Always very good comments tolip
I have done most of my homework.. chlorine does attack copper but pH is the big issue. Pool heater heat exchangers are often copper. I did buy cheapie WBs from HK with side entry
so they are probably low on copper content. There should be minimum airflow distruption and I plan to reorganize fans and heatsinks for better VRM cooling. Maybe experiment with some piping and JB weld on a Jupiter board for lower risk to earnings. I will have a pressure relief value to 'short' the loop and will have the setup after the filter on a 'side' loop from the main run and expect the pressure should stay quite low.
The radiator in the pool is a good idea.. I thought about this and my concern at the time was that I have a pretty long run (would add ~50-60 feet to the loop) and about 10-12ft of vertical going into and coming out of the attic space.
Freezing in the attic isn't a big concern here in central Florida, but with the heat these put out we can engineer it so it cannot freeze in any climate. If it did get cold enough I could even skip the radiator
Anyway... still thinking it all through and I do very much appreciate your input!
Thx for the positive feedback,
I can see you are already all in so I'll provide a bit more OPINION for you to ponder.
Pitstop, pitstop, pitstop.
Build the whole loop one time not 5 times if possible for shorter pitstops.
I added the ASIC one at a time to loop during short as possible pitstops.
If you mount PCB/waterblock vertical, height and direction become considerations.
If the flow us UP it is complimentary to filling/burping system.
I use a low input and a high output and I can mostly fill/burp without pressure just siphon.
My saturns each have a PCB upside down.
If I get a big bubble on an upside down waterblock I am running uncooled possibly.
Flow should cure, but things have a way of going wonky in a chain reaction.
2 pumps in series(each can be anywhere in loop), running off seperate supplies, is my protection.
Hose length:
You have a pool pump ignore.
What is your backup?
5 eggs are in the same basket not 1 fan to replace.
I have 2 800L/hour 4m lift pumps in series, one is enough but 2 assures faster flow.
I have all in single strand, #5 in the line has 1-4's heat pass thru it.
Some imaginary ideal flow rate is 'still cools nearly equally but leaks won't squirt all over'.
The reason I mention all this is higher pressure can create issues that you might/can ignore with lower pressures.
WIth a small resivour at lower pressure I might notice water missing and not know where it went, some pinhole somewhere. My Saturns have a pinhole of a few cc a week. Can go months before concern. Not so with my Nep setup.
The leak that stopped instantly with pump off was quite noticable drippage with Nep pumps goin.
Rise and fall can be ignored with one opening in loop.
Will that opening be the pool?
Shutoffs?
My system has different considerations, I can open close resivour/sight at will while running.
If you want to run loop at lower pressure than the pump you have to have open unrestricted return to pool or it won't flow or won't be lower pressure.
My 20nm ASIC are high in the middle.
The cheapo WB were high in the middle too.
Some laborer crankin down to git er done lowered the corners.
Scrape existing goo with straightedge to get an idea on ASIC flatness.
If the WB have about 40mm^2 flat and lowered corners you're golden.
Stock heatsink has ~35mm^2 if I'm optimistic.
Goo will get U by, have plenty handy.
I had grit in the goo came with Nep WBs.
No idea what the package says.
I dug into my saved supply of artic silver that comes with some heatsinks.
I never use a whole 3 grams?(whatever size they are) on 2 heatsinks.
My thinkin is a shiny new WB should get decent goo.
According to Toms Hardware the Artic Silver is OK stuff so I saved it
Not if but WHEN IT LEAKS, don't panic, execute PLAN B, pump first.
Vacuume off the water and motor on.
Use air pressure with caution drying, dried & filtered else sandblast PCB that stays wet.
I had VRMs dis-appear till they buddies baked em dry.
I'm taking a look at refurb truck radiators for my semi-permanent setup.
You are starting on the way other end of that spectrum with cooling power.
Keep us posted!
YMMV
