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SILENT Bucket Water Cooling!! (BUDGET)

14K views 37 replies 24 participants last post by  2advanced 
#1 ·
Got this idea going on my AMD Athlon Triple Core Rig for less than $100. No fans, no radiators. Just a large quantity of distilled water with an anti-corrosive water wetting additive. The Results were much better than I expected..

Parts:

-200 GPH Submersible Water Pump ($8 after 20% coupon) Harbor Freight

-10' Clear 1/2" Vinyl tubing ($4.87) Home Depot

-5 gallon Bucket and lid ($4) Lowes

-5 gallons of Distilled Water ($5) Local Supermarket

-Water Wetter Additive ($10) Autozone

-Danger Den Water Block ($60 Shipped) www.svc.com

Victim

-AMD Athlon 455 3.3GHz Triple Core CPU, Overclocked to 4.125GHz

Results

-On Phenom CPU cooler at 3800 rpm, 59°c after about 2 minutes of Prime Blend (had to stop due to increasing temp)

-On Fan/Rad-Less Bucket Cooling, 46°c after 3.2 hours of Prime Blend (water temperature went from an initial 64°F, to 87°F after 3 hours) ambient temp was at 68°

Bucket.jpg


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IMG00209-20110213-1603.jpg


Initial.jpg


After3hrPrime.jpg


I dropped a pair of 2-Liter sized ice chunks into the bucket to go for even lower temps, but condensation became an issue before I could begin some bench marking.
IMG00208-20110213-1600.jpg


I was able to overclock further with the same voltage.
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#8 ·
So, once the large amount of distilled water warms up, how do you cool it off? More water just means it heats up more slowly. You will actually overheat your CPU eventually at full load because the water evaporation and heat transfer to the air over its small surface area is not enough to dissipate the heat your system is creating.
Quote:
FYI,

It takes 2.47 watt/hours to heat one gallon of water one degree.

If we consider 10C an acceptable water/air delta and you ran your PC for 50% of the time AND you had an assumed 300 watt heat load:

2.47 watt/hours for one degree x 10 degrees / 12 hours = 2.06 watts per gallon.

If you had 300 watts, you would need 300/2.06 = 145 gallons (assuming you remove the heat just as fast during the remaining 12 hours).

But that's assuming you would remove the heat equally as fast as you added it and I don't think having a tank of 145 gallons sitting there would cut it.

The only way I could see utilizing water's specific heat capacity in that form is some sort of remote shed with a car radiator that operates continuously and remotely...but you've still got to have a means to remove the heat...somehow.

Putting the rad in a river or in a cold well recirculation of some sort...maybe...but nothing practical.

All you can really do is play with a bucket of water and ice short term... I've also seen someone do this with AC unit that cooled a large tank that held the radiator.
 
#10 ·
Quote:
Originally Posted by sandy cheeks View Post

The only thing I would worry about is the pressure getting to high in the hose and it blowing off the compression fitting other than that pure awesomeness!
I was worried about that too, but the pump has very little pressure (4.6 Foot Head Lift). And the vinyl tube is rated for 70 psi max. Thanks for the comments!
 
#13 ·
Quote:
Originally Posted by Scorpion49 View Post

So, once the large amount of distilled water warms up, how do you cool it off? More water just means it heats up more slowly. You will actually overheat your CPU eventually at full load because the water evaporation and heat transfer to the air over its small surface area is not enough to dissipate the heat your system is creating.
[/quote]

Good question! My water temperature (in bucket) went from 18°C to 31°C after 3.2 Hours of Prime95 Blend (68°F Ambient). The Loaded Core temp went from 32°C at the beggining to 46°C after 3+ Hrs. All that with LESS than 5 galons (not filled to the brim). Even when gaming, the CPU wont work at 100% for 3.2 straight hours. I think the reason I'm able to pull this off is because of the cool ambient temperatures, and low core count. I dont think this will work as well in the Summer though.

I tried the same system on my 1090T OC'd to 3.9, but after 4 hours of Battlefield 3, the water temp hit 37° C. But I have an idea to get me through the summer.
 
#14 ·
Quote:
Originally Posted by 2advanced View Post

Good question! My water temperature (in bucket) went from 18°C to 31°C after 3.2 Hours of Prime95 Blend (68°F Ambient). The Loaded Core temp went from 32°C at the beggining to 46°C after 3+ Hrs. All that with LESS than 5 galons (not filled to the brim). Even when gaming, the CPU wont work at 100% for 3.2 straight hours. I think the reason I'm able to pull this off is because of the cool ambient temperatures, and low core count. I dont think this will work as well in the Summer though.
I tried the same system on my 1090T OC'd to 3.9, but after 4 hours of Battlefield 3, the water temp hit 37° C. But I have an idea to get me through the summer.
Yeah, thats the problem others have run into with this same setup. Something like a fan to blow across the water surface might help, but you will evaporate water quickly and have to put a lot of distilled in it. Interested to see what you come up with.
 
#17 ·
I have an aquarium Coral chiller if interested.
biggrin.gif
 
#19 ·
Nice work, but 2 notes for the future; Water Wetter is NOT an anti-corrosive and it's literally pointless in a PC water loop. Second, that Danger Den block is horribly out of date; if you can afford a modern block (the XSPC Raystorm is the same price and FAR better) then I strongly advise using one if you repeat this.
smile.gif
 
#20 ·
Thanks for the kinds words guys!
Quote:
Originally Posted by Xinoxide View Post

I have an aquarium Coral chiller if interested.
biggrin.gif
What is that? And how does it work?
Quote:
Originally Posted by Chunky_Chimp View Post

Nice work, but 2 notes for the future; Water Wetter is NOT an anti-corrosive and it's literally pointless in a PC water loop. Second, that Danger Den block is horribly out of date; if you can afford a modern block (the XSPC Raystorm is the same price and FAR better) then I strongly advise using one if you repeat this.
smile.gif
Are you sure Chimp? I was always under the impression that this additive provided corrosion protection as it is a common additive in racing applications (rads). I use it by itself and distilled water in my Camaro.

http://www.wc101.com/reviews/Additives/

Is the block really that bad? I had seen pictures of those new blocks but didnt think they'd make enough of a difference to justify the cost of upgrading. Thanks for the tip though; and thanks again for your help in getting this thread out the trash
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So this is what I came up with.. Its a $30 tranny cooler from autozone. I also picked up another pump ($8) to dedicate to just circulating the water in the bucket through the radiator. Fans were another $15 from Frys.

2012-02-20191723.jpg


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Test results coming soon!
 
#22 ·
Quote:
Originally Posted by 2advanced View Post

Are you sure Chimp? I was always under the impression that this additive provided corrosion protection as it is a common additive in racing applications (rads). I use it by itself and distilled water in my Camaro.
http://www.wc101.com/reviews/Additives/
As far as I can tell it isn't explicitly used by members for corrosion inhibition, rather for improving thermal performance (which it rarely ever does and can actually leave some residue in the tubes/blocks). Either way it isn't designed for use in a PC water cooling loop and I never advise using it that way as such.
Quote:
Originally Posted by 2advanced View Post

Is the block really that bad? I had seen pictures of those new blocks but didnt think they'd make enough of a difference to justify the cost of upgrading. Thanks for the tip though; and thanks again for your help in getting this thread out the trash
thumb.gif
It's not bad per se but it's overpriced (double what it really should be), 2 generations behind in performance, and IMO is just plain ugly. DD did finally update the series with the M6, but it's not as good a value as some other blocks. Its performance is on par with the current generation of blocks, though.
 
#25 ·
AHAHAH this is ingenious my friend. Btw I like your magazine
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#26 ·
Quote:
Originally Posted by Rognin View Post

Is that Alu?
If so only use it for summer, and get a real anti-corrosive. Then again, with the distance between the rad you'll have and the block, corrosion will take a while.
Ooooh, I didn't think about that.... It appears to be painted, but based on looking at it on the inside, it does appear to be aluminum. Any anti-corrosive that you recommend? Preferably something readily available at a hardware store?
Quote:
Originally Posted by Schmuckley View Post

I wanna see how it works with that rad hooked up!
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I'm currently testing the Rad in a different water loop with a new OCZ water block, and a 455 triple core at 4.2GHz. So far, one hour of Prime 95, Core temp @ 39°C, 71°F Ambient.

2012-02-24020406.jpg

Quote:
Originally Posted by Onex View Post

AHAHAH this is ingenious my friend. Btw I like your magazine
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You noticed?
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