DIY Watercooled Silent HDD Enclosure

jellybeard999 · 6 Jun 2006 at 12:48

Anyone any ideas where id buy some copper block online (about 7" x 7"x 3/4" , 2 of those) in the uk ?

Is block what i should google, or is plate or something a better description ?

the plan is...

drill a block as above, channels with a large drill bit, tap where the drill enters the block with 1/4" tap, and add barbs or bungs where relevent (bungs would be countersunk) ... the small dots would be drilled through, and allow 4 HDDs to be screwed onto the plate, this would then be enclosed in a alu box, and completely matted with foam, with only a hole for the cables, and barbs exiting, would then be mounted in 3 5.25" bays...

would this VERY simple waterblock cool 4 drives ? Given no air would be circulating, and the drives would be cooled from the sides, and the tops would almost be touching...

does this sound a bit far fetched ?

Any better ideas, or anyone tried anything like this ?

ichabod crane · 6 Jun 2006 at 13:11

where does it connect to the drives? i cant see it from that pic as for metal "metalsupermarkets" there is a website of that name not sure if i can post it here wouldnt think it was a competitor but better not anyway.

jellybeard999 · 6 Jun 2006 at 13:31

all the dots... but since thats going to cost a fortune apparantly, im going to...

http://www.meisterkuehler.de/forum/biete/2649-v-mk-festplatten-wasserkuehler-version3.html

seems a better idea anyway tbh

Mr Jones · 6 Jun 2006 at 13:59

I can see how 1 or 2 drives can benefit from this simple set up, but over 2 is far too many IMO. Especially when it's a single loop. The initial 2 drives will be relatively cool but the last one will be warmer, and if the first 2 drives runs hotter than the last, it is possible for the last drive to overheat even when in idle.

I like the idea for a single drive tho, might as my dad (a plumber) to pipe something like that for me... :cool:

jellybeard999 · 6 Jun 2006 at 15:10

Dr Jones said:
I can see how 1 or 2 drives can benefit from this simple set up, but over 2 is far too many IMO. Especially when it's a single loop. The initial 2 drives will be relatively cool but the last one will be warmer, and if the first 2 drives runs hotter than the last, it is possible for the last drive to overheat even when in idle.

I like the idea for a single drive tho, might as my dad (a plumber) to pipe something like that for me...

nah mate, itll do 4 drives or more easy...

Jimbo Mahoney · 7 Jun 2006 at 22:05

That's how my Silentstar Dual HDD cooler works.

And yes I agree with you - it would do loads of drives. The other poster has the common misconception that the water reaching the last drive will be really warm, when in reality, it will be ~ 1'C warmer than the intake water.

DaveMac · 7 Jun 2006 at 22:40

Jimbo Mahoney said:
That's how my Silentstar Dual HDD cooler works.

And yes I agree with you - it would do loads of drives. The other poster has the common misconception that the water reaching the last drive will be really warm, when in reality, it will be ~ 1'C warmer than the intake water.

How are the Silentstars for reducing noise Jimbo?, I am contemplating a dual one as the only noticable noise I now have is my HDDs.

Nice find on these, they look superb. May attempt one myself and sound proof it to save quite a few quid on the Silentstar:

jellybeard999 · 7 Jun 2006 at 23:45

DaveMac said:
How are the Silentstars for reducing noise Jimbo?, I am contemplating a dual one as the only noticable noise I now have is my HDDs.

Nice find on these, they look superb. May attempt one myself and sound proof it to save quite a few quid on the Silentstar:

Im thinking of doing this, but then im thinking of buying 1 big, quiet hdd, and putting the rest in a fileserver, plus my storage drive and HTPC, this will then be hidden away where i cant hear it ..

my rig is DDC and 5v yate loons all round, PSU is an 80mm Yate Loon (or soon will be) ... so i cant hear a thing bar the HDDs :/

Jimbo Mahoney · 8 Jun 2006 at 09:30

DaveMac said:
How are the Silentstars for reducing noise Jimbo?, I am contemplating a dual one as the only noticable noise I now have is my HDDs.

Damn good.

I have a 36GB Raptor and 200GB WD SE in mine. The loudest thing in my setup is the pumps, and even they are in a box filled with foam!

bledd · 8 Jun 2006 at 14:20

silent star is very good at reducing noise, they make my 2x 74gb raptors almost silent (they're very loud by default)

however, its REALLY heavy because of the copper!