External Water Cooling Box Project

waso_dude · 25 Jun 2007 at 23:55

Hi guys!

Should be getting my Antec P180 in the next 2days.

And I've always wanted to water cool a comp so its about time,

I don't really want to try to squeeze it into the case, so i thought why not make an external box

First i was thinking make it from wood, and then why not perspex

I've got part wise so far -
Swiftech Storm CPU block
Swiftech MCW30 Chipset Block
Laing DDC-12v with a prexi top

All picked up for a bargin in MM.

So heres the layout so far.

The Dimentions will be: 540mm x 205mm x 205mm

I'll throw some more drawing when i do them,

I'm hoping to use these drawings with a CAD machine at work.

I know the pipes won't go at that angle, but does that seem right to people for the way the flow should go?

cheers

Warren

waso_dude · 26 Jun 2007 at 18:02

no replys or comments???

common people

anyone got any views on the way that the water will flow?

res-->pump-->cpu-->nb-->cpu-->res

NachT · 26 Jun 2007 at 19:18

The flow is fine, cpu > NB > rad > res > pump >

Should look good mate, i'd love to see some pics of it all coming together!

waso_dude · 26 Jun 2007 at 19:32

yea i'll do a guide as i do it

I'll post up some of the CAD drawings later

DaveMac · 26 Jun 2007 at 19:46

As long as the res is before the pump to prevent cavitation, the rest of the sequence doesn't matter.

For max performance use external air to cool the rad, fans pulling on dense cores, pushing on open cores.
Keep tubing lengths relatively short and try to avoid sharp bends that may kink.

waso_dude · 26 Jun 2007 at 21:31

DaveMac said:
For max performance use external air to cool the rad, fans pulling on dense cores, pushing on open cores.
kink.

Can you explain a bit more please mate.

DaveMac · 26 Jun 2007 at 22:19

waso_dude said:
Can you explain a bit more please mate.

Basically it's how the fans are positioned.

Use the rads intaking the cooler external air rather than exhausting the warmer internal air to maximise the loop cooling.

For open core rads such as PA series > Outside:case wall:fan:rad:inside

For dense core rads such as HE series > Outside:case wall:rad:shroud:fan:inside

waso_dude · 27 Jun 2007 at 00:30

Got ya mate cheers

waso_dude · 27 Jun 2007 at 00:38

Okey so i've done some more design work on the panels.

Here they are:

Front panel:

Front hole is to take a 5 1/4 drive bay fan controller.
And the whole underneath is for a anti tamper switch for the lighting.

Rear panel:

not a lot here really, just the two exit holes for the hoses, these will have rubber grommits on.

Side Panel:

This will take the Rad on one side and the fans on the other, the opposite side is reversered so the fans line up and create a better cooling force.

Hoping to get started on the proper stuff over the weekend, hope fully get them cut at a CAD shop or at work.

Just thinking of adding a fan to the front and to the back just 2 120mm ones, will this mess up the cooling?

Warren

Warren

DaveMac · 27 Jun 2007 at 00:57

Looking good, though it's a shame not to utilise the space and fit a triple rad (or two!), worth the extra couple of quid compared to a double.

Azza · 27 Jun 2007 at 01:18

Theres a guy over at XS who makes stuff like this.

Here are some pics

waso_dude · 27 Jun 2007 at 07:10

looks quite cool that

misterPK · 27 Jun 2007 at 08:54

Looks interesting. Just out of curiosity, how are you going to connect everything in the box up to a power supply?

PK!

waso_dude · 27 Jun 2007 at 08:59

i'm gunna run a molex connector or 2 to the box.

Cheers for reminding me, i need another hole on the back cheers!

misterPK · 27 Jun 2007 at 09:30

No problem, thats why i asked! could have been a bit embaressing if you'd come to switch it on and then realised something was missing!

PK!

waso_dude · 27 Jun 2007 at 10:16

i would have felt like such a fool

I had it all planned on how i'd do it, just not put the holes on the back piece,

Hopefully have the back panel drawn up tonight. And my Antec P180, arrives to have a custom window.

waso_dude · 28 Jun 2007 at 00:28

As part of doing the external waterbox, i wanted to modd my new (to me that is) Antec P180, its a sexy case only thing that its missing in my view is a window.

So tonight i started to draw out and mark up my window plan.

Hes from start to end of the sizing :

Blank Canvas:

Half way:

All marked out:

Hopefully will start cutting tomorrow, and then just got to wait for my perspex for the lot to arrive.

ChoÞÞer · 28 Jun 2007 at 01:54

Looking good mate... am to scared to go water cooling.. so i just stand back and let you do it

keep up the good work mate

gt_junkie · 28 Jun 2007 at 08:34

waso_dude said:
As part of doing the external waterbox, i wanted to modd my new (to me that is) Antec P180, its a sexy case only thing that its missing in my view is a window.

Glad it arrived safe mate! Was honestly the worlds heaviest pc parcel. :eek:

Can't wait to see how you get on fella!

All the best!

gt

waso_dude · 28 Jun 2007 at 09:01

Yea dude, it wasn't light :S

makes my coolmaster look like a SFF