Production Aquanaut Basic/Extreme - Ultra Low Profile CPU Block & Pump Mount Combo

[Brandon86]

best will be someone to post the Optimus cold plate dimensions here. Nothing guaranteed though, as mentioned before it is not a good idea to piggy back on other people's product which I have no control whatsoever.

And btw, what's with all the reference of Optimus cold plate (rectangular) for AMD Theadripper server chip (TR4)? I have no plans to make a water block for server cpu at the moment... desktop CPU's are square in shape, and so are the water blocks...

I will just attach a proper Optimus desktop CPU water block photo here, in case people misunderstand for the rectangular cold plate. i.e. Rectangular cold plate looks nice but only exists only in your dreams, that's not for desktop PC users .
View attachment 1122

I already ordered the cold plate from Optimus. So instead of giving you dimensions, I’ll do you one better and send it to you when it comes in this week. I have zero use for it if the screw holes don’t line up for this Aquanaut I’m currently using anyway. You can keep it as long as you want/need. Just let me be somewhere near the top of the list for early testing/purchase of the new version. I really want it.
PM me some address info, and I’ll send it to you once I get it!

 

[Nouvolo]

I already ordered the cold plate from Optimus. So instead of giving you dimensions, I’ll do you one better and send it to you when it comes in this week. I have zero use for it if the screw holes don’t line up for this Aquanaut I’m currently using anyway. You can keep it as long as you want/need. Just let me be somewhere near the top of the list for early testing/purchase of the new version. I really want it.
PM me some address info, and I’ll send it to you once I get it!

Wow, I thank you for your generosity. But you should keep the prized item ,you really want me to make it to match Optimus size? I will be getting request for EK, Barrow, Bitspower, later on...

 

[Brandon86]

I don't speak for everyone, but yeah I would love for it to match the Optimus cold plate gen 2. If you really don't want me to send it that's fine, but I wouldn't have offered it if it was that prized. I won't be needing it anytime soon, until I buy your version 2 product anyway, and I'd love the opportunity to offer assistance if in any way possible. You can send it back when I buy your next version, which I will be doing. If you don't want me to send it, let me know what kind of specs/dimensions you need via PM and I'll send them when I can get a micrometer or digital caliper to measure what you need. PM me, and let me know, I don't want to derail the thread too much.

 

[Qzrx]

Wow, I thank you for your generosity. But you should keep the prized item ,you really want me to make it to match Optimus size? I will be getting request for EK, Barrow, Bitspower, later on...

No reason to match those IMO when the Optimus cold plate has higher fin density and area than any of the others.

 

[Nouvolo]

I don't speak for everyone, but yeah I would love for it to match the Optimus cold plate gen 2. If you really don't want me to send it that's fine, but I wouldn't have offered it if it was that prized. I won't be needing it anytime soon, until I buy your version 2 product anyway, and I'd love the opportunity to offer assistance if in any way possible. You can send it back when I buy your next version, which I will be doing. If you don't want me to send it, let me know what kind of specs/dimensions you need via PM and I'll send them when I can get a micrometer or digital caliper to measure what you need. PM me, and let me know, I don't want to derail the thread too much.

sure, let me know when you receive it

 

[Nouvolo]

No reason to match those IMO when the Optimus cold plate has higher fin density and area than any of the others.

Although higher fin density fins are good in general, it also creates more restriction. Note vanilla CPU water blocks are mostly matched with D5 pumps (full size case). Most custom loops are done in full size cases, and the hard core custom loop enthusiasts always try to avoid using DDC. It's probably fair to say that DDC is less common than D5 in custom loop build in general.

Don't know if @Wahaha360 postponing of his Free Flow can be due to flow rate also, maybe he can share some of his thoughts.

For Aquanaut kind of water block, which only uses DDC and inherently more restriction by its low profile design, I need to pay attention to flow rate (and/or pump noise). I think the sample I got should be suitable for its purpose.

 

[thelaughingman]

It's probably fair to say that DDC is less common than D5 in custom loop build in general.

yep, I now swear by D5 too over DDC. nonetheless DDC is mandatory for sub-12L so there's that. still have Aquanaut v1 stashed away though, who knows if I ever go back to that small of a case for the main build

For Aquanaut kind of water block, which only uses DDC and inherently more restriction by its low profile design, I need to pay attention to flow rate (and/or pump noise).

totally agree. mounting compatibility with Optimus cold plate would be nice, but Aquanaut should not be designed with Optimus cold plate as a focus. Replacing stock cold plate is clearly in DIY / experimental territory and users should do it at their own risk and knowledge.

 

[Fitchew]

totally agree. mounting compatibility with Optimus cold plate would be nice, but Aquanaut should not be designed with Optimus cold plateas a focus. Replacing stock cold plate is clearly in DIY / experimental territory and users should do it at their own risk and knowledge.

Agree

 

[Nouvolo]

Potentially bad news:

Just found out that that for Intel motherboard there maybe a limit to the size of the cold plate. Some capacitors are in the way, sticking up higher than the CPU surface. Need to check if need to make 2 different cold plates for Intel & AMD. Would suck big time if that's the case

Taller than CPU top by <1mm... Jeez

 

[srekal34]

Potentially bad news:

Just found out that that for Intel motherboard there maybe a limit to the size of the cold plate. Some capacitors are in the way, sticking up higher than the CPU surface. Need to check if need to make 2 different cold plates for Intel & AMD. Would suck big time if that's the case

Taller than CPU top by <1mm... Jeez
View attachment 1128

Yeah - I've mentioned that even previous Aquanaut was a tight fit due to these capacitors.
Maybe before making commitments to the supplier you should wait for Socket 1700. It's just around the corner(Q4 21) and it will have different mounting pattern and be bigger - I can imagine most people will abandon old socket and move to new one as Alder Lake seems like its going to be long overdue improvement for Intel.

 

[evadne]

I have received the current product earlier and can now confirm that what I have received is within acceptable parameters as per the vendor (see quote block).

Here is what I have received in detail, directly out of the package.

I will not be seeking an RMA here

You have not elaborated the specific issue with there being "something wrong". But we assume, based on the photo, you are talking about the marks in the countersunk screw holes. Please note that marks may appear in the CNC process and also during the process of installation when applying the screws. But these marks are not cracks and do not affect performance of the water block.

Please also note that we do have quality inspection process, by which we visually check for defects at a reasonable distance (20cm). Your photo is magnified by many (50x) times (4mm screw hole up to ~20cm), which may amplify the issue.

 

[Nouvolo]

I have received the current product earlier and can now confirm that what I have received is within acceptable parameters as per the vendor (see quote block).

Here is what I have received in detail, directly out of the package.

I will not be seeking an RMA here

[PHOTOS]

For the cold plate, you just need to wipe it clean off some of the grease. And yes, the cold plate can be finger print magnets... sorry 'bout that

Marks inside the screw holes in the photos should not affect performance of the water block...

Edit: I also pointed out in my reply that the photos are zoomed in about 40-50x (4mm screw hole to 20cm), which may amplify things. Thanks for your post here, I will try to include here all the points that was in my email reply to you.

 

[Nouvolo]

Yeah - I've mentioned that even previous Aquanaut was a tight fit due to these capacitors.
Maybe before making commitments to the supplier you should wait for Socket 1700. It's just around the corner(Q4 21) and it will have different mounting pattern and be bigger - I can imagine most people will abandon old socket and move to new one as Alder Lake seems like its going to be long overdue improvement for Intel.

Yea, thanks for pointing it out, and I went to double check. Seems 58x58mm cold plate is the max size for Intel motherboard (115X/1200)... Even for bigger ATX boards those caps are still there...

Will try to adjust the size smaller, but will try to maintain full fin coverage for the CPU

 

[Valantar]

Yea, thanks for pointing it out, and I went to double check. Seems 58x58mm cold plate is the max size for Intel motherboard (115X/1200)... Even for bigger ATX boards those caps are still there...

Will try to adjust the size smaller, but will try to maintain full fin coverage for the CPU

Igor's lab has the details on the keep-in-zones for the new LGA1700 socket here: https://www.igorslab.de/en/intel-so...nd-drawings-for-the-new-cpus-ab-alder-lake/2/

That should provide you with the exact measurements needed to avoid conflicting with any on-board components. Similar datasheets should be available (likely directly from Intel) for current and previous sockets as well - all cooler manufacturers use these, after all.

 

[Nouvolo]

Igor's lab has the details on the keep-in-zones for the new LGA1700 socket here: https://www.igorslab.de/en/intel-so...nd-drawings-for-the-new-cpus-ab-alder-lake/2/

That should provide you with the exact measurements needed to avoid conflicting with any on-board components. Similar datasheets should be available (likely directly from Intel) for current and previous sockets as well - all cooler manufacturers use these, after all.

wow, nice! even got data for Alder lake!

Update: but ouch... somethings looks troublesome. The chip size is rectangular (37.5x45.0mm), comparing with Ryzen Zens (37x37mm), it's even bigger...

 

[Valantar]

wow, nice! even got data for Alder lake!

Update: but ouch... somethings looks troublesome. The chip size is rectangular (37.5x45.0mm), comparing with Ryzen Zens (37x37mm), it's even bigger...

View attachment 1129

Yep, that's been rumored for a while. Likely due to DDR5 pinout needs (and possibly PCIe 5.0, if they for some reason choose to implement that). The package height is also something like 0.8mm lower than previously, which in sum makes most coolers incompatible with the new socket.

 

[Nouvolo]

Igor's lab has the details on the keep-in-zones for the new LGA1700 socket here: https://www.igorslab.de/en/intel-so...nd-drawings-for-the-new-cpus-ab-alder-lake/2/

That should provide you with the exact measurements needed to avoid conflicting with any on-board components. Similar datasheets should be available (likely directly from Intel) for current and previous sockets as well - all cooler manufacturers use these, after all.

Cold plate dimension limit:

• (current) LGA115X/1200 - 58x58mm (max out)
• (future/alder lake) LGA1700 - min. 60x68mm for full fin coverage (chip size 37x45mm)
• (current) AM4 - min. 60x60 for full fin coverage
• (future) AM5 - TBC (some info says it will be same as AM4)

Lets have your thoughts on what cold plate dimensions I should go for. Ideally would want to minimize the number of different sizes (SKUs). More sizes = higher development costs.

 

[Valantar]

Cold plate dimension limit:

• (current) LGA115X/1200 - 58x58mm (max out)
• (future/alder lake) LGA1700 - min. 60x68mm for full fin coverage (chip size 37x45mm)
• (current) AM4 - min. 60x60 for full fin coverage
• (future) AM5 - TBC (some info says it will be same as AM4)

Lets have your thoughts on what cold plate dimensions I should go for. Ideally would want to minimize the number of different sizes (SKUs). More sizes = higher development costs.

From the drawings, it looks like the practical keep-in-zone for Alder Lake is about 60.7*56mm when centered, though it's not entirely symmetrical, and I went for a rectangle from the smallest dimensions rather than maximising space usage. Going by that, full fin coverage isn't possible. If I were you, I'd hold off until the socket specs for this and AM5 are both known, then make the design as large as possible for those platforms. Either that or design one cold plate for now and one for future generations, but that sounds expensive.

A possible workaround would be to make a large, thick cold plate but to grind down its bottom side edges by ~3mm, as that should allow you to clear Intel's "A" keep-out height of 9.8mm - but that would of course affect the structural stiffness of the cold plate, and might not be enough to allow for fins covering the whole of the desired area.

What are the parameters limiting fin coverage vs. cold plate size? Structural integrity? Edge clearances? Flow path routing/placement?

 

[Nouvolo]

From the drawings, it looks like the practical keep-in-zone for Alder Lake is about 60.7*56mm when centered, though it's not entirely symmetrical, and I went for a rectangle from the smallest dimensions rather than maximising space usage. Going by that, full fin coverage isn't possible. If I were you, I'd hold off until the socket specs for this and AM5 are both known, then make the design as large as possible for those platforms. Either that or design one cold plate for now and one for future generations, but that sounds expensive.

A possible workaround would be to make a large, thick cold plate but to grind down its bottom side edges by ~3mm, as that should allow you to clear Intel's "A" keep-out height of 9.8mm - but that would of course affect the structural stiffness of the cold plate, and might not be enough to allow for fins covering the whole of the desired area.

What are the parameters limiting fin coverage vs. cold plate size? Structural integrity? Edge clearances? Flow path routing/placement?

Based on the keep-in-zone for alder lake drawing I got approx. 70x60mm [x,y] as the maximum available for the cold plate. The center of the CPU being (0,0) [x,y]. I take the smallest in both directions from center in x's [left/right] & y's [above/below] to determine the symmetrically feasible dimensions, as below. Let me know if I have mistaken anything, the diagram is quite complicated. But just by looking at the shape below is already giving me headaches...



As for AMD's new socket ("AM5"), rumor has it that it will be the same dimension as AM4 (40x40mm), but in LGA. And yes, it's risky to develop anything based on rumors... But the bottom line is that if (Intel/AMD) one is rectangular (confirmed) and the other is square in shape, there will be no way out but 2 different cold plates (assuming 60mm is one of the dimension limit) for full fin coverage.

First AM5 socket details get leaked: AMD consumer solutions switching to LGA

Looking at previous consumer platform sockets, AMD has mostly been sticking with PGA designs. However, according to the latest leaks, AMD is making the jump to LGA with the upcoming Zen 4 CPUs, transfering all pins from the processor to the motherboard socket. AM5 will also feature dual-channel...

www.notebookcheck.net

 

[duynguyenle]

Potentially bad news:

Just found out that that for Intel motherboard there maybe a limit to the size of the cold plate. Some capacitors are in the way, sticking up higher than the CPU surface. Need to check if need to make 2 different cold plates for Intel & AMD. Would suck big time if that's the case

Taller than CPU top by <1mm... Jeez
View attachment 1128

For most recent Intel sockets (115x, 1200 etc), I think the Keep Out Zone specifications is common across all of them,you can see the schematics from Page 33 to 36 here: https://www.intel.com/content/dam/w.../guides/4th-gen-core-lga1150-socket-guide.pdf

I am not sure about socket 1700, but I'm sure Intel will publish the specs again once it's released to OEMs and manufacturing. In a perfect world, all OEMs should be following these specs in terms of capacitor placement and sizing etc...