Watercooling

[Lightflash]

Okay I am looking to water cool my system and have been having problems figuring out if I should buy a kit or just buy the parts individually. The kit that I am looking at is:
http://www.frozencpu.com/products/12...l=g30c83#blank

or maybe there is a better mix of parts that I can put together to cool the CPU and able to futureproof for at least S2011.

I am also thinking about WC'ing my GPU during the next round of cards, but I am going with the thoughts of wait until then to worry about another loop if running everything through one loop will not be enough.

I have about a $300 to $500 budget and would like to see what everyone else that runs water thinks. I have read the sticky and am wondering if the lists are still worth looking at or if there are parts out now that would work better.

 

[nitromullet]

If you're going to get a kit, at least get the XSPC RX360. The RX is a better rad than the RS, and the rad will most likely be the only part of that kit that you will keep.

For ~$300, this is what I would get:

Swiftech MCP655 12v DC Pump - with Speed Controller
http://www.sidewindercomputers.com/swmc12vdcpu.html
XSPC RX360 - 3x120mm Radiator Rev. 2
http://www.sidewindercomputers.com/xsrx3xrare2.html
EK Waterblocks EK-Supreme HF Universal Socket - Acetal+Nickel - Rev 2
http://www.sidewindercomputers.com/ekwaekhfac.html
5 x Bitspower 1/2in. Compression Fittings for 3/4in. OD Tubing - BP-CPF-CC5
http://www.sidewindercomputers.com/bi1cofifor3o.html
2 x Bitspower Shining Silver Rotary Compression Fitting BP-RCPF-CC5 for 1/2in. ID x 3/4in. OD Tube (These go on the sides of the T-block to make it easier to fill/drain with the T-line)
http://www.sidewindercomputers.com/bishsirocofi.html
Durelene PVC tubing 1/2in. ID x 3/4in. OD by Saint-Gobain
http://www.sidewindercomputers.com/dupvctu1idx3.html
Bitspower Silver Shining T-Block - # BP-TMB
http://www.sidewindercomputers.com/bisishtbp.html

All the parts you'll need (except three 120mm fans) to build yourself an awesome performing basic T-line loop with compression fittings, a pump, and a radiator that will last you for years. You might even be able to re-use the cpu block if EK makes a bracket for the Supreme HF for LGA2011.

If you want a reservoir, you can easily add a bay or tube res. If you want to save some money, swap out the compression fittings for standard barbs.

I actually had all this stuff priced out because I'm thinking about getting wet again, and figured this would be a good loop to get myself back into it. My current choice for the reservoir is the Koolance dual D5/dual bay res, which is pretty pricey, so I'd just deal with a T-line for now.

Koolance (RP-452x2) Dual 5.25" Reservoir for 1-2 D5 Pumps, Dual Loops
http://www.sidewindercomputers.com/kordu5reforo.html

 

[WoodButcher]

Looks like a good kit, is an excellent price for start up, I'd use it. You can buy parts individually and get better performance but you will pay. My only concern would be your case, if you plan to cool the GPU as well, will that rad cool that and the CPU? will you have space for more radiator? You need to post specs of what you have and want to cool.

 

[Lightflash]

Sorry there are my specs. Forgot to include my signature

 

[nitromullet]

This is the XSPC kit I'm talking about btw...

http://www.jab-tech.com/XSPC-Rasa-750-RX360-CPU-watercooling-kit-pr-4780.html

Same kit as posted above but with the better RX series radiator. The XSPC RX rads perform up there with the best of them, and you'd have no problems fitting that kit into your HAF 932. It's actually designed to house a triple rad up top.

http://www.hardwarecanucks.com/foru...304-cooler-master-haf-932-case-review-12.html

 

[WoodButcher]

This is the XSPC kit I'm talking about btw...

http://www.jab-tech.com/XSPC-Rasa-750-RX360-CPU-watercooling-kit-pr-4780.html

Same kit as posted above but with the better RX series radiator. The XSPC RX rads perform up there with the best of them, and you'd have no problems fitting that kit into your HAF 932. It's actually designed to house a triple rad up top.

http://www.hardwarecanucks.com/foru...304-cooler-master-haf-932-case-review-12.html

:thumbsup::thumbsup:better kit, nice find NM

 

[aigomorla]

actually avoid the RAZA if u plan to take this hobby up one level.

The pump inside the raza is not replaceable, and its not one of the higher tier pumps we usually use.

The bay res by XSPC is nice, however Koolance's and DangerDen's monsoon will totally EAT it in quality.

Koolance:

DangerDen:

So the RAZA is nice, if your gonna stick with it, and not move out of it.
If you really want to get your feet wet, go with a custom from the getgo, that way u have better flexability in the future.

 

[Lightflash]

I do plan on continuing from one build to the next so custom would appear to give me more room to grow, although the kit and the link to the case review has given me a greater view of the way of what I can do to expand over time. I like the kits because I have never really done a true water system, but I want to have the ability to upgrade from build to build as needed.

What would you recommend Aigo since you have much more experience than myself?

 

[littlezipp]

Just built my first water cooled system with all the case mods and must say it was a fair amount of work. After reading a lot of the reviews on the XSPC kits I chose against the all in one kit and bought piece by piece from Jab-Tech.

MCP655
XSPC RX360
XSPC D5 dual bay reservoir
Swiftech MCW80 x 2
Assorted fittings
Ramsinks from Frys
7/16 tubing Primochill tubing

All runs drip free, cool, and quiet but...

Currently running with stock GPU cooling back on. No matter what I do the ramsinks on the VRM circuitry and RAM chips is not enough and I get some serious artifacts even though GPU is at cool 40c or so. I am either holding out for Swiftech to release their 6970 unisinks, selling it all or buying the full coverage GPU blocks and not the one size fits all. Just my $.02.

 

[aigomorla]

I do plan on continuing from one build to the next so custom would appear to give me more room to grow, although the kit and the link to the case review has given me a greater view of the way of what I can do to expand over time. I like the kits because I have never really done a true water system, but I want to have the ability to upgrade from build to build as needed.

What would you recommend Aigo since you have much more experience than myself?

i5-760B1 @ 4.0, 1.4V with Noctua NH-D14
Gigabyte P55-USB3
Corsair Dominator GT 8GB 1866MHz
EVGA GTX 580 @ 875 Core/2050 Mem Clock

First off Single loop, all your going to get at the moment is the CPU + GPU.
There are RAM waterblocks, however its not worth it, nor do i recomend it on someone who is new to the hobby.

mmmm... well im very liking koolance at the moment.
They got one of the best support, and there parts have quality.

So i would probably do something like this:
RX360 or PA120.3

For Res, i would think if i wanted to use 2 pumps or 1 pump.
Dual pumps have redundancy, so they save you if one of your pumps should fail. If you want dual pumps, then it would also depend on dual D5's or Dual DDC's.

D5's are traditionally quieter, they produce a lower hum noise then a DDC.
The DDC's are smaller, and with options outperform a D5.
Options are the res's or the aftermarket Top.

So since u got some pricey stuff, i would get probably use Dual DDC's on that koolance bay res i showed.

Followed by a KL-360 or EK HF.
Then ending it with a Koolance 580GTX full card block.

I would also quick disconnect the GPU, so i can have quick removal / install.

I think the dual pump option might push you a little over 500.

 

[Lightflash]

This is what I came up with just by getting everything off of FrozenCPU. If this seems like the parts I need, I will then look to find the better deals since I know I saw lower prices on some of these parts.

 

[SparkyJJO]

I'd avoid the crystal T. I don't know if they changed anything but I know over at XS a lot of people had issues with them cracking.

And stay away from the colored danger den fillports - they are aluminum. The black delrin and the brass ones are safe but not the colored ones.

 

[nitromullet]

Some thoughts on your parts...

Good call with the Bp compression fittings - they are pricey, but high quality and will last you.

If you are going to incorporate the Koolance QDCs into your loop with that reservoir, you don't need a T-line to drain/fill. You can fill the loop directly into the res, and you can drain the loop with the QDCs.

Just get another set of male/female QDCs and attach some hose to them. To drain, you just disconnect the QDCs in the loop, connect your other QDCs, and run the hoses to a bucket. You'll probably have to loosen the fill hole on the res and rock the case back and forth a bit, but you have to do that with a T-line as well.

Alternately, you can skip the QDCs within the loop entirely, and just have a single one on the third side of your T-block which you attach only for draining the loop. The reason that you may want to do this is that QDCs do add some resistance to your loop. Not necessarily a lot, but there are some people who won't use them inline in the loop because they do add resistance. The choice is really up to you.

Last option is that with that res, you could forgo a T-line or QDCs altogether. It might be a little bit of a pain, but you could probably drain your loop out the front by attaching two hoses to the front of the res (with your system facing up!), and then turning it over. A bit if a pain, but it would keep your loop much simpler and save you over $50 on fittings.

 

[Lightflash]

Sparky - Yeah I was looking at the T connector and that was just something that I put in and was going to search for something like what nitro had linked when looking around for the lowest prices (shipping costs included).

NM - The resistance is not going to bother me that much right now since I do not think there will be enough to cause a problem (Correct me if otherwise). The idea on getting rid of the T-line and just getting a seperate QDC to fill and empty would probably be the better route and it would also remove the aluminum fillport (did not even think about it).

Thanks for the advice too. One of the things I love about this site is the fact that people are willing to help out and correct people if needed. Now to look around and see if I can get lower prices since frozencpu is usually much higher.

 

[nitromullet]

NM - The resistance is not going to bother me that much right now since I do not think there will be enough to cause a problem (Correct me if otherwise). The idea on getting rid of the T-line and just getting a seperate QDC to fill and empty would probably be the better route and it would also remove the aluminum fillport (did not even think about it).

Yeah, I don't think it will be enough to cause a problem, it's just a point to consider. From a convenience point I'm sure the QDCs are great, but you are introducing resistance and cost into your loop strictly for convenience's sake.

by the way, don't forget to buy a a silver kill coil for your loop.

http://www.jab-tech.com/Antimicrobial-Silver-Strip-pr-4530.html

 

[aigomorla]

I'd avoid the crystal T. I don't know if they changed anything but I know over at XS a lot of people had issues with them cracking.

And stay away from the colored danger den fillports - they are aluminum. The black delrin and the brass ones are safe but not the colored ones.

i had those crystal T's and guess what:

u see that puddle at the bottom, its because the T cracked.

I do not recomend them, get these guys instead:

Also i dont like compression fittings.
Infact i hate them so much i have a box of 20 i dont use anymore.
The reason why i hate them is because there very selective in the tubing u can use.
Not to mention sometimes the compressions dont tighten nicely.

I moved to silver plated barbs for the anti microb properties, and use steel clamps like these:

Silver plated barbs say Silver. Not shinning Silver, so if u go silver plated barbs make sure they say silver.
They are also lighter then shiny plated barbs.

The lower left is pure silver, the upper left is silver shinning.

Also how about a inline temp probe like this so u can see your water temperature?
http://www.sidewindercomputers.com/inteseforaqa.html

u need 2 barbs for that tho, but its a straight passthough.

Also i would recomend this too:
Its called a kill coil, you plug them inside your tubing.
http://www.sidewindercomputers.com/sikibyia.html

silver kill coil is reusable, and should last you almost forever.
The plated barbs im still testing, and so far, 2 yr strong.