TEC build log start

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toolmaker_03

toolmaker_03

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Mar 26, 2012
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http://imgur.com/cd15M1a
ok so I have finished all my testing and decided on a general build for this unit.
this build will be sealed inside of a chest so I will not have physical access to the computer case, I would like some input on the general idea that I am presenting, I use antifreeze so freezing the coolant is not a issue, and seeing as I am increasing the cooling capacity of my water cooling system, I have also chosen new clocks for my hardware, the CPU clock will run at 5Ghz, and the GPU's will be running at 930Mhz, I have already tested theses clocks and found them to be stable for my hardware.
 
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ok so I am going to make another frame, like the frame for the fan controllers, but this will be for the cold side temp display, flow rate display, and the PC power switch with the reset switch are a attached to a cover plate that is designed for the 5 1/4" bay. So this frame will be the size of three 5 1/4" bays instead of four bays like the fan controller frame.
http://www.performance-pcs.com/new-lian-li-bezel-w-mnpctech-mounting-plate-16mm-22mm-vandal-resistant-switches-silver.html
http://www.performance-pcs.com/xspc-5-25-drive-bay-temperature-sensor-display-frame-v2.html
so here is a idea of how it will look when I am done with this section.
 
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ok so I have been looking at the cheap relays that I have for this build, if these relays go out quick, its really no big deal because they are cheap, but when they do go out I will upgrade the system with a better class of relay. here is what I am looking at as there replacements.
http://www.amazon.com/Stinger-SGP32-Battery-Relay-Isolator/dp/B001HBYXVS/ref=pd_sbs_263_8?ie=UTF8&dpID=516f85YYu3L&dpSrc=sims&preST=_AC_UL160_SR160%2C160_&refRID=095BXVMJN11RGRZCWAPK
a lot stronger and really should last for a long time.
 
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polished blocks
http://imgur.com/9TVjq0f
9TVjq0f.jpg
 
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ok so it looks like I will have a total of 7, 5 1/4" bay devices, that is a lot of bays, not too many cases out there that can handle that many.
it seems that the closer I get to being done, the more I find to do, but I kind of figured that this would happen so I am not too surprised.
all and all the build is coming along quite well and a little faster than I figured I might only have a couple of months left on this before it is up and running.
of course that all depends on how much more I find to do on this build in the mean time.
 
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ok so after looking over the build real hard it looks like I can start on a wire fit for the build and start the process of making the ice chest air tight. this will take several weeks to complete and I may need to order a few things, so the process may even take a little longer as a result, but I think I can multi task this build a little more than I have been. so I am going to install the mother board into the PC case for this build so that I can run all the wiring. I will complete the tubing by doing the tubing in three sections like most of the wire is done. so I will have a section of tubing the is for going through the chest only it will connect to another section inside of the chest and a section of tubing on the outside of the chest. it is a little more expensive to do it this way but I think that the ease of being able to disconnect it later will be well worth the cost.
 
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ok so the first thing I need to order for the ice chest is the static electricity prevention spray
http://www.mcmelectronics.com/product/TECHSPRAY-1756-8S-/20-4520
I do not know if I can explain this correct, but I will try, ok so normal air has a resistance of 277 ohms per square inch, the further the distance the greater the resistance, this is a lot of resistance enough that a normal computers operational static field can be grounded by the case and dissipated.
inside the vacuum chamber the air is thin and so the resistance in the ice chest will be much lower, these conditions may allow the static field to get quite large and strong, my fear is that if I do nothing to contain how strong the field can get, I might have a lighting storm inside the ice chest.
well that is my fear anyway.
 
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the cold side water loop will have two pumps attached directly to the TEC assembly, and 3/8 soft copper tubing coming off the pumps that will end just before the ice chest, I will have couplers to connect to the next section of tubing that will go into the chest. the sections of tubing in the chest will be the water in line that will travel to the top of the reservoirs and will have another coupler connection to the next section of tubing, from there to the reservoir water in port at the top. there will be a section of tubing that goes from the bottom of the reservoirs to the bottom of the second video card. then we start the water out line, it will go from the bottom of the second video card to the outer side wall of the chest, from there I will have a coupler and a section of tubing that will fallow the walls of the chest to the hole and out of the chest. then another coupler and a another section of tubing that runs from just outside the chest to the second water pump. there is a third piece of soft copper tubing that will run into the ice chest and that tubing is for the vacuum pump, I will start from inside the chest, this section of tubing runs down the wall and out of the chest, I will have a coupler just outside the chest for the next section of tubing, the next section will also run up the chest to the top, and it will connect to the vacuum gage, and a 1/4 turn valve, and the last section will go from there to the vacuum pump
 
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ok so I have lot going on right now for this build, first I have several 90 degree copper fittings being added to the build, with will make it easier on me to assemble the cold side loop and tube it.
I have the TEC assembly being finished, and some added support being cut and drilled to make it a little stronger, it needs to be able to hold 100PSI without issue, and that requires a good strong frame to do that.
the frames for the power supplies are started, and it my take a few days to complete that.
and finally I am finishing up on the PC case for this build, and getting the motherboard installed into it.
wow that's a lot of stuff to keep track of, but it seems to be coming along at a good pace.
 
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I really wish that I was done with this build already, I really want to play some games on my PC again, the PS3 is just not really doing it for me anymore.
I am so spoiled by PC gaming at high resolution 2560 X 1600, this 1920 X 1080 PS3 gaming sucks. I have some of the same games for my PC, and they look so much better on the PC.
 
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ok so I have finished the 5th CPU block and I am starting on the 6th block now, my hope is that I have made the assembly strong enough to handle the extreme pressure required for the TEC's to function correctly. the TEC assembly is the most expensive part of the project, and for good reason, because this assembly is what will determine how well the system functions, there are a lot of little things that will help here, one being how thick I make the clay surrounding the cold side of the TEC assembly. another is ensuring there is enough power for all the TEC's, I think I have that covered well enough with power supplies that are 45A, 55A, and I will use the 75A because I already have it. I also have a large swing on how hot the hot side loop can get. I think that with all of this combined, I will be able to control the TEC's properly and get the most out of them that I can.
in a couple of days I will have this section done. its a time consuming process getting the Blocks flat, but in the long run I think that it will only serve to help the system run more efficiently. so I will have pics when I am done with it, and before I cover it in clay.
 
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ok, so why do I try to find links to all the stuff that I have for this build?
the answer is so that if someone wanted to duplicate this build, it would be easer for them to find the products used, or products with similar capabilities.
most of the items I am using for this build, I have found on sale somewhere, over the years that I have been planning this build or other builds that I have done. when I find something I want for a build on sale, I get it, even if that build is still 4 or 5 years from completion.
I have patience, I have waited for 5 years to get a good TV at a decent price. I just keep looking once a month until I eventually find it for a good price.
for instance the CPU blocks for this build, are $50+ water blocks normally, but I found them for $19.99 at performance PC this past December.
if you wait long enough, almost everything goes on sale somewhere.
well that Is how I was able to afford this build, I didn't pay full price for any of it 😀
 
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with the TEC assembly build, there are a few little things that are going into this build, in a effort to make it a little more capable of withstanding the cold temps.
ok, so as I finished each CPU water block I would open the block up an use RTV sealant around the rubber O-ring to give it some protection from the cold it was not needed for the hot side water blocks but I did it any way. for the fittings that will connect all the blocks to each other I will be using gas Teflon tape with RTV sealant on all the O-rings for the cold side of the assembly. I will not be using the RTV sealant or the Teflon tape on the hot side fittings. this is a time consuming process, but I am doing it to ensure that I do not have a leak on the cold side of the water loop. the cold side water pumps will be connected directly to the bottom of the TEC assembly with fittings the soft copper tubing will connect to the other ends of the pumps. there will be one pump before the TEC assembly and one pump after the TEC assembly on the cold side of the water loop
 
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the clay, as I have shown it is multi-colored clay, but I will try to put a single color on the out side of each section, any suggestions on what color I should use for the TEC assembly?
I was thinking of using the gray as the outer color here.
I am going to make the clay 2" thick for now, and add to it as needed to prevent condensation from forming on the clay.
why am I using clay?
its because I like the idea of being able to make it as thick as necessary for the build, and that appeals to me. I like the idea of being able to remove it and reshape it for changes that may occur at a later time on this build. it is easy to apply, and easy to remove, and I don't have to keep going out to get more, every time I want to make a change to the build.
 
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I totally forgot about the eraser putty, the eraser putty is easy to forget about because you cant see it. the eraser putty is being applied before the clay the eraser putty will only be a 1/8" of an inch thick, but will be covering everything that the clay does. the reason I like the eraser putty is because it is really easy to form, and it is even easer to remove than the clay, so it makes a good thin layer of material to apply the clay on top of, you cant see the eraser putty, but it is there, and I think that it will make the build a little easier with it there.
 
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so this is a high flow system, because of the parallel nature of its design. I am positive that the flow rates on both the hot side and the cold side water loops will be between 6LPM and 9LPM. I am hoping, that it will be closer to the 9LPM, but I will be happy with 6LPM.
 
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so why am I spending this extra time protecting all of the seals on the cold side of the water loop?
its because the system is capable of getting down to -25C if there is no load on the cold side of the water loop, so if my PC shuts down for whatever reason, and the TEC's are active, I am building the system strong enough to handle what the system is capable of doing, but by all means it should never get that cold.
 
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Data according to Automotive Coolant Experts, (It also had boil over numbers but in your case they are irrelevant)

%AF~%H2O~~Protection
30~~~~70~~~~-17°C
40~~~~60~~~~-23°C
50~~~~50~~~~-37°C
60~~~~40~~~~-52°C
70~~~~30~~~~-64°C

Looks like you'll need around a 50/50 ratio, that will protect down to -37c.

Just in case you were considering using automotive antifreeze full strength?

Can a glycol based coolant concentrate be used as is?

No.

Glycol based coolant concentrate in of itself does not offer sufficient heat transfer and corrosion protection characteristics. To optimize the heat transfer and other functional attributes a coolant concentrate must always be diluted with high quality water, preferable deionised water at a 50:50 ratio with coolant concentrate. Glycol based coolant concentrate should always be diluted to between 30% and 70% strength as exceeding these limits would compromise coolant performance
Click to expand...

Since you've used automotive antifreeze for years I am sure you already are fully aware of this, but I just thought I'd toss these numbers your way.

I had a friend that thought, why worry about the mixture with water so he ran 100% pure antifreeze in his car, he drove it to work and only had 2 miles to travel, it boiled over in the parking lot when he got to work, he learned the hard way that the coolant had to be mixed with water, sometimes it helps to read the label.
 
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yes, the mix matters, a lot, I used a 70/30 mix for the test build, I was trying for the most I could get. looks like I would be fine with a 50/50 mix though thanks.
I am about half way done with the cold side TEC assembly now, its moving along. I will take a pic before I put the eraser putty, and clay all over it.
 
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