so you want to waterchill?

**KennethChong** · 09-01-2003, 10:41 AM

After seeing sevral questions on the basic set up of a waterchiller, and seeing no real guied out there, and while i can start on any more prodjects untill my arms a littel more healed (

) im guna make a guied to help along people. Feel free to add anything if ive left it out.

ps, this is for the everyday chiller most people will be putting togeather, If anyone wants me too, i have a few tips ive learned with my -60c chiller to allow you to run at those lower temps without problem.

**KennethChong** · 09-01-2003, 10:47 AM

First off you need to get whatever your going to be using, lets say in this case its a window a/c, most anything else your going to use is going to be the same prinsiple as this.

Lets talk about unit size (get your mind out of the gutter) A 5,000 btu unit will do just fine for most chillers, and will cost the least to run.

You first need to take of the housing of the unit, then you should see two radiator like things. One on either side of the unit. One will have a fan on it, the other, will most likly have a squire cage fan in front of it. The one in the back, is the radiator. The one in the front is your evaporator.

**KennethChong** · 09-01-2003, 10:52 AM

now as you probly guessed, the evaporator is the part that cools down, you need to set this in your res to chill the water. You need to be carefull to do this part right. You need to get a pipe bender, and carfully bend the copper pipes that go to the evaporator, in order for you to let it sit in the res. Make sure and take your time as to not break or pinch the tubing if you dont want to recharge the system. carfully set the evaporator into the res.

Now to additives. Most people like to use anti freeze with there set ups, and it will work with most chillers . Try and find the "winter grade" type to make sure you dont have any freezing. Some people like to add water too there mixes to try and help with the load displacment, i never have found this nessisary, but it may work better for you. Just mess around with your mixture untill you find one you like.

Now a word of warning about freezing. Be SURE that your mixture wont freeze. If this means watching it for an hour untill it gets to its coldest temp then do just that. Freezing can lead to busting your evaporator, and thus, getting water into the system and destroying your compressor. Not a good thing mind you. Be absolutly sure before you seal that res.

**KennethChong** · 09-01-2003, 10:57 AM

There are may questions as to the blocks you should use. I find that just about any block works fine. Along the line of the maze 2 or 3, spir@l block and others that you can get from d-tek or danger den. (i have heard something bad about the maze 4 but im not sure how true, but i would stear clear just encase) Just make sure that you order the copper toped block, not the poly! The poly top can crack at lower temps.

As for pumps, most wc pumps will work fine with everyday chillers, up untill around -45c. Most normal chillers wont get near that. I would sudjest a eheim pump myself, cheap and one of the best you can buy.

now for hose placement. If you look at the pick above, you can see that the only place for my pump to sit is that the end. However, that isnt the best place to get your water from. I have a hose attatched to the intake of my pump, and then i set the hose under the evaporator. Thats where your going to find your coolest temps. I then usualy have my return water hose near the top of the res.

As for insulation there are numerous diffrent ways you can insulate. Just look around and pick the one thats easy for you. If anyone wants, i can post a guied myself. Just remember this, tighter insulation = more condensation (i should have been a rapper) Dont wrap your hoses with duct tape over your hosing insulation, this just hurts it, and you will be more likly to end up with condensation.

Remember to seal your res!! I usualy get some fiber glass insulation, put it around the res, and just cover it with duct tape, but whatever you do, just make sure its pretty tighly secure!

Almost forgot about tubing. Clear flex works good as well as tygon. Personaly i dont see a diff besides price. Some people will argue with me from dusk till dawn that its more flexible at lower temps but ive had tygon break on me at around -60 (becuase i was clumbsy and nocked into it), clearflex worked just as well, plus its a littel cheaper. Just be carefull and dont bend cold tubing too much.

Uh.. think thats it, if anyone has anything ive left out just tell me.

**FragMagnet** · 09-01-2003, 10:57 AM

Tip from Canada. When using auto anti freeze, mix 50/50 with distilled water. This should be good down to -40c. You can find a cheap tester at most auto parts stores.

**FragMagnet** · 09-01-2003, 11:35 AM

Kenneth, what size of window AC is the minimum? 40,000 BTU ?

**KennethChong** · 09-01-2003, 11:43 AM

added into my first post

**afireinside** · 09-01-2003, 11:51 AM

I made a thread on this but got no answers and you have done this so your the person to ask

My question:If I chill my NB do I have to insulate the DIMM sockets and if so how would I do that? Also, do you have any pics of your NB its self insulated?

And while your at it how about you aprove my blocks to :p
TC4 rev2 with copper top
DD maze4 GPU (I know the maze4 CPU is bad but what about the GPU? The MCW50 has plastic barbs so I can't get that

)
dtek chipset block

**KennethChong** · 09-01-2003, 12:09 PM

Originally posted by afireinside
I made a thread on this but got no answers and you have done this so your the person to ask My question:If I chill my NB do I have to insulate the DIMM sockets and if so how would I do that? Also, do you have any pics of your NB its self insulated?

And while your at it how about you aprove my blocks to :p
TC4 rev2 with copper top
DD maze4 GPU (I know the maze4 CPU is bad but what about the GPU? The MCW50 has plastic barbs so I can't get that )
dtek chipset block

what i did is got a very skinny peice of neopreme and cut a hole for the nb chip, then just set the insulated nb block on top of that, make sure that your insulation on the block will touch the neopreme. Then i just used silacone around the edge to seal it off tight. and no you dont have to insulate the DIMM socket. Well i guess that may depend on the board, but on ic7 and boards like it, then no. Just make sure you put some foam on the back side of the board of cource.

All the blocks look good to me. The only thing i saw about the maze 4, was someone on pro forums i think, that said the seal wasnt tight or something along those lines, just make sure and test it out with the chilled water before you put it on your board too make sure.

**afireinside** · 09-01-2003, 12:11 PM

My boards gona be an NF7-S so all I gota do is put some neoprene under the sockets? I got all my insulation down now... I think.... My grandparents are comming for dinner in a bit but after they leave I'm FINALLY going to set everything up and order my blocks and neoprene.

**KennethChong** · 09-01-2003, 12:12 PM

naw, just under the nb, dont see how you would have a problem with condensation under the dimm sockets.

**afireinside** · 09-01-2003, 12:14 PM

Oh ok. I saw a chilled P4 and NB at phase-change.com and the guy said he had to insulate his dim sockets and that worried me. Thanks a bunch man

**AcEmAsTr** · 09-01-2003, 01:23 PM

sticky tbh

**x2sandman** · 09-01-2003, 02:40 PM

Great thread!

We have an extra a/c in the basement that i might see if my dad will let me "barrow" for this project.

**JeffPH** · 09-01-2003, 02:58 PM

great kenneth amma take this note into consideration of my watercooling project

**KennethChong** · 09-01-2003, 04:48 PM

thanks! hope this helps out some people.

**FragMagnet** · 09-01-2003, 06:42 PM

So in the set-up pictured above, how long does it take to cool the res ? I assume the AC is running steady when in use, and not cycling ?

**KennethChong** · 09-01-2003, 06:46 PM

takes about 20-30 mins to get the water to around -25c, running steady. If you get a good cooler and its sealed well, you can get it to -25c, shut it off, go to bed and in the morning its only about 6-7c warmer. With your system off of cource

**FragMagnet** · 09-01-2003, 06:51 PM

So once it achieves the lowest temp on the res, could you cycle it say 30mins on 30mins off with a timer ? Not concerned about the electricity, just the longevity of the AC unit.

**KennethChong** · 09-01-2003, 06:52 PM

its better for the a/c to have it running non stop. Its not very good for it to be switching on and off.

**FragMagnet** · 09-01-2003, 06:54 PM

gothcha, makes sense.

**x2sandman** · 09-01-2003, 08:04 PM

to seal the area between copper hoses and the top of the res, did you just cut a hole and fill it with insulation?

**KennethChong** · 09-01-2003, 08:05 PM

yea, made a little slot with my dremmel, then used some spray foam insulation, i swear, that stuff can do anything

**afireinside** · 09-02-2003, 05:12 AM

Gimme your Dremal :p I really, really need one of those things. I have an old one but its a piece of crap and I can't even figure out how the cutting blade thing stays on :|

**JulianDelphiki** · 09-02-2003, 04:19 PM

any comments on the size or material of the resivoir?

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