Water cooling for multiple computers

Ok I been building PCs myself for years now but I never been huge into overclocking. To be honest I still am not huge into it. I understand how it is done, why it is done, and the benefits but it still isn't something I feel is necessary.

Of late though what I feel is necessary is cutting down the heat output in my room due to my 4-6 computers. If you really must know why I have so many I am a multiboxer in mmo games.

Simply put I am a noob to water cooling I never felt the need for it before due to not wanting to overclock my computers. What I want to do is create a system that can water cool more than one computer.

I understand that it might not be the easiest/cheapest thing in the world to do especially since it is my first stroll in this kind of park.

What I would do is buy a system that can support more than one computer and all necessary tubing and stuff for just one computer to test first... I have computers I would not kill myself if I destroyed to test on first. As I get more comfortable with water cooling I would add another computer and so on till I do all my computers or reach the limit of the system.

My problem is I can't find ANYWHERE of someone using one system to cool multiple computers.

I perfectly understand how much work this could be in the long run but if anyone can point me in the direction of equipment that they think could support multiple computers and how one would go about setting up the pumps for a multi computer system I would be in your debt. I also do not expect someone to do all the work for me I am more than capable of researching it is what I do well, just some pointers and tips and direction on where to start and easiest way to add the second third fourth computer and I would be very happy

i saw 1 a while ago, il try to find the link for you.

this guy had a huge radiator in the window of his shed, a 50gal res, and the tubing running under his house to cool a farm of pcs.

its been done depending on the pcs you need to cool, you will need alot of radiators for more then 1 pc, and a decent pump for the amount of blocks.

First of
A good place to start reseaching would be here http://www.overclockers.com/forums//showthread.php?t=628092
As for a system for multiple computers i haven't ever tried to do
There will come more inputs with more links and stuff here i bet

Not to oversimplify things: but more computers means big heatload, and big heatload means big WCing system (duh). If you are thinking about making this 1 massive system, your going to need to research a big pump (possibly a plumbing pump or small pool pump), in which case custom tubing fittings are going to need to be made, and that pump isn't going to be silent, so noise is coming to consider. I have 2 ideas for raddage, either have radiators in the loop of ample size before all the blocks, or use a large car radiator or oil radiator (I have one lying in the basement, I'll post a picture of it to give you an idea of what I'm thinking). Much like Markp said, you will need a larger than normal res. For radiator fannage, I'm not sure what your computer room is like, but I would have a window fan on one side of the room blowing air in, and another fan blowing hot air out of the room. Or possibly get a window AC unit for the room and put the radiators next to it.

You're definitely going to need to get creative with this project, I'm definitely going to subscribe to this thread cause big projects like this really interest me.

markp1989 said:

i saw 1 a while ago, il try to find the link for you.

this guy had a huge radiator in the window of his shed, a 50gal res, and the tubing running under his house to cool a farm of pcs.

its been done depending on the pcs you need to cool, you will need alot of radiators for more then 1 pc, and a decent pump for the amount of blocks.

Click to expand...

hey, i found this link i was talking about:

http://www.xtremesystems.org/forums/showthread.php?t=189928

the same person has a few cool/crazy setups i have seen , like this 1

http://www.xtremesystems.org/forums/showthread.php?t=207565

You gots lots of money you could go chilled water. I was looking at a 1HP aquarium chiller, was about $1000. Or a custom chiller.

Chilled water is a lot simpler, but more electricity and noise somewhat. You'd still need manifolds and all sorts of complicated tubing like markp posted.

You can usually find a unit for cheap (maybe $200) on like craigslist thats in working order that has been pulled from a freezer unit. They pull freezer units all the time from restaurants (small ones). All youd need is an exchanger from there. Probably put together a chiller system w/ water cooling parts for $500-600.

A chiller could be an option if it stays over ambient, but I've heard nothing but grief over subambient water loops with condensation. Assuming with multiple pcs you'd be shooting for a good balance, it'd be a headache - if one pc isn't pumping heat, your temps could get out of whack and you have problems. I don't think the chiller thing is a good idea.

What about this shed cooling thing, where is this guy located? Sheds around ohio get hot as heck with the sun beating down in the summer. Suppose if he's pumping enough air thru it may keep it cooler, but then you are cooling a shed and a bunch of computers. Damn cool it worksm

to OCF!

Darlatan said:

Of late though what I feel is necessary is cutting down the heat output in my room due to my 4-6 computers. If you really must know why I have so many I am a multiboxer in mmo games.

Click to expand...

Water cooling will not reduce the heat load in the room unless you plan on putting the radiators someplace else besides your computer room. Water cooling doesn't make the heat disappear, it's simply another way to move heat from the CPU/GPU to a radiator of some type. If that radiator is in the same room the heat will also stay in that room ...

sry buy I dont trust Koolance **spec** since they are always false.

Agreed IMOG. Many large aquarim chillers have a temp control. He could set the water to 2C above ambient wich would be no problem and thats a very nice DT. It also make it a lot easier to move the heat into another room maybe and not need a massive radiator like in the links above.

On to the Koolance unit. Thobel, I can gaurentee the Koolance unit is way overated. It is also a aluminum radiator. Meaning down the road you will have possible dissimilar metals corrosion. Koolance makes a few decent watercooling products, but thier all in one setups are pretty bad.

It's pretty much down to two choices. Go big like in the links and maybe you can place the massive radiator in another room, like a cool basement. Or go chilled water. The DYI radiator would be a lot cheaper, I bet he only spent $400 on pipes, used rad and a pump. The chilled water method will be $1200 or more and then you have to do all the piping for another $400 or so.

We haven't begun to touch the cost of the CPU and GPU waterblocks yet, that will be another $160 or so per computer.

Might be best to buy a window AC unit and put the PCs on a rack, enclose the rack and get a 6" dryer vent tube and pipe it into the big box you just made.

thobel said:

http://www.koolance.com/water-cooling/product_info.php?product_id=372

Click to expand...

that's the first thing i thought of when i read the first post, but it's it won't keep up and it's got an aluminum rad as well overpriced.

i would likely just build something like that myself and 1 pump per loop, etc.

i would also move it to another room since the heat same amount of heat, bit more, will be generated.

yeah, sounds like rad in another room or a window AC unit. window ac is the quick easy fix. rad in the other room will be more fun

Chiller addition

Yeah I already intend to use a chiller as it is the only reason why I was considering using water cooling as I would set the chiller just above ambient like someone already suggested which would would mean using one chiller instead of the current 6 loud room fans I am using right now.

Basically I am just trying to get an idea of how the tubing would work from the pump to the chiller to the computers without causing flow problems. I actually think I might be able to get a cheap chiller I just based on what I read so far am starting to get more concerned at how big this chiller would need to be or if since I am going the chiller route it doesn't need to be as big?

I was really honestly hoping there was a multi computer system out there that you could by pumps as you expand the number of computers which I could then hitch up to a chiller but that seems to likely not be the case which means I am going to have to do a lot of research before I do anything.

The ac unit in the window is indeed the easy fix I have already considered this as the easy quick (maybe even cheaper fix) but there is no fun in picking up an ac unit and plopping it in my window. I wanted to pick up water cooling for my computers and this is giving me a legitimate reason to look into it so please do not try try and convince me to go the "quick fix way"

Its not that hard - buy water blocks, buy tubing, buy hardware to clamp things up, buy a strong pump, buy a large radiator, put the radiator somewhere that you want to dump the heat and run the fans. Connect everything in series.

For your goals, there is no reason to complicate things with a chiller. You just need to move the heat out of your computer room, and that will accomplish this goal.

if you want fun try water bong cooling

Hsnopi - how does that help him accomplish his goals? He's already talking about cooling multiple PCs, so complicating things by using an open water loop is just asking for trouble... Bongs can be fun, but they aren't legitimate long term cooling solutions unless you want to routinely refill the loop and empty/clean it due to all the dirt getting in the loop.

This thread could use improvement - instead of simplifying it for him, everyone seems to be making it harder than it needs to be.

it wasn't a serious suggestion hence the ...
If he truly wants to watercool that many comps then it will be costly. I already suggested, as have others, moving the rads into another room or an AC unit.

If he moves the rads into another room he will need either multiple pumps or a very powerful one. He could get a very powerful one for each loop and put it next to the rad f he puts the rads in another room to help eliminate noise.

I would not recommend one big loop for all of them. for 4 comps that is easily over $1000 US. I'd start with one computer, just to get a feel for how to WC then add the others later.

Is it possible to get machine specs for all 4 machines? I have no experience with chillers.

Another option, seriously, is to have the computers in another room and run your AV, ps/kb cables through the wall to the desk. that is probably the cheapest if you actually have another room you can drop the comps into.

Ok I am going to try and clarify things.

Maybe what I am trying to do is unrealistic but this is my goal:

Cool my computers to 30-40 degrees in their current room while eliminating the need to run 6 room fans (which still really do not help all that much)


Cost is not an issue here unless we are talking about spending more than $1300.

Things to note.

I believe I have access to a free aquarium tank chiller that is like 50 gallons or something BUT I AM NOT AGAINST buying something smaller/more quiet/easier to use. I understand I would have to make some custom fittings to make it work but my goal was to use a chiller as it will remove most of the heat from the room via the water chilling without the need of any fans.

What I am honestly trying to get out of this the most is how best people think to hitch things up that would allow for expanding the amount of computers it cools with the least addition of items. Or if I should really have a seperate pump for each computer. My biggest concern with the the whole multiple pump things is setting it up without it causing water pressure. The single pump system also has the draw back of ending up not having enough pressure to push the water through all the systems I mean how do u split one line into four insuring equal pressure/water goes into each line.


Water chiller
|
Pump
|
Connected to a splitter
||||
4 Computers
||||
connected to a joiner
|
Reconnected to Water chiller

or

Water chiller
|
Pump
|
connected to a splitter
||||
4 Computers
||||
Connected to another Pump (same model as above)
|
Reconnected to Water chiller


or

Water chiller
|
connected to a spliter
||||
4Pumps (one to each computer
||||
4 Computers
||||
connected to a joiner
|
Reconnected to Water chiller


or


Water chiller
|
connected to a spliter
||||
4Pumps (one to each computer)
||||
4 Computers
||||
connected to a joiner
|
Connected to one pump (larger than the four smaller pumps)
|
Reconnected to Water chiller

Or

Water chiller
|
connected to a spliter
||||
4Pumps (one to each computer)
||||
4 Computers
||||
Connected to four Pumps (same model as above)
||||
Connected to a joiner
|
Reconnected to Water chiller


I am not stupid I understand that just about any of my attempts are going to be complicated in my system I am just trying to figure out what people think the best approach would be considering there doesn't seem to be a multi pump system out there that I can find.

I mean the other huge questions here are

1. How big of chiller do people think I need?

2. If I use a lot of pumps/one large one what is the noise level going to be on these?

3. What do people think as far as best method from getting from one line from the chiller to 4+ lines for the computers is going to be?


The biggest problem with everything is I only have my room I will not be allowed to complicate anyone else's life with my gaming endeavors. I sleep in the room, I game in the room, and I watch TV in the room. I am trying to come up with the best easiest way to insure my room is not 90 degrees due to my computers. I understand a chiller addition can complicate things and make it more difficult but it is really the only realistic form of water cooling that will do anything for me.

Or maybe I am just being unrealistic and this has 0 chance of working or helping with my situation.