another water cooling question...

eh? · Oct 20, 2001

Im really thinking about water cooling... and i was wondering if you could put other forms of coolant in there besides water... I think somewhere i read about some guy using vodka, i have no idea if that would work. But as of right now im gonna use water with a 20% mixture of antifreeze, any other suggestions?

ve6jhc · Oct 20, 2001

You need something in the water to kill bugs...People have been using antifreeze but I have seen posts about it not flowing/cooling as good as those systems that add water wetter to it. Some guys are use methanol or other exotic liquids. I personally am running just plain old boiled tap water mixed 5:1 with antifreeze. Works fine on my system and I check for crud in my water tank after 3 months...nothing.

eh? · Oct 20, 2001

what kind of computer do you have?? and what are your temps?

The Overclocker · Oct 20, 2001

you dont want to use anti freeze unless you are going below 0, get some water wetter and then leave it alone, there is only 1 thing achocl is good for, me

ve6jhc · Oct 20, 2001

I am running an Abit KG7 Raid, 1.4 T Bird, 512 DDR, GeForce 2 MX 400, pair of 40 GB Maxtor HDs. My case is a full tower and has a Digi Doc 5 install for temps. My cooling is a Danger Den Maze 2. I run a car heater core for a rad in a remote cutom made box that also houses my 6" water tank with a sub. pump. I cool the rad with a pair of 120MM fans. Also in the cooling case I have an old 200 watt AT PSU. This runs my pump, fans and had leads for powering my Pelts....I have three Pelts but I don't run them on my system (too chicken). I get the following temps

CPU - idle 28 C and full load 33 C

I also monitor these temps with my Digi Doc 5

1) top of water block (25-28C)
2) Video Card (53-58 C)
3) DDR (31-35 C)
4) HD (30 C)

Room temp is 20 C.

The best part about water cooling is that it is sooo stable. Notice the difference between idle and full load? I play UT for hours and then check my temp.....33C!! I love it. I used to play with lots of fans but the noise bugged me. I did spend some time to lap my water block and I use Artic Silver.

Karsta · Oct 20, 2001

Do you use those 120mm's on full power? I am interested because I'm currently planning of building a water cooling system. I kind of ruled the radiator out because of noise of big fans and expense.

Christoph · Oct 20, 2001

For killing bacteria, you can get an erythromycin tablet that treats 10 gal. for $.80 a pop. That's what I'm going with, since I'm makeing a bong cooler and have got to breathe anything I put in the water.

eh? · Oct 20, 2001

thank you guys for the help!!! Karsta i also am currently really thinking about a water cooled system and i think i will start just as soon as i get home. (im at my gf's now. she goes to purdue) so sunday i will be home and monday i will commence on the water cooling sytem.
Ok i now have a couple more questions. First where is a good place to get water wetter localy? Second what are you guys talking about bacteria??? i was just gonna go to Martins and by a couple of gallons of distilled water. And last how should the waterflow go??? like this: resivior/pump/waterblock/radiator?

Christoph · Oct 20, 2001

You'll need something to kill bacteria, even if you've got a closed system. They're everywhere and you'll have to deal with them no matter what system you've got.

Karsta · Oct 21, 2001

I think that bacteria might be one problem but what about algae? That is also a normal problem with water. I think that erythromycin might not help fighting that.

r0ckstarbob · Oct 21, 2001

you're really not going to want to cut your coolant with antifreeze. you'll get poorer performance out of it if you do. water is some of the best stuff around as far as heat transfer coolants. don't cut it if you don't have to, and if you're lookin for a slight increase in the performance of water, look at waterwetter or problend's 40-below additives to add to your water. in addition to adding a slight performance increase, both have agents to kill waterborne bacteria.

unless you absolutely have to, cutting your water is almost never going to be a good thing. try to stick with 100% distilled water if you can.

Christoph · Oct 21, 2001

I haven't seen anything about algae, but that sounds like a valid concern. Have you had problems with them or is it just an idea?

r0ckstarbob · Oct 21, 2001

or purple ice which is especially designed to address those concerns...

Karsta · Oct 21, 2001

No. I don't have water cooling yet. But I've seen algae growth in many other places like showers and shower sewers (one could think that soap would hinder the growth), water tank of toilet flushing water, water left to stand for long period, aquarium (of course), on trees, stones and buildings etc.

I think there is no reason it wouldn't grow on water cooling system sooner or later except if copper (or aluminium) is poisonous enough to keep it from growing.

robertm · Oct 21, 2001

You need something in the water to prevent galvanic action. This should be the biggest reason to cut water unless you have a system made of all one metal. You could end up with holes in your water block over time. More likely you will get reduced flow into flow stops all together.

If you want a system where you don't have to worry about checking your water for scale and such cut it with something.

The slight difference a good cutting agent would have is worth the difference in a longer lasting system. Well thats my thoughts anyway

eh? · Oct 21, 2001

Well i think im gonna do Distilled water and Water Wetter? would that work?

ve6jhc · Oct 21, 2001

Distilled water and water wetter is the best practical solution. Algee should not be a problem as it needs light to grow and most cooling systems are enclosed.

Somebody had posted asking if I run my 120 mm fans at full power. Yes I do. The fans are just cheapie Panaflows and they are very quiet even at full power. Because my cooling system is remote from my computer case it sits about 5 feet away in it's own custom box. When I first went to water cooling I had a pair of 110 volt 120 mm fans I bought from a salvage place....Man did they move air but I measured the sound with a Rat Shack meter...72 DB and now I am not able to get a reading as the meter does not read sounds less than 50 DB.

Karsta · Oct 21, 2001

Oh yes, of course. Algae needs light!

It was me asking about noise -thanks. It sounds quiet then (have to think if I will use radiator after all).

ve6jhc · Oct 21, 2001

My system runs so stable and never moves its temp more than 2 C that I was thinking of removing one of the fans but I have been too lazy to do it.

eh? · Oct 21, 2001

wheres a good place to get water wetter? ive tried Autozone and and Advancded Auotparts and they never heard of the stuff... any ideas?

another water cooling question...

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