Time to WC my Vid card

[NitroTurtle]

Last spring, I posted this and got a lot of help picking out components for my current (and first) WC setup. I've been running this system since then, and have been very happy with the results. However, I recently added a GTX280 to the system, and when the fan spins up it's quite loud. So, I'd like to switch over to water cooling on the vid card as well now.

Initially, I considered doing a 2nd loop, with a full cover block. After doing some shopping, I found it was going to end up costing me like 300 bucks to setup something like this. I just can't justify spending nearly as much on cooling as the card cost in the first place, so now I'm looking at adding to my current loop instead.

My current system consists of the following components in a Stacker T01:

D-Tek Fuzion CPU block
MCR220 radiator
MCP655 pump
MCW30 Chipset block
MCRES-MICRO

I'm wondering if I can add a 2nd rad to this system, and a GPU only block to my vid card with decent results. It looks like I'd only be spending about $150 for these additional parts, which seems reasonable for better temps and to quiet this vid card down. Would an MCR120 be sufficient? How about an MCR220? My current loop goes pump>cpu>chipset>res>rad>pump. I'm thinking I can add the 2nd rad after the chipset, then run from that rad into the vid card and back to the res. If an MCR120 would be enough, I could probably mount it internally where the rear 120mm fan is mounted. If I need to go with an MCR220 instead, I think I'm going to end up mounting it externally to the back of the case. I don't really want to mount it on the top, and I'd rather not raise the case to allow mounting on the bottom, so I'm really only left with the rear as an option.

So, what do you guys think? Will my pump be able to handle a loop like this? Will the additional rad give me the capacity I'll need for the vid card? I'm looking at the D-Tek FuZion GFX 2 along with the D-Tek Uni-Sink for my GTX280. Is this a decent choice, or is their a better option?

 

[WoodButcher]

A 220 rad will do the job but your cpu temps will suffer. I had a Q6600 w/ 7950 gt, no NB on a single loop 120x1 and 120x 2 rads and the cpu temps were 10c higher adding the vid card and single rad. At the time I was using the dtek V1 and dtek vid blocks. If you won't split the loop add at least another 220. I'd expect the cpu temps to go up between 5 and 10 c.

 

[aigomorla]

the new xspc blocks arent bad.

And there pretty darn cheap too.

Your second comment, will it ever stop,

Ask WB, the answer is no, after water you got TEC's and phase.

So the truth be told, you wont stop, in fact your just starting.

 

[NitroTurtle]

So even adding a 220 rad, I'm still looking at an increase in CPU temp? What would it take to add my GPU to the loop and keep the same CPU temps? Maybe I could add a 320 rad to my 220?

 

[WoodButcher]

What you'll want to do is get the biggest rad you can, a 320 is great if you can fit it, a 220 works too. When I say your cpu temps will take a hit I mean that compared to a cpu only loop.
I have 2 loops, one is my 8800GT and NB, the other is the cpu, on the vid loop I have a 220 and a 120, for my quad a single 320 . The water temps in the gpu loop is 31C and the cpu loop 28C, both are very good but were I to combine these loops my cpu would go up, not to unacceptable temps by any means but higher than they are now. You should achieve good temps on your loop with a pair of 220's, cpu, nb and vid but if you can fit a 320 do it. The more rad the better. Should you decide in the future to upgrade or split your loop you'll have headroom.