Transporting a Water Cooled Machine

[CobaltMK33]

Is it recommended not to transport a water cooled computer? To the extent of needing to build another computer so I don't have to carry this one around? I go to LAN parties usually every weekend, and I can easily build a LAN rig with spare parts. 

 

Just to clarify, I'm talking about a custom loop from an XSPC D5 kit.

[No One Puts A Real Name]

just build a LAN rig. its risky to transport costom loops.

[CobaltMK33]

Okay, thanks for telling me!

[Whaler_99]

Ya - moving it once and a while is ok - but if this is a every weekend thing, I be more comfortable with a rig for that...

[tabuburn]

Well, unless it's in small form factor, I wouldn't move it for more than once a while. My backup rig is a custom water cooled Caselabs SM5 and I take it to LAN parties every other week. I did add reinforcements to parts of the loops to prevent any of them from coming lose or breaking off as well as properly strapping it to my car to keep it from shifting around.

[Acefire]

If your experienced with watercooling, then transporting shouldn't be a problem at all. All you have to do is make sure all the hoses are tightened down. There really is Zero difference in risk of transporting a non watercooled PC. If there is a problem its because you made a mistake when building the loop. It can even be safer in some regards because you don't have a bulky cpu tower to flex the motherboard. 

 

MY rule of thumb; If you don't feel comfortable moving your watercooled PC then you probably shouldn't be watercooling in the first place.  

[Ghost]

[tabuburn]

Hahaha. Saw that vid as well but might be overkill for just LAN parties and stuff. Well, the "stuffing foam inside" is a more realistic option for short distances.

I love how he aesthetically did the reinforcing of the loop though.

[Acefire]

Hey OP throw up some pics so we know what your working with btw!

[Ghost]

What you need to do:

 

• Re enforce the GPU. You CANNOT let it bend during transport. A waterblock makes a GPU much heavier.
• Use longer runs. It means the tubes can move around a bit if it get a hit.
• A watercooled build is HEAVY. Be prepared to ask for help to carry it.

[tabuburn]

 

What you need to do:

 

• Re enforce the GPU. You CANNOT let it bend during transport. A waterblock makes a GPU much heavier.
• Use longer runs. It means the tubes can move around a bit if it get a hit.
• A watercooled build is HEAVY. Be prepared to ask for help to carry it.

 

Hahaha. I actually built a brace for my GPU's for whenever I transport my rig somewhere. It's kind of like a ghetto mix between those GPU jacks that come on some cards and acrylic extension to handle multiple GPU's.

[Andi]

if everthing is hardmounted why should a waterloop more problematic then a normal pc?

 

It's way more likely that a heavy graphic card will rip your PCIe slot out or your CPU heatsink ripps your mainboard into pieces, transport is always risky !

 

my lansetup always travels with no GPU installed and a H80, so nothing goes wrong :D

[tabuburn]

if everthing is hardmounted why should a waterloop more problematic then a normal pc?

 

It's way more likely that a heavy graphic card will rip your PCIe slot out or your CPU heatsink ripps your mainboard into pieces, transport is always risky !

 

my lansetup always travels with no GPU installed and a H80, so nothing goes wrong :D

Sometimes people make their tubing so taut that there is no give if their is jostling or screws start to get lose if not screwed in really tight and not to mention the reservoir which is heavy from all that coolant not properly braced. But like you said, it's mostly the graphics cards that's gonna be the problem. I have seen really heavy graphics cards like ASUS' triple slot cards sheering-off the PCI-e port during transport and when something that heavy goes, it's a guarantee that it will take out anything and everything within it's reach.

[CobaltMK33]

Hey OP throw up some pics so we know what your working with btw!

I would, but I don't have the loop yet! Haha but to give an idea it'll be an 800D with a CPU and GPU block installed.

[CobaltMK33]

 

What you need to do:

 

• Re enforce the GPU. You CANNOT let it bend during transport. A waterblock makes a GPU much heavier.
• Use longer runs. It means the tubes can move around a bit if it get a hit.
• A watercooled build is HEAVY. Be prepared to ask for help to carry it.

 

I almost need help transporting my case now, I think I'll go with a Micro-ATX rig in the 350D.

[Acefire]

350d is huge for a matx case

[CobaltMK33]

Yes, but it's smaller than the one I have now, it has a window, grommeted cable management holes, and takes design features from it's larger brothers. Which I enjoy.

[Acefire]

Well if your lugging around a 350d you might as well just carry around a full size case for like 2 more liters

[tabuburn]

LOL. If you think that a 350D is big for mATX, imagine the amount of effort I had to do to reinforce the crap out of my Caselabs SM5 with a pedestal. It's the one I use for LAN parties and is my backup rig. My main one is only taken out for rig shows since it's stupidly big. Bigger than 900D kind of big.

[Ghost]

LOL. If you think that a 350D is big for mATX.

 You put a mATX board in a SM5?

[tabuburn]

 You put a mATX board in a SM5?

The SM5 is technically a mATX case since it has only 5 expansion slots but in terms of size, I could probably mod it to fit a regular ATX board in there and still have room for the PSU.