DDC-2 quit last night

[Graystar]

Ouch! Well, I've seen them listed for 180 bucks on other sites.

 

[Otter]

I had looked into doing that exact thing. It looked to me that it was going to be kind of costly to do,

I've started poking at this idea again too. I think I'll try it eventually, but yeah, if all you want to do is make one DDC top, it would be a bit pricey.

and also I could never get a good answer as to how resin compares to cast acrylic.

What kind of comparison are you looking for?

Also, if you look at the original top vs what you have to do to make it work 1/2" inlet and outlet barbs, it complicates the idea of casting as the exit channel has to widen out to accommodate the 1/2" barbs, whereas with the stock top the exit is a straight tube.

Obviously it means you have to modify your mold, but I don't think it would be overly complicated. I've been thinking the outlet channel mold should be a separate piece, and the little seam in Laing's top at the exit from the chamber makes me think that they probably do it that way. If you pull the mold out the same way the water goes, it shouldn't matter that the bore gets wider. But if you want to do it the other way, you could put an insert down the center of the bore that you could remove, leaving just a floppy sleeve to pull out through the chamber. It might be a good idea to use a rigid insert in the outlet channel anyway, just to to avoid droop.

 

[SolidxSnake]

You don't even need to change the outlet to 1/2", you can leave it 3/8" and have a 1/2" barb slip over it. It will kill some flow, but there will be less of a pressure drop. That was how I got my DDC. The top barb ripped off, so I had to redo the inlet, but the outlet was just the flare and stem (everything but the threads) of a 1/2" barb slipped over the stock 3/8" barb and epoxied on.

 

[Otter]

You don't even need to change the outlet to 1/2", you can leave it 3/8" and have a 1/2" barb slip over it.

True. You could even leave the inlet at 3/8" if you wanted. The main performance boost comes from removing the inlet elbow. But as long as your at it...

 

[orionlion82]

Psst!

-you can fix the pump!

 

[voigts]

You don't even need to change the outlet to 1/2", you can leave it 3/8" and have a 1/2" barb slip over it. It will kill some flow, but there will be less of a pressure drop. That was how I got my DDC. The top barb ripped off, so I had to redo the inlet, but the outlet was just the flare and stem (everything but the threads) of a 1/2" barb slipped over the stock 3/8" barb and epoxied on.

You can do that, but once you epoxy the 1/2" over the 3/8", your warranty is history.

Otter: The cost issue that I found in the idea of casting out of resin is that is would require a pressure chamber in order not to have air bubbles in the resin. And the cost of the pressure chamber was like $250 if I remember right.

 

[Otter]

Ah. I was going to ghetto that. Something like an old steel mixing bowl or flower pot with a valve on it sitting upside-down on flat surface with a rubber mat for a gasket, maybe, plus a vacuum pump from ebay. If I replace my fridge before I get around to casting DDC tops, I'll probably use the motor from it. I once used a fridge motor I borrowed from a friend of a friend to pump down my car's AC, and it worked great.

 

[SiGfever]

Ah. I was going to ghetto that. Something like an old steel mixing bowl or flower pot with a valve on it sitting upside-down on flat surface with a rubber mat for a gasket, maybe, plus a vacuum pump from ebay. If I replace my fridge before I get around to casting DDC tops, I'll probably use the motor from it. I once used a fridge motor I borrowed from a friend of a friend to pump down my car's AC, and it worked great.

Careful, if you live in the US and someone gets it on video you will be looking at a $BIGMONEY fine if you are not CFC certified.

Plus you can make that person a quick $10K.

 

[SolidxSnake]

You can do that, but once you epoxy the 1/2" over the 3/8", your warranty is history.

Otter: The cost issue that I found in the idea of casting out of resin is that is would require a pressure chamber in order not to have air bubbles in the resin. And the cost of the pressure chamber was like $250 if I remember right.

Well, if you're modding the original top (making the inlet 1/2" or not on an elbow), then you're voiding the warranty anyway.

Also, if you look at the original top vs what you have to do to make it work 1/2" inlet and outlet barbs, it complicates the idea of casting as the exit channel has to widen out to accommodate the 1/2" barbs, whereas with the stock top the exit is a straight tube.

I was just saying you don't need to, that post of yours was what my post was aimed at, not at the original top. I was just using mine as an example

 

[voigts]

I would just rather add on a top with 1/2" outlets than mod the stock top so that I could return it if need be. But the idea of epoxying 1/2" fittings over the 3/8" ones isn't a bad idea.

I just worked today on two more DDC tops as I am about to tear into my setup and upgrade. I'm switching pumps back down to a DDC, so I figured I would go ahead and make a new top while I am at it. I wanted to make a top that is as close to the original as possible in the chamber design. My current top that I made is OK, but the new ones I just made have really turned out sweet. I've got the epoxy curing right now. I'll post a thread on it here shortly.

I measured and actually scanned the original top and printed out a template so that I could mimic the original top's impeller chamber very closely. I figure that if I have the chamber just like the original, it should minimize any issues.

 

[Otter]

Careful, if you live in the US and someone gets it on video you will be looking at a $BIGMONEY fine if you are not CFC certified.

Plus you can make that person a quick $10K.

Back then, there was no such thing as CFC certification and it was perfectly legal to work on your own AC in the driveway.

Voigts, I'm looking forward to seeing your new top. Did you cut out the template so that you could actually put it into the chamber?

 

[voigts]

I made the template and printed it out onto cardstock and cut it out so that I could literally trace it out onto the acrylic and then after drilling and reaming it out with a rotary tool, put the template into the hole to verify that the shape is correct.

 

[Otter]

Cool. Scanning the original top is a great idea.

 

[Maviryk]

WTF m8. My MCP355 w/Petra's top just died...

Boot up the computer and noticed the reservoir was a lot calmer than usual...

WTF...

 

[maxfly]

I use the Alphacool top and my DDC-2TPMP recently died, it started stalling until you tapped on it. I sent it back to DD and they replaced the pump. My old one was an 03/06 manufacture and the new one is a 01/07.

I know mine was not overheating as I had heat sinks on the bottom of it with a 120mm Yate blowing on them. Every time that I checked it was only barely warm.

my ddc-1 w/alphacool top is doing the exact same thing.it wont start up until i tap on it(thank god it didnt cook my cpu).bought it in september at ppc.dont know the manufacture date off hand.ill repost later tonight when i can look at it.i also made sure it wasnt getting hot.put silicon gel pads under each corner and had a yateloon blowing over it.mine was never even warm to the touch as well...
good thing i was getting ready to run dual pumps for redundancy.so just picked up a pair of used ddc-1s so id have a back up if one died.
hank at ppc was great about the rma for it despite it being well beyond the 30 day return period.ive just got to cover shipping to alphacool(joy)and hes going to take care of the rest.

 

[Maviryk]

Wow, if all else fails, whack it with a hammer.

I whacked my pump with a hammer and it started right up. I guess it just needed a little tough love.

 

[maxfly]

Wow, if all else fails, whack it with a hammer.

I whacked my pump with a hammer and it started right up. I guess it just needed a little tough love.

lol tbh i do have to knock it pretty hard to get the impeller moving.otherwise it just half turns stops,half turns stops.i just hope the next pump is problem free...

 

[Maviryk]

I would just rather add on a top with 1/2" outlets than mod the stock top so that I could return it if need be. But the idea of epoxying 1/2" fittings over the 3/8" ones isn't a bad idea.

I just worked today on two more DDC tops as I am about to tear into my setup and upgrade. I'm switching pumps back down to a DDC, so I figured I would go ahead and make a new top while I am at it. I wanted to make a top that is as close to the original as possible in the chamber design. My current top that I made is OK, but the new ones I just made have really turned out sweet. I've got the epoxy curing right now. I'll post a thread on it here shortly.

I measured and actually scanned the original top and printed out a template so that I could mimic the original top's impeller chamber very closely. I figure that if I have the chamber just like the original, it should minimize any issues.

Do you have a 3d Digitizer?

I've got access to an Atos II white light scanner if you want 3d comparisons.

 

[ahbroody]

Not to hijack but, do you guys think this pump is more or less reliable than a danger den mag 2. The Mag2 would be easier for me to use with less modifications for my plan.

Ahbroody

 

[voigts]

Do you have a 3d Digitizer?

I've got access to an Atos II white light scanner if you want 3d comparisons.

That would be sweet to get 3d scans of the top to scale.