Need Advise!

rjbrunker

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Just upgraded my mobo from an ECS A780GM-A. My Specs are:


Biostar TA790GX-A2
Phenom 9950 BE
Stock cpu cooler
Hitachi 500GB Serial ATA HD 7200
Wintec Ampx 4096MB PC6400 Memory = 8GB
Sapphire Ati Radeon HD 3850 GPU
Ultra LS500 Lifetime Series 500W Power Supply


I want to overclock it safely without damaging my cpu and gpu, was wondering if anybody knew what voltage to set it to get atleast 3ghz out of my cpu.
 

cheepstuff

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is that idle or load temp? if its idle, bring it down to stock. if its load its okayish.
i dont want to sound like a party pooper on your OCing, but you dont want to be playing a game and get a bsod from the heat, or even worse, burn out your chip.
 

No. Don't bother with pre built kits. They are cr@p. A good custom WC set (ie GTZ + D5 pump + good rad) will set you about $220-300 for CPU + may be GPU (GPU blocks are quite expensive).
 

cheepstuff

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good, for now, i can tell your itching to go further. you can only safely go a little further. more than 65C can get risky. you should get 2.85-2.9GHz and stay at or below 65C.
 

rjbrunker

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can u recommend a water cooling kit that wont bust my wallet.
 

cheepstuff

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i could, but you should disregard anything i say. i have had vary little experience with water cooled systems. air has been good enough for me. there are plenty of other people around here that know more than me on the subject ;) .
 

cheepstuff

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if your leaving the cpu voltage on the bios at auto, then it will go up, sometimes dangerously high, when overclocking you should select a safe voltage for your processor and bump the speeds up until its unstable. then stop or ( if your still in a safe range) bump it up a little higher.
 

jcknouse

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rjbrunker:

i'm no liquid cooling expert either...never put one in a box. but, i've read quite a bit.

a) read read read...learn all you can...google and sites on water cooling are your friends.
b) be picky about what you get.
c) Shadow was right for the most part (from what i read). most bottom end kits are pure cr@p. u can buy good kits, but they are usually $250+. i have seen some good reviews on the Swiftech H20-220 Apex (which is like $200 at newegg?) that it's decent, but i've never used it.


good luck with it. would love to hear your results.
 
@OP: If you are really interested in WC:


Don't bother with kit's most kits are cr@p.


Checkout:
http://www.xtremesystems.org/forums/showthread.php?t=202394
^
Read the leak testing guide very well.


Usual recommendation is:
GTZ block + D5 pump + 120 (or bigger) rad.
 

jcknouse

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rjbrunker - That's one of the sites I have been to. Definitely good, as well as the standard-bearer from Conundrum lol :lol:

Shadow - When I go to build my new rig in the fall or winter...I'll be doing a *lot* of re-reading. I plan on OCing the heck out of a Phenom II or i7, depending on how the Phenom II 965 BE (or whatever it is) does in reviews by TG. Even thought about looking for a small, quiet, electric bilge pump from a salt-water boat...and using that and a small electric compressor and chilling some salt-mixed water to cool the water to about 25F/-6C and get even better OCing from the watercool. Have you ever seen something done like that? Piping water through a compressor/condenser module and basically chilling the water on the fly? Haven't read it anywhere myself. Just compressed gas or LN2.
 

rjbrunker

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ok guys i found some parts and i wanted to know what else i needed.

Copper TDX AM2 Block for AMD Processor
DD-CPX-Pro 12V Pump
Black Ice Pro Radiator
Danger Den Single 5 1/4" Bay Reservoir
Tygon 3603 Tubing
Feser One - Corrosion Blocker
Perfect Seal G 1/4 Fittings

 

rjbrunker

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updating on the parts i found

CPU Style: AM2
CPU Water Block: Danger Den MC-TDX
Top Style: Lucite with Stainless Steel Universal Top
Video Block: None
SLI Fittings: 4 - Micro Stubby SLI Fittings
Chipset Block: None
Fitting Size: 3/8 OD Fat Boy Fitting for 3/8 ID Tubing
Radiator: Black Ice GTX 120
Fans: Yate Loon Low 120mm
Pumps: DD CPX-1 12V Pump
Tubing: 7 Feet of UV Blue
Reservoir: Single 5 1/4 Bay Reservoir
Reservoir LED: 1 x UV Blue 5mm Molex
Thermal Paste: Arctic Alumina Paste
Water Additives: Feser UV Blue
DD Fillport: None
Fillport Reservoir: None
Misc: None
 

Yes. You can mix parts as long as it'll work. (note: Do not mix materials, ie copper + aluminum) No need to be from same company.
 

Yes, it's called phase change.
http://www.xtremesystems.org/forums/showthread.php?t=104454
I have never done it so can't comment much on it. By the looks of it, you need to be pretty handy with a blow torch not to forget the need for insulation.
 

1. Good rad, res, fans
2. The block you have choosen is very old. It's no good. Get a GTZ.
3. Consider getting Tygon tubing.
4. I haven't personally used the DD CPX-1 12V Pump, but I still recommend you get the D5 since it has a better flow rate.

Make a new thread for WC parts and link here please.
 

drdeathx

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You do not need water cooled. I have a 9850 and water cooled it. It is a pain. The radiator takes a lot of space. Get a Zalman Heatsync aircooler. My friends say they work just fine and temps go down nice. As far as voltages, leave it alone. If you go higher kick it to maybe 1.35 - 1.4. Your temps will rise with higher voltages. Also use Artic Silver or Freeze for your heatsync.

Also do a stress test like prime95 for a few hours and see what your temps are. I bet they go above 60 deg.
 

jcknouse

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Yeah, I figured I might need to be.

what i am thinking about doing is:

having a small electrical box installed on it's own circuit outside my house (20A service maybe...would be usable for other things too).

get a small refrigerator from a pawn shop that has the compressor in it that works well. install locks on it.

put the reservoir inside the refrigerator as well as running some extra tubing up in the freezer part.

connect the 3/8 or 1/2 tubes to same size copper. attach (solder) the copper to the existing radiator on the back of the fridge and then run run it into the fridge (dual cooling...dissipate on entry into the radiator...additional cooling inside the fridge.) and connect it to the

get a heavier duty pump to handle additional fluid load in system.

I figure...in addition to the WCK, $20 for extra poly tube, $30 for a mini-fridge from a pawn shop, $15-25 of copper and extra clamps, and $150 for outside electric outlet professionally installed. i have solder/torch/all-weather sealer.

i know, it's a lot of work. but, you think it sounds feasible to do?
 

Yes, you are correct. Only reason I mentioned WC is because OP was thinking of getting a pre built kit.