ExtremeMHz Flagship Case Part II - Introduction

In this installment we will discuss overclocking and the cooling subsystem that was used for the ExtremeMHz Flagship Case.  Before moving forward I want to reiterate what we hoped to accomplish as well as outline what the desired outcomes of this project would be:
1. The system would be built on an AMD Dual CPU platform.
2. Maximum cooling would be achieved in a water cooled environment.
3. The entire system had to be self-contained…no external anything!
4. A balance had to be achieved between a maximum overclock and rock solid stability.
5. The final product should be aesthetically pleasing.

At this point I should add that deriving the aforementioned results were important as long as acceptable sound levels were also achieved.

System components
Motherboard:  Iwill MPX2
CPU:  2X AMD 2100+ MP
Memory:  2X 512MB Corsair XMS3200 sticks

Anyone who has worked with dual AMD motherboards understands how difficult these are to overclock.  These boards are designed to operate in server environments and as such have limited if any of the overclocking features that enthusiasts have become accustomed to.

Overclocking the dual AMD platform was limited at best until the introduction of the Iwill MPX2 board.  It is not uncommon for some users of the MPX2 to push FSB settings to 170 and beyond. Picking the Iwill MPX2 for this project was an easy choice for us.

Another easy choice for us was coupling the Iwill motherboard with 2 AMD 2100+ MP certified processors and 2 512MB sticks of Corsair XMS3200 series memory. At the time we designed this project these components had the highest ratings available.

The cooling subsystem
Planning a water-cooled system can be a tricky proposition. Aside from a few driving principles that we will discuss in this article I encourage everyone who attempts water-cooling to experiment with different configurations and to ultimately design your unique system based on extensive testing and by examining empirical data. What may
indeed work well for some, may not apply to your particular circumstances. It may be the engineer in me, but I have found that the planning and experimentation phase to be the most rewarding and satisfying aspect of any project (next to seeing concrete results of course).

The Pump
More often than not water cooling involves the use of centrifugal pumps. These pumps are driven by an impeller which discharges water that enters its center through a spinning motion. These pumps are readily available at a reasonable cost. They are highly desirable in that they can normally be used for continuous duty. They are also a popular choice among hobbyists including aquarists.

Pumps come in 2 general varieties; the submersible and the in-line. I prefer the in-line variety as they transfer less energy to the water circuit than the submersible pump. I did not say no energy transfer, I said less energy transfer. All things being equal, the in-line pump will yield better system temperatures.

Pump design is an important consideration. Some pumps are designed strictly for fluid circulation, while other pumps are rated for use in high back pressure environments. When considering a pump determine how much resistance needs to be overcome and choose your pump accordingly.

Pumps are inherently inefficient. The greater the inefficiency, the greater the energy transferred to the water circuit.  The use of large pumps (which I have a penchant for) compounds the problem even more. Another point to consider when choosing a pump is your system's ability to dissipate the energy (heat) that your pump will contribute.

Next: The Pump