Mach 2 GT - Total rebuild (Build log)

snowman89 · 22-09-2009, 10:03 PM

Build log

Some time ago i found a really cheap, shitty looking mach 2 gt. The "owner" told me he never had used it but got it when a friend of his moved. So i bought it thinking it would be leaking without any gas in it. When i got home i got a pleasant suprise

The unit worked very well, might have been a little short on gas, but it pulled down to -44 and held a celeron 430 at -40. Well since i dont own a 775 mobo or cpu and the only mounting kit included was the 775, i havent done any more testing on it really.

The unit itself was in very bad shape. The front was missing, the front led panel was also gone so was the evapprobe. The side doors were hanging and it looked really crappy when i picked it up. Below is a pic of the unit itself standing on my floor.

My plan with this unit is to keep the compressor (NL11F) and replace everything else. I want this unit to be able to handle about 250w load at as low temperature as possible around -35 is my goal. I will also try and get a new case built. "Rebuilt" electronics with a simple on/off switch instead of the annoying molex connector the mach 2 has.

When i was looking for evap/condensor i asked some people at various forums for pricing and avalibilty and finally decided to buy from Piotres here at the forum. After alot of pming back and forth i bought evap with suction line and a condensor from him

Yesterday i got the package ( about 10days from poland->sweden

and the swedish mail service had it for 4days of those 10days

), it was like christmas eve when i opened the package

I let the pics do the speaking

A big black package :O

Evap with suction line, schrader valves, filter and condensor with fan

Thank my camera for the blurry pic...

To do list

Remove case from compressor
Remove all unnecesary electronics
Remove old condensor and evap
Braze new suction line, filter and condensor
Make a cad drawing of the new case so i can get it laser cut
Sort new electronics
Pressure test and vaccum pull the unit
Mount everything inside the new case

Questions
As in every build i also have some questions. This will be my first real build but not my first SS.

First of all, im thinking of a suction acumulator.. Will i need one for this build?
A pure estethical issue now. Would you prefer one or two switches, one for fan and comp or one for each?
Also ive read some about the dry filter placement. I think of placing it with the side from the condensor down and the side to the cap tubing "up". I will not place it vertical but more in like a 45degree angle if you understand what im trying to describe

I also bought a 320w tec to use as a loaddummy at first, but now ive read that tecs suck as loaddummys so here im open for suggestions. I can get hold of a cartridge heater for a reasonable ammount of money but i cant get a copper or alu piece for anywhere near reasonable money

So do you have any do and dont you want to share with me?

When this buildlogg has been updated i will update the topic with *Update 23/9-09* and the update with be in a post or on the bottom of this post, havent decided yet

If you have any comments on how i should arrange this so its easy to follow please write them here or throw me a pm

smoking · 22-09-2009, 10:15 PM

I cant help you mate but sure someone will, We love everything sub zero on here. So good luck and loads of pics would be nice. X

snowman89 · 22-09-2009, 10:22 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by smoking

I cant help you mate but sure someone will, We love everything sub zero on here. So good luck and loads of pics would be nice. X

Thanks mate

This build will def take some time untill its really finished but i hope you can bare with me anyway

sparkY1000 · 22-09-2009, 10:39 PM

Nice little project Snowman, looking forward to seeing your ideas for a case

snowman89 · 22-09-2009, 10:56 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by sparkY1000

Nice little project Snowman, looking forward to seeing your ideas for a case

Thank you

I was hoping to present the first prototype case today but it been to long since ive actually worked with inventor so it doesnt want to cooperate. Thought that you could use what you write as lines and the do other commands on it but apparently you couldnt..

topdog · 22-09-2009, 11:26 PM

Good luck with this, I'm looking forward to some results.

scooter.jay · 23-09-2009, 07:40 AM

Good luck look forward to seeing this move ahead

snowman89 · 23-09-2009, 03:48 PM

Thx guys

Got some new batteries for my camera today so heres some more pics.

Pic of the condensor, the 3870x2 joins the pic for refrence

If you could choose would you have 1 or 2 on/off switches on the front of the case? ?

Nathanial · 24-09-2009, 02:34 AM

Woah thats one nice condensor where did you get that from and all the best with this man

.

snowman89 · 24-09-2009, 05:44 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Nathanial

Woah thats one nice condensor where did you get that from and all the best with this man

.

Thx

All the things on the same pic are from piotres

snowman89 · 15-11-2009, 07:08 PM

This weekend i finally got all the parts i needed. I got it all solderd together and finished it all. But im totally sick of this unit...

First i had it on while tuning it. Then it held -30/31 with 250w load. Now, 4hours later it pulls down to -54 without load and cant hold 250w for shit... It goes to + degrees then i just shut it off... Searched for leaks now but there arent any, also checked for leaks with nitrogen first before vaccum. When it held -30/31 i had 15bar high side and 0.5bar low side. It was filled with about 200g of r404

What can really be the problem?

EvOcarlos · 15-11-2009, 07:13 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by snowman89

This weekend i finally got all the parts i needed. I got it all solderd together and finished it all. But im totally sick of this unit...

First i had it on while tuning it. Then it held -30/31 with 250w load. Now, 4hours later it pulls down to -54 without load and cant hold 250w for shit... It goes to + degrees then i just shut it off... Searched for leaks now but there arent any, also checked for leaks with nitrogen first before vaccum. When it held -30/31 i had 15bar high side and 0.5bar low side. It was filled with about 200g of r404

What can really be the problem?

blocked cap tube at the filter out had this with a unit i did a while back
it seams to much flux got in to the filter and the past in to the cap tube

snowman89 · 15-11-2009, 07:24 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by EvOcarlos

blocked cap tube at the filter out had this with a unit i did a while back
it seams to much flux got in to the filter and the past in to the cap tube

Oh crap crap crap..... You got no other ideas what it can be? The first test with the load dummy could have been very bad contact also. But how many grams would be right load? Not an exact amount but would be good to know if it could be anywhere near right amount we charged it with..

From -40 it drops with about 0.2C/s

edit:

Im speechless, now it sits at -53.5 and at first there was ice to half the suction acumulator and then it all just defrosted :S Whats really going on? And when i start the dummyload about 90% of the suction line and suction acumulator gets frosted

When it gets to about -25C the line starts to defrost again.. :S

Now i shutted the load dummy off at -13C and after about 30S its back at -39C

piotres · 15-11-2009, 09:40 PM

IMO it's humidity inside it . What stuff You've used to make vaccum inside unit ?

snowman89 · 15-11-2009, 10:21 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by piotres

IMO it's humidity inside it . What stuff You've used to make vaccum inside unit ?

Oh crap.. thats def not good then.. A hvac engineer used a "real" vaccum pump or whats it called to do it. It went well below the regular mark wich is 5 but we pulled it down to 3..

How do i fix this the easiest way? Dont really want to change oil and dry filter

Are you 100% sure? Why does it behave like this if its moisture inside?

Here's some pics of it. Havent done any insulation yet and i wont do it untill its working 100%

22-09-2009, 10:03 PM	#1
snowman89 Bench Team Member Join Date: Aug 2009 Location: Sweden - Linköping Posts: 236	Mach 2 GT - Total rebuild (Build log) Build log Some time ago i found a really cheap, shitty looking mach 2 gt. The "owner" told me he never had used it but got it when a friend of his moved. So i bought it thinking it would be leaking without any gas in it. When i got home i got a pleasant suprise The unit worked very well, might have been a little short on gas, but it pulled down to -44 and held a celeron 430 at -40. Well since i dont own a 775 mobo or cpu and the only mounting kit included was the 775, i havent done any more testing on it really. The unit itself was in very bad shape. The front was missing, the front led panel was also gone so was the evapprobe. The side doors were hanging and it looked really crappy when i picked it up. Below is a pic of the unit itself standing on my floor. My plan with this unit is to keep the compressor (NL11F) and replace everything else. I want this unit to be able to handle about 250w load at as low temperature as possible around -35 is my goal. I will also try and get a new case built. "Rebuilt" electronics with a simple on/off switch instead of the annoying molex connector the mach 2 has. When i was looking for evap/condensor i asked some people at various forums for pricing and avalibilty and finally decided to buy from Piotres here at the forum. After alot of pming back and forth i bought evap with suction line and a condensor from him Yesterday i got the package ( about 10days from poland->sweden and the swedish mail service had it for 4days of those 10days ), it was like christmas eve when i opened the package I let the pics do the speaking A big black package :O Evap with suction line, schrader valves, filter and condensor with fan Thank my camera for the blurry pic... To do list Remove case from compressor Remove all unnecesary electronics Remove old condensor and evap Braze new suction line, filter and condensor Make a cad drawing of the new case so i can get it laser cut Sort new electronics Pressure test and vaccum pull the unit Mount everything inside the new case Questions As in every build i also have some questions. This will be my first real build but not my first SS. First of all, im thinking of a suction acumulator.. Will i need one for this build? A pure estethical issue now. Would you prefer one or two switches, one for fan and comp or one for each? Also ive read some about the dry filter placement. I think of placing it with the side from the condensor down and the side to the cap tubing "up". I will not place it vertical but more in like a 45degree angle if you understand what im trying to describe I also bought a 320w tec to use as a loaddummy at first, but now ive read that tecs suck as loaddummys so here im open for suggestions. I can get hold of a cartridge heater for a reasonable ammount of money but i cant get a copper or alu piece for anywhere near reasonable money So do you have any do and dont you want to share with me? When this buildlogg has been updated i will update the topic with Update 23/9-09 and the update with be in a post or on the bottom of this post, havent decided yet If you have any comments on how i should arrange this so its easy to follow please write them here or throw me a pm Last edited by snowman89; 23-09-2009 at 03:47 PM.

22-09-2009, 11:26 PM	#6
topdog Bench team Hwbot- Hardware junkie Join Date: May 2009 Location: North Wales, UK Posts: 284	Good luck with this, I'm looking forward to some results. __________________

23-09-2009, 03:48 PM	#8
snowman89 Bench Team Member Join Date: Aug 2009 Location: Sweden - Linköping Posts: 236	Thx guys Got some new batteries for my camera today so heres some more pics. Pic of the condensor, the 3870x2 joins the pic for refrence If you could choose would you have 1 or 2 on/off switches on the front of the case? ? Last edited by snowman89; 23-09-2009 at 03:50 PM.

15-11-2009, 09:40 PM	#14
piotres Phase Guru Join Date: May 2008 Location: Poland/ Warsaw Posts: 251	IMO it's humidity inside it . What stuff You've used to make vaccum inside unit ? __________________ http://WWW.PIOTRES.COM Phase-change units, cascades, chillers and Ln2/DI containers builder - contact : piotres@boo.pl or PM contact sorry no MSN or ICQ

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22-09-2009, 10:15 PM	#2
smoking Bench Team Member Join Date: Aug 2008 Posts: 978	I cant help you mate but sure someone will, We love everything sub zero on here. So good luck and loads of pics would be nice. X

15-11-2009, 07:08 PM	#11
snowman89 Bench Team Member Join Date: Aug 2009 Location: Sweden - Linköping Posts: 236	This weekend i finally got all the parts i needed. I got it all solderd together and finished it all. But im totally sick of this unit... First i had it on while tuning it. Then it held -30/31 with 250w load. Now, 4hours later it pulls down to -54 without load and cant hold 250w for shit... It goes to + degrees then i just shut it off... Searched for leaks now but there arent any, also checked for leaks with nitrogen first before vaccum. When it held -30/31 i had 15bar high side and 0.5bar low side. It was filled with about 200g of r404 What can really be the problem?

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