eXtreme Air Cooling - Build Log + Overclocking

Soldato
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I would actually love to see someone create an industrial level water cooler for a PC :D

Something close to it was done using a swimming pool a while back :D

Definitely sounds like you're reaching the limits of the heatpipes on the TRUE, we'll have to dig around and see if there's anything better out there, seems a shame to waste those lovely fans!

On a slightly different tack - when you're done with this cycle of testing, have you considered slapping a TEC under that to see how it does? - normally they aren't compatible with straight air cooling, but you might just be able to get away with it with those beasts!
 
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Soldato
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Aquired the most expensive part of the build so far.. the MMIDU (Miss's Mood Improvment & Distraction Unit)

DSC00325.jpg

lol - my misses thought that was really funny :) The cat looks very expensive.
 
Soldato
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Something close to it was done using a swimming pool a while back :D

Definitely sounds like you're reaching the limits of the heatpipes on the TRUE, we'll have to dig around and see if there's anything better out there, seems a shame to waste those lovely fans!

On a slightly different tack - when you're done with this cycle of testing, have you considered slapping a TEC under that to see how it does? - normally they aren't compatible with straight air cooling, but you might just be able to get away with it with those beasts!

I have thought about a TEC and am a bit of a TEC noob! but wouldnt I have the same issue? The hotside would surely put out more heat than the CPU (if I am going to cool the CPU to below ambient?) and therefore wouldnt I run into the same issue of the TRUE not moving the heat output and the hot side heating up.. causing the cold side to heatup and therefore not get much if any improvement?

I think it might work on say a duel core where I wouldnt need such a powerful TEC but am certain I would need a real beast to tame a Quad at high frequencies
 
Soldato
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You should be able to get more out of your TRUE as the difference in temperature (Delta) between the ambient temp and the TRUE would be considerably higher, which means the volume of air you are shifting would have more of an impact than it currently is - ironically, increasing the heat load might actually make your heatsink more efficient.

The problem is the load calculation. You have to select the TEC carefully. If you choose too small a TEC it will actually end up feeding heat back into the CPU and it'll go from hot to Thermo-nuclear meltdown within milliseconds! Also, if you go beyond the standard 40x40mm size (which happens beyond about 320W) you start to have problems covering all of the surface of the TEC - again, a bad thing.

I'll have a dig around and see if I can find the old load calculator and TEC guide. Worth dropping me an email (in trust) and I'll point you in the direction of some very knowledgeable guys who helped me when I was playing with them.

The stock answer for 'can I use Air-cooling in a TEC rig?' is normally a patronizing laugh, but I think your set up might just be good enough ;) Well worth a look when you're done with the current play-rig!
 
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Soldato
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You should be able to get more out of your TRUE as the difference in temperature (Delta) between the ambient temp and the TRUE would be considerably higher, which means the volume of air you are shifting would have more of an impact than it currently is - ironically, increasing the heat load might actually make your heatsink more efficient.

The problem is the load calculation. You have to select the TEC carefully. If you choose too small a TEC it will actually end up feeding heat back into the CPU and it'll go from hot to Thermo-nuclear meltdown within milliseconds! Also, if you go beyond the standard 40x40mm size (which happens beyond about 320W) you start to have problems covering all of the surface of the TEC - again, a bad thing.

I'll have a dig around and see if I can find the old load calculator and TEC guide. Worth dropping me an email (in trust) and I'll point you in the direction of some very knowledgeable guys who helped me when I was playing with them.

The stock answer for 'can I use Air-cooling in a TEC rig?' is normally a patronizing laugh, but I think your set up might just be good enough ;) Well worth a look when you're done with the current play-rig!

Cheers, i'll drop you a line later when I am back from work... I have read a bit about them over at XS, so I have a vauge understanding! Just the maths that always gets me
 
Associate
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16 Jun 2008
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Nice work Pneumonic, thanks for all the inspiration! Would you recommend the washer trick on all cpu coolers, or just the one you have? Planning to lap mine soon to improve temps aswell as the bolt on mod for the mobo, so thought i may want to do this too to ensure a good contact. Ive got a tuniq, which uses a single strap across the cooler as apposed to a cross.

Keep up the good work!
 
Soldato
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well I had a email convo with one of the engineers at thermalright and he was saying that the washer probably added around 30-50 watt of extra capasity on the Ultra120.. although it becomes a matter of diminishing returns and the fact that to tight you may well end up snaping the motherboard..

He also said that a washered TRUE in a high CFM push-pull setup would probably do around 175-200 watts of cooling max.. although they had never tested it with fans as powerful as what I am using (i think he thought i was a bit of a nutter?!)
 
Soldato
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not true... i prefer the term dedicated :)

Am going to wait for some lower ambients before I try to get a higher clock.. from looking around and various emails am not going to get anything that will cope with the heatload which is a bit of an arse!

Will be good fun come winter when I can sit in the conservatory at subzero (if the brithish weather plays ball!) and see what she can do

Will put the Q6600 under water and see if it will go any further.. will be interesting to compare the temps if nothing else!
 

TNA

TNA

Caporegime
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Just wanted to let you know. My cousin had a phase change unit and could not get it to run stable above 4ghz. He was at like -30 lol. Not sure if he gave it as much vcore as you did though. But anyway. I think the chip wont overclock much more. He has now moved onto a e8600 and has that at 4.7ghz water cooled :)

Can I get more info on that cat, looks so cute. What breed? Did it cost you?
 
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