Watercool MO RA3 420 Incredible.

[guskline]

I was lucky enough to find a Watercool Mo RA3 420, fan cover and pedestal feet for an incredible price on E-Bay. I just got it running tonight. I had a XSPC RX360 and EX360 but got the "bug" to try out the "big boy" and MY OH MY!

I have a CoolerMaster HAF 932 Adv with the RX360 mounted internally in the top. I had the EX 360 Externally mounted to the raer but disconnected it in lieu of the MO RA3 420. I have 9 XSPC 140 mm 1350rpm fans hooked up via 3 3way splitters connected to channels 4-6 of my NZXT fan controller. I have the system powered by a Swiftech D5 655b pump in an XSPC Acylic reservoir. It pumps into the RX360 and then into the MO RA3 420 and into the cpu block and then my EVGA GTX780 Classified with a Hydro Copper block then back to the reservoir. I use 1/2 ID / 3/4 OD tubing throughout. I decided to add a set of Kooland QD4 Quick release couplings on the supply and return in case I want to move the MO RA3 without draining the system.

The MO RA3 is a big sucker (pictures to follow). Temps are incredibly low. I leak tested a few hours then decided to let it run all night. Definitely overkill but sure gives me the ability to run SLI, triple or even quad without a problem.

 

[guskline]

Here's a photo of my case with the Mo RA3 to the right. The fans are on the other side blowing through the radiator.

Next is a photo of the rear of the MO RA3 showing the 9 XSPC 140mm fans covered by the MO RA3 guard.

Finally a closer view of the MO RA3.

 

[BonzaiDuck]

I had a plan for building an evaporative "bong" cooler later next year after I build a Haswell-E system. But You've give me some ideas with this MO RA3, which retails at Sidewinder for about $160.

Personally, I might try to replace the 120 or 140mm fans with 180-to-200mm fans, but I don't know if they would fit, or what mods would be required.

Either way, if one doesn't mind the umbilical tethers to the computer, that's definitely a great cooling solution.

 

[guskline]

Sidewinder has a great price! I bought my fans, tubing and Koolance QD4 quick releases from him. I paid more for the rad because it included both the fan guard and feet.

Trust me BonzaiDuck it's the Godzilla of coolers.

 

[guskline]

Had a Homer Simpson "DOOH" moment when I realized I forgot to take the protective film off of the front and fan bracket of the MO RA3 so here it is without it:

 

[smackababy]

I have been looking for a case that would fit a MO-RA lately. I've actually been toying with the idea of getting a half rack and putting a MO-RA in there, blowing the air downwards onto a media server for additional cooling of that.

 

[guskline]

smackababy, that's interesting. It fits perfectly under the desk as does the C HAF 932. No problem with cooling capacity now!:biggrin::thumbsup:

 

[Regz]

Any pics of temps ?

 

[guskline]

Any pics of temps ?

I'm running prime 95 as I type this on another computer. Have all 12 threads on custom with the fans on a low to mid setting and the core temps range from a high of 58C to a low of 50C. I ran Intel Burn test with the highest core being 61C.

I have an XSPC thermal test unit on ordwer4 to monitor the water temp via a digital read out. When it's installed I'll give more info. Understand the system has only been running @24 hrs so I keep a close monitor on the reservoir level. The capacity of the MO RA3 420 to dissipate heat is phenomenal.

BTW, I ran Intel Burn test with the fans on low with the HIGHEST core temp of 61C. I then ran the test with the fans all on full power and the highest temp was 58C. Quite a tribute to the rad "capacity" to dissipate heat as the 3930k @4.5Ghz can really produce heat. I imagine this rad would really help multi gpu users especially R9 290x.

 

[guskline]

I'll post the Real Temp readings in @ 1/2 hr after prime 95 has run awhile.

 

[guskline]

Just checked the temps on prime95 with all 12 threads cranking and the max temps have risen as high as 67C. This is with the fans at low-med.

 

[guskline]

Here's a snapshot of RealTemp maxes after running Prime95 custom with all 12 threads for @41 minutes. You can see the core temps range from a high of 67 to a low of 60.

Note that the actual temps are lower because I took the snapshot after stopping Prime 95. My purpose in posting was to show the max temps for the 3930k @4.5 Ghz running full bore with all 12 threads. The fans on the RX 360 and MO RA3 were on just above the low setting.

 

[BonzaiDuck]

Here's a snapshot of RealTemp maxes after running Prime95 custom with all 12 threads for @41 minutes. You can see the core temps range from a high of 67 to a low of 60.

Note that the actual temps are lower because I took the snapshot after stopping Prime 95. My purpose in posting was to show the max temps for the 3930k @4.5 Ghz running full bore with all 12 threads. The fans on the RX 360 and MO RA3 were on just above the low setting.

So -- with a little more attention to the fan configuration, do you think you could get lower maximums? That's a hex-core E chip (130W) and OC'd to 4.5, and your average-of-maximums is 63.5C. When you think about it, that's darn good.

I've made this point elsewhere here, and probably enough. For stressing and with some sort of dynamic fan-control, you're only going to hear the noise in an extreme situation. The problem there I see, and maybe I missed something in your earlier descriptions -- how you can have good overall thermal fan-control "out-of-the-box" so to speak. I assume your fans are running off the PSU's 12V rail. You'd only need to use PWM fans and run a string of them off the PSU -- controlled by a connection between the mobo CPU header and a Swiftech 8W-PWM-SPL-ST -- I think that's the item -- it's just a PWM splitter that allows fan control from a single header and power to about eight fans. But then, you're gonna have a lot of wires to manage!

 

[guskline]

BonzaiDuck: I'm happy with thses temps because I was running the hardest Prime95 custom which stressed all 12 threads (6 cores plus 6 hyperthreads).

Here is the readings after the 8 run of a 10 run Intel burn test:

 

[BonzaiDuck]

BonzaiDuck: I'm happy with thses temps because I was running the hardest Prime95 custom which stressed all 12 threads (6 cores plus 6 hyperthreads).

Here is the readings after the 8 run of a 10 run Intel burn test:

I was just fantasizing with my obsession for squeezing blood out of a stone. If the average on that IBT sample is around 53C, that's pretty phenomenal for not exploring "optimal CFM." "Optimal" has a lot to do with noise-tolerance. I'd think anybody -- anybody -- who chose to deploy that radiator might choose to just run fans at a fixed speed. It simplifies things.

But I can't help it -- it would be cool to see if you could reduce those load temperatures on a 135W processor (OC'd nevertheless) to within 10 or 15 C of idle. Like I said -- running the fans off a PWM splitter, the length of the wiring and number of wires -- it would be something of a headache.

 

[nitromullet]

I had a plan for building an evaporative "bong" cooler later next year after I build a Haswell-E system. But You've give me some ideas with this MO RA3, which retails at Sidewinder for about $160.

Personally, I might try to replace the 120 or 140mm fans with 180-to-200mm fans, but I don't know if they would fit, or what mods would be required.

Either way, if one doesn't mind the umbilical tethers to the computer, that's definitely a great cooling solution.

No mods needed. The MO RA3 comes in different fan configurations - 9x120, 9x140, and 4x180.

http://watercool.de/en/mo-ra3

 

[guskline]

No mods needed. The MO RA3 comes in different fan configurations - 9x120, 9x140, and 4x180.

http://watercool.de/en/mo-ra3

Actually, though not listed easily you can now buy a fan mount for the MO RA3 420 to support 4 fans from 180mm to 230mm!:awe:

I just used the 9 fan mount and used 9 XSPC 140mm 1350 rpm fans with the speed controlled by a NZXT fan controller.

 

[BonzaiDuck]

Actually, though not listed easily you can now buy a fan mount for the MO RA3 420 to support 4 fans from 180mm to 230mm!:awe:

I just used the 9 fan mount and used 9 XSPC 140mm 1350 rpm fans with the peed controlled by a NZXT fan controller.

Six or seven years ago, I would not have taken 180/200mm fans seriously.

But "fewer" is simpler, and simpler is better. Less noise, more CFM, less wiring complexity.

 

[Z15CAM]

Makes you wonder if just buying a used rad for a Hyundi with it's fan from an Auto Wreckers and mount it out side with hoses piped to your rig inside would be cheaper - LOL

 

[guskline]

Makes you wonder if just buying a used rad for a Hyundi with it's fan from an Auto Wreckers and mount it out side with hoses piped to your rig inside would be cheaper - LOL

Actually funny. Truth is after you would spend the $$ on the mods to make the Hyundai rad work, the MO RA3 would probably be cheaper. One is for a pressurized system with specialized coolant(Hyundai) while the MO RA3 is designed for distilled water at low pressure.

There actually is a thread in another forum of a auto mechanic trying to use a radiator from a car, Pretty interesting read!

 

[jaedaliu]

Actually funny. Truth is after you would spend the $$ on the mods to make the Hyundai rad work, the MO RA3 would probably be cheaper. One is for a pressurized system with specialized coolant(Hyundai) while the MO RA3 is designed for distilled water at low pressure.

There actually is a thread in another forum of a auto mechanic trying to use a radiator from a car, Pretty interesting read!

Early water cooling for computers was typically done with a car's heater core as a radiator. You know, before companies made radiators specifically for computers.

 

[guskline]

Early water cooling for computers was typically done with a car's heater core as a radiator. You know, before companies made radiators specifically for computers.

Thanks, I'm aware of that. PC water cooling sure has come a long way!

 

[aigomorla]

i am not a great fan of the mora series due to the way the radiator is setup as a condenser type.

Also i believe tests were done where u would put 2x360 side by side in a parallel config and got better performance / flow at 2/3rds the size.

But if your happy, that's all that really matters.
The mora goes on the concept where "MOAR is BETTER~"

Early water cooling for computers was typically done with a car's heater core as a radiator. You know, before companies made radiators specifically for computers.

i actually have a design where i was going to use a Koyo Copper Racing radiator as the heat exchange element.
Its a massive radiator, all copper, and has the fin layout as a standard hobby style radiator, and it fits inside a Server Rack.

 

[guskline]

i am not a great fan of the mora series due to the way the radiator is setup as a condenser type.

Also i believe tests were done where u would put 2x360 side by side in a parallel config and got better performance / flow at 2/3rds the size.

But if your happy, that's all that really matters.
The mora goes on the concept where "MOAR is BETTER~"



i actually have a design where i was going to use a Koyo Copper Racing radiator as the heat exchange element.
Its a massive radiator, all copper, and has the fin layout as a standard hobby style radiator, and it fits inside a Server Rack.

I've only been in the custom water cooling "loop" for about a year but the MO RA series has evolved from the originals to the 2 series and now the 3 series. I believe the originals were much more restrictive but significant improvements have occurred. The problem is that most testing I found posted was on the original or series two MO RA so it's hard to say how the 3 series compares. I know for myself it sure has tons of surface area and cooling capacity.

I decided to go "external" because to get a case big enough to increase from the 2 360 rads I had in a loop (RX360 internally and EX360 externally mounted to the rear) would cost me several hundred dollars more just for a new case BEFORE buying the rads (example Corsair 900D).

By purchasing the MO RA3-420, fan guard, fans etc, I can keep my present case and still have plenty of rad space.

No doubt you need more external space but I have that.

 

[guskline]

Just changed out the single D5 res for a XSPC Twin D5 Bay Res. WOW Increased flow rate.