thermaltake DIY cooling? Is the stuff any good?

The reason the Ek Stuff is out of stock is cause they can't make it fast enough to hit demand. Like PSUs, most of the CLC brands you know are made in the same factories, on the same assembly lines, by the same people from the same OEM (Coolit and Asetec). We are finally see some of the independent custom water loop folks make AIOS with copper / brass radiators but these are far from the norm.

"Features" common to all CLC type AIOs are:

-Weak pumps, typically 0.11 gpm.
-Inefficient aluminum radiators
-Extreme Speed fans to account for the above.
-Violation of the 1st rule of water cooling ... never mix metals in a loop or you create a galvanic cell
https://martinsliquidlab.wordpress.com/2012/01/24/corrosion-explored/
-can't add corrosion inhibitors after the originally provided reached end of life after 18-24 months.

The Corsair Cooler is virtually identical to the Kraken as both are made by the same OEM. The new Kraken X62 is $165. But for $150, you can buy a Swiftech H240 X2 which is:

-$15 cheaper.
-has 1.0 + gpm pump
-has thermally efficient copper / brass radiator
-No mixed metals
-has built in reservoir
-can add replacement corrosion inhibitors
-is expandable

See 23:00 mark
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PYKdKVxbnp8&t=1381s

The $89* NH-D15 air cooler delivered 70C @ 33 dbA
The $100* H100i CLC delivered 73C @ 68dbA ... that 3C hotter and 12 times as loud
The Kraken X61 CLC delivered 69C @ 56dbA ... that 1C cooler at cost of 5 times as loud
The Swiftech H240-X however delivered 64C @ 46 dBA 5 C better than the Kraken and half as loud

* Pcpartpicker prices

Today both have newer models with little changed but aesthetics. The 1st few Swiftechs off the line had a bleed screw which some users overtightened and crack the reservoir, but this was removed early on. The Swiftech is $15 cheaper to boot

The biggest thing with the Swiftech however is that it is an OLC, you can add more radiators, you can add more blocks (GFX, RAM, MoBo).

My recommendations....

1. The Noctua NH-D15 and Cryorig R1 Universal at about $90 will keep ya CPU cooler and system quieter than any 2 x 120mm / 140mm CLC costing $100- $165. The Sythe Mugen Max ($37) / Scythe Fuma ($45) cool as well as the Noctua NH-D15 / Cryorig R1.

2. If ya wanna go water, the entry point for anything worthwhile is about $140. Swiftech has the best bang for the buck here.

- 2 x 140mm ($150) - http://www.swiftech.com/h240x2.aspx
- 3 x 120mm ($165) - http://www.swiftech.com/h320x2.aspx

Each of those AIOs consists of custom loop component parts that are simply re-assembled at the factory

3. There are various kits available that you can buy from recognized water cooling specialists that wouldn't dare to sell you mixed metals or a pump w/ deliver rates under 1 gpm.

http://www.frozencpu.com/products/22400/ex-wat-289/Alphacool_NexXxoS_Cool_Answer_240mm_LTST_-_Complete_Kit_11059.html?tl=g30c321s1793

http://www.frozencpu.com/products/18964/ex-wat-249/EK_L240_Complete_Dual_120mm_Liquid_Cooling_Kit_EK-KIT_L240.html?tl=g30c321s1367

http://www.frozencpu.com/cat/l3/g30/c321/s818/list/p1/Liquid_Cooling-Water_Cooling_Kits_-_Brands-Swiftech_Water_Cooling_Kits-Page1.html

http://www.frozencpu.com/products/10000128/ex-wat-358/XSPC_RayStorm_Pro_D5_Photon_RX480_WaterCooling_Kit_Intel_AMD_AM4_w_Free_Dead_Water.html?tl=g30c321s1310

The point I was making about air cooling was solely this. It's hard to justify investing $120 or more in a CLC when it gets outperformed by a $37 air cooler.

But,as to your original question, I thot I answered it:

a) All CLCs are basically the same, branding doesn't matter when the OEMs are the same and each branded model has only slight differences. They still all suffer from the same common problems.
b) If you have an aluminum rad, it's a bad thing ... it will always be thermally inefficient
c) If you have an aluminum rad, you will either need extreme speed fans or thermal performance will suffer compared to air coolers.
d) If you have an aluminum rad, you will always have a galvanic corrosion cell
e) If you have a CLC, you can never replace the corrosion inhibitors when they reach the end of their useful life.
f) Weak pumps provide inadequate water flow.
g) Go back and look at that youtube video, still at 23:00 mark

2 x 120mm Swiftech H220-X delivers 65C @ 43 dbA
3 x 120mm TT Bigwater 3.0 Ultimate delivers 68C @ 54 dbA

That's 50% more radiator, 50% more fans and still the TT loses by 3C and the TT has to be more than twice as loud to get that close.

As for the kit, no fluid. As to compatibility, may be that the Block supports AMD but you may have to buy the bracket separately ... call and ask.

http://www.frozencpu.com/products/10000872/ex-blc-2067/XSPC_RAYSTORM_PRO_RGB_BRACKET_KIT_AMD_AM4.html

We can't seem to get past the fact that "Thermaltake doesn't make anything".... Kinda like talking about whose mom has the best hamburgers when both Moms went to the same McDonalds to pick them up.

http://www.gamersnexus.net/guides/2122-who-actually-makes-liquid-coolers-oems

Thermaltake Water 3.0 360 OEM = Asetek

Click to expand...

What Thermaltake gets from Asetec is the same thing that every other CLC seller gets.... yes, you can add LEDs, yes, you can put sleeves on the tubes... but not much else.

These units are all made by Asetec:

Corsair H50, H55, H70, H75, H80i GTX, H95, H105, H100i GTX, H110i GTX
NZXT Kraken X30, Kraken X40, Kraken X60, Kraken X31, Kraken X41, Kraken X61


1. Adding a coating would be more expensive than just using copper.
2. Aluminum radiators have poor thermal conductivity, nothing will change the laws of thermaldynamics
3. A coating would reduce thermal efficiency even further. Anodizing could be used on light load blocks (i.e northbridge / southbridge) where high thermal density and tight / small openings are no present.
4. A coating would increase flow resistance on an already weak pump
5. The pumps are already weak to begin with

The OLC type AIOs have none of these weaknesses because they are simply custom loop proven components pre-assembled at the factory. Personally, I prefer to pick my own stuff:

Hardware Labs Black Ice SR2 Rads
Swiftech Pumps
EK Supremacy Blocks
EK Reservoirs

http://www.xtremerigs.net/categories/reviews/water-cooling/radiators/

TT, just like Corsair is a vendor. They don't make anything. When they want a pump for an aio they call asetek and order some, with a TT on the lid. If they want a D5 they call that manufacturer and order some with a TT painted on the side. If they want a open loop rad, they shop around for who is cheap and order some.. Then they stick it all in a box that's printed up with TT labels. So what you get is the same D5 pump from TT as everyone else gets, a D5 pump. EK isn't just a vendor, they are also OEM, they make their own stuff too. Not everything, but a good portion of it. This allows their engineers and designers free reign to build what is necessary not to a customer's demands, so no design changes to add a TT, no dumbed down performance to get a cheaper bulk rate. Do you pay more? Yep. Is it worth the cost,? Yep. EK wouldn't be EK for long if they sold junk, they'd be just another OEM for other vendors, just to stay in business.

Nope, I think you messed that one up. I get auto parts online all the time from Advanced Auto. I hit the store see what the price is if it's on sale etc. If the website had a special, I go outside, smoke a cigarette and place the order on the smart phone. By the time I finish the cigarette, I walk inside their computer pulls the sale and I walk out with the parts. Even had a salesman tell me to do that. Your mistake was not getting to the store fast enough. Can't blame them for fast shipping! Lol.