How to kill CPU + PSU + Video + Sound card
Posted: Thu Feb 26, 2004 12:43 am
Well although there are many ways of destroying hardware, mine was using water.
It happened about 2 years ago when I was first playing around with watercooling I built a really ghetto bong cooling system, it worked pretty nicely, but I didn't seal my waterblock properly and when leak testing it leaked. I added some silicone glue for aquariums to seal the leak. I let it dry, and tested again. Everything was leak free, so I decided to set the system up... First of all the bolts I got with the WB were too thick so I had to go buy new thiner ones, and now the springs didn't fit. So I was stupid enough to set the system up with no springs on the bolts. I tightened the block to the CPU, powered up the pump, crossed my fingers and hit the power button. The system started and went to windows. Everything worked pretty well although the CPU was just a bit too hot (It was a Duron 800). So I tightened the bolts on the block some more. Power it back up, I noticed some decrease in CPU temp but they were still pretty high for my liking, so I decided to tighten them some more, that was my first mistake. While I was turning the first nut, I suddenly heard a loud crunch. Then I knew that the CPU was dead. Just to make sure I fired up the system just to get a black screen with no video signal. R.I.P dear AKCA 'Z'...
I was lucky enough Ploaf was nice enough to send me an unused Duron 900 he had, it was an ANCA 'Z'. This time around I already had springs and I put the block on and ran the system, just fine. After about a week, I was sitting on my couch watching TV, and I heard a strange very high pitched but weak sound, I looked at the watercooled PC and saw the floor of the case FULL OF WATER. I was like OMG!!!! I turned everything down and took the system apart and let it dry.
After some extensive testing I found out I have gotten water in every single AGP/PCI slot on the mobo, the RAM, the vid card/sound card and NIC. most amazing thing is that the NIC and RAM have survived, but the vid card (ATi Rage Furry MAX, dual GPU vid card, 64MB) has died, the PSU and the Creative Sound Blaster card. Since that day I've stayed away from watercooling but I envy all those people who are running watercooled and want to try again sometime. If/When I do, I will do everything I can to ensure I use quality components that won't brake/fail/leak or whatever... I suggest you do the same.
It happened about 2 years ago when I was first playing around with watercooling I built a really ghetto bong cooling system, it worked pretty nicely, but I didn't seal my waterblock properly and when leak testing it leaked. I added some silicone glue for aquariums to seal the leak. I let it dry, and tested again. Everything was leak free, so I decided to set the system up... First of all the bolts I got with the WB were too thick so I had to go buy new thiner ones, and now the springs didn't fit. So I was stupid enough to set the system up with no springs on the bolts. I tightened the block to the CPU, powered up the pump, crossed my fingers and hit the power button. The system started and went to windows. Everything worked pretty well although the CPU was just a bit too hot (It was a Duron 800). So I tightened the bolts on the block some more. Power it back up, I noticed some decrease in CPU temp but they were still pretty high for my liking, so I decided to tighten them some more, that was my first mistake. While I was turning the first nut, I suddenly heard a loud crunch. Then I knew that the CPU was dead. Just to make sure I fired up the system just to get a black screen with no video signal. R.I.P dear AKCA 'Z'...
I was lucky enough Ploaf was nice enough to send me an unused Duron 900 he had, it was an ANCA 'Z'. This time around I already had springs and I put the block on and ran the system, just fine. After about a week, I was sitting on my couch watching TV, and I heard a strange very high pitched but weak sound, I looked at the watercooled PC and saw the floor of the case FULL OF WATER. I was like OMG!!!! I turned everything down and took the system apart and let it dry.
After some extensive testing I found out I have gotten water in every single AGP/PCI slot on the mobo, the RAM, the vid card/sound card and NIC. most amazing thing is that the NIC and RAM have survived, but the vid card (ATi Rage Furry MAX, dual GPU vid card, 64MB) has died, the PSU and the Creative Sound Blaster card. Since that day I've stayed away from watercooling but I envy all those people who are running watercooled and want to try again sometime. If/When I do, I will do everything I can to ensure I use quality components that won't brake/fail/leak or whatever... I suggest you do the same.
Sounds like a hell of an experience, but it was an experience nonetheless. Aside from being expensive, watercooling just seems really risky for me. Maybe one day...