VapoChill XE resus

[Geezanansa]

I have been spending much time and effort trying to de bodge a mess of a vapochill xe case and as I have gotten as far as getting a constant -39oC but only by shorting pins with green and black wires on atx connector.
When installed after following instructions after pressing power button lcd off changes to moving cursor and just after compressor starts everything powers off. all this taking three to five seconds. Both 12v atx options on chillcontroller/atx hermo cable/mobo have same result. The switch that selects power to mobo on front panel was not connected/ usable at start of this project so could anybody confirm pin outs/wiring diagram for said switch?

 

[I.M.O.G.]

Can you explain a bit more clearly? If you leave the system off but jump start the vapochill it gets to -39C? But if you start it up normally with the power button it runs for a few seconds then everything shuts down?

Was this on a working system running this before? Or is this the first time trying to run this on the system you have it installed with?

Do you have a picture of the switch and connection in question? May be easier if we can see what you are seeing.

 

[Geezanansa]

Thx for replying I.M.O.G. I will now try to provide more info so it is easier for any body wanting to help.

If you leave the system off but jump start the vapochill it gets to -39C? But if you start it up normally with the power button it runs for a few seconds then everything shuts down?

yes I.M.O.G. in a nutshell.

First off I cannot confirm wether i have the xe or xe ii. Going by outer case i think it could be a xe ii and going by vapochill chillcontrol board i think it is a xe.

I was given this system by a friend who had tried but was unsuccessful to get mobo or vapochill running after it stopped working for him. When i first posted i had just gotten vapochill powered up and running for first time since I have had it. Since then I have bench tested and reassembled the mobo and hardware. The mobo being an asrock alivenf6g-vsta. The hard drive has windows 7 installed. After reassembling and putting in another PSU for system I now have a usable PC all i do to start up is plug in PSU's and monitor the vapo chill starts on switching power at wall socket on then when vapochill reaches -10oC I press the top power button on front panel and the system boots. As I want to configure vapochill and have been having trouble using manufacturers configuration utility because it is written for xp systems I will fish out a hard drive with xp on and try again to install configuration software/boot disk.
I would really like to get motherboard power switch on front panel working so once i have learned how to post pictures here I will post pictures and post info so it might be easier for any body to help more concisely.

 

[Geezanansa]

So here is what we got

A picture of switch will follow.

 

[Geezanansa]

Going by last post i might need advice on how to post pics!

 

[Geezanansa]

Album: http://www.overclockers.com/forums/album.php?u=116219

 

[Geezanansa]

Do you have a picture of the switch and connection in question? May be easier if we can see what you are seeing.

how to post pics?

 

[m0r7if3r]

 

[NoL]

I'm not sure if you can see that clearly, but I can't. Another picture please.

 

[m0r7if3r]

I'm not sure if you can see that clearly, but I can't. Another picture please.

I thought it was an issue on my end as well, but if it's blurry for both of us it's either a sample rate or focus problem.

 

[Geezanansa]

So sorry for low quality pics but i am sure there is slight improvement the more practise i get. It is good to know they are at least viewable and are being "enjoyed"
The two yellow wires from switch were connected to yellow wires coming from 4 pin atx connector on chillcontrol unit (from hermo cable). The black wire from switch was connected to black wire of molex connector from power supply unit. These were soldered joints. This switch supposedly switches power from psu (after vapochill gets down to predetermined temp) to mobo manually.
Can anybody give instruction or provide a wiring diagram for this switch?

 

[I.M.O.G.]

Fixed all images that were inserted into posts, so everyone can view them without having to fix the links manually like mortifer did. You guys should be able to see the images now, the quality is still a bit rough though.

@Geezanansa: To insert images correctly in the future, refer to the instructions by number 7 and 8 here:
http://www.overclockers.com/forums/showthread.php?t=652287

 

[Geezanansa]

by jove i think ive cracked it.
thanks for patience and help.

So to recap the vapochill that i have only managed to start up to compressor starting stage when this switch was installed (incorrectly i think(wasnt me)).

The two yellow wires from switch were connected to the two yellow wires coming from the four pin atx connector from the vapochills hermaphrodite power cable that gets connected to vapochill chillcontrol. The black wire from led (not visible in pic) was connected to a black wire of a four pin molex connector coming from psu.

To determine if vapochill unit was working i disconnected 20 pin atx from mobo and both four pin atx from chill control and mobo as well as the mobo power switch from front panel next to lcd then jumped psu and vapochill cooled down to -39oC (without mobo running)
The mobo was then independently bench tested as i was fortunate to have another am2 socket mobo lying around with heatsink and fan needed.

I then reassembled everything with a seperate psu for mobo and another for the vapochill. I then had a usable pc but want to install vapochill configuration utility and am working on this so any help or advice on this would be welcomed as well. The hard disk in this pc runs windows seven and asetek software is for xp. I am trying to get my hands on a hdd or windows installation cd for xp to eliminate any possible issues.

So any body willing to give advice rgards mobo power switch on front panel next to lcd so that i can run mobo and vapochill from one psu?
Any help or advice on configuring vapochill?

Thanks in advance.

 

[Geezanansa]

Anybody?

 

[Geezanansa]

Using rawwrite I burned the chillcontrol boot disc .img file(from asetek)and have now been able to configure and update firmware on chillcontrol. The mobo originaly would not boot as there was not any values in any of the parameters controlled by chillcontrol so..... I now have a mobo and vapochill starting from one power supply. When the mains is switched on the vapochill starts. When the top power button on front panel is pressed the mobo posts.
So now I have a usable pc and it is my first opportunity to do some OVERCLOCKING so......... any body wanting to confirm the wiring for the switch? I would like to confirm it is the version 1 chillcontrol pcb that is in my machine.
I have only managed to get this far by using google (which most of my search results regarding vapochill/chillcontrol led me to this site) and searching these forums so I would like to say a big thanks to all at OverClockers.
Any links for useful reading regarding switches would be appreciated.

 

[Bobnova]

I know nothing, I'm sorry.
Wish I could be more helpful!

 

[Geezanansa]

So... after using vapochill system for 23+ hours phhhht drrrr errrr=system shut down
I now go buy some liquid electrical tape, di electric grease n some ceramique as well as some closed cell insulation......
Still hoping somebody with similar spec vapochill (xe or xe ii/ ver 1 chill control) could shed some light on wiring for switch next to lcd on front panel.

 

[I.M.O.G.]

I hope you get some input here, but honestly I don't know anyone here still running a vapochill. Years ago I know a few people were, but it seems people are ordering custom made single stage/cascade coolers now.

 

[Geezanansa]

All I can do is hope and keep on learning. These vpochills are getting old now (c.2002)but they are still supported by Asetek. I have found it diifficult to source information through their forum site and support sites. This is my fist sub zero/overclocking project and am finding it a bit of a steep learning curve but am loving it coz progress is being made with regard to resusitating this behemoth of a machine. Looking at other projects there are many fine tuning and tweaks that could make the most of hardware/DIY custom single phase.

I really would love a go at overclocking a sub zero cooled machine.

Confidence is growing regard electrical testing/diagnostics and have a couple of ongoing jobs that are helping me understand what i need to do to get switch on the front panel next to lcd working. I am starting to ask "Do I or my vapochill really need this switch?". A stable running machine would be a good start so I will elimanate the possibility of any condensation causing damage the best I can before I try to run vapochil and system again. Overclockers defo the place for guides on doing that.

 

[forbin rhodes]

I have a Vapochill that has been sitting in storage for years. It sounds like whoever had yours before has tried to convert it to manual use. I was going to do the same by taking it to a refrigeration guy, rip out the boards and put a manual power switch to the refigeration unit and a temp control rheostat. After all the expense, time and gooey cpu's
I think I will gut the case and install water cooling for my graphic cards. Best of luck as this unit has outdone many of us.