How to build best liquid cooled pc --this PC ask me

[dragonsprayer]

See photo guide to building a liquid cool, 4.5ghz pc:


So i decided to teach people how to build this pc if they are interested!

first u will need to disassemble :roll: the koolance radiator and rewire the fan control this is no easy task so i start here.

also this radiator pulls out and can be set aside to access - that's why the water lines are so long.

if anyone is interested i started this post to tell how if u need any help! :idea:

note the fans on the bottom blow air into the koolance case - why? the idea is to pressurize it to keep out dust - and cool lights.

 

[apt403]

Your pc looks awesome. Specs?

 

[dragonsprayer]

first u should prebuild your system - and program it! make sure u lable your raid drives they must go back in order and if u mess up the contoller will get confused and its hard to shock it back- i know!

this is raid 5/0 it crashed its now a 10/0 - thats 4 raptors in raid - its fast and 750 gig video starage!

Cd rom floppy, 4 drives, mobo cpu ram, spare cpu cooler, extra gpu card

1) burn in the system in bios for 3 days and overclock it high
2) prgram windows with oc off!
3) test the guts, run stablity tests: see below http://forumz.tomshardware.com/hardware/modules.php?name=Forums&file=viewtopic&p=1433945#1433945
4) take apart guts to put in pc!

after the system is built we tune it! overclock lower.

lets make the case!

 

[dragonsprayer]

i decided to make guide how to do it! what u think! Lets make the radiator!

after you disassemble it you need long bolts to hold the quad fan set up. You need some spacers for the bottom fans. reuse the orginal hardware on the nut end.

bottom of radiator:

top of the radiator(koolance fans repalced)

koolance fans are high powered - with water temp control for speed- so i used 2 sets of fans. The bottom fans are temp controlled. Note: limit is 0.5 amps for controlled fans - check with koolance so do not smoke the controller. The bottom fans are 8cm ~35cfm high speed (they stay at 40% speed) and top are 12cm 55 cfm low speed (quiet and hardwired no speed control).

this systems has a unique push/pull dull blow fan set up. It took me 3 weeks to figure this out properly and fit it. This system ran 965 at 4.6ghz!

As you can see there are 2 sets of fans - the original koolance fans are hardwired.

the second set of smaller fans are wired to the controller

you need fan adapters - this is the only way you can make clearance for the dual video card set up.

 

[dragonsprayer]

Ok while you testing and programing the guts and after you make the tweaked radiator - its time to build it!

Prebuild the mobo - installing the cpu and north bridge cooler

You should install the new fans - all fans are replaced with lighted fans, you wire them to the fan control. The front control has 3 fan nobs and 2 light switches. All the fans and lights are controlled. You need to add wire length and add 3 pin connectors (cut off old fans or make them (solder wires to small pins and push into the plug -what a pain!)

install mobo and psu - route the excess cords if not module, under and back.

 

[dragonsprayer]

install hard drives - if this is raid make sure you reconnect in the right order. use sata locking cables -- its worth the $3 each! plus they glow!

in many cases you need to split the 4 sata cords around a video card - so do not zip time until u check the layout.

note: the bundle of sata's is zip tied around the self the support them. i like my wires out some people run them strait some behind.

note: the tubes and north bridge cooler in place - the water block and tubes are prefit before assembly.


note: zip tied psu cords
I sure someone builds this!

 

[dragonsprayer]

bottom fans - ok this system was totally trick. so i added fans to bottom to cool the 4 raptors and 2 750 gig storage drives. the fan in front of case blows on the front fans but not the middle stack so we added these hdd coolers. you can rivet we took the time to bolt them with nylon nuts - no fall off no rattle! nice glow at the bottom!

blowing air on the psu can't hurt either! This system took 6 weeks to complete - i did not have time to trick out the window.

 

[dragonsprayer]

Know you should prebuild the video cards - you have to remove the stock cooling and hope they work. I recommend you test them first. Note: u just lost your warranty so carefully remove the fans and set the coolers a side.

time to install the video cards and and hook up the hoses - of coarse you prefit all this stuff so it fits.

note: the 4 sata split around the video card - all the cords installed on the mobo since they very difficult to access now

 

[dragonsprayer]

Time to fill it with water - ok, er, i mean coolant - well that's distilled water and anti-corrosive compound or sodiumphospate and color!

this is system has a empty "t-fitting" with drain plug - remove that to let the air out.

note: i used a separate psu to make sure the system did not fire up since its not finished. koolance has a test mode to only run the pump. this was faster and absolutely fool proof.

at this point we are only looking for leaks. with double seal (clamp fitting plus barb) barb leaks are rare.

i know it looks bad now - what a mess but it will look like this:

 

[dragonsprayer]

At this point it should appear that this is a lot work! Ok if want to air cool it here the same pc air cooled! You can build this in half the time or less. Air cool a C2D and water cool a quad-core.

ok now that you decided to still water cool it wire it up the rest of it!!!



ok my guide is on hold until later!

 

[busygamer01]

Great looking pc. What's the name of that fan controller and where can I purchase it? Thanks.

 

[dragonsprayer]

Thank you. It has no name - really - non on the box! You have to search for it - I got it from a really small site. It start with a j like jbods or something - i got few then they went out of stock. Sorry for such a poor answer.

 

[Bloated]

I'm glad your happy with your system and it seems very well built but personally I prefer my my water cooled builds looking as stock and quiet as possible.

it's only a matter of choice but I like the idea that ppl think "geez your PC is so quiet" and then possibly after about an hour or so they take a closer look and notice the case is elevated then they'll glance at the other side and notice it's all liquid cooled or they don't...... I'm equally happy with either scenario.

my cooling is PolarFlo blocks on CPU, GPU and North Bridge with a Swiftech 3/8's pump mounted on Swiftech bracket fitting into 3.5" tray and a dual BlackIce II radiator mounted on the base of the case with fab'd stands and the base of the Raidmax Sagitta case modded to support the rad.

what processor are you using?

 

[dragonsprayer]

That's a good point! The system is super silent - the customer wanted lights.. The reason for so many fans is to make the system super silent - this pc is near silent. that's why the 3000 rpm stock fans were pulled and 1500 rpm fans put in.

The 80 cm under the raid are controlled by the system and run at 40%.

The remaining fans inside and on the bottom are on a fan control and run near silent.

The system is far quieter the stock - the lights are on switches so you can turn some or all! Photos are with the system lights on - i will post more photos with them off 4u!

Good point! Thank you for your input!

I made this thread for someone that might be interested in building a system like this - if like i different i welcome the input!