My new (first) water setup

[Phew]

OK, it took over a month, but I finally got my new water cooling system set up. The PC components are listed in my sig, but the loop is as follows:

Loop picture
Swiftech MCP355 pump w/ XSPC reservoir top
Koolance 350 CPU Block
Feser X-Changer 3x120 Radiator w/Sanyo Denki San Ace fans
Misc components:
-Tygon 7/16 clear tubing
-Koolance drain port
-Danger Den fill port
-Danger Den high flow barb fittings
-Koolance water temperature sensor
-Petratech Nuke and Feser Base corrosion blocker additives

I switched to the Lian Li PC-A70B case, with the Lian Li T-703 3x120mm top panel, and added the Lian Li PC-343B 3x5.25" Fan Module with filter to increase the case air inflow.
Case front picture
Case top picture

I also bought the mCubed bigNG for automatic fan control based on the water temperature. BTW, this product is FANTASTIC (pun intended). Don't be worried by the fact that they haven't updated the drivers in 3 years, this thing is a dream come true for anyone that likes to tweak their computer for optimal cooling/acoustics. When the water temperature is near ambient, I have only one radiator fan running (at like 4V), and the computer is dead silent. When gaming, the fans ramp up with water temperature. These San Ace fans are awesome for undervolting, although I bought them used and one of them has a bit of bearing grind.

I haven't done too much overclocking, but I did a quick run up to 4.2 GHz (1.37V) on my Q9650, and even while running Prime Small FFTs, the highest core was 52C, with the other 3 well below 50C. On my old air cooling setup (Core Contact Freezer, with a 2400 RPM Panaflo) I saw upwards of 72C at only 4 GHz. Even though I could probably push 4.4 GHz, I'm going to stay at 4 GHz for everyday usage until I run an app that would make use of more clock cycles.

I'll probably add a GPU block to the loop later this year when the 40 nm cards come out. Nothing in the current crop of GPUs really excites me, and I am not playing much besides Warhammer Online anyway (which is more CPU-bound than GPU).

Anyway, just wanted to share my build. Thanks to Aigo, PCTC2, and others that gave me advice in my recommendations thread. Water cooling really is fun!

 

[Tweakin]

Nice...That was the case I originally looked at for my water project. I wish I had that kind of room...sweet!

Excellent rad by the way!

 

[daw123]

Nice loop and great minds think a like.

Here's my Lian li A70A:
http://i429.photobucket.com/al...wilson123/IMG_0885.jpg
http://i429.photobucket.com/al...wilson123/IMG_0886.jpg

Our loops are almost the same.

 

[Phew]

Nice daw. This really is a very easy case to water cool. I might add a 1x120mm rad on the rear exhaust down the road, when/if I add a GPU block to the loop.

I like the way you sent the fill line directly into the reservoir. I bet that was easy to bleed too. The T setup I used allows air to build up in the top of the reservoir, which is annoying. Where did you get the barb fitting that you have in the fill/bleed port of the reservoir? If those were G 1/4 threads, I might have set it up the same way you did, but I didn't know what kind of threads those were.

Thanks

 

[daw123]

The fill port in the top of the XSPC res/top uses a M20x1.5mm fitting. So if you use a G1/4 to M20x1.5mm adapter, you can then screw a normal G1/4 barb into the top of the res.

If you are looking at adding another rad in the future, you could remove the 3.5" drive bay cage from the inside bottom front of the case and bolt a Swiftech MCR220 rad directly on to the front 2x 120mm fans. This definitely works because EvilSponge did it a few months ago when he added a second loop for his graphic cards.

Edited: Wrong adapter recommended

 

[LOUISSSSS]

Originally posted by: daw123
The fill port in the top of the XSPC res/top uses a G1/2 fitting. So if you use one of these G1/2 to G1/4 adapters, you can then screw a normal G1/4 barb into the top of the res.

If you are looking at adding another rad in the future, you could remove the 3.5" drive bay cage from the inside bottom front of the case and bolt a Swiftech MCR220 rad directly on to the front 2x 120mm fans. This definitely works because EvilSponge did it a few months ago when he added a second loop for his graphic cards.

thanks for the fill port on the XSPC restop info! learned something new! now where can i find that part in the US?

 

[PCTC2]

Originally posted by: LOUISSSSS

Originally posted by: daw123
The fill port in the top of the XSPC res/top uses a G1/2 fitting. So if you use one of these G1/2 to G1/4 adapters, you can then screw a normal G1/4 barb into the top of the res.

If you are looking at adding another rad in the future, you could remove the 3.5" drive bay cage from the inside bottom front of the case and bolt a Swiftech MCR220 rad directly on to the front 2x 120mm fans. This definitely works because EvilSponge did it a few months ago when he added a second loop for his graphic cards.

thanks for the fill port on the XSPC restop info! learned something new! now where can i find that part in the US?

It's actually not G1/2. It's M20x1.5mm

Here you go LOUIS.

http://www.jab-tech.com/XSPC-M...p-adapter-pr-4205.html

 

[daw123]

Originally posted by: PCTC2

Originally posted by: LOUISSSSS

Originally posted by: daw123
The fill port in the top of the XSPC res/top uses a M20x1.5mm fitting. So if you use a G1/4 to M20x1.5mm adapter, you can then screw a normal G1/4 barb into the top of the res.

If you are looking at adding another rad in the future, you could remove the 3.5" drive bay cage from the inside bottom front of the case and bolt a Swiftech MCR220 rad directly on to the front 2x 120mm fans. This definitely works because EvilSponge did it a few months ago when he added a second loop for his graphic cards.

thanks for the fill port on the XSPC restop info! learned something new! now where can i find that part in the US?

It's actually not G1/2. It's M20x1.5mm

Here you go LOUIS.

http://www.jab-tech.com/XSPC-M...p-adapter-pr-4205.html

Edit: I've just double checked the print out of the invoice for my WC components and PCTC2 is correct it is a M20x1.5mm to G1/4 adapter. Sorry for the confusion guys.

I'll edit my other post as well, so that people don't order the wrong stuff.

 

[WoodButcher]

Just saw your thread, congrats on the build and welcome to the club.

 

[LOUISSSSS]

Originally posted by: daw123

Originally posted by: PCTC2

Originally posted by: LOUISSSSS

Originally posted by: daw123
The fill port in the top of the XSPC res/top uses a M20x1.5mm fitting. So if you use a G1/4 to M20x1.5mm adapter, you can then screw a normal G1/4 barb into the top of the res.

If you are looking at adding another rad in the future, you could remove the 3.5" drive bay cage from the inside bottom front of the case and bolt a Swiftech MCR220 rad directly on to the front 2x 120mm fans. This definitely works because EvilSponge did it a few months ago when he added a second loop for his graphic cards.

thanks for the fill port on the XSPC restop info! learned something new! now where can i find that part in the US?

It's actually not G1/2. It's M20x1.5mm

Here you go LOUIS.

http://www.jab-tech.com/XSPC-M...p-adapter-pr-4205.html

Edit: I've just double checked the print out of the invoice for my WC components and PCTC2 is correct it is a M20x1.5mm to G1/4 adapter. Sorry for the confusion guys.

I'll edit my other post as well, so that people don't order the wrong stuff.

thanks =)

now let me NOT buy this since i'm buying too many misc things that i dont actually need.

 

[Phew]

Just an update, I've been itchin' to add GPU water cooling, but I was going to wait for the 40 nm cards. Alas, I found a barely used GTX 285 for $249 shipped after cashback on Ebay, and I couldn't resist. I then bought the KOOLANCE GPU BLOCK for it.

Even though the CPU-350 is a very restrictive block, I'm going to try putting both the CPU and GPU blocks on the same loop with this 355 pump w/XSPC res top. I want to add another 120 mm rad to the loop, but I want either the XSPC RX120 or Feser 120 rad, and neither are available for sale ANYWHERE in the U.S. Looks like I'll have to wait on that.

EDIT-Jab-tech has the XSPC 120mm rad in stock, so I got that. However, the Ebay seller I won the GTX 285 auction from flaked out and refunded my order, leaving me with an order for a water block but no GPU to put it on. Grrrr! I swear I always find the Ebay sellers with 100% positive feedback on hundreds of transactions, but they pick me as their first bad transaction.

 

[aigomorla]

wow very clean, and nice san aces you got there on top.

 

[AstroGuardian]

Originally posted by: daw123
Nice loop and great minds think a like.

Here's my Lian li A70A:
http://i429.photobucket.com/al...wilson123/IMG_0885.jpg
http://i429.photobucket.com/al...wilson123/IMG_0886.jpg

Our loops are almost the same.

Where are your Hard disks?

 

[AstroGuardian]

What happens when it's going to leak?

 

[Phew]

Originally posted by: AstroGuardian

Where are your Hard disks?

Looks like he has them in the 5.25" bays. I was thinking about doing the same thing, I bought some 5.25"->3.5" brackets, although I don't know if they are compatible with the 3x5.25" 120mm fan adapter in my case.

My latest GPU plan (since my GTX 285 plan fell through) is I bought a Sapphire 4890 for $217 shipped with the eWiz deal, and apparently Koolance is supporting their VID-487 block for the 4890, just with a new set of thermal pads. I'm waiting for these pads to become available, then I'll order that and get it set up.

Loop will look like this (open to suggestions):

355 Pump w/XSPC Res top->Koolance CPU-350 CPU block->XSPC RX120 Radiator->Koolance VID-487 GPU Block->Feser 360 Radiator->pump

 

[Tweakin]

Originally posted by: AstroGuardian
What happens when it's going to leak?

Nothing...

 

[WoodButcher]

Originally posted by: Tweakin

Originally posted by: AstroGuardian
What happens when it's going to leak?

Nothing...

I've had floods and droughts, machine shuts down, paper towels, compressed air and let dry. Had a bong run dry, the water evaporated in 6-7 hrs and it had a thermal shutdown. The bong was too noisy for my tastes but damn it cooled well.

 

[Tweakin]

Originally posted by: Phew

Originally posted by: AstroGuardian

Where are your Hard disks?

Looks like he has them in the 5.25" bays. I was thinking about doing the same thing, I bought some 5.25"->3.5" brackets, although I don't know if they compatible with the 3x5.25" 120mm fan adapter in my case.

My latest GPU plan (since my GTX 285 plan fell through) is I bought a Sapphire 4890 for $217 shipped with the eWiz deal, and apparently Koolance is supporting their VID-487 block for the 4890, just with a new set of thermal pads. I'm waiting for these pads to become available, then I'll order that and get it set up.

Loop will look like this (open to suggestions):

355 Pump w/XSPC Res top->Koolance CPU-350 CPU block->XSPC RX120 Radiator->Koolance VID-487 GPU Block->Feser 360 Radiator->pump

That 350 is a high restriction block, I don't think the 355 is going to be happy pushing that and another high restriction block. I would expect your flow rate to drop to nothing. Why not just add another pump to keep the volume up or split it into dual loops?

 

[Rubycon]

Originally posted by: WoodButcher

Originally posted by: Tweakin

Originally posted by: AstroGuardian
What happens when it's going to leak?

Nothing...

I've had floods and droughts, machine shuts down, paper towels, compressed air and let dry. Had a bong run dry, the water evaporated in 6-7 hrs and it had a thermal shutdown. The bong was too noisy for my tastes but damn it cooled well.

Expand the bong - find a reefer's trickle filter setup. Loose bio balls such as those red ones made by Thiel would probably be the best for evaporative exchange. A gast regenerative blower with a manifold on two sides creating an aggressive counter flow would complete the project. YES it would be noisy but it could be located in such a way that you could pipe the water a considerable distance using magnetic drive pumps. Heat removal capacity may be in the kW range on such a setup. Evaporation rate would be high AND a water-water exchanger for your loop(s) would really be recommended as it's not ideal to circulate oxygenated water (it would be near saturation!) through your blocks, etc.

Make up water is easy! Just use one of those ice maker kits and tap off a cold water line. Use a solenoid with a float switch or capacitive proximity sensor in your sump so as the water falls down to the "fill line" the solenoid is activated and make up water tops it off. To avoid floods a high limit switch should also be wired in front of the low limit AND have an extra set of poles to activate a high water alarm/light to alert you of a high water condition.

 

[Phew]

Originally posted by: Tweakin

That 350 is a high restriction block, I don't think the 355 is going to be happy pushing that and another high restriction block. I would expect your flow rate to drop to nothing. Why not just add another pump to keep the volume up or split it into dual loops?

I guess I'll find out. Most GPU blocks aren't very restrictive, maybe the VID-487 is an exception. I estimate I'll still get near 1 GPM with that setup, though. Maybe 0.75 GPM, which isn't horrendous with good rads. I haven't bought the GPU block yet, if the XSPC, EK or another block supports the 4890 first, I'll buy that.

I thought about adding another pump to the loop, but that's another 20W into the water. I don't know if ~30% extra flow rate is worth the extra heat load.

Dual loops are an option, but I have one big rad (the Feser 360) and one small rad (the XSPC RX120), so forcing the little one to dissipate all of the heat from my GPU is kind of a waste, since the Feser 360 has capacity to spare.

I can always remove the impingement plate in the CPU-350, that should bump up the flow rate, with some temperature penalty (no one has been able to tell me how much).

 

[rarebear]

I did not read every thread BUT!

Your case sites on a carpet and I see no FEET!

Where does your PSU pull air from???

I seen the second poster has a rear grill but I can only guess your fan is on the bottom of the case with out an access to fresh air

As for cooling in 86' I started making prototype radar tubes for the Navy and they have a un believable cooling system for them.. I know more about the tubes than the pumps but you want the water under as much pressure as you can get..

Like a pressure cooker that boils water faster the pressure of the water in the heat exchanger grabs more heat..

I am guessing your "impingement plate" is like a restricker plate and you can try drilling a bigger hole or opening any that are there..

Pumps also like to have some back pressure so the motor doesnt run wide as they pump better..

 

[Phew]

Originally posted by: rarebear
Your case sits on a carpet and I see no FEET!

Where does your PSU pull air from???

It isn't clear in the picture, but the PSU sits on a bracket in the bottom of the case, so there is at least an inch under the PSU for the fan to draw in case air. The bottom of the case isn't even vented, so even if I did have feet, it wouldn't draw any outside air.