Good idea inside

I was swimming in the pool behind my house yesterday and I thought to myself "Hmm..this water is really cold, even sitting in the sun all day" then I started thinking "The water in my water cooling system is really hot."

By now its pretty obvious where I'm going with this, so I'll stop and ask the question. How big of a pump do you think I'll need to pump the water out of my pool, through about 100' 1/2" copper pipe, and 15' up the side of the house? I was thinking that the pump already used for the pool could be used, but the pool lines are too big to create sufficient pressure into the small pipe.

Or you could just get a old air conditioner, get one that cools but doesnt blow the cold air out and get a big jug of water in a metal jug, that should keep it cold enough

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Originally posted by zackbass
How big of a pump do you think I'll need to pump the water out of my pool

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Dear god...

You might as well just go down to your local Walmart and pick up a beer chest and drop your computer in it. Cheap and cool! Plus, you can keep BEER in it!

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Originally posted by zackbass
I was swimming in the pool behind my house yesterday and I thought to myself "Hmm..this water is really cold, even sitting in the sun all day" then I started thinking "The water in my water cooling system is really hot."

By now its pretty obvious where I'm going with this, so I'll stop and ask the question. How big of a pump do you think I'll need to pump the water out of my pool, through about 100' 1/2" copper pipe, and 15' up the side of the house? I was thinking that the pump already used for the pool could be used, but the pool lines are too big to create sufficient pressure into the small pipe.

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Dear God is right! :D Ha! Ha! Ha! I got a good laugh out of that one (not making fun of you). You're going to need a seriously strong pump to pump water that far through that small a hose. I'm talking go to your local hardware store and find the biggest water pump they've got and that might work.

If you really want to know, try this.

OK, you all convinced me, bad idea. I didn't think it could need all that power to pump it that far, after all the well pump and tank handle the distance very well. At least it wouldn't require something like this.

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Originally posted by zackbass
At least it wouldn't require something like this.

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Ha! Ha! There you go! Why don't you just run a line to the nearest lake with one of those things.

I bet you could do it with a pump similar to what's in your pool though. Not sure what kind that is, but I bet it's expensive/heavy-duty.

Actually, there's a reserve resivor just up the road. About 1,000,000 gallons get pulled from it every day.

The pump for the pool is pretty big. I belive it is about 5 - 8HP with 1.5" fittings.

I think I'll stick with the little tiny resivor inside my case right now though.

Ok, if it turns out when I read this tomorrow, you're all jumping on me for being stupid I'll say right out I haven't had much sleep these last few days and I'm tired here.

But what's this about a big pump for a small pipe? Big pipe/big pump and small pipe/small pump surely? Does anyone notice a great big pump working their central heating system? Or if you ever tried draining a fuel/fish tank by syphoning, wouldn't you find it easier using a small one than a big one?

I don't see that the pump would be an issue at all, unless maybe the pool is a lot lower than the house. On the other hand a parked car on your line or rodents eating habits might fry your CPU lol...

And hey, why go so far as the pool anyway? Don't you have a nearby toilet you could rig up? :D

.....I love these threads :)

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Originally posted by Rob77
And hey, why go so far as the pool anyway? Don't you have a nearby toilet you could rig up? :D

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Might as well just jerry-rig it to you're water line ;)

The water does get pretty cold in my house...

After coming back from my friends house you can steal his plan...

He got a mini fridge from goodwill and cut a small hole in the side (actually 2) and he has a thing of water in there... its cold enough to where if he has ice in it the Ice will last for a while but not so cold that the hole thing turns into ice... just go get a fridge from goodwill (cost him 25$ becuase its dented) then run your water through the tank in the fridge then back to the PC, he has enough room to store a 12 pack in there too. :)

We had a water cooler with a 5 gallon jug on top. One Side Cold Water the other Hot. I have seen them at Lowes, HomeDepot. Plus you can have it right in your room. Fill it with what ever refreshment you need for the night. Hmmmmmmm got me thinking now..:p

I appreciate all the suggestions, but hooking up the water cooling system to a 15,000 gallon resivor is something on a completely different scale. I really like the toilet idea, as the water gets "refreshed" a couple times a day, just as long as the inlet/outlet lines are tank and not the bowl. I don't think urine is good for the system. :D

Urine cooling. Now that's an idea. Actually I was watching the history channel the other day, and saw a Russian machine gun from about the 40s-50s that could either take water or urine as coolant. Now who says those Russians are always a step behind the rest of the world.

About the pump. The height dfference is only about 15', and a high throughput is not nesessary. I am thinking either 1/2" or 1/4" pipe would work best.

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I was swimming in the pool behind my house yesterday and I thought to myself "Hmm..this water is really cold, even sitting in the sun all day" then I started thinking "The water in my water cooling system is really hot."

By now its pretty obvious where I'm going with this

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I sure didn't catch on that quickly :D That's one creative idea! Good luck if you're actually going to try it, it would be the most ambitious project I've ever seen.

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Originally posted by Ashpool


Dear god...

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I had the exact same thought ;)

Ah here's another disadvantage though.

The slow moving water in this small but long pipe will heat up in the sun, so that by the time it reaches your PC it'll maybe be heating it instead of cooling :eek:

Back to the drawing board........

If it is going to be long term, I'd bury the pipe a few inches underground.

I think it would be cool if you did that... what I think I would do is hook up at least two pumps... maybe 3. one in the pool pushing water into one tube, then another up by your computer pulling water up the tube and pushing it into your computer, then a 3rd pulling water and pushing it down out the window and back into the pool...

The water would definately be heated by the tubes if they were exposed to the sun, not to mention hot ambient temperatures outside. You would need to bury the tubes and keep them out of warm places as much as possible...

It's a cool idea, and if you do it, post pics. =P

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After coming back from my friends house you can steal his plan...

He got a mini fridge from goodwill and cut a small hole in the side (actually 2) and he has a thing of water in there... its cold enough to where if he has ice in it the Ice will last for a while but not so cold that the hole thing turns into ice... just go get a fridge from goodwill (cost him 25$ becuase its dented) then run your water through the tank in the fridge then back to the PC, he has enough room to store a 12 pack in there too.

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Hey, I had an idea like that once but I extended on it. My mini fridge (right next to my computer) has a little freezer section up top. I was thinking of putting a radiator in there (it's below freezing) and putting a resivoir underneath. It would be great! Not too great for LAN parties though. Meh..

what happens if one of those floaty toys blocks the "intake" for the pump?you won't be suckin water so you won't be cooling.

where theres a will theres a way i say go for it and see what happens, but do it on an old pc or your little brother or/and sisters pc:D

I have a pool and I wouldnt trust it. I mean their are bugs, aqautic animals, and off course pool toys that would block it.

My idea (might just use it to join the water cooling dark side :p ) :

use a ice container like the ones at the convience stores that look like the shape of a pepsi can, but are much bigger, Here is a picture of the one I have in the background:

http://norn17.home.mindspring.com/side.jpg

I tihnk it would work quite well :D

I always heard that the parts in the mini-fridges won't hold up to duty cycle that a heat source inside will force it to do.