PeterWar

Hi guys,

First post in the phase change section.

After doing 3 water cooling rigs and 1 TEC I'm considering now on using a phase-change setup for my next build, I would appreciate some help, as I'm still a newbie.

Those who have followed my post on the TEC section may already know that I like to keep all the stuff enclosed in a SINGLE case , I know it's not ideal, but it is more practical, and usefull for Lan-party's .

So my intention is to buy a case that has phase integrated, or a reasonably good case that a phase could easily fit in.

I've been doing my share of reading but I still have some questions:

1-Is there any comercial solution that I could use? (those who would suggest Thermal Take, please stay away from me lol).
2-If there were no comercial solutions avaliable, is the lian-li V2000 the best case to mod to fit a phase setup?
3-I want my next setup to use the new Intel i7 CPU, now, I know that there are mixed opinions about if it is really worth to use phase on an i7, I've posted a poll and would love to know your opinion.
4-Does phase change necessary need maintenance? (that is, gas refill and this sort of stuff).
5-Now, It's not my intention to fit my rig with a multi-cascade-ultrapowerfull phase, I would ratter prefer something silent and relativelly small, Am I correct in assuming that a simple phase loop, with good components, would get me arround -50ºC? What would be the room for overclock of an i7 under those conditions?
6-What would be the power consumetion of the phase I'm thinking about? and how much heat-load would take out of my CPU?

Thanks in advance for the help!!!!!!!!

d3str0y3r0fn00bs

#1 do not use retail units! they are not either not tuned high enough for overclocked quads, bad price to performance, or just plain low quality.

#2 the lian-li v2000 can easily be modded to fit a phase unit in the botom compartment, but take note of your power supply and where you/ your builder places the compressor and ect. it can get cramped.

#4 lets hope not, like any other compresor baced phase unit it can fail. so stick to a good compressor brand, not no ramdom chinese brand you find on ebay for $5. i wouldnt worry about it failing if you use quality parts.

#5 a single stage would do the job, you dont need a cascade unit of any sort. although i woudln't be expecting -50c, expect more like -35c for a good tuned unit.

#6 generaly around 500watts give or take 150 depending on the compressor power and efficiency. as for heat loade, that is determined by how you tune it.

some considerations and tips for you:
make sure your pc(bios or software controlled) has a temperature shut off switch. a phase unit can fail which is rare for a custom built, but it doesn't hurt to have extra protection against it.

if you where to install a phase unit inside a lian-li v2000 it would require you to use a smaller condesnor which means one of 2 or both things.
#1 higher temps and or
#2 more noise

my guess is youll be able to hit 4.5ghz with 1.45 volts at -35c with a unit tuned for 300watts. not quite sure. dont expect to see much more then that. the core i7 is a rather bad overclocker. in the end i leave it up to you.

personaly irecoemd to you using a water chiller. i liek do to everyone bacicaly because of the though you can get a good one made for $400 and get sub zero's(-25c) on your intire loop(cpu gpu northbridge ect). plus you know it'll have compatiability for the next gen system's. i mean for the price of a rely good full system loop. you have $300 in rads alone, why not spend an extra $100 and get sub zero?

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yomama9388

Well if this is going to be a lan rig too... do not go phase. You could build a single stage into some cases but I don't think you realize how heavy it will be. You could go phase if you really wanted too but it seems like water fits your needs better.

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PeterWar

Thx for the reply guys!

Now, is there any kind of commercial solution water chiller that would fit in my case,aside from the discontinued swiftech model? and would it be TEC-based or phase-based?

d3str0y3r0fn00bs

idk how you can even use commercial solution and fit in my case in the same sentence. the only dif between a water chiller and a direct die(standard single stage unit) is the evaporator used. water chillers use a liquid to liquid heat exchanger. you can buy some aquarium chillers but they are usuraly not tuned for low temp. as for tec baced solutions you could ask some people in the tec forums, ive seen some rely good ones made but they are a pain to make and will probaly turn spendy. if you wanted to learn phase a r134a chiller is a good way to start. they can be made small quiet compact and produce good temps. if you dont want to go though the pain of getign epa certified and building your own your only real choise is to have someone else build one for you. you can always contact a local hvac/r repair company and see if they would be willing to make you one to support 1500watts or more if needed.

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PeterWar

So I am correct in assuming that NO big company offers nowadays a high-quality solution, capable of holding an intel Quad at sub-zero temps in a single case?

Boy, that leaves room for improvement, don't you think?

yomama9388

Thats correct, you are going to be spending lots of time and money if you want to have it done. I recommend you just go for tec to save yourself the hassle.

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Veltri

I also endorse building a chiller. I got a condensing unit from a used HVAC supply place for pretty cheap ($200 CDN). Throw in a TXV, sight glass, and a bit of tubing and you're set for under $300. Plus you get the option of running something better than r134. The best part is the learning of everything when you do this stuff. At least in my opinion it is. Or you could always build a hacked AC chiller.

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