Science, and practical experience, tell us that processors, and other chips in computers, get hot. Very hot. The processor in a modern computer can generate in excess of 80w of heat, which for something that small is quite remarkable. We also know that if nothing is done to dissipate that heat, the chip will turn into a nice molten slag of silicon. Of course, while these slags may make wonderful geek jewelry and key chains, they do not work to well when attempting to perform the tasks they were built for. Enter heatsinks. First there were passive heatsinks, then we slapped fans on them to help the cooling process. From there all kinds of wild and crazy designs using everything from Aluminum to Copper and looking like towers, jet engines, and UFOs.

Science also tells us that water is a better conductor of heat then air. Experience with automobiles and many other devices has taught that a closed loop system with a radiator, pump, and “block” can cool better then a heat sink with a fan. Armed with this knowledge, and the fact that IBM and other mainframe companies had been doing it for years, PC water cooling was born. The daring jumped right in, including myself. Sure, I was afraid of a leak, and as anyone who has been water cooling for some time could tell you, it will happen sooner or later. I fried a video card due to a leak. This is the single biggest factor that keeps people from water cooling.

When I tell people I have water cooled computers the first question is normally along the lines of “Do you worry about leaks?” Of course the answer is always Yes. A leak in wa water cooled rig can be devastating. This is usually the point where they start asking about better air cooling. Well, what if I told you there was a way to get all the benefits of water cooling without the risks? Would ya be interested? I thought so.