Super Compact Custom CPU Loop

[4rtex]

Hi all. I could do with a bit of help. I would like to make a custom loop for an ITX build, only for the CPU. I have limited watercooling hardware knowledge, but feel confident I can assemble the parts.

The project would be to assemble the kit so that it will fit over ITX enclosure and act as an AIO. I will want to cut the tubing to absolute minimum. The assembly should be held by some form of 3D printed structure and look more or less like a tower air cooler. My challenge is to make it fit within 135 mm clearance.

Must have:
- 140 x 45 mm radiator
- CPU block with water pump ideally with PWM and liquid temperature sensor.

What I don't want:
-reservoir

Please suggest what products would be suitable. I have no idea what pump power is sufficient for such a small loop.

 

[RollerBall]

Do you have much clearance over the CPU?

There are a few CPU/pump/res combo. EK make one, as well as bykski. Google cpu block with ddc pump.

You'll have to have some sort of reservoir, even if it's just like 50ml over the CPU block with a pump in it. It's not a realistic proposition otherwise re filling/bleeding the loops etc.

 

[4rtex]

I have up to 135mm of clearance and the footprint of this could be in region of 200 x 150mm. I'm thinking 45mm thick radiator + 25mm fan that leaves me 65mm for the fancy pump. I could maybe have a tiny reservoir next to the radiator.

I'll have to read up on methods of bleeding the system and what smallest radiators are available....

 

[RollerBall]

I have up to 135mm of clearance and the footprint of this could be in region of 200 x 150mm. I'm thinking 45mm thick radiator + 25mm fan that leaves me 65mm for the fancy pump. I could maybe have a tiny reservoir next to the radiator.

I'll have to read up on methods of bleeding the system and what smallest radiators are available....

Rads go right down to less than 28mm. I've seen roundups on techpowerup etc where thickness doesn't seem to make more than a couple of degree difference.

If needs be you could get a 28-30mm rad + 25mm fans and be left with 80mm.

This is a CPU block with a ddc pump built in and a tiny reservoir. You didn't mention if you have an intel or amd CPU. That block for intel 1700 is 70mm tall but for AM5 it's 113mm. You can also see if you could fit something like This elsewhere in the case.

EDIT: Actually the intel block is still 94mm so won't fit either. The Bykski CPU-XPR-DDC-M is 76mm tall so might.

 

[4rtex]

I'll make a 3D mockup of this layout. I can see Barrow (what are they like?) make a very small pump/res combo. Maybe a standard CPU block and this instead.

I haven't mentioned the CPU because this wouldn't be for it. I have a 12600k at the moment, but I would be building this for 9800x3d.

I'll have a play with CAD and post some images as soon as... thanks for now!

 

[RollerBall]

I'll make a 3D mockup of this layout. I can see Barrow (what are they like?) make a very small pump/res combo. Maybe a standard CPU block and this instead.

I haven't mentioned the CPU because this wouldn't be for it. I have a 12600k at the moment, but I would be building this for 9800x3d.

I'll have a play with CAD and post some images as soon as... thanks for now!

Barrow and bykski are the two main players in watercooling gear in China. I think they are pretty good. It used to be you had to hassle of dealing with aliexpress but now you can get their gear on resellers like OcUk. I have barrow gear and the quality is equal to EKWB, corsair etc but a lot cheaper.

Just bear in mind you will have to accept some vibration from the pump if you mount it over the CPU block. Ideally you want your pump somewhat 'disconnected' from the case to prevent vibrations being tramsitted to it and making a noise (like a humming).

Mine's sat on a bit of sponge for example, but some are 'floating' or connected by rubber connectors instead of screws etc.

A block has to be firmly screwed to the CPU so some vibration noise is inevitable.

 

[LePhuronn]

Genuine question: why not just buy an AIO?

I'm all for crafting something yourself, but as it stands right now you're describing building an AIO with 10 times more headaches.

 

[momo56]

Modultra Lobo was the best performing CPU/ pump block. Pneumatic fittings with 8mm tubing will help but it's pointless imo.

135mm clearance you can get an air cooler within that height. Might even be quieter since there's no pump.

 

[4rtex]

Genuine question: why not just buy an AIO?

I'm all for crafting something yourself, but as it stands right now you're describing building an AIO with 10 times more headaches.

This is exactly what I had in mind. The inspiration comes from CORSAIR H5 SF. Why wasn't this more popular?

I should mention, I'm working on a small enclosure design, where a 240 AIO won't fit. 120 AIO isn't efficient enough I think. The primary mean of cooling the CPU will be air nevertheless, but I would like to make a provision for mounting a 140mm radiator at least. I can see now that the thickness of it isn't going to help a lot.

I would still like to try for the sake of it, but as the clearance is tight, I think it will make more sense to mount the pump "elsewhere" not on the CPU block.

 

[kaku]

XSPC do the TX series radiators that perform well and are 20mm thick. I used them to create a 3-radiator loop in the Cooler Master NR200.

I agree with momo56 that with 135mm clearance you're probably better served going with something like a ThermalRight PA120 mini.

 

[jigger]

They could be a little tricky to find these days, but Swiftech sold exactly what your after as kit. I might still have a rad, res and pump combo somewhere come to think about it.

 

[Mcnumpty2323]

They could be a little tricky to find these days, but Swiftech sold exactly what your after as kit. I might still have a rad, res and pump combo somewhere come to think about it.

got 3 swiftech units sitting on
a shelf
they were just better quality and expandable
seem to remember asetek sued them
yet huge companies like Corsair got away
with similar pump on block

swiftech nowadays do stuff for EK
on the enterprise side of watercooling
if I remember correctly
though EK seems to be calling itself lmtek or
something like that now

 

[Mcnumpty2323]

if don't have a reservoir
would suggest a multiport radiator
so can bleed from the extra rad ports
otherwise bleeding air out will be
a pita

 

[4rtex]

if don't have a reservoir
would suggest a multiport radiator
so can bleed from the extra rad ports
otherwise bleeding air out will be
a pita

Great advice, thanks!

This is the project I'm working on. As you can see the space is very limited. The more I look at it, the more impossible it seems...

 

[D1craig]

I've seen people do this without a reservoir. Using a cpu block pump combo and a bit of tuning to fill the loop and then closing it.

 

[jigger]

The challenge will be getting any res/fill port well above the highest component which looks to be the CPU. As side note you might need to add some cooling to memory especially if this is a DDR5 platform.

 

[4rtex]

The challenge will be getting any res/fill port well above the highest component which looks to be the CPU. As side note you might need to add some cooling to memory especially if this is a DDR5 platform.

This is a very outdated model of an itx motherboard. These days the cpu socket is located more or less centrally to the motherboard, but I surely get the point.

Theoretically, if this design was to be a "Monoblock" type rigid assembly, could I fill and bleed the loop away from the machine, and then just connect it to the motherboard once it's closed?

 

[jigger]

This is a very outdated model of an itx motherboard. These days the cpu socket is located more or less centrally to the motherboard, but I surely get the point.

Theoretically, if this design was to be a "Monoblock" type rigid assembly, could I fill and bleed the loop away from the machine, and then just connect it to the motherboard once it's closed?

Yeah that will work, but you do need to be a little careful with expansion. Having some air in the system helps to keep the pressure in the loop down.

 

[momo56]

Great advice, thanks!

This is the project I'm working on. As you can see the space is very limited. The more I look at it, the more impossible it seems...

I did something similar before adding a GPU and 240 rad to the loop. Unfortunately I don't have images before the gpu.

Pump block was an alphacool eisbaer. From your render there looks to be enough to route tubes from the pump block to radiator. Much easier to fill the loop outside the system and then install it.

Alternatively you could fit a pump in. Slimmer pump res combo's exist now like the Barrow SPD10-T.

 

[4rtex]

Please don't laugh

2 x Alphacool 80mm radiators with multiports
2 x 80mm fans
1 x Modultra Lobo