DYI INLINE FILTER, PC Water Cooling

For Computer water cooling there's not a lot of options for
inline filters that offer capacity and high flow.

This Kurig "MY K Cup" seemed to me like a perfect solution and was basically only lacking a set of G1/4 fittings. and since my Kurig 1.0 died and the new 2.0 dosn't work with these, don't get me started , it was just taking up room anyhow.

I started By running the K cup under the tap to gauge the flow through the mesh basket, which is surgical stainless by the way. and happily it drained as fast as the tap could pour and the water never crested the top.

Things you Need
2X G1/4 tube fittings
1 or 2 Koolance Bulkhead Tank Fitting ADT-XFTK
Permatex 22071 Water Pump and Thermostat RTV Silicone
Drill and bits
Dremel with sanding drum and cut off wheel

Optional
G1/4 Tap
Dielectric Grease or Vaseline

Step 1: Dremel the Nub Off the Bottom

The Cross of plastic in the bottom is more problematic then you'd think. be careful here.

Use the dremel to remove it or come in from the side with the cut off wheel and cut that nub off to make room for the Tank fitting

Step 2: Clean Up the Hole

Now use the Sander bit or a flat file to clean up the hole. The bottom is curved but we want the Tank fitting to sit as flat as possible so the O ring makes contact on the outer surface.

Install the outer part of the fitting into the MY CUP,
I choose to apply a thin layer of dielectric grease to the O ring

Step 3: Install the Bottom Tank Fitting

The Tank fitting comes with a 7/8 nut and stainless washer, the washer fits perfectly at the bottom of the K cup and creates a flat surface for the nut
Add a bead of Water pump RTV sealant to the bottom of the washer to aid in sealing.
holding the Cup upside down balance the washer on the tips of your fingers and move it up into the cup to fit around the shaft of the tank fitting. Clean and wipe the inside of the Cup

NOTE: Water pump Sealant has a high resistance to Antifreeze and other chemicals,
It is a sealant not a glue, if you want a glue, use 2 part epoxy such as JB marine weld

Step 4: Add the Nut

Add a small bead of sealant to the bottom of the nut and place inside a 7/8 socket on an extension.
Hold the cup on its side and movie the nut in over the shaft of the fitting and spin on by hand. now hold the flange of the tank fitting with a vise or a crescent wrench and final tighten the nut using the socket wrench but use good judgment here

Step 5: Add the Top Fitting to the Lid

If you use another tank fitting for the top you will need a second washer to use on the outside of the lid because there is a recess that could effect the O ring, repeat the steps used on the Cup for the drilling and use of sealant
use a dremel wheel to cut off the little fins under the lid
I decided to give my new tap a try, If you use a G1/4 tap make sure you drill it first because the hole that's there is way to small. I managed to get some good clean threads cut into the plastic but I decided to use a touch of water pump sealant on the threads of my barb fitting before a set it to the lid

Step 6: Leaktest

wipe down all the parts and apply a thin layer of dielectric grease to the basket along the top and bottom of the rim replace the basket and lid, fill with water and check for leaks then install in the water loop so the flow goes threw the filter before your pump. I have this one running in a loop using a D5 pump with a VGA and CPU cooler with out any issues. enjoy

Step 7: Follow Up (1 Year Later)

every piece of machine or equipment that has a cooling,lubrication or hydraulic system normally uses a filter to trap unwanted things from continuity circulating,

After having the filter on my PC for a year I took the PC outside for a coolant change and thorough dusting. you can see the slimy film collected on the inside of the filter that was trapped, to my guess its algae blooms and red dye sentiment. This was actually the first and last time I use a dye, but the stuff filtered from the water loop was unable to settle on the pump and the fine channels of the heat sinks which could clog the heat sinks over time

Comments

[RumBot]

I have a liquid cooled CPU, but it's a closed system. I wonder why one would need to filter the fluid in a closed system... or, is your rig running an open system?

[jongscx]

Is there a noticeable difference between hazelnut and pumpkin spice in CPU temps?

[Wickedshifts]

This comment wins...

*Note* I really dig your Nerf gun collection and mounting system, that's awesome!

[WaggaBob]

Looks good! Might keep it in mind for a fishtank pre-filter too. Juat curious though, why do you need a filter in a PC water cooling setup? Isn't it a closed loop? I'd be interested in seeing what builds up in the strainer over time.

[MattZilla_82]

its more of a want item then a need one. just a safety thing
for the pump and blocks

[Just4Fun Media]

Great hack! How have you found your water cooled computer? I have always been fearful of mixing water and electronics but your setup looks great!

Have a great day! :-)

[MattZilla_82]

I am licking it especially since I finally got a VGA water
block and it really keeps it a lot cooler, water heats up fast though :p. I
started with a H100 then after a couple years added a res to that and last year
I got my D5 pump and Cpu block.

[DylanD581]

Nice computer cooling mod!

[joseph07]

This is a great use of old materials! Keurig actually makes a reusable kcup for the 2.0 now (finally)!

[MattZilla_82]

Thanks, I will have to look into that

[tomatoskins]

This is really cool! I've recently gotten interested in changing my build over to a watercooled system. I haven't seen any filters on any of the systems I've looked at. Why do you need a filter if it's a closed system?

[MattZilla_82]

The screen will catch algee blooms in old wate which ive seen before and catch any plating material that may come off water blocks. Or debre that could enter while refiling the system or adding new components. Im not saying its a nessesary thing though