Xbox 360 mod project log

JohnTedd · 16 Jan 2011 at 22:43

I have a question for you... Did you have to do any calibration on the inline temperature sensor?

The reason I ask is because I have just purchased one and it is running for the first time right now. I have it on the inlet to the CPU block, so the water should be at its coolest (straight from the reservoir). I have it plugged into my Balancer-T BigNG and without any calibration it claimed at startup that the water temp was 28.5 deg C, which I find rather hard to believe as room temp is 20.5 and the reservoir is decidedly cool. After a short while of running the computer the reading is 31 deg C....

engstrom0304 · 16 Jan 2011 at 23:04

JohnTedd said:
I have a question for you... Did you have to do any calibration on the inline temperature sensor?

The reason I ask is because I have just purchased one and it is running for the first time right now. I have it on the inlet to the CPU block, so the water should be at its coolest (straight from the reservoir). I have it plugged into my Balancer-T BigNG and without any calibration it claimed at startup that the water temp was 28.5 deg C, which I find rather hard to believe as room temp is 20.5 and the reservoir is decidedly cool. After a short while of running the computer the reading is 31 deg C....

Well i didnt calibrate it no, but i am pretty sure it is right, as it said 21 degrees when it wasnt in the loop and im fairly sure that is about right!

JohnTedd · 16 Jan 2011 at 23:07

Thanks for the quick reply. Perhaps it is the Balancer-T that needs calibration then.

Orcvader · 16 Jan 2011 at 23:20

I was expecting the heatsinks to go on the waterblock instead of the radiator

Well, at least the xbox doesn't crash anymore!

Pity about the side panel

.

engstrom0304 · 16 Jan 2011 at 23:23

JohnTedd said:
Thanks for the quick reply. Perhaps it is the Balancer-T that needs calibration then.

I doubt it... correct me anyone if i'm wrong, but im pretty sure the temperautre sensor just gives the T-balancer a simple number?

engstrom0304 · 16 Jan 2011 at 23:24

Orcvader said:
I was expecting the heatsinks to go on the waterblock instead of the radiator

Well, at least the xbox doesn't crash anymore!

Pity about the side panel .

Do you think it would be more effective on the waterblock?

Orcvader · 16 Jan 2011 at 23:27

Should do, assuming the air being pulled from the radiator will go over the heatsinks on the waterblock.

I don't know really, give it a try maybe?

Shayper · 17 Jan 2011 at 03:28

I would agree on putting heatsinks on the waterblock, however, do you have any exhaust fans at all? If the radiator is intaking, then surely the hot air will build up inside the case, heating up the waterblock and making the water warmer, thus creating a loop of higher temperatures.

Hope this helps

JohnTedd · 17 Jan 2011 at 08:31

engstrom0304 said:
I doubt it... correct me anyone if i'm wrong, but im pretty sure the temperautre sensor just gives the T-balancer a simple number?

You'd think. I am investigating, but it's proving difficult to get any info on the sensor online, so I've put a support call into the store I bought it from. Having watched it for a bit longer it just appears to be offest by ~ 7-8 deg C.

Bubo · 17 Jan 2011 at 09:25

Shayper said:
If the radiator is intaking, then surely the hot air will build up inside the case, heating up the waterblock and making the water warmer, thus creating a loop of higher temperatures.

I concur with this, judging by the pic of the fan in post #153, fan appears to be blowing into the case.

engstrom0304 · 17 Jan 2011 at 20:14

Bubo said:
I concur with this, judging by the pic of the fan in post #153, fan appears to be blowing into the case.

Hadn't thought of that actually... I was running by the principal that the cool air was cooling the rad as it was from outside the case...
Will give that a try...

Also..

when the xbox is upright, the outlet port on the pump is facing downwards which is bad according to the manual...

Anybody think this is really a problem??

wakayoda · 18 Jan 2011 at 09:36

Well there isnt that much water in this loop when compared to a full tower so it shouldnt be as much of an issue.

EnderXi · 18 Jan 2011 at 13:40

Im going to go out on a limb how about an external cooling solution, mod the case to allow the pipes to flow in and out and build a new case outside for fans/pump etc that you can hide, use quick disconnect connections on the tubing and you can move them around/drain when required.

JohnTedd · 18 Jan 2011 at 14:01

EnderXi said:
Im going to go out on a limb how about an external cooling solution, mod the case to allow the pipes to flow in and out and build a new case outside for fans/pump etc that you can hide, use quick disconnect connections on the tubing and you can move them around/drain when required.

This is exactly what I have done with my project (project "Desk Rad" - see below for link). I use quick connectors and they work very well. Of course I don't move the desk (or the desktop) around much

Cookeh · 18 Jan 2011 at 17:27

While this is very cool and very interesting, I have to ask if its worth spending over £400 on a XBox 360 that will be replaced within two years :eek:

JonJ678 · 19 Jan 2011 at 23:23

Outlet downwards is fine, inlet downwards is bad. The pump pushes rather than sucks, so if the intake is downwards it tends to accumulate air inside the pump, which then dies when it's turned on.

Avoiding hot air in the case probably doesn't matter too much, as the original cooling certainly held the insides at a high temperature. My idea was blocking off all the ventilation, and relying on a single big fan blowing air into the case which then escapes through the radiator. I don't think motherboard cooling would be an issue, and airflow out through the radiator will be better. If in doubt you could have a couple of intake fans, but still keep the only exhaust as the radiator, in order to avoid warm air pockets forming.

Might have to mount the fan on the outside of the case though. I'll see if I can track down a dead 360 to pull apart.

engstrom0304 · 20 Jan 2011 at 21:02

Update:

Ok.. so I've gone and done it!!!

Ordered the black ice gt xtreme 80mm rad.

New panel design with cutout for a new red lit lcd temperature display with white border that i replaced the other lcd with.

EDIT: Holes for barbs still not drawn... waiting for rad to come to get measurements!

EDIT 2: Red is etching!

Also...
I found this so i bought it to go on top of the rad

Finally... Do you reckon the grill at the top of the panel is too restrictive???

JohnTedd · 20 Jan 2011 at 21:14

As an experimental project this one is really interesting, but you are going to end up with the world's most expensive X-box 360!!

Still, it is going to look pretty special and be quite a talking point. I guess that's worth something, along with the knowledge you have gained. And I guess some of the stuff you have bought will be useable on future projects - well that's what I keep telling myself (and the Mrs) when buying more bits

waynio · 20 Jan 2011 at 23:02

EnderXi said:
Im going to go out on a limb how about an external cooling solution, mod the case to allow the pipes to flow in and out and build a new case outside for fans/pump etc that you can hide, use quick disconnect connections on the tubing and you can move them around/drain when required.

This

Seen it done before & is surely the best way to water cool a 360

.

But this post totally reminds me how & why I got into modding

.

When I think about it the xbox 360 is THE reason I got into modding with it being so badly designed cooling wise lol, I mounted high end pc heatsinks to mine & that was the start of my modding hobby

, lost the pictures though which is a shame as it looked crazy, even used 1 of those custom cases that had a mirror finish on it & placed temperature probes on the gpu & cpu, it was a first gen xbox too but when I removed the heatsinks recently it died lol

.

So yeah it's microsofts fault I got into modding & then making PC cases so nice one microsoft :cool:

.

engstrom0304 · 22 Jan 2011 at 15:19

Update!

My radiator came!! Now time to complete the design for the new panel and get it cut early next week!!

Question: What are your thoughts on using quick release fittings on the rad so that I can fill without the panel on, then quick release the rad and fix it on again while sandwiched with the panel??

Also, panel number 2 cut!! Looking a billion percent better than the last... Using the rotary sander on it did a great job!!

EDIT:
Also bought a noctua 80mm fan...
Specs: 1800 RPM - 17 dB - 31.2 CFM