7L watercooled SFF Case (Dual 92mm radiator)

warmack

Trash Compacter
Warmack Woodworks
Nov 4, 2018
42
46
I rebuilt everything but without the small "reservoir" at the top and the PC works. I think there was a weird water-air pressure ratio, that the pump couldn´t handle.

Awesome news! I really had to prime my loop well to get it to flow... literally had to suck liquid through one end. I imagine having the GPU in there as well makes it even harder, but I am glad it is working for you now.
 
  • Like
Reactions: Da_Korn

Da_Korn

Average Stuffer
Original poster
Dec 30, 2019
66
130





 

Valantar

Shrink Ray Wielder
Jan 20, 2018
2,201
2,225


For example, the EK Coolstream SE 240 (slim) has a cooling power of 203w.

Dimensions: 280 x 120 x 28mm (L x W x H) = 940800mm³ = 0,94dm³ ------> 203W
Alphacool Dual 92mm Radiator Dimensions: 229 x 92 x 45mm (L x W x H) = 948060mm³ = 0.95dm³ -----> 204-210W

the Alphacool Radiator has the same cooling power as the EK Coolstream SE 240mm Radiator.

the Zotac RTX 2070 super mini has a TDP of 215W, that would be scarce. I think An RTX 2060 super with 175W TDP would be cooled better.
But I´ve seen some builds with a 9900k and RTX 2080 both liquid-cooled by one 240mm Radiator and the temps were pretty good. <65°-70°C on full load.

(I don't know if those calculations are right)
You can't just compare the volume of the radiators and directly calculate their cooling capabilities from that. The most important metric is surface area, which for radiators mostly means FPI or fins per inch. The EK rad you listed has 22, while the Alphacool one has 12. That alone is a significant reduction in capacity (never mind that specifying a specific "cooling power" for a radiator without a pump or fan is completely impossible). Then there's the reduced airflow from a 92mm fan compared to 120mm fan unless you're compensating by running very high RPM. I'm not saying this doesn't work (it obviously does, though I'd like to know your fans and their rpm) but it will definitely not match a 240mm rad.

Other than that, though, this is very cool. I've been mulling something similar with my ever more Frankensteinian Dell Optiplex SFF, though with a double or triple 80mm rad just for the CPU. Good to see someone doing something similar :)
 
Last edited:
  • Like
Reactions: Da_Korn

Da_Korn

Average Stuffer
Original poster
Dec 30, 2019
66
130
You can't just compare the volume of the radiators and directly calculate their cooling capabilities from that. The most important metric is surface area, which for radiators mostly means FPI or fins per inch. The EK rad you listed has 22, while the Alphacool one has 12. That alone is a significant reduction in capacity (never mind that specifying a specific "cooling power" for a radiator without a pump or fan is completely impossible). Then there's the reduced airflow from a 92mm fan compared to 120mm fan unless you're compensating by running very high RPM. I'm not saying this doesn't work (it obviously does, though I'd like to know your fans and their rpm) but it will definitely not match a 240mm rad.

Other than that, though, this is very cool. I've been mulling something similar with my ever more Frankensteinian Dell Optiplex SFF, though with a double or triple 80mm rad just for the CPU. Good to see someone doing something similar :)
Ok, thanks, I didn´t know how to calculate this, but it helped me to predict the temperatures of my Components.

Btw the fans I´m using are Noctuas NF-A9x25 Chromax Black Edition Fans at the standart fan mode.

Can you show some pictures of your Build?
 
  • Like
Reactions: dealda

Valantar

Shrink Ray Wielder
Jan 20, 2018
2,201
2,225
Can you show some pictures of your Build?
Nothing to show as of yet - well, nothing related to water cooling, that is. There's a build log over here, though it's currently quite out of date; since last posting anything there I've stripped it all down to replace the PSU with a 350W MeanWell AC-12VDC unit and an ArchDaemon DC-ATX PSU, plus adding some front USB ports (and possibly audio, we'll see if I can make it fit). For now it's still in pieces and there's still work to be done on the case and heatsink for the PSU, so I've got to get a move on putting it back together seeing how I'll need to bring it with me for a trip in about ten days :p

The water cooling idea is my ... "plan" (in the loosest, least plan-like meaning of the word) for upgrading the PC down the line. It currently has a non-standard motherboard (but standard ITX mounting posts), so if I want a faster CPU at some point I would need to get an ITX board, which would move the CPU cooler directly below the GPU and choke it completely. Thus the desire for water cooling - and with some space freed up in the front of the case there should be room for an Eisbaer Solo LT and some sort of front radiator. I might even be able to keep the sleeper look intact if I decided to do this, though for now it's very clearly in the "if I ever get the time and money" category.
 

Curiosity

Too busy figuring out if I can to think if I shoul
Platinum Supporter
Bronze Supporter
M...M...M...M...Multi-Tier...Subscriber...
Apr 30, 2016
708
827
This is wonderful!
You've convinced me to buildmy case from 5mm alu as well, I had been struggling on how to build the spine portion.
 

Da_Korn

Average Stuffer
Original poster
Dec 30, 2019
66
130
If you want to build this exact PC case you can download my stl files on thingiverse. I even uploaded parts that are modifiable so you can make your own vent-hole-design.
 

aromachi

Cable-Tie Ninja
Dec 18, 2019
150
137
If you want to build this exact PC case you can download my stl files on thingiverse. I even uploaded parts that are modifiable so you can make your own vent-hole-design.

Did you send your files off to a specific company to have it fabbed and shipped? Or was this all done in a local shop/garage? I'm curious if anybody knows of a company that would fab and ship this to you if you sent them the files.
 

Daniel.f2277

Caliper Novice
Jan 13, 2020
22
11
Did you send your files off to a specific company to have it fabbed and shipped? Or was this all done in a local shop/garage? I'm curious if anybody knows of a company that would fab and ship this to you if you sent them the files.

Alot of companies offer that service.

Just to name a few:

Protolabs
Xometry
3D Hubs
GoProto (California based, they're pretty slow in my recent experience)
StarRapid (China)

They also offer laser, sheet metal bending, 3D printing, and injection molding.

Ponoko for laser cutting exclusively

Just google some manufacturing services online, you'll find a lot of companies willing to do the work. Many of them with very fast or even instant quotes on price.

P.S.:
thanks.
The Case is made out of 5mm aluminum panels and they are fixed together with M3x10 lens head screws. I cut them with an industrial CNC mill.
It wasn't difficult to drill the threads with the industrial CNC machine. And they are strong enough because I use 5 screws per side.
If I had my own CNC machine, I would rework the housing, miss a cleaner look and then market it.
 
Last edited:

aromachi

Cable-Tie Ninja
Dec 18, 2019
150
137
Alot of companies offer that service.

Just to name a few:

Protolabs
Xometry
3D Hubs
GoProto (California based, they're pretty slow in my recent experience)
StarRapid (China)

They also offer laser, sheet metal bending, 3D printing, and injection molding.

Ponoko for laser cutting exclusively

Just google some manufacturing services online, you'll find a lot of companies willing to do the work. Many of them with very fast or even instant quotes on price.

Thanks so much. I do remember seeing the post about the "industrial cnc machine" but I was just curious as to who owned it, his dad or was it a local shop.. ie would a local shop even consider doing something like this for a consumer.
 

Da_Korn

Average Stuffer
Original poster
Dec 30, 2019
66
130
Did you send your files off to a specific company to have it fabbed and shipped? Or was this all done in a local shop/garage? I'm curious if anybody knows of a company that would fab and ship this to you if you sent them the files.

Thank you for asking this question. I work in a relatively large company in the industrial sector.
I learn electronics technicians for devices and systems and now and then I am in the mechanical department. If the mechanics don't use the CNC milling machine, they let me mill my things.
this CNC milling machine is the HURCO VMX42i (https://www.hurco.com/Specifications/Pages/Machine-Data-Sheet.aspx?Model=VMX42i&Company=HUS). It can work with an accuracy of 100ths or 1000ths of a millimeter - extremly accurate.
I hope that helps you ?


Alot of companies offer that service.

Just to name a few:

Protolabs
Xometry
3D Hubs
GoProto (California based, they're pretty slow in my recent experience)
StarRapid (China)

They also offer laser, sheet metal bending, 3D printing, and injection molding.

Ponoko for laser cutting exclusively

Just google some manufacturing services online, you'll find a lot of companies willing to do the work. Many of them with very fast or even instant quotes on price.

P.S.:

oh nice, I didn´t know that there are Companys out there that offer such services. Do you know how much that costs?
 
Last edited:

warmack

Trash Compacter
Warmack Woodworks
Nov 4, 2018
42
46
Thank you for asking this question. I work in a relatively large company in the industrial sector.
I learn electronics technicians for devices and systems and now and then I am in the mechanical department. If the mechanics don't use the CNC milling machine, they let me mill my things.
this CNC milling machine is the HURCO VMX42i (https://www.hurco.com/Specifications/Pages/Machine-Data-Sheet.aspx?Model=VMX42i&Company=HUS). It can work with an accuracy of 100ths or 1000ths of a millimeter - extremly accurate.
I hope that helps you ?




oh nice, I didn´t know that there are Companys out there that offer such services. Do you know how much that costs?

I have gotten a few quotes and I would say around $100/piece milled if you are only doing a one piece run of each component.
 
  • Like
Reactions: Da_Korn