Copper Heatsink on the Rocks

Preface:

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.

For the original article of mine, go here: Copper Heatsink on the Rocks

Hope all of you enjoy! Comments are quite welcome.

Now, onto the details....

Step 1 More of an Overview and Thanks

I have been racking brain about this for the past few months, a new way to cool a computer that has low power consumption, zero dust, makes no noise at all, completely passive (no moving parts in anyway) and enables the end-user to overclock till his heart is content. Well, it seems like I have done it. The project that I have been talking about for sometime now is complete. Before I go any further, it may be best to first view the video down below. Also, I would like to give a great amount of credit to my neighbor, Mr. Castle, for helping me in many ways to accomplish such an endeavor. For the soldering job, supply of copper, the amazing blow torch, handy work, etc. goes to my good friend Matt. Last, but not least, supplying the Dell computer from hell, which still scares me till no end to this very day.

Gordon: Eric, it boot-loops only for you, it must love you!

Eric: *Stares at Gordon*

Comments

[sjlammer]

Cool Instructable, great idea. Im just wondering, where did you get the wine cooler. it looks like it was a separate unit, and not cannabalized out of an old wine fridge.

[compumod741]

cool mod and nice use of the wine cooler, but i have worries of condesation forming on the tube and sink so i recomend using these instructions to help with that http://www.crazypc./condensation.htm . best of luck

[glj12]

I appreciate the suggestion, but condensation forms whenever other things are within the freezer. If nothing is in there that can produce water, then there will be no condensation. Such as placing meat in there, etc. And even if there were a possibility of that occurring, remember, its a wine chiller, aka, a peltier cooler, so its not like the type of freezer your thinking of. Thanks!

[Zaen]

Your youtube video made hackaday. Nice accomplishment! link:
http://www.hackaday.com/2007/06/19/heat-pipe-wine-cooler/

[glj12]

Thanks! :) It would be even neater though if engadget decided to pick it up. Oh my God, that would be domination, plus, a lot of traffic. :P

[Zaen]

True, but engadget usually doesn't do the how-tos as much as imformative writing. I'd feel sorry for the host site ;)

[glj12]

WOOOOOO!!!!!!!!!!!!! ENGADGET PICKED IT UP!!!!!!!! Come on guys, no one has voted this as a plus, I mean, engadget and hack a day posted it, it must be good! :P

http://www.engadget.com/2007/06/23/heatsink-mod-cools-computer-chills-wine/

[T3h_Muffinator]

You really should make this more step-by-step. After all, that's what Instructables is all about! By the way, what's the techno in the background (artist)

[glj12]

Yeah, the way I do my tutorials is partially laid out in text form, joint with video. It was difficult for me to document it as well as I had hoped since ideas kept coming and going, being shot down, etc. I'll try to straighten it out if I can. I was hoping that someone could tell me that! (About the song) I got it from a LanWar and it was entitled "Unknown Artist - Track 12." How nice... heh

[T3h_Muffinator]

Awesome, I'm looking forward to the possible update! And wow, that really stinks, I wanted to download some more of that techno. All that I have is Aphex Twin. He's great and all, but he's a bit too... "jerky," too... odd. I like the more regulated techno, the techno found in videogame soundtracks like HL and HL2

[glj12]

DUDE!

Check it, the artist is PPK, and the title is Resurrection.

I found it with a nice google search "index of/" .mp3, blah.

http://stephenharper.org/pics/ppk%20-%20resurection.mp3

Enjoy!

[T3h_Muffinator]

DUDE! THANKS SO MUCH! Oh man, this techno is AWESOME!

[glj12]

I like DJ Tiesto and Ferry Corsten. Believe it or not, some of the "techno" in UT2004 is quite good!

[ironsmiter]

sadly, MOST of your benifit is comming from having a LARGE copper heatsink, and very little from the wine fridge. (yeah, what Zaen said) There's an easier, and I think nicer way to do it. Basically involving setting the fridge on top of the PC, instead of the side, letting convection assist you. cut your copper tube down to about 3 inches long.(measured from where it is soldered onto the pennies. now stuff as much copper wire as you can into it(stiff is good. no bigger than 10 gague) Solder the wire in place.(it'll be ugly, but work well) now bend the wire into a nice birdsnest as wide as big and fun as you want. but not so big the case won't close, and avoid shorting any of the boards, drives, and such. now, run the pc like that, and check your tempatures... you'll most likely find not too great a difference. Case tempature may climb over time, but that'll be addressed in the next step. get a length of PVC pipe. 2-3 inch diameter, 1 foot long. Drill/cut matching 2-3 inch holes. one in the top of the case, between the drive bays, and the PSU. the other hole, in the bottom of the wine cooler. glue/tape/epoxy/caulk the pipe, flush into the bottom of the cooler. arrange the cooler/pipe so it rests on top of the pc, with the pipe protruding halfway down the case and trim off the end, to get proper length (just past the video card, if you can) Finally, tape over that hole in the side. there will be airflow from outside air around the drives, etc... cool air will drop down from the cooler, into the sealed/insulated case. the warmer air that rises to the top(especially from around the CPU cooler) will vent through the power supply, and the gap around the tube. this will be VERY energy inefficient, but should produce simmilar case temps, with lower CPU temps If you were REALLY in a slick mood, you'd gut that fridge, now that it's no good for wine cooling :-) mount the heatsink/tem/heatsink onto the case side(use some foam insulation as a heat barrier and gasket) slap the power supply from the cooler in a project box, and you've just refridgerated your PC :-) since it's an old PC anyhow, now much is risked with condensation.. add to that the relatively low power of the tem(thermo electric module) and the relatively high case tempatures you'll be running. Condesation shouldn't be an issue at all. and as long as you don't over clock, or touch the hot side heatsink, all should be cool :-)

[glj12]

Interesting concept. I had thought about tinkering with people's suggestions after about a week of letting it run. I almost immediately said allowed as I was reading the fridge part, "Wait, what about condensation?" :P I was really curious about slapping the whole thing in there if it was large enough. I'll be sure to let you guys know if/when I get higher end parts and experiment with other methods. Thanks for the advice!

[FreakCitySF]

Heatsinks rock! I haven't experimented with peltiers yet, and is that a mini fridge? lol that's a hardcore! I tried watercooling once but I almost friend my chip. Back to heatsinks. Also the artist is PPK, I forgot the song title, post it in here when you find out!

[glj12]

It is a wine chiller. Oh, and thanks for posting the artist, wooooot! :)

[Zaen]

Overall, not too bad, but your approach to this is a bit... off.

Number one, while the CPU produces the greatest amount of heat, it is not by any means the only one. Several components on the motherboard like the north bridge, etc, need airflow to keep from overheating. Insulating the entire case, and having no airflow is generally just a bad idea.

Two, although what you did works, it's more of a custom heat sink than a heat pipe (link) http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Heat_pipe

Nice job overall, and it's quite possible it will turn out just fine anyways. Overheating is more of a problem in high end components, most desktops aren't such an issue.

[glj12]

Northbridge on a Dell Dimension from the year 2001 does not produce hardly any heat. That is why the CPU is the only thing being cooled. But I know what you mean, I would have altered it dramatically if I were using higher end parts. Notice that originally, I had to copper heatsinks (one for the northbridge and CPU). But thanks for the comment!