Newbie's Guide To WaterCooling

[rudreshsj]

Well whats your take on total kits ... like the 3D galaxy from Gigabyte.

I am using a Gigabyte 3D Aurora chassis and think that the 3D galaxy would fit just nicely into the chassis.

 

[aigomorla]

Originally posted by: rudreshsj
Well whats your take on total kits ... like the 3D galaxy from Gigabyte.

I am using a Gigabyte 3D Aurora chassis and think that the 3D galaxy would fit just nicely into the chassis.

Kits are dying.

There not worth it.

Its best to piece out a custom. Also you have more control of what you use, and how to accomplish it.

 

[Ragamuffin45]

Thanks to Aigomorla for his liquid cooling guide, it really has been useful so far. Now soon i'm going to be putting it into practice. In the next day or so i will be ordering the parts for my own LC system on my CM Stacker 830 Special edition. The case does have pre-drilled holes for tubing but i wont be using them instead i will be mounting everything inside. The special edition also has a mesh rectangle cut out on the floor of the case with holes for 120mm fans so i will mount the radiator there. The pump will be under the HDD cage and the reservoir will be in the upper section where i will cut out the mesh so i can re-fill it without even opening the case.

The parts i have came up with are as follows:

Swiftech/Laing D5 MCP655 12v pump
Alphacool NexXxos Xtreme Pro II rev.2 (2x120) radiator
Swiftech MicroRes Hi-Flo reservoir
D-Tek FuZion v2 CPU block
2 meters (6.5feet) of D-Tek 7/16" tubing
2x NMB-MAT (PanaFlo) 120mm Case Fan (low speed and quiet) 68.9 cfm. For the radiator
T-piece for draining
2x D-Tek High Flow Chrome Barbs 1/4" - 1/2" for the radiator
Danger Den Tube plug fitting (brass)
Arctic Silver 5 (3.5g)
D-Tek Liquid F/X UV Dye - Alien Green
+ Shipping

= $469.41 Australian
= $446.84 USA

probably soon after this i will be buying either a radeon 4870 512mb or 1gb or even a 4870X2 and water cool it instead of cooling both of my 8800GTS 320mb's.

Anyway. . . . . do the parts i listed above have this threads approval or not?

any tips etc would be much appreciated.

 

[aigomorla]

Originally posted by: Ragamuffin45
Thanks to Aigomorla for his liquid cooling guide, it really has been useful so far. Now soon i'm going to be putting it into practice. In the next day or so i will be ordering the parts for my own LC system on my CM Stacker 830 Special edition. The case does have pre-drilled holes for tubing but i wont be using them instead i will be mounting everything inside. The special edition also has a mesh rectangle cut out on the floor of the case with holes for 120mm fans so i will mount the radiator there. The pump will be under the HDD cage and the reservoir will be in the upper section where i will cut out the mesh so i can re-fill it without even opening the case.

The parts i have came up with are as follows:

Swiftech/Laing D5 MCP655 12v pump
Alphacool NexXxos Xtreme Pro II rev.2 (2x120) radiator
Swiftech MicroRes Hi-Flo reservoir
D-Tek FuZion v2 CPU block
2 meters (6.5feet) of D-Tek 7/16" tubing
2x NMB-MAT (PanaFlo) 120mm Case Fan (low speed and quiet) 68.9 cfm. For the radiator
T-piece for draining
2x D-Tek High Flow Chrome Barbs 1/4" - 1/2" for the radiator
Danger Den Tube plug fitting (brass)
Arctic Silver 5 (3.5g)
D-Tek Liquid F/X UV Dye - Alien Green
+ Shipping

= $469.41 Australian
= $446.84 USA

probably soon after this i will be buying either a radeon 4870 512mb or 1gb or even a 4870X2 and water cool it instead of cooling both of my 8800GTS 320mb's.

Anyway. . . . . do the parts i listed above have this threads approval or not?

any tips etc would be much appreciated.

with questions like this, its best to make your own thread.

For now i would look at a different radiator. Alphacool does not make the best radiator, and a MCR320 might be a better solution. Actually the MCR is probably my favorate radiator for its price/performance.

Or a coolingworks 320 radiator. There both made by the same person.

Grab 3 meters of tubing to be safe also (15ft). This will help incase you run into OOPS.

 

[WoodButcher]

Hey Ragamuffin!
welcome to the forum.
+1 on the oops factor and the swiftech if it is available.

Also you would get many more eyes on your post if you were to copy and paste your original into a new thread of your own. I'll grant you aigo is one of the best but there are many more who may have the same hardware your getting. The mods get pissed if you post the same thread in multiple categories but I won't tell!
Aigo, don't read this!

 

[Ragamuffin45]

Thanks for the advice Aigo and Woodbutcher, i went with a Swiftech MCR 220 and it was $20 cheaper : ) . Also grabbed an extra meter of tubing. Thats all i pretty much wanted so i didn't think it was worth another thread. Next time i will but. Thanks once again.

 

[pcgamer321]

On average, for a pretty good watercooling setup, nothing super top of the line, but good, how much would it cost initially?

 

[polarbear6]

i guess this is not my stuff any ways cheers

i will have to wait till my local pc stores start stocking atleast a zalman processor fans (thermaltake, antec etc....)

 

[WoodButcher]

Originally posted by: pcgamer321
On average, for a pretty good watercooling setup, nothing super top of the line, but good, how much would it cost initially?

$200 or so.

 

[pcgamer321]

Originally posted by: WoodButcher

Originally posted by: pcgamer321
On average, for a pretty good watercooling setup, nothing super top of the line, but good, how much would it cost initially?

$200 or so.

Thanks.

I'm probably going to go watercooling for my next build, as I never done it before, and it just looks plain awesome.

 

[Soulkeeper]

would putting a couple drops of bleech in your distilled water help prevent bio growth ?

 

[WoodButcher]

Bleach works, I've used it if I didn't have an algaecide, I think "PT nuke" is what Aigo generally recommends.

 

[Soulkeeper]

thanks

 

[TheVrolok]

Originally posted by: WoodButcher

Originally posted by: pcgamer321
On average, for a pretty good watercooling setup, nothing super top of the line, but good, how much would it cost initially?

$200 or so.

Is that a CPU loop only, though? I was planning on WC'ing the rig I built last November .. never did. But damn, the thing is now running with an Arctic 7 Freezer Pro on the CPU, 3 120mm fans, 3 80mm fans, and a 50mm fan on the NB (custom for the mobo). Pretty damned noisy. I might have a bit of extra cash soon and I was wondering on cheap watercooling just to cut down on the noise. Might just do a CPU+GPU loop, and leave the custom FAN+HS (EVGA board) on the NB.

 

[WoodButcher]

$200 is a cheap loop, very basic, no res cpu only.
My CPU loop (the red one) cost $260 w/o shipping, tubing, clamps, barbs, additives or water.
Buying a kit is a waste, the only kit I would look at are the swiftech kits although the "compact" the kits w/ the all in one pump / block have been found to be unreliable and noisy.
You can buy used parts and save some coin as many of us upgrade frequently and have good parts on the shelf. I buy off fleabay on occasion but prefer online stores I'm familiar with. More than one person has been burned on the bay.

 

[BTRY B 529th FA BN]

I am thinking of selling off my Q9300 to invest in a Q9650 More than likely I will. To accommodate the high temps produced by quads, the next step up from air cooled is water cooling right? I have never ventured into water cooling and think its a must to do some overclocking. I would like the best solution for my Q9650 as I want to keep it cold (cool) I don't want to spend an exuberant amount of money on it but top notch is the area I'm curious about. I see our OP has the same CPU i am about to get and any suggestions by him or anyone would be great, thanks!

529th

 

[QuadDamage2k]

I'm looking to set up a Silent Water Cooled Case. I want to Spend Around 200 to 280 on the custom Kit
Think my Soprano Case will be able to fit everything?

 

[WoodButcher]

QD2, to your question the answer is possibly, there are many variables depending on your modding ability and willingness to hack that case. http://forums.anandtech.com/me...id=37&threadid=2192428 Check the case gallery here and over at XS, lots of ideas there. http://www.xtremesystems.org/f.../forumdisplay.php?f=70
Start a new thread you'll get more replies,

 

[QuadDamage2k]

thanks man

 

[rich168]

mixing copper and aluminum... what liquid shoud I use?

 

[QuadDamage2k]

Here is what I have been thinking

http://www.newegg.com/Product/...x?Item=N82E16835185006
3 of these with this rad
http://www.newegg.com/Product/...x?Item=N82E16835108098
Think it will be quite?

I want to hit 4.1 off a 8400

For Pump i want to know whats going to be the best bang and quitest, I plan to just do the CPU and GPU
http://www.newegg.com/Product/...x?Item=N82E16835108097
Swiftech MCP355 12 VDC Pump - Retail
How loud is this and will it keep my system cool and silent

I have been reading reviews saying that this quite, but does it cool worst to make a big differents
http://www.newegg.com/Product/...x?Item=N82E16835108063
Swiftech MCP350 12 VDC Pump - Retail
Looks like a good fit for my setup


Also to keep it quiter is this stuff a rip off or legit?
Petra'sTech "Gel-Stuff" Vibration Absorption Block?
http://www.petrastechshop.com/pegviabbl.html
Nexus Fan Vibration Isolators (Pack of 4) (Out of Stock)
http://www.petrastechshop.com/fanviissof4.html


Also is the Petra'sTech CoolKit Lite - Rev.2
Any good? I know it's a kit, but it looks good for the money

Whats the fitting i would put on the pump to make everything 1/2 in the system
I couldn't find a cheap top
I found this
http://www.sidewindercomputers.com/swmcwdeddcpu.html
Swiftech MCP355 w/Custom Delrin DDC Pump Top It's 93 bucks, i could get a 1/2 pump that isn't as loud. Open to ideas

 

[imported_Jmac]

Would be nice to have in the initial posts some info about recommended brands for pumps/rads etc.

Also maybe some 'kits' eg, recommend different parts to suit different budgets?

I am looking at W/C but have no idea what parts are crap and what are good!

Also maybe a list of recommended cases.

 

[hsfnewbie]

Although i think it's good to have recommended brands/kits/etc, i also think it's good that he aigo left it out. Reason being when messing arond with this, I think you really need to know what you're doing. I'm not a water user (yet), but i've been reading so much about this that I kinda know what to look for and stuff. IMO, i think you should read the FAQ and read XtremeSystem's FAQ threads for best info and consolidate them. Then after that, you should have a good sense of what configuration fits your needs.

I think if you wanted a standalone "kit" you're better off going with air cooling as it will net better results for much less (e.g look at the Xigmatech 1283).

As for a recommended case for WCing regardless of price... one of the best is the Silverstone TJ-07. I'm personally planning on getting the TJ-09 because it's cheaper and IMO looks cooler.

 

[sparkuss]

Does anyone know the exact (detailed down to the actual placement in loop) setup that AnandTech is using for their testing rig? I'm interested in copying it as a start for my next build. I'm finally moving beyond S939 and figure I'll go the whole way with W/C or Phase on a Nehalem rig.

Thanks

 

[Akaz1976]

Can I use simple distilled water without any additive as coolant without damaging stuff?