Water cooling help

CallumP227 · Jul 16, 2014

So im in the proccess of building a computer for a family member(its technically been running for a few months) and his full system specs are as follows
(most of the parts he had already bought before asking me to build it for him)
http://uk.pcpartpicker.com/p/nFLddC
So he wants a full custom water cooling loop and i was thinking of a 30mm 240 rad in the top with a monsta (80mmthick) 120mm radiator in the front.
This is where i would like some advice/help
is he going to need a D5 pump for such a small loop as everyone seems to say get a d5 vario and can someone tell me the different between a theroretical 60mm thick radiator with 10fpi vs a 30mm thick radiator with 20fpi if higher speed fans were not an issue (Will be using corsair sp fans and sound not really a problem).
Thanks for reading.

Also if anyone has some advice on the maximus 6 formula waterblock(the one built in) it would be appretiated as everyone says not to use it.

Spectre694 · Jul 16, 2014

I would get either a D5 or a DDC neither are too expensive but both more powerful , reliable and quieter than a cheap pump. Plus that is a mildly restrictive setup so the extra power wont hurt. If you can I would almost recommend a larger case so you don't have to deal with the 80mm rad

We had a thread (can't find it back) about the formula water block and the general consensus was if your going to use it use and anti corrosion coolant like swiftech Hydrx. One guy tested it hasn't had any problems yet. I wouldn't worry about it though you don't need the block for your setup and it will only add restriction. If you were going for a quite build that would be a different story.

EDIT: Are you trying to cool everything in that build?

faalin · Jul 16, 2014

using the motherboard water block all depends if hes overcolocking or not. also are you watercooling the videocards? If so then your going to need more radiator space then a 240 and 120mm.

Standard practice is 240mm for the cpu and add 120mm for each thing added to the loop. Looking at the case you might be able to fit a 240mm radiator in the front of the case. Its such a small case to fit everything into, normally you would want your reservoir as the highest point in the loop but mounting a radiator to the top you will have a hard time doing this so getting all the air bubbles out of the loop will be a challenge.

CallumP227 · Jul 16, 2014

the plan was to have a dual bay pump/res combo. A 240 rad in the front would mean removing the hdd bays and thats not an option as hes going to add more hard drives, also alot of places say to get 120mm rad for each proccessor so a cpu and 2 gpu's would be 3x 120mm (30mm thick) radiators thats why i thought it would be ok to have 240 rad in the top@30mm thickness and an additional 120mm rad in the front with an 80mm thickness also considering getting an additional 120mm rad for the rear but needc to think of a way to route the tubing first this is also related to the question about fpi as i was conidering getting a thinner radiator for the front but with twice the fpi.

also there is no current plan to overclock the gpu's and the cpu has a 4.4ghz overclock @1.25 volts havent tried anything higher as it wouldnt boot withought lowing memory speed and wasnt to keen on increasing the voltage from 1.25 volts with the h100i.

faalin · Jul 16, 2014

I guess the first question is.... is he going to do any overclocking? If not then you'll get by just make sure the cpu is first in the loop then the gpu's. If he is going to overclock then you need to rethink the hole case and loop setup.

Spectre694 · Jul 16, 2014

CallumP227 :

Your basically just jury rigging here. What you're asking can work but then again it might not so you might build it and then find out you need to add more to it. The fpi has more to do with the speed the rad is optimized for not its cooling ability.

This will be fairly expensive no matter how you look at it. I would suggest getting a new case and doing this properly the first time.

CallumP227 · Jul 16, 2014

he said he wont get a new case for a while as he loves the looks of it and i just got a reply from someone running a very similer setup only with a 60mm thicknes rad in the front rather than an 80mm thickness and he said his temps are fine.

Spectre694 · Jul 16, 2014

CallumP227 :

Don't get me wrong I'm sure there is a way to work it but why? If you do that way odds are you're not going to get any of the advantages of water cooling. You may get slightly better temps but you certainly won't get less noise.

If you want to make it work post exactly what you plan on cooling and I'll make some full suggestions for all parts including setup.

CallumP227 · Jul 16, 2014

The plan is to cool the cpu and 2 gpu's and if possible including the motherboards built in waterblobk
Thank you for your patients and assistance

CallumP227 · Jul 16, 2014

i dont have a picture of his build but can upload a picture of my build as its basically my build with one more gpu and some more ram+storage.

Spectre694 · Jul 16, 2014

I would say get
GPU: EK's water block and backplate. (EK-FC R9-290X Lightning/Backplate)
CPU: Either XSPC Raystorm or Swiftech Apogee XL
Pump: D5 or DDC (MCP-35X as an example)
Coolant: Swiftech Hydrx (must have if using mobo block) distilled and PTnuke fine otherwise.
Rad: the monsta and a XSPC RX 240
Res: plenty of good choices.
Fittings: compressions or worm clamps work fine

faalin · Jul 16, 2014

Spectre694 :

Those parts loos good to me but I still don't think it will do any better they what you have setup right now. The gpu's will run cooler at max speeds but your cpu most likely stay the same as the h100i.

Let us know how everything turns out.

as for the loop layout I would run -> res -> pump -> top rad -> cpu -> MB -> gpu -> gpu -> front mount rad -> back to res. Over a few hours of gaming the temp will stabilize to a point, Depending on my room temps my water will start around 21*c and go up to 26-27*c after a few hours of gaming and hoover there.

CallumP227 · Jul 16, 2014

just checked and the rx240 doesnt fit as it 45mm thick and i can only fit a 30mm thick rad in the top if it helps i think a 280 fits in the top
was told this is a good radiator Hardware Labs Black Ice® GT Stealth 240mm and that it would be up to the task.

Spectre694 · Jul 16, 2014

CallumP227 :

Ahh ya the Black ice is a pretty good rad too better if it fits lol. and a 280mm would actually be better if you could fit one there little bit better cooling than the 240mm's

CallumP227 · Jul 16, 2014

well just talked to him and before i said a word he said to me that he has ordered a 900d

Spectre694 · Jul 16, 2014

CallumP227 :

Awesome! That is a hell of a case there. Is he going for a silent build then?

CallumP227 · Jul 16, 2014

Ranking for water cooling
1 - looks
2- performance
3- noise (not bnothered by noise at all)

Spectre694 · Jul 17, 2014

Sounds good then all the block and pump recommendations stay the same. I would change to a RX 480/420 rad up top and then a 240 or larger somewhere else. If you put say a second 480/420 you could basically run the fans as slow as they would go and be virtually silent at load.

You said looks were important so here is some advice on that. UV and colored dyes look nice but they make maintenance a pain and don't last long (Change fluid and clean approx every 3-6 months). Use distilled water and PT nuke with colored/UV tubing for the best of both worlds (approx 1+ yrs). Unless you do use the mobo block. That block is made of anodized aluminium which will corrode in the presence of copper. If you run that block you need to run some anti corrosion protection the easiest to find and one of the best is the Swiftech HydrX (approx 6 months- 1yr).

Water cooling help

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