Water cooling with car parts!!

[TheFlyingSloth]

Hi,

I have a spare aluminium radiator at home off one of my cars, also I have radiator anti-freeze and windscreen washer pumps etc. Would these parts be useable in a pc water cooling system? (aka would the pump be suffice or should I use 2?)

I'm not trying to be cost effective or power efficient, it's just a project Idea.

(I know to use anti-corrosion stuffs)

thanks

 

[bob4933]

aluminum is an automatic "no", unless you have an aluminum CPU block... which is also an automatic "no".

"anti-corrosion stuffs" dont work for galvanic corrosion, unless you somehow manage to impregnate your fluid with zinc or use sacrificial anodes.

 

[ssjwizard]

This question will get a yes/no/maybe from me.

Al radiator is a maybe. Use of proper fluids will prevent corrosion, but these radiators are generally impractical and have much higher fin density than what is used in typical water cooling. Further the form factor of such a thing means it will have to be an external device. For benchmarking WC setup this might be ok, but for a regular computer not so much.

Washer fluid pump is going to get a direct NO. plain and simple these do not have the flow rate that a WC system will require. While they do operate at reasonably high pressures they are unsuitable.

Mixed fluid systems also have a much lower specific heat and while that does work for a high delta system like an engine its far from what we expect in a PC cooling loop.

In general this sounds like a bad idea. If you want to use the radiator go for it, but keep in mind its not ideal for your setup. You will still need to invest into a proper pump. More than likely you would be better served simply selling these extra components and purchasing PC specific WC components.

 

[bob4933]

"proper fluids" have a much lower specific heat capacity than water, and for a system like a pc, will not work effectively. Using aluminum for a radiator is a bad idea with the proliferation of copper blocks. Fin density is a "good" thing if you have the proper air flow/pressure though.

 

[Bishoff]

I used the ole "77" Bonneville heater core for years. Worked great, but I did use a copper variant.

 

[bob4933]

I used the ole "77" Bonneville heater core for years. Worked great, but I did use a copper variant.

If his radiator was copper, I think we'd all be telling him to get his butt to a hardware store and make it happen

 

[caddi daddi]

washer pumps, no, these are designed to be on for only a moment or two at a time and the flow rate is too low.

car radiator, sure but you will need plenty of zinks in the system, get them from a marine store.
better will be a complete heater assembly from about a 2001 pontiac bonniville.

 

[TheFlyingSloth]

So, If I used the radiator from an old aircon system instead it would work better? (I have a copper one in that)

 

[bob4933]

So, If I used the radiator from an old aircon system instead it would work better? (I have a copper one in that)

Still a "maybe". Finding a pump with the flow capacity and pressure output required to push that system would be a challenge in the constraints of a computer case. Form factor will probably be your biggest challenge.

 

[TheFlyingSloth]

The case is being fabbed by a friend of mine, it is an in desk build so the entire desk is form factor, I have enough space for anything. maybe even 2 aircon radiators.

 

[caddi daddi]

is it the evaporator or condenser?