Cost-effective water flow measurement?

[BachOn]

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There are relatively inexpensive devices for measuring temps and controlling fans. Some of those will even give you a pretty accurate measure of the actual fan rotation speed.

Some of the folks who test and report on hardware also have nice electronic devices that provide accurate information on water flow rates in a loop.

Is there some fairly inexpensive electronic device that does this? Water cooling has been around awhile. And there are lots of devices that seem customized for this hobby. Is there something that would report on this?

Bach On

 

[Conumdrum]

None. What is your reason to use one? Few FEW few of us do measure flow rates. for water, and NONE do air. I think you mean water right?

You want to see costs, why don't you ask someone who does it? Martin.......... Skinnee. They have solid descripions and pics of what they use. You can google the exact devices they use all by yourself.............. Skinnee is very smart, he knows. Martin is an engineer, and been around a few decads, he would know.

Fairly cheap, probably not. I can buy a radiator and possibly a pump to for one of the 'thing' in a tube water flow devices. You want electronic? $100-$300 per device, the the interface board for the PC, and you have to possibly buy software. Industrial stuff ain't cheap.

Try spend 30 minutes at Digikey, Newark, and Mouser, they have them for sale. Nice links to have in a folder for the odd electronic thing.........

 

[Modz 4 Higher]

Digikey has everything.

http://parts.digikey.com/

 

[johan851]

You could do some ghetto modding. Open up the loop and see how long it takes to empty a 5-gallon bucket or something. That'll only give you a rough, one-time estimate though, as you can't run your loop like that all the time and it won't account for slightly different pump performance in an open loop.

 

[BachOn]

Johan, Yes. I've done the measurement into a bucket. I have a two quart measuring cup.

While searching, I ran across this.

http://www.amazon.com/AbsolutelyNew-Water-Saver-Usage-Meter/dp/B003QRLAQ2/ref=cm_cr_pr_product_top

It looks like a toy in many respects. And leakage would be a concern. But with this and a timer, you could get some approximation of the flow rate in a loop. If this can work on a garden hose, it would seem the mechanics and electronics for our purpose are at least cost-effective. Some company like Swift Tech could develop something like this for the water cooling crowd.

Is it needed, Big C? Of course not. But most of us have to admit we don't really NEED to water cool. We do it because we enjoy the challenge and we feel we gain something for our efforts (and our money).

BO

 

[johan851]

Interesting. You could probably find some barbs that would thread onto that. A little plumber's tape and a leak test and you're good to go.

It might not be super accurate at low flow rates - I'd be interested to see how it works. Probably within 20% or so of actual, though, which would be fine for ballparking.

 

[BachOn]

Not me right now. I've got too many other issues to work on. I was just wondering if there was something less expensive in a ready-built package. The answer seems to be NOT.

BO

 

[Modz 4 Higher]

Yes, you need to worry about the big picture and quit worrying about minor details for now

 

[Conumdrum]

Johan, Yes. I've done the measurement into a bucket. I have a two quart measuring cup.

While searching, I ran across this.

http://www.amazon.com/AbsolutelyNew-Water-Saver-Usage-Meter/dp/B003QRLAQ2/ref=cm_cr_pr_product_top

It looks like a toy in many respects. And leakage would be a concern. But with this and a timer, you could get some approximation of the flow rate in a loop. If this can work on a garden hose, it would seem the mechanics and electronics for our purpose are at least cost-effective. Some company like Swift Tech could develop something like this for the water cooling crowd.

Is it needed, Big C? Of course not. But most of us have to admit we don't really NEED to water cool. We do it because we enjoy the challenge and we feel we gain something for our efforts (and our money).

BO

We run a lower pressure than that garden fun toy.

Your welcome to email Gabe (CEO) at Swiftech if you like.

Your thinking too much. Build the thing and get on with it.

I need to WC, my GPU's are too loud under load to not have it.

 

[Diggrr]

I had bought a Gems flow meter off of a forum member years ago (classifieds). It's a Gems 155420, and it can be equipped with magnets and hall sensor to create a Hz signal that will show flow rates from .5-5.0 GPM.
Base model with no such measuring tidbits is $55.

The upside: It has a known Hz signal per given GPM.
The downside: It's 73Hz, or 730 RPM for 2 GPM. I fail at counting that fast.

If I knew the pulse rate for system fans, then I could possibly adapt it to work on a fan header with small magnets and a hall sensor.

 

[BachOn]

I've learned a lot from asking these questions. And that is useful for me.

BO

 

[Diggrr]

Before anyone calls BS on my math skillz:
The rotor has 6 arms they equip with magnets, so dividing the Hz by 6 gives RPS, times 60 seconds gives RPM's.

I know back in the day that some fans had 3 pulses per revolution, and some had 4, and we had to select in speedfan. It's become standardized now so you no longer have to select the pulse rate to get a reading per given system or software, but just don't know which they went with....

And you go right ahead and ask those questions BachOn. Sure beats the usual "what block should I get" threads.
Taking your mind out for a walk is a good thing!

 

[BachOn]

Thanks diggrr. I guess you've figured out by now that I'm not overyly shy.

And my mind does run away on frequent tangents. I just try to make sure it eventually comes back home. So far, so good.

And I know you know those "what block should I get" questions are important to those who are asking. Besides, I was asking the same thing about my radiator. And I got some real good advice here from you guys. In fact, I'm about to order my radiator right now.

Ben Franklin said, "A fool and his money are soon parted." The funny thing is that my Dad wanted to name me after old Ben. But my Mom didn't go for it.

BO

 

[BachOn]

Got that Swiftech MCR320-QP ordered. $62+ at Sidewinders with the 3/8 ID fittings and shipping. Now I'm at the mercy of the post office. I had already ordered a fan controller. But I forgot to order the PT Nuke Additive. I'll need to correct that.

Now, I've been stalling - tomorrow I've got to tackle that computer CPU and figure out if I can get that machine to boot. I'm hopeful I haven't fatally hosed the motherboard. I bought a magnifying glass to look at the socket and pins and some canned air to make sure there isn't any trash causing poor contact at the pins. I also bought a fresh tube of Arctic Silver 5. I figure I'll save that extra Indigo Xtreme pad until I'm sure I've got the booting problem solved. And I'm going to be far more conservative in my use of the thermal goop.

I think I've decided how to mount the radiator and fans on the side of my external box. Only the pump and reservoir will actually go inside the box. I'll also put the 12 volt power supply in there. I figure to run those 3 Zalman F-3 fans I have in a push pattern. I figured to run them at a lower speed - which is about 900 RPM at 7 volts. They are very quiet at that speed. But with the controller I should be able to crank them up if needed instead of using the resistors. And the controller solves the connector issue. (Still having a debate with myself about a shroud and how to do the filter.)

But right now, I'm gonna fold it on down for the evening. The bed is calling my name.

Thanks to everyone for all the help and support. Tomorrow is a new day.

BO

 

[johan851]

Are you building a 3/8" ID system? Tight on space or something?

 

[Knufire]

Just a thought, if you could somehow throw a small waterwheel type device in a tube, throw an encoder on it, and divide the result by time, might be able to make a DIY flow rate meter.

 

[BachOn]

knufire,

Yep. That would be pretty nifty. I'll look forward to seeing it when YOU build it. And I'd bet that a build-log on the project would be a winner.

BO

 

[BachOn]

johan, My Eheim 1250 water pump and my D-TEK Fuzion II water block both have 3/8 ID fittings. And the fittings into and out of my reservoir are also 3/8 inch ID fittings. I decided to get the same ID fittings for the radiator. I use that flexible medical grade silicone water hoses. The 3/8 inch ID hose is great about not kinking and it seems to be a good product for me. I use the screw-down automotive style clamps instead of the fancier compression fittings. Knock on wood - I've had no leaks yet in any of my systems.

It is possible that I could reduce heat slightly better if I went to a 1/2 inch ID system just for the radiator. But I suspect the water flow in my loop will be no greater due to the limitation of 3/8 inch ID on the majority of the fittings and the hose. Thus, I decided - for better or worse - to keep a uniform diameter throughout the loop.

BO

 

[Conumdrum]

Yep, big test done long ago about tubing sizes. 3/8" ID is not a lot diff that 7/16ID or even 1/2ID

The flow rate will be less, and if at that critical 1 GPM number or so, it can make a diff. No way except to try it, or do the 5 gallon bucket test.

 

[Owenator]

If you have a couple of "T's" and a lot of tubing you can try what I did years ago. It's a manometer. You measure the actual height differential to get the pressure drop across your loop and then plug it into your pump's P-Q curve to get the actual flow rate. This is at steady state one point in time only. Def a good exercise in fluid dynamics/physics.

http://www.overclockers.com/forums/showpost.php?p=727823&postcount=14

http://www.overclockers.com/forums/showpost.php?p=727823&postcount=16

Yes I am old school.