Water Cool My House

[Confused]

Well, OK, so the thread title is a little misleading, but I'm on a mission to have all the computers in the house watercooled.

I originally watercooled my HTPC a few years ago when it was my only PC, which was my first finalised watercooling setup, and I then moved this kit into my main PC and put the HTPC back to air cooling, and it's been that way until now.

Having just moved, everything has been rearranged, and the case lid for the HTPC went back on, and that caused the heat, and therefore noise, to increase within the case.

I've therefore decided that I'll watercool the HTPC again. I've also decided to get myself an upgrade to my main PC, and relegate my current PC bits to my girlfriend to give her a half decent machine to use and hopefully start playing some games on...

So, I've had a bit of a spending spree on some new bits, and some bits will be re-used...

PC 1:
MSI Z77A-GD65
Intel i5-3570k
8GB GeIL Black Dragon DDR3
VTX3D HD7950 X-Edition 3GB
OCZ 750W power supply
Fractal Design Define XL case
EK DDC plexi top
EK Supremacy nickel-plexi CPU block
EK FC-7950 nickel-plexi GPU block
Black Ice GTX360 radiator
EK Multioption 250 Advanced reservoir
EK PSC compression fittings (x12)
Samsung 830 256GB SSD
(not pictured/reused – 1TB hdd, DDC 18w pump, 120mm Sharkoon Silent Eagle fans, Asus Xonar DX)

Girlfriend's PC:
EK DCP 4.0 pump
EK Supreme CPU block
EK VGA Supreme GPU block
Fractal Design Define R4
XSPC single-bay reservoir
EK PSC compression fittings (x10)
(to follow - 1x EK XT240 radiator)
Re-used bits:
Asus P8P67
Intel i5-2500k
8GB XMS3 DDR3
Asus HD6850 1GB
(not pictured/reused – Antec 500W PSU, 500gb HDD, 120mm Sharkoon Silent Eagle fans)

The additional watercooling bits to the bottom right of the picture are for the HTPC:
XSPC single-bay reservoir
EK VGA Supreme GPU block
EK Supreme LTX nickel-plexi CPU block
EK DCP 2.2 pump
(not pictured/reused – Intel Core2Duo E6400 CPU, 8800GT, XSPC RS360 radiator, Silverstone LC-03 case, Asus Xonar D2X)


Whilst most of this will be a case of just putting it all together, there will be some mods done to the cases etc, so I thought I might as well put the full log up here in case anyone is interested


The only PC in the house that is not on the list is my Home Server, which is now living in the basement so it's kept cool, and out of the way in terms of noise.

 

[Confused]

The first one I decided to tackle was the HTPC. I'd purchased the pump/CPU block for this last week, and I had picked up another EK VGA Supreme block from the MM a few months back, so decided to put this lot in.

Before I fitted the GPU block, I decided to pull it apart to check it was clean inside, and when I put it back together, I didn't quite get the O-ring sat correctly. It looked fine from the outside, and when putting the initial loop together, looked fine... until I turned on the pump.

The additional pressure from the pump caused it to leak, and in the couple of seconds before I noticed and was able to switch off the power, it had pushed water all over the motherboard (an Abit IP35 Pro) - which, at the time, didn't have any power connectors attached to it.

Unfortunately, even 2 days in the airing cupboard wasn't enough, and the IP35 was pronounced dead.

This then caused me to raid the GF's old PC for bits, and so now the HTPC now comprises of an ECS 945P Micro-ATX motherboard and a Core2Duo E6300 - this motherboard won't take a Core2Quad processor, so my Q6600 that was in the IP35 is currently relegated to a drawer (although my server's board will take a Core2Quad, and I may swap out the dual-core Celeron that's in there...)

I subsequently pulled the GPU block apart again, and have successfully put it together again without leaks - and have now added the XSPC bay-res into the loop, previously I had no reservoir - not something I will repeat again!

Anyway, enough wall-o-text and onto some photos!

 

[Confused]

OK... So I've been a bit rubbish at updating this thread...

I've since added a little bit of rubber vacuum pipe from left over from my car to the edge of the hole left, as per your suggestion johnny sublime

I've also decided to fit a 6970 in place of the 8800GT, so that I can sit on the sofa with a 360 controller and play some newer games.


After basically sorting the HTPC, I've moved onto recycling my old bits into a nice new computer for the girlfriend (Alex) to use (as I'd just stripped her old one of bits for the HTPC!)

This is the first time that Alex has ever done anything with computers, so I decided to give this to her as an opportunity to see that it's not that difficult!

First off, the Asus P8P67 board, with the i5-2500k, and the barbs on the EK waterblock removed, and replaced with some new EK compression fittings.

Then, I got Alex to fit the RAM, 8GB of Corsair XMS3

Next up, the board and power supply were screwed into the case, a Fractal Design Define R4, as well as the XSPC bay reservoir.

Next up was adding the tubing, but, as I was in full supervisor/help mode here, I neglected to take any photos of this in action... so we'll jump the story forward slightly to the finished article.


The 6850 I was planning on using died a death during the house move, hence the 6950 was purchased, and fitted to the HTPC, and the 8800GT has been moved into Alex's computer. She's only currently got an old 17" 1280x1024 screen, so the 8800GT should still do a reasonable enough job until I can replace it with something better!

 

[Confused]

After getting that up and running, so we had a half-decent computer to use, I turned my attention to my own PC.

First off, I took the 360 radiator and attached 3x Silent Eagle fans

Took off the old XSPC res top from the DDC pump, and fitted the new EK CSQ plexi top:

Then, the VTX3D 7950, plus EK full-cover waterblock

 

[Confused]

Yeah... I've had the same "OMG carpet/static!" thing from everyone over the years... will still keep doing it though no doubt...



With some of the basics done, I turn my attention to the case... A Fractal Design Define XL.

Out of the box, it's not brilliantly suited for watercooling, but I could see some potential, with a little modding.

So... take one standard case...

[insert library picture here]

And, firstly - remove all the extra hard drive bays - I have a server in the cellar with loads of storage, I don't need this many 3.5" disks in this! (Also remove top fan, front panel etc)

Removing the drive bay in the middle of the case was simple - a couple of screws that hold the plastic sliding bits in. The bottom bays are riveted in, so these needed carefully drilling out.


I am planning on putting the radiator in the lower chamber, in a TJ07 style,

Therefore, the next stage was to remove the panel separating the lower chamber with the main chamber.

This then allows fitting of the power supply (which needs to be turned by 90 degrees), and to add some brackets, which will soon hold the radiator.

A trial fitting of the radiator shows how it will begin to piece together, and I could then mark up for a top support for the radiator, to be placed on the underneath of the central divide.

And, with the central divide in place, now holding the radiator firmly top and bottom.

 

[Confused]

Yeah, I saw that as I was doing mine (I actually did this back in September, just never got round to posting it up!)