Water cooling kit for a new build

Brighttail · Oct 25, 2014

So I'm building a new computer and am considering taking my shot with some water cooling. I'm looking for a simple loop that will consist of --> Radiator, CPU, Asus Formula and Reservoir. I have bought a new Corsair 780T case so I have a tonne of room. I live in Canada so the pickings are fairly slim so I am going to have to either special order or order directly from the US which is fine. Here is what i'm looking for:

- A cylindrical reservoir that I can stand up or attach securely to the case via the 5 1/2 bays or bottom of the case. If you got a better option I'm open to ideas but I won't be able to use them in my 5 1/2 drive area.
- A good, dependable pump
- A good radiator. I have 85mm of clearance to the top of the case and can put a set of fans on the other side as well. It can be a 240mm or 280mm. (I'd like recommendatios for both) Flush mounting fans to the radiator would be awesome.
- Good CPU block

I will be cooling an I7-4790k and I would like the system to be expandable if I need/want later on. The reservoir can sit to the right of the motherboard. I should have enough room for it there and if I want to later, add a 240mm radiator with 2 fans on the interior side of the radiator.

Finally, I know that I may not be able to get everything i want in a "kit" per se, but if I can all the better, but I'm willing to buy a separate reservoir if needed. My budget is $200-400.

Thanks in advance.

iAboodz · Oct 26, 2014

This is a tube res with the D5 pump all together:
http://www.frozencpu.com/products/21480/ex-pmp-263/XSPC_Photon_170_Tube_Glass_Cylinder_Reservoir_Pump_Combo_D5_Vario.html?tl=g59c671s2151
It's one of the best pumps out there and can handle your setup plus future upgrades.

I'd get a 360mm thick 60mm radiator for your setup (CPU and motherboard it's more than enough).
http://www.frozencpu.com/products/22717/ex-rad-676/XSPC_RX360_Triple_120mm_Radiator_V3_-_Matte_Black_.html?tl=g59c673s2155
I prefer XSPC but it's just me, the RX is proven to be a high performance rad. It's 46mm thick too.

These are the things you asked for, now lets talk water cooling

If you just want to cool your cpu and motherboard, for now as you said, a kit would be much easier, as it has everything you need. Ek, XSPC both have great starter kits, with guides that can help you with your first build. And you still can upgrade later too for gpus or other component.

If you only have plans for your CPU then get a kit it's much easier. If you plan on on ading more blocks (more than cpu and motherboard) then you can get that pump i mentioned plus the rad. Keep in mind that for every component you add to the loop, you'll need a 120mm. For example, for your cpu, motherboard and a gpu you'd need a 360mm + 240mm for the GPU (just in case).

Brighttail · Oct 26, 2014

HI there,

I appreciate the input. I'm still very tentative with the whole water cooling and see it more as a fun hobby than a necessity, that being said I have seen several "kits" out there that would more than start the process off. I have seen XSPC and have been leaning towards them. The 360 in that 780T case is possible from what I understand but that kills all 5 1/2 bays and I need at least one I think for my NXCT Hue LEDs. Temperatures haven't been an issue thus far, my 4.4 ghz overclock has idle temps in the 30C range and at extreme load I didn't hit higher than 70C with my Corsair H100i.

As for expansion, I probably wouldn't consider watercooling any GPU unless i got a second card and then I'm hoping that a 240 in front will be enough (is it)?

Either way, whatever I do, I want to do it right with premium parts. I have read that barbed fittings are better than the clamps for example. I already have four corsair sp120 fans but I was looking for a solution that has full square fans, with no gaps and flush to the radiator. I saw a few possibilities out there.

Finally as for the pump the D5 is the best out there from the majority of reviews/articles i have read. It looks for now I will probably need a 240mm radiator maybe a 280mm (i'll have to measure) in order to keep my Hue controller in the 5 1/4 bay drive. It may be possible for a 320 but once again i'll have to measure.

iAboodz · Oct 26, 2014

A 240mm is more than enough for your cpu, I have a 240mm for the cpu and it is overclocked to 4.4 too and temperatures on load don't exceed 60 at all, average at around 55. I think the 780T can have a 360mm in the front if you want a 360mm one. But as I said a 240mm is really enough for your setup for now. And if you added the two gpus later you'd want to get then a 360mm rad which you could put in the front or at the back if the top is not an option.

Brighttail · Oct 26, 2014

I saw this

http://www.frozencpu.com/products/23377/ex-wat-298/XSPC_Raystorm_RX240_V3_Extreme_Universal_CPU_Water_Cooling_Kit_w_D5_Photon_and_Free_Dead-Water.html?tl=g30c321s1310

Looks like a good combo for the 240mm. There is a similar one for 20 dollars more for the 360.

I'm assuming when they ask if you want sleeving that is for the pump wires and such and not the tubing?

I noticed that your pump is the square one, where do you put it? My concern is if i only have the radiator, i would have to mount it closer to the top or i am going to have some long unsightly tubing going down to the bottom of the case. That being said a front radiator with aircooling on top may be an option.

iAboodz · Oct 26, 2014

Yes that kit would be perfect !
And yes it's not for the tubes, just the wires.

My pump/res take dual 5.25" bays, I don't use a DVD rom so it's not a problem for me

If you don't want long tubes running around, you can get the same pump/res as mine, for your loop is more than enough. It's the same res/pump combo as mine but with the D5 pump which is the same as the one in the kit you mentioned above and is better than mine and i'll be upgrading to it soon.
http://www.frozencpu.com/products/16070/ex-wat-210/XSPC_Raystorm_EX240_Extreme_Universal_CPU_Water_Cooling_Kit_w_D5_Variant_Pump_Included_and_Free_Dead-Water.html?tl=g59c683s2174#blank

I'm running the 750 v4 pump which is good for my system, but a member in here recommended an upgrade, I may get the D5 with the tube res or the same as mine just with the D5. Will keep using the 750 until (hopefully not) it fails. I'll be having one to hook up

Brighttail · Oct 29, 2014

iAboodz :

I was just looking the Asus Formula VII on the internet with some watercooled builds. That extra little loop over the VRM really throws a wrench into simple watercooling. What i mean is keeping it tidy. I saw this build and like it https://imgur.com/a/tntHr !! It looks clean and if i can somehow mount my reservoir and pump up by the drive bay, this is totally doable. And if I start ever water cooling my GPU, I can simply add a radiator on the bottom or side. I love the look of these straight runs. It is more expensive due to the extra angled fittings but wow... Did you see this guy also illuminate everything too?

I also saw some LED strips that are water proof and meant to go inside the reservoirs. Amazing what you can do now days.

iAboodz · Oct 29, 2014

That build is nice, same idea that i had of black and red and i love it. But he's not using the flexible tubing which I like personally over all tubings. And that you have to see for your self, I have the 760T and mounting a tube res and pump there would take all the space which I can't do. It is doable though.

To have a clean look like that it's gonna take a lot of work and a lot of money too. This is what our hoppy costs.

Brighttail · Oct 29, 2014

iAboodz :

I currently have the 760T and it would be the same way .. the reservoir would have to attach to the 5 1/2 drive and sit atop my hard drive bays (i took out the ones right next to the fans) It would be tight, but doable. I don't think I would attempt stiff tubing water cooling in a smaller case like the 760T (which really isn't a Small case)

In the end my wife is looking at me and saying, "Why, why are you considering this?" She knows that i have zero issues with heat at this point and even in summer not an issue. As for noise, I use quiet fans and a sleep mode where pretty much all the fans are off except the top exhaust running slowly and i don't breach 35C. Heh. She is right tho i could take the 300-500 dollars and spend them elsewhere on the computer.

So WHy not?

iAboodz · Oct 30, 2014

Brighttail :

Well once i saw the windowed panel on the 760T i fell in love, it was just the perfect case for me and for the build. Deciding to get the dual 5.25 res/pump because it was easier. I could have mounted the tube res there with a slight of light modding (saw it before), but it wouldn't be nice as I imagined it. I still think the dual 5.25 res looks really nice. I understand that the money spend on water cooling won't be as effective as when it's spent on other major component, but if you aren't satisfied with your performance you wouldn't have thought of water cooling in the first place

Also the looks man, it looks good, no one can deny that.

Now the wife part, well I'd totally not have all that system if my wife decided that it's not worth it, which she probably would. But see I don't have a wife, nor a gf, so i'm safe in that part. xD Totally would want one though if i'm done with my man cave.

Anyway, if you really wanted that solid build you can do it, but don't think it's going to be easy, and if you had a closed budget for it u may be dissapointed, as it's not in your hands. You don't know what may occur and needs more papers out of your wallet

Brighttail · Oct 30, 2014

Yeah, water cooling for me is more about aesthetics than an actual NEED at this point. I love the look of my 760T with the LED HUE system in there illuminating it all, but when you get a chance for a free 780T you gotta think about it.

Looking at my 760T now If i did water cooling on that it would have to be the straight lines with stiff tubing cause the flexible stuff would be too gaudy and ruin the look in my opinion. I'm impressed you got it done with yours, got a pix?

iAboodz · Oct 30, 2014

here you go:

These before an update to rads

This is after I added the top 360mm rad and the front 240mm both from XSPC. (Sorry for bad quality, poor phone camera) :

Brighttail · Oct 30, 2014

I see what you are doing here

It looks very cramped in here, tho i love the red tubing, that is the way to go. Is see where your pump is in the 5 1/2 bays so that is nice n tucked away. With the cylinder reservoir i was thinking either putting it atop where you would have your hard drives or in the space between the hard drives and the radiator.

iAboodz · Oct 30, 2014

The There's plenty of space mate, it's really not a big of a deal, my motherboard is an E-ATX so it took a lot of space, that's why the case looks small.
You should have no problem with it

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