Water Cooling Setup

[jixz]

In the next few weeks I'm moving up to a dx10 card.. and really need water cooling, my temps were horrible with my 7950 GT. Ive been looking around and am very confused as to what system to look at. Should i buy a happy meal one like the Swiftech H2O-220 Apex with a nice GPU block? or go to whataburger and make a custom one.

Honestly im not too knowledgeable in how good all the parts preform.. If you suggest a custom one please give me a recommended setup.

 

[proof]

The best way to water cool is by assembling your own custom set-up. You learn more and it is much better than any store bought one. You will need:

1) CPU Block
I recomend the PolarFlo TT.

2) GPU Block
I recomend a Koolance full plate block.

3) Pump
Make sure that the pump is rated for over 5ft head. This means it can push water thropugh a tube more than five feet vertically.

4) Radiator
I recomend the Balck Ice Extreme Dual 120mm.

5) A good thermal paste.
For Air Cooling Shi-Etsu is the best. For water cooling AC 5 is the best.

 

[CBillo]

I personally went for the kit route but after looking at prices and lots of reviews i finally settled on the idea of a Thermaltake Armor LCS, most water cooling kits can cost anything from £100 and upwards for a decent brand, i paid £160 for a Thermaltake kit and a new case together. Water blocks can be added for GPUs and northbridge chips, but only the CPU one is supplied, it has a dual 120mm racing spec radiator! i suggest you have a look at one of these before making your mind up on which way to go.

i got an overclock of 2.8ghz on my C2D E6300 on a good air cooler but the thermaltake rig allows me to get over 3.4ghz!!

P.S the thermaltake Kandalf LCS is the one i personally wanted more but i couldnt find one in stock anywhere in the uk when i had the cash!!

 

[jixz]

Ok.. ive been looking around.. and i think im going to build my own.. i have two questions.. the first being has anyone used fluid XP? It looks amazing.. he poured it directly on his graphic card and it was still working fine.. and the second is.. what size of tube is recomended... and pumps for that size?

 

[proof]

1/2" High Flow systems are the best. And I forget the pump brand but it starts with a Z. Look on frozencpu.com or xoxide.com

 

[wun911]

I think this is what you want to do.





SLI on water is difficult to setup...

PM me if you have any questions

 

[jixz]

mmk.. well i still need help with a few parts.. heres a list of what i need

Pump
Cpu block (755 dual core)
instalation hardware?

i have..

black ice res
dangerden 8800gtx Gpu block
some res
Fluid XP
tubez

 

[Reagan]

[Great, just lost the page and have to re-type this... ]

I am planning on building a system too, however I'm building it as funds become available.

Re: Fluid XP. I have several links bookmarked ...

http://www.fluidxp.com/
http://www.frozencpu.com/cat/l3/g30/c103/s183/list/p1/Liquid_Cooling-Coolant_Additives-Non_Conductive-Page1.html

It looks to be good stuff however it is also expensive. 3M's FLOURINERT is also good stuff but it is astronomical. They are both non-conductive which in the computer world is a good thing. In my estimation though, leaks aren't too common and you ought to be able to get by with something cheaper. Good ol' water has a very high 'specific heat capacity'. This means it can carry a lot of heat away from your CPU and GPU blocks. More than (ethylene) glycol based coolants. However, if you're going to refrigerate your coolant in any way adding glycol is recommended.

I would suggest using water though with an algaecide added. I am planning to have a system with a resevoir of perhaps 1 - 2 gallons. Fluid XP would be impractical on my budget and wouldn't perform as well [although it'd be nice to have the safety factor].

Re: tubing. Get the best you can, which is Tygon. Check out the article
"Watercooling Niggles"
Fab - 3/24/06
http://www.overclockers.com/articles1304/

Re: pumps. Check out
"Pump-Off"
Joe Citarella - 3/25/03
also on overclockers.com [you'll have to poke around ...] This is a good web-site for articles, particularly on water-cooling. I hope to be posting an article or two there very soon 8)

Sorry, I'm running a bit short on time so I'll simply mention the following tutorials...

"DIY Water Cooling 101", Matt Butrovich, June 9, 2005 17:00 [Tom's Hardware]
http://www.tomshardware.com/2005/06/09/diy_water_cooling_101/index.html

"ExtremeMHz Flagship Case"
http://www.extrememhz.com/emflag2.shtml



Lastly, here are some interesting links...

http://koolance.com/default.php
http://www.dangerden.com/news.php
http://www.overcool.com/
http://www.performance-pcs.com/catalog/index.php
http://www.highspeedpc.com/
http://www.sharkacomputers.com/waterpumps.html
http://www.zalman.co.kr/eng/eng_index.asp
http://www.extrememhz.com/
http://www.petrastechshop.com/index.html
http://www.svc.com/
http://www.frozencpu.com/

[I've done business with the last two and been satisfied.]


Were you planning on over-clocking your system? That could put extra demands on how much heat you have to dissipate. In addition, have you decided on using a T-Line? or Resevoir?


--M

 

[wun911]

If you liked your danger den gpu block I would recomend you get a danger den CPU block aswell.

As for a pump a Danger Den D5 is a nice pump and will handle a gpu and CPU.

As for a water cooling PC case i would probably get one of these:

 

[Reagan]

Wun911 ... nice system!

I like the Danger Den GPU blocks ... although I'd still stay with an Swiftech APOGEE or APEX CPU block.

What size rad do you have? what make for the fans?


--M

 

[wun911]

I use a storm rev 2 its a nice water block if you have the pumps for it.

I have 3 rads: two tripples 1 single

A res that holds about 5 L of water with tripple inlets and tripple outlets for my 3 pumps.

I use Panflo fans, and Tygon tubes.

I DO NOT add anything to the water, my water is double distilled, reverse osmosed, and sterilized.

Non conductive agents dont work in my opnion... I put a dog into a bath tub full of nonconductive fluid xp and threw a live toaster in. The dog died a nasty death so I would presume non conductive doesnt really work afterall...

 

[Reagan]

Ok, 5L is about 1.32 gallons. Pretty good size.

I'm curious, if you have 3 pumps wouldn't you have to be careful with a pressure differential? Or perhaps you have 3 of the same pumps.

What do the pumps cool? I take it you have 1 pump for GPU(s) and another for CPU. Does the 3rd take care of RAM and hard drives?


--M


P.S. sorry to hear about the dog. The non-conductive coolants can be finicky. I'm not a chemist -- if you're real curious, ask JACK, you know who I'm talking about -- but I think it has to do with distilled water picking up stray ions from metals and such. Water becomes conductive real fast when it comes in contact with other substances. After all, it's a dog's life 8) to heck with PETA.

 

[wun911]

1 pump for CPU and the NB water block
1 pump for the two GPU water blocks
1 pump for the 2 HDs

I know 1 pump would strugle to pump though all of that so I added 2 more and put them in seperate loops.

All the pumps are the same all run in seperate loops so there is no problems with difference in pressure.

The mountain mod case just makes water cooling too easy...

Yeah water picks up metals and ions really really fast so non conductive fluid additives are kinda pointless (unless your willing to bet your life on it). So if it does leak its not like non conductive fluid additives will save your PC.

 

[proof]

Why the hell do you need that many pumps? One pump will be enough for a whole system. That is going to be very power hungry, noisy, and very high pressure. But damn is it gonna have good flow!

1/2" is the best option.
Are you doing seperate loops for all your components?

 

[jixz]

mmk.. well i still need help with a few parts.. heres a list of what i need

Pump
Cpu block (755 dual core)
instalation hardware?

i have..

black ice res
dangerden 8800gtx Gpu block
some res
Fluid XP
tubez

 

[proof]

Pump: Swiftech
CPU Block: DangerDen RBX
Installation Hardware: Fittings and $hit

 

[jixz]

K, thanks.. Ive narrowed it down to the Danger Den RBX and the Apogee Extreme Performance.

And, how much tubing would i need? .. damn that stuff is expensive!

 

[wun911]

we did a poll on this before.... average is 2-3m

 

[wun911]

we did a poll on this before.... average is 2-3m

 

[aigomorla]

mmk.. well i still need help with a few parts.. heres a list of what i need

Pump
Cpu block (755 dual core)
instalation hardware?

i have..

black ice res
dangerden 8800gtx Gpu block
some res
Fluid XP
tubez

according to tests conducted at xtremesystems.org forums, thermochill is ranked king. Then comes the swiftech radiator.

As for the blocks, the 8800 which is a full feature block will increase your cpu temps due to more restrictions. If you run a dual pump, like wun and i have, you can combat this restriction and increase your loops performance.

Another thing, CPU block, i would pick either the apogeeGT, GTX, or D-tek Fusion as these have clearly shown to keep up with a storm. And for those of you that dont know the storm its a far greater block the the TDX.


Lastly, depending on your system, i have already spamed countless pictures of mine, you proabably want to stay with a single radiator setup, until you get good enough with your loop to custom a dual loop, or dual rad layout. It gets a lot more complicated once you add a second pump or rad to the loop.

LASTLY, PLEASE DO NOT USE FLUID XP. It leaves a waxy residue all over your stuff after its been in your system for 3 months. Its really nasty, and hard to get rid of. You can google it, and TONS of negitive feedback will come out of people whose had it in there system longer then 15 mins it takes to write the review. If you really want to use an aftermarket coolant, id recomend promochill. Ive had far less issues using the stuff.


Anyhow, lemme spam my setup one last time

Heres both of them side by side. Ones a NAS, the other is my main rig

My NAS

My main rig, although its an old picture. I have a C2D now.

[/img]

and heres how my main rig did until i sold my CPU. And yes i was offered a lot more then what i paid for. Load temps on both GPU + CPU torcher. Ambients around 60-63C it wasnt higher then 65.

 

[jixz]

Ok, im really close to buying. ive pretty much narrowed it down to these four options:

1st Question is.. how big of a differant are the two GPU blocks, as well as CPU blocks?

2nd.. please go over that system and check if anything dosent

( 1/2 inch ID Tube! )

 

[aigomorla]

Ok, im really close to buying. ive pretty much narrowed it down to these four options:

1st Question is.. how big of a differant are the two GPU blocks, as well as CPU blocks?

2nd.. please go over that system and check if anything dosent

( 1/2 inch ID Tube! )

if those are your absolute choices the yellow apears to be the best. However, the performance difference from the GTX to the GT is marginal at best. You definitely dont have the pump to push the GTX at its higher peak.

As for tubing, i never saw the need to use tygon. I personal like and prefer masterkleer 7/16ID tubing. It makes a more secure snug when placed over barbs as well, and the difference is 1/16th of an inch, so performance doesnt get effected. Its also a heck of a lot cheaper then tygon. ~.59 cents per feet.

 

[jixz]

k, thanks keep the comments coming!

Those aren't my absolute choices, just what seems to be the popular pics.

 

[proof]

I have used the following:
PolarFlo TT
Stinger V6
Stinger V8

I like these because they are not widely used which gives them an "elite" sort of "aura". They are also some of the top performers out there. The Stinger blocks are custom made.

 

[aigomorla]

I have used the following:
PolarFlo TT
Stinger V6
Stinger V8

I like these because they are not widely used which gives them an "elite" sort of "aura". They are also some of the top performers out there. The Stinger blocks are custom made.

1. im been checking the stinger out, any company that doesnt have the internals clearly displayed on a block worries me.

http://www.stingerwaterblocks.mysite.com/2_column_page.html

im sure thats the manufacturers homepage. And the funny thing is the owner seems to be bragging about these score

Stinger V-6...WC ..3019-MHZ..http://valid.x86-secret.com/show_oc?id=170538
CPU-Z ValiDated..3044-MHZ...http://valid.x86-secret.com/show_oc?id=170545
CPU-Z Validated...301-FSB....http://valid.x86-secret.com/show_oc?id=170127
CPU-Z Validated

ummmm.... LOL my d-tek fusion allowed me to push my AMD @ 3080 MHZ, so overclock has no bias in my book. Infact, the WR on the QX6700 was currently scored by Fugger on a ApogeeGT. I Posted my proof on a earily post.

Also im having the hardest time finding them on sale. They seem to be almost as rare as cathars G4. <--- THE BEST BLOCK dont argue with me. There are only 3 blocks i can think of that are made of entire silver. 1. is Cathars G4 <--- the sucessor to the storm rev.2 also a uber expensive block, USED would run you near 300 US dollars.

2. danger den TDX silver edition. Also extremely rare, havent seen ANY on sale yet.

3. I hear swiftech will come out with a uber version of there apogee in silver. This is still a rumor. Expect prices to be near the 200 range for this as well.


So, i would honestly pick a block which has been shown by Thousands, and not a few select group to perform well. That would be a D-tek Fusion, or ApogeeGT.

Also op, having a block which most people own, makes things easier for you when something goes foul in your loop. Im sure someone will have repeated the error your getting, and its far easier to help with a block were acustom to instead of a rare and super bling bling block.

BTW, not to laugh at you or anything, but POLARFLO!?!?!??! comon, that block was shown to be a serious POS. You need to use its 1 inlet and 2 outlets to get its cooling somewhere decient, and even then, an RDX wiould pwn that block.

ummm incase your wondering, the currently block hierarchy to my knowledge would be this as follows:

TDX > RDX > Apogee > Storm Rev.2 > ApogeeGT ~ D-tek Fusion >~ ApogeeGTX

> <--- is less then
~ about the same maybe tad bit better

Im taking a guess on the ApogeeGTX. This is because its suposed to perform better then there apogeeGT. ApogeeGT with Oring modifications have clearly shown to perform as THE KING. IF you want more info, google, swiftech's CES challange. You should get a challange swiftech hosted. Swiftech Won that challange with there apogeeGT thanks to the infamous O-ring mod.