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I'm Ready to WaterCool - Need Your Help

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Beginner

Member
Joined
Sep 21, 2004
guys, i'm ready to put my first watercooled pc together. its based off of lowend components but i'm hoping for the best out of it.

i've put together several koolance based systems for my buddies but i've never put a real w/c loop together from scratch.

my lowend components are from a koolance pc2 case.

skyhawk b5602 case -
03.jpg

koolance cpu w/b -
cpu-300-h06_01.jpg

koolance northbridge w/b -
gpu-180-h06_01.jpg

dangerden gpu w/b -
m4gpu.jpg

koolance single pass aluminum radiator -
ccs-p15a_02.jpg

koolance pump in reservoir -
com-ant_02.jpg

fan controller - svcompucycle_1887_59132633.jpg.gif

this controller is supposed to do 0-12volts on four channels and has 4 temp. probes.

fans are 2 - 120mm x 38mm nidec fans

psu is a fortron fsp-53060gn(broken exhaust fan-need to learn how to replace it).

the whole loop will be 3/8", it wont be a great performer but enough for what i need. rad and fans will be mounted on the side panel.

here's the first tecnical issue i have, the koolance in reservoir pump normally is connected to koolances circuit board controler and in turn, the circuit board controller is connected to the psu, i'm hoping this means the pump is 12 volts.

i want to bypass that. i want to hook the pump directly to my psu

at the moment i do not have a digital camera, i'm hoping you can guide me with this info.
 
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If that pump is 12V then you just need to wire up a female molex there and you are set but if its not you can't do it.
I don't think you will get excellent performance out of that system.
 
With the copper blocks and aluminum rad, be sure you have plenty of corrosion protection. A 10% solution of Zerex racing coolant will probalby do it. But if you don't already have that aluminum rad, consider getting something made out of copper, maybe a BIP or a heater core.

http://webbase.transpro.com/catalog.php?partnum=399090
$20 Transpro 399090 '70 Chevy C10 w/ AC

http://webbase.transpro.com/catalog.php?partnum=399078
$20 Transpro 399078 '77 Pontiac Bonneville w/ AC

http://www.dangerdenstore.com/product.php?productid=162&cat=72&page=1
$35 low end BIP
 
if your pump is an AC get a pci "powerstation" card. Its the next best thing to having your pump plugged into your psu
 
thanks alot guys, i'm trying to get info from the koolance site about this in reservoir pump.

@ flip-mode - i'm hoping the temps will be close to good air cooling. this setup was free, i retrofited my buddies koolance pc2-601bk case will all new copper rad/blocks(1/2"). he gave this kit to me except for the gpu w/b(thanks d94), nidec fans(thanks moho) and the fan controller i bought from svc.

@ otter, all the w/b's are aluminum.

@ stratus, i hope that power station card has the 2 pin header that matches the 2 pin connector on the pump. oh man i hope this pump is 12 volts.

@ vballcoach thanks for the relay help. if you look at the connector in the pic i posted. it looks like those 2pin fan connectors. i'm crossing my fingers that its 12 volt.

i cut my side panel already and made room for the rad. because of the case dimensions, the rad will be inside the side panel(inside the case) and the fans will be mounted outside the side panel(outside the case).
 
guys, i was thinking and the pump has to be 12 volts. because the circuit board controller is powered from a molex pin from the psu. that means 12 volts :)

there's two leads on the pump wire, a dark blue and a dark brown.
 
I would hope koolance could tell you which to connect to 12V (yellow wire from the PSU) and which to connect to ground (black wire next to the yellow wire).

Beginner said:
@ otter, all the w/b's are aluminum.
Are you sure? I found pictures to match yours on Koolance's website, and the descriptions said they were copper blocks. And if the DD Maze4 comes in aluminum, it's news to me.
 
Otter said:
I would hope koolance could tell you which to connect to 12V (yellow wire from the PSU) and which to connect to ground (black wire next to the yellow wire).


Are you sure? I found pictures to match yours on Koolance's website, and the descriptions said they were copper blocks. And if the DD Maze4 comes in aluminum, it's news to me.

@ otter,

the koolance blocks i have are from a pc2 case, the blocks up there are the closest i could find to the ones i have. they are alumium and gold plated inside and out. i posted an wanted add for a aluminum gpu cooler. i can't find the pm but i was under the impression that the dd gpu block was aluminum, i think the former owner told me it was an old block???

regardless i will use zerex as recommended.

on hooking up the pump to the psu, you're right. i have no idea how to hook it up. plus they don't seem to have pdf's of their products online. i'm still continuing to mod my case. i'll search the web for info on putting this pump directly to psu and how it was done.

cant wait to get this rig going, on good air i can hit 2.72ghz stable 24/7.
 
Okay, so the pics don't actually represent your blocks.

Hey, if you've got that circuit board you don't want to use, measure the resistance between the pins the pump plugs into and the ground pin on the molex. If one has a very low resistance, that should be the ground, and that will tell you which wire on the pump to connect to black.

Or you could power it up and put a voltmeter across the pump pins. The polarity will tell you which side is 12v and which is ground.
 
Otter said:
Okay, so the pics don't actually represent your blocks.

Hey, if you've got that circuit board you don't want to use, measure the resistance between the pins the pump plugs into and the ground pin on the molex. If one has a very low resistance, that should be the ground, and that will tell you which wire on the pump to connect to black.

Or you could power it up and put a voltmeter across the pump pins. The polarity will tell you which side is 12v and which is ground.

i don't have a circuit board controller to test. but i have buddies with these koolance cases. i'll see who's home tomorrow and measure their units :)

thanks for all the help.

the fsp530-60gn alread has for bare wires where a molex was removed. my buddy had a dead generic psu where i removed the molex's and other connectors. i'll see if i can reuse the crimpls and make a connection.
 
@ otter, i'm at my one of my buddies house(he has a koolance unit). i have to remove the fan shroud in order get access to the circuit board controller. he's a little uneasy about it but i'm treating to some homemade mexican food :)


its goinng take awhile to remove the fan shroud, i'll post what the fan header reads on my multi meter.

i have no way to safely power this pump up. i'll post back later.
 
otter i have the pcb here in front of me and i get the same reading on both --- 0. i have my dmm set to ohms. i have a molex from the psu connected to the circuit board controller. the black dmm lead in on the the black pins in the molex connector. i'm using the read dmm lead to probe both pins for the pump.

i'm getting zero?

your help is greatly appreciated.
 
guys the pump connector and fan header on the pcb look like the type used on mobo's for northbridge cooling.

i'm wondering if its based on the same principle? on a regular nb fan, which is the negative pin and which is the postive?

i tried measuring this circuit board over and over again and i only get a read of zero.

i cant figure this out :(
 
i'm spamming my own help thread :)

ok guys this is what i did. i grabbed and unused psu.

1. i connected a molex to the koolance circuit board controller.
2. i jumped the psu so it would turn on.
3. set my digital multi meter to read ohms.
4. connected the black multi meter lead to a black pin on a molex connector.
5. used the red lead to measure both header pins where the pump connects to the koolance circuit board controller.

one pin measured - 0.L
other pin measured - 6.8

which ones the ground pin? i'm assuming the first pin that measured 0.L?

i'll wait for a confirmation before i continue.

if this is what you meant i should do otter? i apologize, i'm a slow learner :)
 
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Okay, you need to measure resistance with the board disconnected from the PSU, otherwise the the current from the PSU will overwhelm the tiny current from the meter. If you get 0 ohms for both, the board is designed to ground the 12v line to the pump when it's not powered. I'm not sure why they'd do that, but there's another way to figure out which pin is the ground.

To test the polarity. Plug the red test probe into the DC volts jack on your multimeter (this is probably also the one for ohms and milliamps). Plug the black probe into the the jack labeled ground or com. Plug in the board and power up the PSU, then put one probe in each pin, being careful not to cause a short (electrical tape up to the tips of the probes is a good safety measure). When the black probe is on the ground pin, you'll get a positive voltage reading -- probably 12V, but maybe less depending on what that board is designed to do. With the black probe on the other pin, you'll get a negative reading on the voltmeter.

If you're still not getting a sensible reading, measure the voltage with the pump connected. Keep in mind that some pumps will tear up the impeller or bearing if you run them dry even for a moment.

As a last resort, you could just try connecting your pump both ways, but there is a chance there is some circuit in there that won't like the reversed polarity at all. It wouldn't be a problem with a standard DC motor -- most of them will even run backwards. But without knowing anything about your pump, I'm not going to recommend that.
 
thanks otter,

when i get home i'll start taking the steps you outlined. about the "Plug the red test probe into the DC volts jack on your multimeter. i'm sure my radio shack 22-810 doesn't have one of these jacks you mention.

is there another alternative i can use? i'm also thinking about running the motor. can i submerge the pump in a bucket of water? with the pump connected and running, how will i meaure to see which lead is the ground?

sorry for being so hard headed :)
 
From page 19 of your owners manual said:
Caution:
• The test leads are permanently
attached to the meter. Do not try to
remove them.
2. Rotate the selector to the desired
function and range. For example,
DCV includes four ranges: 2, 20, 200
and 500.

You're right; you don't need to worry about jacks. Just set the dial to the 20v scale.

Beginner said:
i'm also thinking about running the motor. can i submerge the pump in a bucket of water?
It's a submerisble pump right? Hence putting it in a bucket should be fine.

with the pump connected and running, how will i meaure to see which lead is the ground?
I'm not sure what you're asking, but I assume that the wires come out through a watertight seal of some sort and are long enough to clear the surface of the water. If the pump doesn't run with the connector pulled back slightly on the header pins, you might be able to measure where the pins are soldered to the board, or on the traces leading to the solder points. Remember to cover all but the tips of the probes.

If there is something covering the solder joints and traces, you might have to slip some short pieces of relatively fine, bare wire into the socket to take your measurements. Bend these back around the plug and tape them securely so they can't cause a short and use two different pieces of tape so that even if the wires move there will always be tape between them. Leave just enough bare wire so that you can easily measure with your multimeter probes. When you push the connector on the pins, the bare wires should make contact too, if they don't, fiddle with it until you get a measurement. If it's too tight a fit, find a finer wire. If you force it, you might bend the pins on your buddy's board.

sorry for being so hard headed :)
NP. The only really stupid questions are the ones you didn't ask even though you needed to. :)
 
thanks for breaking it down :)

when i figure out my ground and power leads. my ground pump lead will be connected to one of the black leads on the psu. the power lead from my pump i'll connect to the red lead?

i have some spare molex's i can use.
 
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