Is it possible to passivly cool a watercooled PC?

TheEagleCD · Post by **TheEagleCD** » Thu Jan 16, 2003 8:59 am

I don't use water-cooling, but I'd like to know whether it is possible to build a system which would allow my system (see signature) to be passivly cooled. The only fan I consider to be a necesity should be in the PSU. And I know that a pump makes some noise but I guess this could be reduced to being close in inaudible.
I thought about using a standard Innovatek watercooling-kit as a basis, adding only cooler for the GPU and the HDDs. Instead of using the supplied radiator I'd suggest to use one of those largly car or fridge radiators without any fans. Would that work?
Looking forward to your answers

Regards,
TheEagleCD
P.S. I know about http://www.zerofanzone.co.uk/ (if you don't, then check it out!) where the guy did achieve what I'm looking for, but he used custom made water-blocks and that's something I'm not able to do. Additionally I think that considering the time/money involved, I consider it to be more attractive for people to use a wc-kit and slightly enhancing or modifying it....

Asmordean · Post by **Asmordean** » Thu Jan 16, 2003 4:56 pm

It is indeed possible.

Although I don't passivly cool my PC, it will work passive. I am watercooling a 2400+ running at 2.2GHz. With a 92mm fan on my heatercore I can keep the CPU at 34°C with ease. If I shut the fan off the tempature goes up to about 48°C. I think that it would top out at around 50°C. Still runs at that tempature.

A few notes:
Radiator: Bigger is better for passive, but be aware that bigger means you need a stonger pump. A large heatercore would work well here.
Resivour: If you go with an open air large resiviour you will have an easier time cooling due to the evaporation that occurs.
Pump: A sumberged pump sitting on foam or suspended in the resivour makes virtually no noise at all.
Kit: I would personally avoid getting a kit. You are really only after two items. The pump and two blocks. Dangerden blocks work well for me and a Laguna Statutary 3 pump has been keeping me cool for quite a while. You might want to move a bit up and use an Eheim. Avoid ViaAqua, they produce a lot of 60Hz hum, run warm, and the plastic shell on mine split when I attached a tube. Home Depot carries a wide assortment of tubing.

A 2.4GHz P4 should be about the same as my system.

As for the HDD - Water cooling an HDD is a waste of time IMO unless you are running 10-15K Cheetahs.

Syphon869 · Post by **Syphon869** » Thu Jan 16, 2003 11:14 pm

Asmordean wrote:As for the HDD - Water cooling an HDD is a waste of time IMO unless you are running 10-15K Cheetahs.

Or a Maxtor.

pingu666 · Post by **pingu666** » Fri Jan 17, 2003 10:49 am

im hoping todo ambient
hence ive got 3 big rads
and i do mean big
/goes and gets link to pics

http://www.vodor.net/~xtr/Others/
try there
think its not workin tho ;(