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Project Heavy Water was a proposed, not verified, liquid-cooling conversion for a 60 GB PlayStation 3. In an AnandTech Forums thread opened by mmntech on August 18, 2012, the builder described a plan to replace the console’s stock cooling hardware with a water loop, add separate 80 mm fans, and address heat from the internally mounted power supply. The discussion records intended parts and design objections, but no completed build, temperature log, reliability result, or confirmed fitment.
What the project was
mmntech introduced the idea with the sentence, “Over the fall, I’ll be building a water cooled Playstation 3 60gb.” The target was a 60 GB PS3 described in the thread as a “fat” model; the post does not identify a more precise board or chassis revision.
The motivation was personal: mmntech said an earlier console had died and that a reflow repair lasted only a few months. That account explains the project’s purpose, but it is not evidence that liquid cooling would have fixed the underlying failure mode or extended service life.
Proposed hardware and cooling layout
| Part or subsystem | Role in the proposal | What the thread establishes |
|---|---|---|
| Larkooler iSky Water 300 kit | Main liquid-cooling loop | mmntech proposed modifying its stock block to match the PS3 mounting holes. The thread does not verify the modification or its fit. |
| Koolance GPU-200 | Second water block | mmntech said its bracket fit the PS3’s stock holes. This is an unverified compatibility claim, not a revision-independent installation guide. |
| Two 80 mm case fans | Airflow for components left outside the liquid loop | The author planned dual 80 mm fans after removing the stock cooler. No model, placement, voltage, or final installation is documented. |
| Internal power supply | Unresolved heat source | The author described the passively cooled PSU as becoming hot, with limited top venting and little room for an internal fan. The thread does not show how this was solved. |
Why liquid cooling alone would not cool the whole console
The proposal separated water-block cooling from general case airflow. Removing the stock cooler would not automatically cool every heat-producing component, so the planned 80 mm fans were intended to move air around parts outside the loop. The power supply was the clearest unresolved example: it was inside the chassis, passively cooled, and constrained by the available vents and internal space.
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This distinction matters when evaluating the idea. A water block can transfer heat from the surface it contacts, but the console still needs a safe path for heat rejection from the radiator and adequate airflow for components that are not attached to a block. The thread documents that design concern; it does not provide a finished airflow layout or measurements.
The pump and radiator debate
Replies challenged the proposed kit rather than confirming it. One participant criticized the pump and radiator. Another recommended a thicker radiator and a better pump, adding, “Also that radiator was not intended to be used with slow and quiet fans.” That statement is forum advice from aigomorla, identified in the thread as a Cases & Cooling moderator, not a controlled comparison.
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The useful engineering questions raised by the exchange are:
- Radiator capacity: Is the radiator sized for the heat load at the fan speed and noise level the builder accepts?
- Pump dependability: Does the pump provide adequate flow and have a failure plan in a console that was not designed for a liquid loop?
- Block fit: Do the mounting holes, clearances, contact area, and fastener pressure match the exact PS3 board revision?
- Non-loop airflow: How are the PSU and other uncovered components ventilated after the original cooler is removed?
The discussion raises these criteria but supplies no test data that ranks the named products or proves a particular configuration would work.
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What is documented—and what is not
Documented in the 2012 thread
- A planned conversion of a 60 GB “fat” PS3.
- A proposed Larkooler iSky Water 300 main loop.
- A proposed Koolance GPU-200 block.
- A plan for two 80 mm fans to provide auxiliary airflow.
- Concern about heat from the internally mounted, passively cooled PSU.
- Forum disagreement about the proposed pump and radiator.
Not established by the available record
- That the conversion was completed.
- That either block actually fitted the intended board revision.
- Final parts, tubing route, reservoir location, leak testing, or electrical modifications.
- Any measured temperature before or after the modification.
- Improved reliability, reduced failure risk, or a longer console lifespan.
- Current availability of the named 2012-era products.
How to interpret the project today
Project Heavy Water is best read as a historical design proposal and forum debate, not as a repeatable PS3 upgrade guide. The named Larkooler and Koolance parts were discussed in 2012; their present availability and suitability for any PS3 revision are not established here. Even within the original target category, “60 GB” does not identify every mechanical or board detail needed for safe block selection.
Anyone studying the concept should begin with the exact console revision, board mounting pattern, component clearances, power-supply ventilation, radiator placement, pump power requirements, and a leak-testing procedure performed outside the console. Those checks are prerequisites for evaluating a build; they are not results reported by the thread.
Bottom line on Project Heavy Water
The thread preserves an ambitious attempt to rethink cooling on an aging PS3, with a water loop for selected components and separate fans for the rest. It also shows why the idea was contentious: block fitment, pump and radiator suitability, and especially PSU heat were unresolved. Because no completion report or measurements are documented, the project cannot be cited as proof that liquid cooling made a PS3 cooler, quieter, or more reliable.
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