Advice needed - Ghetto water cooling.

AlienALX

AlienALX

Well-known member
OK let me start off by saying that if I can not do the project the way I have it planned I am not going to bother. It's my way I'm afraid. I will get to why in a bit.

Right, so after 40 years of computers I have finally decided to water cool a PC. However, I am going to do it ghetto style on the cheap. Firstly I don't want to risk anything worth any money but I need it to be permanent. Earlier on today some one gave me this.



Which has got the gears in my brain moving. Recently on another forum I saw a guy build a loop for 30 Euro and it dropped his temps by 30c (I5 Lynnfield). He used a 240 rad. I can not use a 240, so I am going to get two 120s here for £8 each.



And this for £4.



CPU block £10.



GPU block £14



Now for a pump the guy used one of these, they're £3 each.



OK so here is my plan. I aim to go Res - pump -rad -pump - rad - return.

The questions I have are the following, and like I said please don't try to convince me to spend a single penny more, this is a frivolous experiment.

1. What coolant can I use that will be oblivious to the fact that there is copper and alu in the mix? car coolant? as that seems to be ok with both? isn't there a ratio of coolant to deionised water?

2. What tubing do I need? I have been told he used 8mm ID as there is a mix of 8.5 and 10mm barbs? I need something that will not react badly with the coolant and preferably coloured. I don't need to see the liquid apart from in the flow meter so I know it's moving.

Those are the only two I am stuck on. Right now the reason I do not want to spend any more (and accept the fact the parts are crap) is because they will be cooling a very old rig with a Phenom 2 X6 in it and a GTX 950. I *do not* want to run the rig at any extreme clocks and tbh? even if the temps stayed exactly the same I would still be happy.

So yeah, please help me out here. I will also need barbs? I think the res comes with some (it comes with a silver face plate too, it's brand new) but I know I am going to need some for the flow meter. Again, nothing expensive please preferably chrome though.

I've been told to soak the end of the tubing in boiling water to get it over the barbs, then use cable ties (again I don't give a crap what it looks like but I will endeavor to make it tidy).
 
where are you getting the parts?
I am also wanting to do something similar myself
 
Check out coolants such as the Alphacool Ultra Pure coolant. Its filtered to remove all contaminants (around 100x less than standard distilled water). Probably your best bet based on having all sorts of random connectors/rads and blocks.

As for tubing, any soft tubing will be fine with almost all modern coolants. As for the size, 8mm will easily go over 8.5mm barbs. You may struggle getting it over 10mm barbs.
Boiling water does really help with stretching the tubing though.

Depending on what the different barbs are on, you may consider using 3/8 tubing and getting decent hose clips if there are more 10mm barbs in the build.
 
As its ghetto, could you get some 10mm hose and use these...

9KqvDRE.jpg
 
Last edited:
tinytomlogan said:
You dont need to break the rads btw, you can go rad rad
Click to expand...

Yeah I was thinking maybe res-pump-rad-rad-pump-return. It would be tidier, as I could use the pumps to turn the hoses 90'. I will knock up a sketch later today (docs in a little bit etc) and go from there :)

I think I will just mix my own coolant tbh. Tell you what I have seen though, silicone hose in orange. It's teh sex.
 
Try something glycol based, will help with the mixed metals. Feser one has always done me well in that regard. anything 'pure' won't be 'pure' once it hits both the metals, it's only non-conductive until it's been in the loop for a day or so then it'l have picked up enough ions that it could then be conductive.

as for the pump placement, i think ideally I'd put them in series next to each other, and not break them apart on either side of something else.. if that's impossible, then fair enough, but my experience with dual pumps worked best when you put them literally next to each other. Also depending on the pump type having 2 can be an issue one can choke / drown the other causing problems. But if like a D5 they are kind of pass-through regardless it should be fine.

Sounds like an interesting project to me.
 
OK well that's even better SuB tbh. I can make a nice plate for them to sit on :) good thing is as they are submerisble I can test them in the bath first lol.
 
AlienALX said:
OK well that's even better SuB tbh. I can make a nice plate for them to sit on :) good thing is as they are submerisble I can test them in the bath first lol.
Click to expand...

Awesomes :) at 3 quid, I'd buy a few spares, I don't imagine they will have the running reliability of more expensive units, but when you have series them up at 3 quid a pop, who cares lol

I love a good ghetto water loop :)
 
Tolemac said:
I'm looking forward to this :)
Click to expand...

Yeah me too haha. If I'm successful then I am going to install Elementary OS (lovely looking Linux distro) and use it as my daily beater. The aim is to run the whole rig on two fans (one per rad).
 
Yeah I'm hoping it all works out :) I just ordered the CPU block and two pumps. Skint now until next friday, but figured it was a head start :)
 
those rads will be a liabilaty.. get 2nd hand if you must but not those.. as for tubes, if your going barbed 10mm od barb, id go 9mm id tubing thick wall if possible.
but those rads will not have uniformed barbs, and will leak. i have some some where didnt even make it in a rig
 
Last edited:
shambles1980 said:
those rads will be a liabilaty.. get 2nd hand if you must but not those.. as for tubes, if your going barbed 10mm od barb, id go 9mm id tubing thick wall if possible.
but those rads will not have uniformed barbs, and will leak. i have some some where didnt even make it in a rig
Click to expand...

Yes that is why you use 8mm tubing and soak the ends in hot water before putting them on.

I am also going to buy crush down hose clamps as they are cheap and tidy.
 
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