I want to Build a water chiller

Ok I have been running a water cooling setup for a few months now , I need somthing new to play with and dont have much $$ right now . So I figured Y not try and setup a chiller but i know nothing about this so I have come to the pros to ask for help .

My WC loop is D5->DD TDX->DD Maze4->BlackIceExtreem III->D5
So first question is where would it go in my loop Before or after the rad? Do i even need the rad in the loop when using a cooler? wouldnt the rad just be putting Ambient air into the loop causing higher temps ? Or is it best to Put the Rad in the sub zero container ?

Next question with a cooler should I insulate around the cpu block and the gpu ? Or will it not be cold enough to need any thing ?

Coolant do you need more when running a cooler so the water wont freeze ? what % would you recomand ?

Now that those questions are out of the way the cooler its self. I plan on trying to find somthing that is old for free(on side of road or @ junkyard) for this build as i have said it is a low cost build . So what should I keep my eyes open for? Old Ac units? old Dehumidifiers? is one better than the other? (get colder) . Now for the container what do people like to use? I figured i could find a old picknick cooler use whould this be suitable ?


This isnt somthing I want to rush into so any other thing that i didnt ask but i should have please inform me

A new or used AC unit would be best if you want to build the chiller yourself, check out this thread.
http://www.xtremesystems.org/forums/showthread.php?t=22968

Thx , long but good read .

LOL well it looks liek this project wont be possible with the hardware i have i would need new cpu block (solid block) a new wb that is also solid and a differnet pump . this is disapointing cause it is somthing i wanted to try

If you want to hit ambient temps and thats all, leave the radiator in the system. It'll keep the system "warm" and air condition the inside of your case. Also you won't have to worry so much about condensation. If your chiller is hitting below ambient temps by a good bit, you should insulate the CPU, GPU, pump, tubing, and blocks.

Gary at xtreme was building some really impressive water chillers out of window ac units. He had the design down to an art and he is one of the most knowledgable fellows you will ever run into with regards to refrig-based cooling systems.

I built a chiller sometime ago and if you go with the least expensive option (i.e. window unit with evaporator worked into a well insulated cooler) they take up a lot of room and use a lot of power. If you start re-working the chiller by adding copper tubing or changing the evaporator and other components, you will need a lot in the way of tools. At bare minimum, you will need a good copper tubing cutter, a flaring tool set, a good torch, some really good solder and flux as well as a ton of various this and that parts. That is if you have a local ac tech refill it after you are done building it. If you want to do it all yourself, you will also need a manifold gauge set for the refrigerant you are using, a vacuum pump, refrigerant to refill it, etc. etc.

Customizing a chiller ends up costing a ton in the way of tools and supplies to build it. Buying a premade one is likely a lot less expensive.

I did not know that you could use the words "Chiller and Cheap" in the same sentence!

Sure you can, it just depends on the ghettoness of your setup. My chiller cost me ~ $70 to make in total. If I bought a window unit for ~$70 it would perform better but be far less mobile and be a little uglier but at the same time, it would be more efficient. As is my chiller shaves a few degrees off of the temp which is what I wanted.

Moto7451 said:

Sure you can, it just depends on the ghettoness of your setup. My chiller cost me ~ $70 to make in total. If I bought a window unit for ~$70 it would perform better but be far less mobile and be a little uglier but at the same time, it would be more efficient. As is my chiller shaves a few degrees off of the temp which is what I wanted.

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You bought a pre-made chiller or did you modify it yourself?

SiGfever said:

I did not know that you could use the words "Chiller and Cheap" in the same sentence!

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Speaking from experience. That statement is so,so true. My chiller is about 90% done. Just need to finish Reservoir and wire it up. getting the right tools for the job can be very expensive.
Heres a worklog on mine
http://www.ocxtreme.org/forumenus/showthread.php?t=1159
my chiller unit will cool my future core 2 duo rig.

@ what temp do I have to worry about the o-rings in my Wb's leaking ? 0? -5? -10 ?

SiGfever said:

You bought a pre-made chiller or did you modify it yourself?

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Built it from parts. Two waterblocks, a radiator, a pump, and a pelt. The system is not built as the main source of cooling. It's designed to shave temps by a few degrees and it does a good job at this.

Moto7451 said:

Built it from parts. Two waterblocks, a radiator, a pump, and a pelt. The system is not built as the main source of cooling. It's designed to shave temps by a few degrees and it does a good job at this.

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Did you do the refrigerant processing work?

i doubt he used refigerent beyond anti-freeze. If im understanding him right, he has two loops. One cool the peltier, the other circulates water from his block(s) to a block attached to the cold side of the pelt.


BTW, how is that working? i know there was a big stink a year or so back when i first got here about the potential of pelt-based waterchillers, or the lack there of