rad box is off.

The front. The blue lights at the bottom is a reflection of the fan off the camera lens.

Using an old side panel I made a cover for the front for mounting the fan and surrounding the cd-writer. The floppy and fan controller still need some work.

..

Reflex · Jun 6, 2005

Inside the case (yes I know the cables are a mess)

The quick disconnects and the bolts holding the cases together.

But how well does it work?
Well I haven’t had the time to really overclock it (I had it at 2.4 with no probs before I started taking my old system apart)

So 2500 Barton Mobile @ 10 x 200 on an AN7 and 9500 pro

Active Load (rad fans on 12v) cpu 32c, case 30c, ambient 24c
Passive Load (Only 120mm PSU fan) cpu 36c, case 30, ambient 24c

edit:

Forgot to say thanks for all the ideas i have nicked from these forums to make this rig so: THANK YOU :clap:

Comments and suggestions are welcome

Turd Furguson · Jun 6, 2005

The question is how long did you have the passive load on doing Folding@Home by putting a lot on the system?

ctrl_alt_del_ · Jun 6, 2005

wow, never seen that before! very nice looking - now how do the pipes work exactly?

Reflex · Jun 6, 2005

Turd Furguson said:
The question is how long did you have the passive load on doing Folding@Home by putting a lot on the system?

It was with united devices http://www.grid.org/home.htm and for an hour.

The passive rad is one of the ideas i nicked from someone (Gerwin) see here http://www.xs4all.nl/~philippo

i just doubled it up. Its designed so that everyway through the radiator is the same distance so the water doesn't have a route of least resistance to bypass part of the rad.

I'll sort out a pic to show how the water flows
red arrows are for the far bank of pipes blue are for the near pipes
edit:

iceage · Jun 6, 2005

Those connectors on the copper pipe don't look like they're soldered on. What are they and where did you find them.

I contemplated building a large stand alone passive rad like this, but found my soldering abilities at the moment to be less than up to the task .

noxqzs · Jun 6, 2005

those connectors looke like they could be "compression fittings". no solder needed. find them at the same hardware store.

Reflex · Jun 6, 2005

iceage said:
Those connectors on the copper pipe don't look like they're soldered on. What are they and where did you find them.

They are called compression fittings all you need are a couple of spanners

I bought them from a DIY shop and had lots of choice so i could find the cheapest as most places stocked them.

jamesavery22 · Jun 6, 2005

Awesome temps.

When you drain your system, do you usually disconnect the computer and leave that part filled? If not you might want to look at straight through quick disconnects rather than double shutoff valves. They give a very high pressure drop. Plus you dont have the most powerful pump and a G4 loves additional flow. Just an FYI. Awesmoe setup, very obvious you put a lot of effort into it.

yang88she · Jun 6, 2005

wow, excellent job. Is a single pump sufficient? I would think there would too much resistence?

Reflex · Jun 6, 2005

jamesavery22 said:
Awesome temps.

When you drain your system, do you usually disconnect the computer and leave that part filled?

Its very very heavy so if i move it i have to split it into the two bits.

I haven't had to drain it as only got it running yesterday but when one of the barbs on the G4 started leaking (i hadn't cut the pipe correctly) i just disconnected the bottom and drained just the top.

It makes filling and bleeding easier aswell.

The pump seems to be working ok and at the moment i don't want to part with the cash to get a better one.
edit: only psu fan on

By the way its now cpu 37c case 31c, been running full load since i started the thread

consumer9000 · Jun 6, 2005

A plumber's wet dream machine...nice work. :thup:

Fridge · Jun 6, 2005

speaking of enormous passive radiators... has anyone ever tried using what 'normal people' (heh) would call a radiator? (i.e. a central heating radiator like you stick on the wall)

probably an expensive solution, but what the hell, its got huge surface area :drool:

another thing i reckon would be cool is to directly connect the waterblocks of a pc to the house plumbing.... then you can have it perfect silenbt cos you dont need a pump, can the water is always cold. cost a hella-lot in water, but itd be so cool running!!!! has anyone ever done it? closest ive seen is some dude that mounted a huge passive heatsink undergound in his garden :santa:

edit: forgot to say that its majorly cool, shame its so heavy, eh!! pump those irons, youll get there ;p

bryan_d · Jun 6, 2005

That is great system you have constructed. I am almost tempted to build one myself since I now have the DIY bug. Question though, does having a the Y connector before the CPU somewhat dampen the flow of water? What I mean is that if your were to have used a T connecter, you would have a straight line rather than a curve correct? It would probably be so small of a difference to count but I may be wrong.

Great job again and keep the pics coming,
Bryan D.

millhouse · Jun 6, 2005

Very cool rig... I like the design of it, and the big radiator.

Nice Job!

Jas · Jun 6, 2005

Very nicely done.

Reflex · Jun 6, 2005

thanks for the comments

as for the Y bit i only had 1 T and i needed that for the drain so it was either a Y or wait until i could buy a T.
It appears to work ok so i'll leave it until i drain the top half to fit the header tank (when i've fixed it) then i'll give a T a go.
Having the fill point there does mean if i leave the cap off the tube and turn the pump on water goes everywhere which is quite entertaining.

whitebloodcell · Jun 6, 2005

Thats seriously awesome. Really. Does it work well without the active Rad in the loop?

I really think that setup would benefit from another pump

Reflex Action: Passive Cooled Rig (56k warning)

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