Suggestions for my true wind tunnel prototype, please

[corky1000]

Hi!
This is the first time I'm going to build a pc and it's going to be an original design pc. Previous, I just wanted to avoid technical details and have a working computer at as low cost as possible. Now that my pc died and I've had to do some investigation and hands-on learning when getting a replacement old pc in shape, I find I like it.

So I want to build one. Meanwhile I can practice building a prototype box to house the Asus/Athlon64. Eventually I want to be able to make it a small cool quiet box. As much as possible.

I'd enjoy hearing any critiques and suggestions. I'm building it as cheaply as possible while trying to keep the sysem compatible with various foreseeable upgrades (graphics card, SSD and RAM), in 2 years or even further down the road.

My recently newly purchased older $100 pc with upgrade comprises a low end Antec mid ATX with generic 380 W PSU/ Asus A8S-X mobo/ Anthlon64x2 3800+ CPU/ Zalman cage type heatsink fan/ Geforce7950gt graphics/ 4 GB RAM/ new Vantec S100 audio/ new Asus optical drive/ new Sandisk 128 GB SSD, and a couple of hard drives.

I'm looking to build a true wind tunnel wooden case with a variety of thin or lightweight materials for ducting, putting the hardware in single file with smoothed constrictions and expansions forcing higher air velocity over components and achieving reduced noise levels at the same time. As well, insulating/damping materials to kill sound.

I've so far chosen/bought: the office fan, and some components which are presently being used in the older system ( the new SSD, the Zalman heatsink, and the GeForce 7950gt.) If I install a left-over heatsink fan and old graphics card and hard drive to replace what's taken out that would leave the old pc in working condition too.

TO start with the new pc will have: i5 3570 CPU/ Zalman heatsink/ Invidia GeForce 7950gt/ approx 600w power/ Sandisk 128GB ssd/8GB ram/ Asus optical drive.

Not yet decided on brand/type for psu, mobo, ram.

I don't do gaming but I do some home video editing and I might want to improve video editing capability.


Any thoughts offhand?

Thanks!
corky

 

[christop]

Go with water cooling and don't feed the termites...

 

[corky1000]

ok, checking around...
http://www.tomshardware.com/reviews/h100i-elc240-seidon-240m-lq320,3380.html

Noctua NH D14 ?

 

[christop]

No closed loops go with an xspc 240 or 360 really slaps closed loops down and doesn't cost too much..

 

[corky1000]

No closed loops go with an xspc 240 or 360 really slaps closed loops down and doesn't cost too much..

I got into checking it out! Thanks
I like what they do and it looks good quality but I'm afraid this brings it over budget. It looks like about $300 for cooling and I want to spend about $500 total on the set up ( using the old video card and new SSD)

Like this $220 CPU $120 mobo $60 PSU $ 60 RAM=$460

I have experience with aquarium pumps and rigging them to do work, but I'm more inclined to use experience in watching flow patterns in water to make the air flow very much better over the components.

To have ghetto water cooling I could use pumps I have already, a container, and only purchase the cpu water block and an automobile heater core, I guess?

I was almost converted at first by the $100 closed loop systems but then there is the video card and mobo to cool as well, and it all adds up to lots of fans providing way less suction and air, instead of one quiet powerful AC fan at low speed and focusing the air to get higher speed over a narrower smaller space, then re-expanding.

Water has so much higher ability to absorb the heat, but it's a problem to me - except for the small closed loop jobbies. But then I still need fans to cool the radiator.
Plus I'd need a different case. It all adds up. With wood I can design to any way I want and adjust it easily too.

So I'm back to the drawing board - have never left it.

 

[corky1000]

No closed loops go with an xspc 240 or 360 really slaps closed loops down and doesn't cost too much..

I bought a Thermaltake 2.0 performer. $39 after rebate.

It can't go on the mobo (Asus A8S-X has 2 holes not 4), but the 2 fans supplied are way better than I have, so they are now installed and I can shut the case now.

I've got a big copper coil to add a huge evaporative cooling tower to the the Thermaltake Performer, for the next pc.
I may try to water cool the old pc by converting the heatpipes and base from an air cooled heat sink to water cooled.