Christmas (Benching) Box

[gray mole]

Hey everyone :)

I've been meaning to sign up over here and finally have.

I figured instead of just 'hello', I'd post a cooler I just built. You may find I attach silly names to them, sorry :p sure hope it's ok here in Watercooling, if there's a place that would be better to post sub zero cooling systems that I make, let me know :)

I'm sort of cheating a little, but I've posted this one at XS as well. Just seems the best way to introduce myself.

This one has a Xmas theme since it's Xmas and all. Hope you like it :)

It started out as a little test of captube lengths and ended up a 'theme' unit again. I seem to get a thought in my head and can't really leave it alone, but that's the OCD kicking in, as always.
So the unit specs are...

Matsus/hita Rotary - 49LRA/3/4hp
Chilly1 spiral evap
9000btu condensor
200cfm barrel fan
30" flex line
R290 gas
7.5' .031" captube
Max capacity 360w
Square black vented case on wheels


So first, it was a little exercise on captube tuning. I started with 9' and worked my way down to this length. 9' was just too restrictive, so I tried 8' and it was close, but far too slow to cool down, so I ended up at 7.5'.

Edit - oh, I changed the plug wire just a bit, didn't get a pic of that, when I put the switch-plug on. It exits down instead of to the side now,and I found a real clamp for the wire. That was 'ok' but ugly, and the new one is better and safer. That was just a strap I insulated with rubber. The new one is a proper clamp, and I lined the hole with the same edge beading I used on the suction line exit hole.

The condensor and fan are a match, but the shroud wasn't sealed, so I just cut up some sheet metal to seal it up. Works fine, though not pretty like it could be. It's in a case so I was more worried about it being solid than pretty inside. I also added that flap on top to block the air. The fan blows upwards, and the case was a few inches higher than the fan/condensor, so that directs the air out the one side vent :)



Just used the 'plug switch' setup like the other SS bencher. Works pretty good.
That's a bit longder that I'd been using, but it seems to work well on this one. The static pressure is around 110psi, which isn't terribly high but a little higher, normally around 80-90psi.



The results are good though, it's been great for R290, from 0w right up to 360w. Pretty linear temperature curve, and no drastic drop from 0w to any of the load ranges, though 0 to 50w was about 10 degrees. Funny how it pulls so cold unloaded. Unusual for high load tuning, and I think the long captube does that. Makes it so you can 'show off' but at the same time, still have the high load unit.
These are all out of order, sorry :p:

250w

360w

100w

0w

175w

50w

I tried to get the full 400w max of the new tester but it wouldn't hold, so the max is around 360w or so, which should hold even the 6 core cpu's at full load :)

I suspect that at the slightly higher head pressure, the refrigerant coming out of the captube is 'jetting' more so, maybe creating a finer mist. Since it's normal to see a mixture of liquid and vapor even right at the end of the captube (according to refrigerant theory) then the behaviour of the exiting refrigerant may change with the pressure behind it being slightly higher or lower. If it's fully liquid, then the amount of pressure should have less effect, but more and more I think it's still in transition, at least partially.
I woudn't say I knew that for sure, just guessing from the results I get, trying to extrapolate why it's working how it is.








So that's the project though, more or less ready to use :)

Only things I'd like to do is make up a set of plates that I know for sure is ok for i5/i7 use, and possibly get a display and switch in, though it's not needed. Not everyone has a K temp meter though, so a basic display is nice too. I have one here that's busted I was going to use for PT100, and one that's PTC1000 that I have no sensor for :rolleyes: but I might grab one for it. Just depends who ends up with it and if they care about that.

The red line with the braided stainless K probe wire kinda made it look 'festive' in a way, so the 'Christmas Box' idea came to mind with the season and all that ;)

I do like the way that part worked though, The wire is just a wrap, so can be pulled, but I made up a red extension wire for the sensor too, can be seen there, so the wire could stay if a person liked it.






And in keeping with the season, one last parting shot to say happy holidays to everyone here :) Merry Xmas guys.



Gray

[martin_metal_88]

That's a nice gift for some heavy overcloker!

[gray mole]

Thanks :)

Like I'd said, it really didn't start with that intention. I was just doing a bit of research into the finer points and ended up being kind of pretty, at least as pretty as a refrigerator gets :D

Unfortunately my brother is the only guy I know here in Canada that's got a decent rig and he's not really into overclocking. Shame really.

Sounds like it's ok to post some of the coolers in here though, that's great :D I like playing with it. Working as a fridge guy isn't as glamorous as it sounds so this makes it a bit more interesting.

Just need to find more weirdos out there that like it is all

Hope no one get's mad if I post a few more, I have a bunch I'm working on (normally I do one at a time) and some are pretty neat.

Thanks again :)


Gray

[chrisk]

A few guys here were into LN2 cooling, but not sure if they still are. Lowfat comes to mind, 3oh6, and there is a gentleman who has built some LN2 setups for folks (and gave one away).

A great way to say hello and welcome!!

[gray mole]

Thanks :)

I think I remember that name :) I post a lot on XS, finally got back into this after some time away and it's been fun since I did.

I tend to post a lot where people need help with the cooling systems when they're new to building them, but it looks like there's not too much of that here. We'll see how it goes though, some of the guys may pop up that do, hopefully there's some other Canadians out there doing this kind of thing :)

Though if I'm the only 'freak' I guess there's nothing wrong with that.

LN2 is pretty awesome too :D though I only ever got into Dry Ice for that kind of cooling, never did find a place to buy LN2 when I was doing it. It's easier to put together than a fridge for cooling though, just need to keep fillin' the pot :D

Gray

[chrisk]

We do a helluva lot of folding@home here if you are so inclined :)

[gray mole]

I used to do that a lot :D

When I was moving back from the UK, I had to swap over to the Laptop to stay portable and haven't set up a tower yet. I will at some point, but I'm totally paranoid about killing the lappy with the extended heat and load :o

when I do, I sure will again! Used to enjoy the competition too.

I'm hoping when this one goes (not trying to sell it) that someone wants to trade a decent 4 core cpu instead of actual cash. I have a decent graphics card now, and a few other pieces but no cpu yet for the tower.

I'm actually saving some really cool parts to make my own freezer when the time comes :D and a 4/8 core i7 would rock for folding again :)

Gray

[gingerbee]

thanks for posting we can always use more extreme cooling the ways i have done it are cheating buy putting my rad into a small running fridge lmao it work for lower end duals but even really old q66 would kill it fast after a couple of hours once i have some money in the future i hope to go phase you know a good one he he thanks again for the pics keep'em comping

[gray mole]

Yeah, the 'rad in the fridge' is something I did myself before I started building.

Fridges don't have the capacity to keep it cool for long under load (or at least most of them don't) but will usually give you a good low load/idle result, and if you have enough water in a reservior, it'll last long enough to run bench tests if you do that sort of thing :D

If you ever do start looking, happy to help you find one :) Mine or not, better to ask someone about what you're looking at and if it's what you think will work.

I never fault anyone if they comb through the 'bay to find a cheap cooler if there's one there :D

I've been pretty lucky myself, finding parts for pretty cheap to make them thankfully. It's a hobby, so I can't be spending like crazy on it :D

I'll post a couple more of these, I have 5 or 6 of them kind of 'on the go' right now, in various stages. Sometimes that's worse, but I don't make them 'for' people, just build them.

When they're done, then they get listed. Kind of backwards, sort of, but there's no pressure to build that way :)

Gray

[gingerbee]

cool ya i have a bunch of things i have to work on in the next couple of months like opening a new tattoo/tech shop ( b4 anyone ask yes we are mixing the too because me and many friends of mine have found that many geeks are freaks and vice versa )

but as soon as i can save some money i would love to get my hands on a unit ( i just thought about how that sounds )