[Case Gallery] Oil Submerged HTPC Mark II

[Macross]

To view this case mod, go here.



Specs:
Intel E6500 @ 3.21Ghz
4Gb RAM
Nvidia GTX550 Ti
Swiftech MCP655
Koolance Quick Disconnects
60Gb Vertex SSD

Mods:
This is my second oil submerged HTPC. First one can be seen here http://www.techpowerup.com/gallery/2144.html
The original one has run for around three years with not one problem. The hardware was getting old and needed an upgrade so decided to build a new tank.
Same basic idea with some refinements. Submerged the pump in the oil to eliminate noise and make the entire computer one unit that can be removed from the oil by using the handles. Quick disconnects make is easy to remove the radiator. With the fans on low speed the machine is totally silent.

 

[Cliffst3rz]

I voted 4/10 because:

dont see the point in it

 

[Macross]

Just pushed up a youtube vid from my iphone

 

[Shurakai]

Love it, always wanted to try something like that, just looks so peaceful and out of this world, I mean who expects to see a PC submerged like that lol.

9/10

 

[Trifixion]

i seen this done a few times but none look as good as this, but why the cpu heat sink? why not a spot fan strait on the cpu.
9/10

 

[BlackOmega]

I voted 4/10 because:

dont see the point in it

There is no point. It's like building a drag car --what's the point? You can't drive it anywhere except on the drag strip, it doesn't turn, it sucks on gas and will probably overheat at every red light. People still do it.

i seen this done a few times but none look as good as this, but why the cpu heat sink? why not a spot fan strait on the cpu.
9/10

Um.....because it's submerged in oil

10/10. I know it's not the first one I've seen, but these are awesome. It takes BALLS and a lot of ingenuity to build something like this.

 

[Macross]

Thanks for the positive feedback guys. Much appreciated.

Trifixion, you still need to dissipate the heat from the CPU over a large surface area. The CPU die heat spreader is just not enough area to get the heat away unless you dump liquid nitrogen on it. The CPU cooler just gives you a big surface area to het the heat away with. Plus the fan moves the oil around and it had a green LED

 

[fluxc0d3r]

Wouldn't try this with a lga 2011 system!

 

[Macross]

Wouldn't try this with a lga 2011 system!

Why not... there is no harm to the components... other than distroying your waranty and not wanting to plug them into any other system ever again. But other than that, they run perfectly. My last oily hardware ran for three years without a hitch... the only reason they stopped is cause i needed to upgrade.

 

[Trifixion]

There is no point. It's like building a drag car --what's the point? You can't drive it anywhere except on the drag strip, it doesn't turn, it sucks on gas and will probably overheat at every red light. People still do it.


Um.....because it's submerged in oil

10/10. I know it's not the first one I've seen, but these are awesome. It takes BALLS and a lot of ingenuity to build something like this.

Um.....is that you sherlock? i just thought heat dispersing directly into the oil rather then a heat sink first would be better, not much surface area in my cpu water block.

 

[Nemesis881]

This is probably the coolest thing I have ever seen in my life. I want to make one of these now...or at least change out my blue LEDs for green ones.

I have a few questions though:
-What kind of "oil" is that? Non-conductive liquid for water cooling I assume?
-Does the fluid evaporate over time? Do you have to keep topping it off every now and then?
-Is that a fish tank or a custom made tank?
-How much cooler does it make your processor/GPU compared to a standard air cooled comp?

oh and P.S.
10/10!!!

 

[Macross]

This is probably the coolest thing I have ever seen in my life. I want to make one of these now...or at least change out my blue LEDs for green ones.

I have a few questions though:
-What kind of "oil" is that? Non-conductive liquid for water cooling I assume?
-Does the fluid evaporate over time? Do you have to keep topping it off every now and then?
-Is that a fish tank or a custom made tank?
-How much cooler does it make your processor/GPU compared to a standard air cooled comp?

oh and P.S.
10/10!!!

Thanks Nemesis881.... I have to admit that i spend a lot of time just watching the bubbles flowing around the fans and components... its mesmerizing.

The oil is highly refined mineral oil. You can get it pretty easily. I buy it in 20L drums. It dosnt conduct electricity. In fact its used to cool large electrical transformers that hang off power polls in most neighbourhoods.

The oil level does drop over time.. but very little. My last oil PC only needed a slight top up after over two years of operation.

Yes, that is a regular fish tank. Choosing one around the right size is the hard part. Also finding one that you can get the perspex lid to sit in can be a bit trickey. I had to do a bit of dremel work to get the tank ready so the Perspex lid just sits in the right spot.

As for cooling, i dont know that it makes a huge drop in operating temps. The thing that i notice is that the system as a whole seems more stable as the heat is dissipated evenly over the whole system.. rather than getting hot spots here and there as you do when air cooling. I have overclocked this machine a little, but at the end of the day, the oil submerssion is for visual effect rather than any sort of super dupper overclocking. Its great fun and is a fantastic display in our living room... guests just loose thier minds when they see it!

 

[scaminatrix]

Missed one bit out on your system specs
For everyone else: Thermaltake Toughpower 550W EVO_Blue (I love these PSU's)

9/10

 

[THRiLL KiLL]

nice mod

 

[Macross]

Oh cool... i just found some green EL Cable from a really old case mod i did and it still works.... wonder how i could best incorporate it into the oil PC without it looking too 80's 'Tron' like. any suggestions anyone?

 

[KenHart1969]

I like it.

I cant understand why you get a person giving you a 4 because they dont get it.

Case modding is unique to the person building it and this is a place to show your ideas and how you did them.

Regardless of colours and specs what really matters is in how it has been constructed and cables routed.

I too have seen mineral oil rigs before but I can see alot of time and effort in this one - nice rig.

 

[SaiZo]

Damn, didn't notice that the PSU was in the oil aswell!
Great work!

 

[techtard]

Nice work! I've seen a few of these online over the years, none have been this high quality other than one called the HardcorePC Reactor. But that was a done by a company and sold for huge $$$.

Awesome

 

[Moatsim]

this is freaking crazy.................. different

btw can anybody tell me which song in the video?