Tap watercooler

illuminati11_13 · Jun 18, 2007

What would the difficulties be in setting something like this up?

What I mean is, a watercooler that takes it's water directly from the the home water tap and returns it to the home? It may instead connect to the piping. Instead of a pump, it would use a valve that opened when the computer turned on and a radiator wouldn't be necessary. I'd just need water blocks and tubing.

I think that mechanincally this is workable but I don't know about the chemicals in the tap water.

This is mostly in theory for now as I still need my computer to be somewhat mobile but I'm still curious.

Spawn-Inc · Jun 18, 2007

crap would grow in the tubes, rad, res, blocks.

it is a giant waste of money and water.

you will have to be near a water supply.

you will have to insulate all your lines as it will be cold and will you will get Condensation.

if you want really cold water then do a underground style of cooling.

Automata · Jun 18, 2007

Spawn-Inc said:
crap would grow in the tubes, rad, res, blocks.

it is a giant waste of money and water.

you will have to be near a water supply.

you will have to insulate all your lines as it will be cold and will you will get Condensation.

if you want really cold water then do a underground style of cooling.

I don't disagree with anything on there.

Big Mike · Jun 18, 2007

1. how do you circulate water back into the water system, first off its illegal (pumping anything into the water system is illegal due to the risk of contamination), second its not really doable, you'd just be pulling the same water out over and over and only "exchanging" the water when you run a tap

2. tap water has a huge ammount of minerals to deposit in your equipment, and lots of trapped AIR. Oxygen circulating in and out of your computer will corrode any metal that is prone to oxidation horribly

XeonStrikeForce · Jun 18, 2007

it is called an open loop cooling system first off, secondly it is of no good and not practical unless you live next to a large lake or a river.

IF you live next to a lake or a river then by all means do it, just be ready for the high maintanance of it, if you want long term low temps look up chillers.

Spawn-Inc · Jun 18, 2007

Big Mike said:
1. how do you circulate water back into the water system, first off its illegal (pumping anything into the water system is illegal due to the risk of contamination), second its not really doable, you'd just be pulling the same water out over and over and only "exchanging" the water when you run a tap

i'm not sure what you mean there, it sounds like he wants to run water from the tap through the water blocks then into a drain. thats not illegal just not a good idea for what you said below

2. tap water has a huge ammount of minerals to deposit in your equipment, and lots of trapped AIR. Oxygen circulating in and out of your computer will corrode any metal that is prone to oxidation horribly

illuminati11_13 · Jun 18, 2007

Big Mike said:
1. how do you circulate water back into the water system, first off its illegal (pumping anything into the water system is illegal due to the risk of contamination), second its not really doable, you'd just be pulling the same water out over and over and only "exchanging" the water when you run a tap

Sorry, meant into the sewage/septic system.

2. tap water has a huge amount of minerals to deposit in your equipment, and lots of trapped AIR. Oxygen circulating in and out of your computer will corrode any metal that is prone to oxidation horribly

This is what I was asking about.
I suppose a filter would take care of some of the minerals?
And a scoop for the air?

||Console|| · Jun 18, 2007

It will get expensive , will be the same as haiving a tap running 24/7 . A good Rad will get your water close to room temp, you dont really need better than that.

illuminati11_13 · Jun 18, 2007

||Console|| said:
It will get expensive , will be the same as having a tap running 24/7.

Oh, the school won't mind...

Actually, I considered this. In northern Virginia we mostly use wells, not city water. On a wet year, and a computer that doesn't run 24/7, I think I would be able to afford it.

A good Rad will get your water close to room temp, you don't really need better than that.

I don't need to OC either... But I want to.

orion456 · Jun 18, 2007

They have water cooled helium pumps and tap water runs through them 24/7 on a permanent copper pipe system and then back into an open drain. The pipe coming out is always warm so no condensation on there. The water has chlorine so it wouldn't allow stuff to grow on it.

But, it's expensive to run a gallon a minute down the drain. That's like a 1/2 million gallons a year........oh my, environmentally crazy. :temper:

Maviryk · Jun 18, 2007

You want to use chlorinated well water with copper waterblocks?

illuminati11_13 · Jun 18, 2007

orion456 said:
They have water cooled helium pumps and tap water runs through them 24/7 on a permanent copper pipe system and then back into an open drain. The pipe coming out is always warm so no condensation on there. The water has chlorine so it wouldn't allow stuff to grow on it.

tnx

But, it's expensive to run a gallon a minute down the drain. That's like a 1/2 million gallons a year........oh my, environmentally crazy.

If I were to do this it would be well water to a septic tank. So any water removed from the water table would be returned sooner or later. Though, I might end up with a small pond over the septic tank.

Anyway, to temper water use, what about a dual setup? Valves to switch between closed-loop pump/rad setup and open-loop well-water setup. This adds allot of complication.

Maviryk said:
You want to use chlorinated well water with copper waterblocks?

My well, no chlorine.

XeonStrikeForce · Jun 18, 2007

industrial & Commercial, medical can get discounts and can afford such systems, though it is far better to find ways to use closed loop systems. Just because one doesn't pay for it doesn't mean we should waste it, precious resources should not be squandered, when much better systems are available.

I build open loop cooled refrigeration plants, I strongly recommend them to switch to a closed loop systems with heat recovery ability.

XeonStrikeForce · Jun 18, 2007

illuminati11_13 said:
tnx
If I were to do this it would be well water to a septic tank. So any water removed from the water table would be returned sooner or later. Though, I might end up with a small pond over the septic tank.
Anyway, to temper water use, what about a dual setup? Valves to switch between closed-loop pump/rad setup and open-loop well-water setup. This adds allot of complication.
My well, no chlorine.

Recycle it directly to the well, or submerge a copper HX into the well and recirc the water through that to keep them isolated. Your septic tank will flood! I grew up with such a system and know how annoying they are ! hence the saying of if its yellow leave it mellow if its,,,,,,,, you get the idea.

illuminati11_13 · Jun 18, 2007

XeonStrikeForce said:
industrial & Commercial, medical can get discounts and can afford such systems, though it is far better to find ways to use closed loop systems. Just because one doesn't pay for it doesn't mean we should waste it, precious resources should not be squandered, when much better systems are available.

Short of pollution, I don't see how it's squandered if it's put right back where it started.

Your septic tank will flood! I grew up with such a system and know how annoying they are ! hence the saying of if its yellow leave it mellow if its,,,,,,,, you get the idea.

Yes, I mentioned that.

Recycle it directly to the well, or submerge a copper HX into the well and recirc the water through that to keep them isolated.

Thought of that, then read you're comment. That might deal with flooding.

Clockwork_Apple · Jun 18, 2007

I did this a while back on a socket A system, using a cheap block and some hose pipe. Got my 2500+ to 2550Mhz with 1.95v, load temps were 23C, as the water was ice cold. I'm amazed that I got away with not shorting the board from condensation, i didnt know about it back then

I only ran it for two hours, and the block did get some growth after I removed it and didnt bother to clean it.

I dont think it's a viable option for long term use, just for some suicide runs and benches. Just get a regular loop and a massive bong for sub-ambient temps

4od · Jun 18, 2007

Bong!

No really, a bong or a geothermal loop will accomplish the same thing but be cheaper and easier, not to mention more eco-friendly

Mycobacteria · Jun 19, 2007

feed the excess water onto the plants so its more enviromentally friendly.

the water pressure cummin out of the tap is good enough so you dont need a pump! Without the use of a pump rad and fans it will be a super quiet PC.

tap water in australia is really quite clean and usually slighly cooler than ambient temp and its safe to drink... I dont know about other parts of the world.

Moto7451 · Jun 19, 2007

No offense but this isn't a good idea. If you want consistently cold temps, buy a phase change setup.

Mycobacteria · Jun 19, 2007

its not good because you dont think its a good idea?

I can see it being cheaper than a phase change....

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