Questions about 3-way SLI Water Cooling (NOT CPU)

creationsof12 · Apr 24, 2013

I've been doing a lot of research and I think I have a good idea of what to get for what I need but I'm still unsure of a few things. Here is what I am planning:

I've got 3 GTX 285's (it works for what I need) setup in 3-way SLI but it's overheating due to their close proximity to each other. Additionally, I would like to overclock the GPU's as much as possible without them overheating.

So what I'm looking for is a good loop that has the right pressure and maximum cooling for 3 graphics cards. I don't need to water cool my CPUs! That's the problem I've been running into; everyone is building loops powerful enough to cool 3-way SLI AND CPU's but not solely the 3-way SLI. I'm also looking for the most reliable parts. Money is not a problem here but I would like to get the most bang for my buck.

I have enough space for just about any radiator, a little less space for reservoir and enough power for any pump... I think I could run a pool pump with the power supply I've got on this thing. Just looking for the best of the best here since I game AND work on this PC. Need it to run for a long time.

Parts I was thinking about:

1. Radiator: Aqua Computer AirPlex Revolution Radiator (465x146x63mm)
Edit: In progress - searching for rad with most cooling power. I would like it to fit into my PC (465 long and 80mm thick can fit, It's a big case). TDP = 3x GTX 285 at 204w each = 612w. I am just looking for the setup that will give me the most OC potential.

2. Fans: Scythe "ULTRA KAZE" 3,000 rpm 120x38mm or Delta FFB1212EHE-F00 4,000 rpm 120mm fans (x2 or 3 depending on the rad)

3. Pump: Edit: Swiftech MCP655 or DDC 3.25 with XSPC top

4. Reservoir: EK RES 250 or Swiftech MCRES (maybe I'll get something a little more sexy since reservoirs don't seem to have big differences between brands - suggestions?)

5. Tubing: Tygon 1/2" tubing. Anything better? I might need something a little more flexible but not sure yet.

6. Fittings: compression fittings but should I go with a quick-disconnect system for the fittings on the graphics cards? Push on/clamps for the pump.

7. Coolant: I've heard that Fluid XP+ Ultra stays non-conductive for longer periods of time than others but there are so many to choose from that I don't know which is best. Looking for long-lasting non-conductivity, non-corrosive and anti-algae.

What I already have:

3 GTX 285's in 3-way SLI with HeatKiller blocks. Image link: http://i24.photobucket.com/albums/c5/hondacity25/hondaa.jpg

I hope someone can give me some pointers on proper equipment for what I am trying to do and I hope this thread helps somebody else out there that is trying to accomplish the same thing. Also a nice update for 2013, as many other threads are anywhere from 2009-2011. If I somehow missed a thread about this, please show it to me!! I just wasn't able to find one with the specifics that was up to date.

EDIT: FINAL SETUP/CONCLUSION (note that this is a bit of overkill but I wanted to be able to upgrade graphics cards in the near future and overclock all of them):

2x Aqua Computer AirPlex Revolution Radiators (2x$90=$180) here
1x Radiator mounting bracket (PC back extendable from Koolance) ($45) here
6x Koolance 4,000 RPM, 183.5 CFM (FAN-12038HBK-184) (push configuration) ($165 total - found on amazon, bought all) here
1x Swiftech MCP655 Variable Speed pump (1/4 threaded by frozencpu.com) ($120) here
1x MCRES Micro Rev2 Reservoir ($26) here
2x Koolance clamps for tubing on pump (1/2" OD) (2x$1=$2) here
8x compression fittings for 2 radiators, 1 reservoir and pump (1/2 ID 3/4 OD) (6x$9.50=$76) here
2x Koolance QDC (Extreme Flow) Female (5/8" ID)(VL4N-F16-19B) (2x$15=$30) here
2x Koolance QDC (Extreme Flow) No-Spill, Male (5/8" ID)(VL4N-M16-19B) (2x$14=$28) here
1x PrimoChill PrimoFlex Advanced LRT Tubing 1/2"ID x 3/4" OD - 10ft ($25) here
3x PrimoChill Anti-Kink Coils (3x$4=$12) here
1x Distilled water ($few bucks) HEB
1x Killcoil ($7) Here
1x Sunbeam PL-RS-6 Rheosmart 6 Fan, 5.25" Bay 30W Fan Controller ($40) here

Total: $756

toolmaker_03 · Apr 24, 2013

well it does look like you are into this so yes QDC's are a good idea so are compression fittings and soft 3-way rotary 90's are a must for making a system easy to pipe with tubing. I have a single loop system for my video cards and a separate loop for the CPU. I would like to know the specific design of the video card blocks that you have meaning is there a pin matrix within the blocks making them restrictive if they are a parallel setup for the blocks would be preferable.

here is my build log for you to look at if you have specific questions pleases ask.

http://www.tomshardware.com/forum/274855-29-experimental-radiator-build/page-12

it seems to work very well for me.

creationsof12 · Apr 24, 2013

toolmaker_03 :

Yeah I figured the QDC's would be a good idea, just wanted some reassurance. Compression fittings, eh. I read a bit about those too and heard it just takes a little bit of extra maintenance (not much, just extra tightening after a few times of warming up), but if those are much better than the push on (in which I would use the clamps) then I will go for it (after a bit more research).

The Heatkiller GTX 285 blocks do not have a pin matrix... at least I'm 99.99% sure but I plan on taking them apart to make sure everything is as it should be anyway (as I purchased these used).

Any thoughts on the pump, radiator or reservoir? As I said, just looking for the best of the best; the most reliable parts. The other thing I was just slightly concerned about was the pressure in the loop. From what I have read, what I have will work but if anyone thinks otherwise, I'd like to hear your thoughts.

Looks like you've got a nice setup there, I'll be reading through it today.

ihog · Apr 24, 2013

Someone else can step in and give advice on this as well, since I'm not an expert on this, but I'm not sure if a 360 rad will be enough for 3 GPUs.

toolmaker_03 · Apr 24, 2013

your pump is the same type that I use, and the rad chosen is a thin rad so it would be rather restrictive. If possible have a look at the thick rads available as a single rad solution for your setup. The 80mm thick Monstra rads work very well but than again any thick rad(60mm to 80mm+) works well. It would be cheaper to have one rad than paralleling two thin rads together. I did that because I already had the rads, and I had convinced myself that it could work, it was only a matter of configuring the hardware together properly.

creationsof12 · Apr 24, 2013

ihog :

That's what I needed to hear/was afraid of. Thank you for the reply.

creationsof12 · Apr 24, 2013

toolmaker_03 :

I was wondering about that. I'll do some more searching for reviews on 80mm rads but it was difficult to find one that was up to date (found one from like 2003).

PS. I believe the triple bridge on the 3-way SLI setup will allow it to run in parallel but I wasn't 100% positive. Know anything about this?

toolmaker_03 · Apr 24, 2013

Well for that matter EK made 3 different types of bridges 1 that was only serial, 1 that was only parallel, and there newer model with can be configured to be either parallel or serial. I am not that familiar with the Heatkiller bridge, but as they are a better company, I would hope that there bridge can be configured both ways as well.

creationsof12 · Apr 24, 2013

toolmaker_03 :

Ah, just found out the bridge is parallel.

creationsof12 · Apr 24, 2013

I had left out a very important aspect: the fans. I was looking at Delta FFB1212EHE-F00 4,000 rpm 120mm fans (x2 or 3 depending on the rad). I don't mind it sounding like an F-16 taking off, I just wanted to get it as cool as possible.

toolmaker_03 · Apr 24, 2013

I have been there with the good fan thing I had deltas and yes it will be loud it might not be a bad idea to get a 30W+ per channel fan controller to turn them down when you are not playing games. Today though I like it to be as silent as possible I have to sleep in the same room with this beast so it has to be quite.

good to here that it is parallel bridge just shows that the makers of the block are very aware of how there product should be configured for the best results. So if it is a must, to have thin rads for this setup I have completed another build with two thin rads paralleled together it is not the best setup for the rads as far as cooling them goes, but it is functional.

http://www.tomshardware.com/forum/284615-29-build

creationsof12 · Apr 24, 2013

toolmaker_03 :

I already have a fan controller at 25w/channel but was thinking that I would need another for this for that reason. Good advice.

That build... looks pretty tight! I'm a fan of the whole industrial look, that's kind of what I'm going for in mine. But thin is not a must. 80mm will easily fit into this case with what I currently have in it and I am not opposed to having the rad located outside of the case. Really, choosing the right rad is now my biggest issue.

manofchalk · Apr 24, 2013

Radiator:
612W is a fair bit to dissipate with one radiator, even the thicker 60mm+ rads would require some some very fast fans to cool it.
http://martinsliquidlab.org/2012/04/12/alphacool-nexxxos-ut60-360-radiator/4/
http://martinsliquidlab.org/2012/04/19/ek-coolstream-rad-xtx-360/4/
A Push/Pull setup may help with that, but would still need to be spinning fairly fast.
I suggest you get multiple radiators.

Pump:
With three cards in parallel (very low restriction), you could probably get away with a single pump. Of the two go with either, both are basically the same thing with a different sticker on it.

Reservoir:
Did you say sexy?
http://www.frozencpu.com/products/10279/ex-res-166/FrozenQ_PC_Mods_250mm_Liquid_Fusion_V_Series_2nd_Generation_Reservoir_-_UV_Cathode_-_Fluorescent_Green_Helix.html?tl=g30c97s165
They come in different colours as well.

Tubing is Tubing, get what you want.

Fittings:
Compressions work exactly the same as Barb fittings + Clamps, they just look better for a few dollars more.
Quick Disconnects, dont really see the point in this setup.

Coolant:
Distilled water, available in your local supermarket. Throw in a Kill-Coil or a biocide, that will stop stuff growing in the loop. As long as your metal choices have been reasonable (no Aluminium, stuck to Copper, Brass, Nickel) there shouldn't be any great risk of corrosion.

creationsof12 · Apr 25, 2013

manofchalk :

I was planning on using an 80mm thick radiator with 3 of the 4,000 rpm fans. Think that would suffice? Might be a good idea to go with 2 anyway. I could have one on the top (interior) and one on the back (exterior). The other thing I was thinking about is one very large radiator on the exterior of the side.

Haha, yeah I had been looking into the FrozenQ reservoirs but had heard that they have more leakage problems than others. Who knows though.

I chose quick disconnects for the graphics card bridge because I plan on upgrading them in the near future and this would prevent me from having to empty the entire loop.

Edit: As much as I didn't want to, I will go with distilled water and a killcoil. I just thought that by now, they would have a coolant that worked a little better and didn't leave any kind of residue/buildup. If anyone knows of anything better than distilled water and a killcoil, let me know!

Thanks for the nice reply! Taking all into consideration.

creationsof12 · Apr 25, 2013

So I've done a little more research and I believe that with the Swiftech MCP655, Aqua Computer AirPlex Revolution Radiator (465x146x63mm) and the Delta FFB1212EHE-F00 4,000 rpm 120mm fans (x3) it should have anywhere between 800-1,000W dissipated. That will be more than enough for keeping it cool but overclocking... still have to figure that part out. Which setup would give me the most overclocking potential, hmm.

toolmaker_03 · Apr 25, 2013

well if that is what your after why did you not say so in the first place, here use this as a radiator and you will get that high clock your after.

with this you will not need a radiator at all, but you will need a large reservoir.

creationsof12 · Apr 25, 2013

toolmaker_03 :

An aquarium cooler, NICE!! HAHAHA! Has anyone really tried this with their computer cooling system? I would love to see that. I would be concerned about power consumption though.

toolmaker_03 · Apr 25, 2013

Yes there are many videos on you tube as well I plan to use this on my son's build to see for my self how well it works but it has the ability to remove all the heat generated in a computer water loop system.

creationsof12 · Apr 25, 2013

toolmaker_03 :

........ I'm seriously looking into this.

toolmaker_03 · Apr 25, 2013

There not cheep, I found a place that sells them for $899 US, that I would trust and delivery is free. I am still saving up for it maybe two or three more months until I will purchase one I am looking at the 1/3HP at first to see if it is large enough and if not I will simply return it for a larger model so you can see how I want to have enough saved up to get the right one for the size of the rig that I am building if it cost me $2000 than so be it. I am hoping that the smaller units will be enough to cool the system though.

creationsof12 · Apr 25, 2013

toolmaker_03 :

The smaller unit (1/3 hp) would probably do the job for 3-way SLI and even the CPUs. At least it looks that way at a first glance. This thing runs COLD and has a surprising flow rate. I really am thinking about it and found it for around $750 (not too bad). I may not need that much cooling power yet but as I said, I plan on upgrading the graphics cards in the near future. Maybe 3 or 4-way SLI eith GTX 690's OC'ed.

toolmaker_03 · Apr 25, 2013

the flow rate is based on some of the extreme pumps that can be attached to this thing. I was planning on using two 655 pumps and a 3 gallon reservoir to help stabilize the water temps. insulating the piping and reservoir will help with that as well. there is a guy here that has done a lot of work with cooled water systems here is his link it should help as well there is a lot of good info in there.

http://www.tomshardware.com/forum/282844-29-peltier-water-cooling

creationsof12 · Apr 26, 2013

toolmaker_03 :

That does look like a brilliant idea for OC'ing but after much more research, I think I am going to go with the PC loop comprised of:

2x Aqua Computer AirPlex Revolution Radiators (2x$90=$180)
1x Radiator mounting bracket (PC back extendable from Koolance) ($45)
6x Delta FFB1212EHE-F00 4,000 rpm 120mm fans (push configuration) (6x$30=$180)
1x Swiftech MCP655 Variable Speed pump (1/4 threaded by frozencpu.com) ($120)
1x MCRES Micro Rev2 Reservoir ($26)
2x Koolance clamps for tubing on pump (1/2" OD) (2x$1=$2)
8x compression fittings for 2 radiators, 1 reservoir and pump (1/2 ID 3/4 OD) (6x$9.50=$76)
2x VL3N-MG Koolance QDC male end (1/4" thread size for 3-way SLI water bridge) (2x$13=$26)
2x VL3N-F10B Koolance QDC female end (for 3/8" ID tubing) (2x$14=$28)
1x PrimoChill PrimoFlex Advanced LRT Tubing 7/16"ID x 5/8" OD ($25)
3x PrimoChill Anti-Kink Coils (3x$4=$12)
Distilled water ($few bucks)
1x Killcoil ($7)
1x Sunbeam RHK-EX-BA Rheobus-Extreme Fan Controller ($26)

Total: $753

All look good? Any thoughts?

toolmaker_03 · Apr 26, 2013

yes it does

I think that it will work well for you with lots of room to grow I have been doing this for a while now.

rubix_1011 · Apr 26, 2013

Can you provide links to your shopping list? Seems rather overkill to me, but I'm not going to tell you what to spend your own money on. I would certainly suggest different fans rather than Delta's (which are incredibly expensive...$180 on 6x fans alone??)

You can often look around and find deals on Scythe Ultra Kaze's (2000 or 3000 rpm) and they are beastly fans. I use 6 of them and paid like $8 a fan on sale at Performance PCs. You can also find them elsewhere if you look...might check Amazon.com.

I'm not a fan of QDC's that much...maybe 1-2 would be OK, but you really aren't going to be disconnecting your loop that often. Buying a little extra tubing is the simplest way; just cut your tubing, drain and replace a piece when you need to refill. QDC's also introduce 3 places for potential leaks per QDC: both tubing/fitting ends, and the connector itself. There have also been some report that QDCs can drop your flow rate and add unwanted restriction, depending on QDC brand. I'm pretty sure that Martin or Skinnee has tested some of these...some do, some don't.

Just in case you haven't done the math: 3x GTX 580's (stock speeds): 244w TDP (each) x3 = 732w. Even being generous at 85% TDP max you are looking at approx. 622w. Overclocking is going to raise your TDP per card. You are easily looking at 2x 360 rads for your needs, but they don't have to be AC brand.

You can also save yourself $45 on a radiator mounting bracket by being creative and using longer screws, washers and nuts for standoffs, or using a gutted fan (as a spacer) and longer screws. Just don't puncture your radiator tubes by using screws that are too long for the job.

Questions about 3-way SLI Water Cooling (NOT CPU)

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