Copper Heatsink on the Rocks

[Glj12]

Just thought that all you overclockers out there might enjoy a new project that I have just recently finished entitled: Copper Heatsink on the Rocks. This play on words makes reference to a computer being passively cooled with a wine chiller.

Pros:
-Dust free (sealed completely)
-Easy to remove cover
-No moving parts, no fans, all passive (minus the one PSU fan, I couldn't afford a passive PSU)
-Pure copper insulated heatsink that is counter-cooled by a wine chiller at 41 degrees F, allows for much OC'ing
-Currently at 91 degrees F after leaving on for 1 whole day, still counting, with no flubs (heat measured from the copper closest to the CPU itself)

I have not OC'd it yet, but eventually will after viewing how stable it is after 1 week.

To view the video, tutorial, details, pictures, etc, go here: http://leetupload.com/tutorial...erheatsinkon_the_rocks

Hope all of you enjoy! Comments are quite welcome.

 

[BadRobot]

Page cannot be found

 

[Glj12]

My bad, link corrected.

 

[Idontcare]

Does it really count as passive when there is a wine chiller involved? I'd call that a really badly implemented vapochill rig.

You use air instead of copper to conduct the heat from the CPU into the cooling liquid from the wine chiller compressor. Functionally I see no difference. Now I can see you making the argument that it is art for the sake of art...but is this passive cooling? No more than my Vaopchill LS rig sitting here next to me.

 

[Glj12]

Passive in the sense that there are no fans from the CPU, strictly insulated copper tubing to freon.

 

[Idontcare]

Originally posted by: Glj12
Passive in the sense that there are no fans from the CPU, strictly insulated copper tubing to freon.

Regardless it is a pretty neat project, don't let my post questioning the use of the word "passive" serve to undermine your enthusiasm for the work you did here.

 

[Glj12]

I appreciate such a reply. I don't believe I have ever dealt with someone who states something such as that, it's quite impressive. We need more posters like you out there.

 

[gfgray]

I didn't understand the Al foil part. Was it supposed to make direct contact with the cpu?

Gordon

 

[Glj12]

What had happened was that when you have 4 pennies bunched together on the sides, it will, for obvious reasons, not fill in all the gaps. At the time I was making this "thing," I assumed that my CPU would be a solid silver looking block. Much to my loss, I received a CPU from a friend of mine that had a single, small raised piece of metal, which so inconveniently fit right in between the pennies, without touching anything, haha. So what I had to do was create a quick fix, in this case, a rumpled piece of foil that could quickly transfer heat from the CPU to the copper, keeping good contact all throughout.

 

[gfgray]

I think your performance would be greatly improved if you had something truly flat there instead of the Al foil. Even microscopic deformities in a heatsink can seriously hurt performance. The problem is even worse with flip chip CPUs with no heat spreader on them. However, short of buying something commercially available, it would be difficult to achieve this.

 

[KTony]

Fascinating project, Glj12. A combination of art, craft, and science! On the gap between the pennies--why not cut or grind flat areas so that the pennies fit closer? I guess it might take more than four to get a big enough base plate though. There is a mix of seriousness and humor in the project and the presentation which I really appreciate. I hope you post updates if there are further developments.

 

[myocardia]

Originally posted by: Idontcare
I'd call that a really badly implemented vapochill rig.

I couldn't have put it better myself. OP, what processor is that? Because it looks to me like any decent passive heatpipe would probably beat/exceed your contraption, especially once under any type of load, and probably by a significant margin. No offense is meant by that statement; it definitely seems that way, though. Are you willing to hook that setup up to your computer, and then commence with 24 hours of Prime95?

 

[Doctahg]

You can build a heatsink but you can't focus a camera! sheeesh!!!
LOL

 

[Bill Kunert]

Was it necessary to post this in more than one forum? I already saw it in cases and cooling.

 

[Aeros]

Does the compressor in the Wine chiller ever shut off? If not, then say good bye to that in a few weeks.

Like all refrigerator compressors there not meant to run 24/7 and are intended to cool a non sustained heat load.

I refer to this post on OC forums http://www.ocforums.com/showthread.php?t=373263

 

[Glj12]

Ignore my posting ignorance. I just now realized that I posted it twice. Anandtech's thread posting confused me. =/

I do not believe that there is a compressor per se... It appears to be one of those peltiers. Hope I spelled that right...

Oh, and that camera I used, I zoomed in all the way, but I guess that the flame scared me! hehe... It was smoking from the top of the copper pipe earlier, wish I had gotten that pic. I've never owned a digital camera, so I'm used to the old canon 35mm with the large tower flash on top from the 80's.

CPU = P3, I don't know how many times I have posted this elsewhere, but I will get more decent parts soon to test it with prime95, if not possibly get a dual core version, (if I get lucky). I will be sure to keep all of you posted, thanks for the advice/compliments! Remember, this is simply applying a far fetched theory from paper to life, and so far, it appears promising, considering it is 2 degrees lower than the outside temp (92, and this is measured at the abse of the copper with an air thermometer).

 

[Cogman]

Have you considered buying a piece of copper (or silver for that matter) and welding it on the the end of the copper tube? Then you could lap that sucker down and get some really good temps. (Good job with what you did btw). I don't know exactly how much a chunk of copper would be, but I cant believe it to be more then 10 dollars.