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Thread: CPU Water Chiller - Help Needed
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28-03-2010, 09:47 PM #1
CPU Water Chiller - Help Needed
Here's where I stand, I've custom built a PC with a water cooling system and I want to take it a step further by actively dropping the water temp below ambient for 24/7 operation with the ability of chilling the water (water/glycol or alcohol/glycol) below 0c. I love DIY projects and this is more for fun than practicality, my system currently stays under 50c during full load which is well within limits (70c is the CPU's limit). I already have a compressor from a 22 cubic ft deep freeze running r-22 and a condenser from a GE HotPoint. I'm currently working on the evaporator coils, I'm using two double helix coils made of 1/4" OD ACR copper tubing in two separate reservoirs. For the expansion valve, I'm wanting to use a thermostatic expansion valve. This is one area I need help with is choosing the expansion valve to use and the size of the orifice. I also need help in figuring out how much oil and refrigerant (R-134a, unless there's a better replacement for R-22) and what pressure the system should run at.
I've done some research online and on forum boards but can't find much on specifics, I understand the general operation of phase change systems, how they are put together, and copper brazing. I just need a little help hammering out the specifics. Any links to existing threads that could help on this or other forums would be welcome and any suggestions/criticism (be gentle, I'm a noob, lol) are also welcome.
Thanks in adavance.
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28-03-2010, 10:11 PM #2
Re: Building a water chiller. I'm new to refrigeration but I'm learning, could use he
Hi and welcome.
Sounds like you have a lot of learning to do and fast.
TEV info for a starter...
http://www.sporlanonline.com/tevs.shtml
Details of your compressor are needed before more advice/help can be given.
I have also moved this thread to the relevant section.Last edited by Brian_UK; 28-03-2010 at 10:14 PM.
Brian - Newton Abbot, Devon, UK
Retired March 2015
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28-03-2010, 10:16 PM #3
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28-03-2010, 10:23 PM #4
Re: CPU Water Chiller - Help Needed
also, I'm not in a huge hurry to get this done. I want to do it right the first time (filling a/c systems is a pain, I've done it on my car a few times). Where is a good place to purchase copper fittings for a/c use, I need a few short 90* bends, 2 x 1/4" OD to 3/8" OD t-fittings, and a y-fitting for one 1/4" OD to two 1/4" OD.
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29-03-2010, 07:42 PM #5
Re: CPU Water Chiller - Help Needed
The compressor is a MATSU****A D123LGAA 1/4hp R-12 unit (not R-22 as I mentioned above). Is R-134a the only refrigerant I can use with this pump? What do I need to do to switch over to R-134a? The ambient temp in the room this unit will be operating in will be between 60 F and 75 F.
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29-03-2010, 09:31 PM #6
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30-03-2010, 06:55 AM #7
Re: CPU Water Chiller - Help Needed
I've been calling local businesses for the past couple days, most don't sell components and don't know where I can buy them, others direct me to other businesses but when I call them they tell me they only sell to contractors. I finally found someone that can sell me the parts I need but he wants to charge me $90 for 4x short 90's, 2x T-fittings, and 2x Y-fittings. I know copper prices are going up, but that's a bit too much right? Is there anywhere online I can purchase these parts?
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30-03-2010, 08:48 PM #8
Re: CPU Water Chiller - Help Needed
My wife used to say you never listen to a word I say at least I think that what she said
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31-03-2010, 12:10 AM #9
Re: CPU Water Chiller - Help Needed
Hi deltatechx
One concern of mine would be the probability of condensation onto your cpu or other components. When you drop the temp of your cooling medium below ambiant, especaily on a humid day. there would need to be sufficient insulation of the cooling tubes to prevent this. Also an alarm (hi temp) for the cooling medium would be a good idea.
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31-03-2010, 07:34 AM #10
Re: CPU Water Chiller - Help Needed
When I updated my system to water cooling I sprayed the front and back of the motherboard, graphics card, and ram with silicone conformal coating (4 coats), packed the cpu socket, ram slots, and pci slots with silicone dielectric grease, and pooled potting compound around and behind the cpu and gpu. I also put closed cell foam padding between the motherboard and case (left over from sound deadening my car ). I'm hoping that will be enough to protect the boards from condensation. I'm also installing a control board from Koolance that will monitor the coolant flow and temp and will also be used to control the chiller.
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31-03-2010, 07:39 AM #11
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01-04-2010, 12:08 AM #12
Re: CPU Water Chiller - Help Needed
Hi deltatechx
Just an idea, personally I would use some sort of icebank hold over like an old coke pot mix machine. This would give plenty of time in the event of a failure. Perhaps this idea might be a little overkill. Or you could use your compressor and put the cooling coil into a bucket, use an icestat switch, and add an adjetator to achive the same above. You could still use glycol and get below 0.degC. Please keep us posted on how you go and any more questions. I'm just waiting for a core i7 980x in a reliable laptop to upgrade this year.
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