Water-cooling on antec 1200?

[Nickos]

G'day,
okay i am thinking about buying a Antec 1200 and watercooling it.
(yes i get it "stupid n00bs why do they always go for the 1200?')
anyways.

with one hard drive and two CD/DVD drives is it possable to configure a good WC set up,
inside the case with barely any mods to the case itself?
i am thinking about only the CPU's heat so....
(radiator - pump - CPU *repeat*) i think i probably got that really wrong but meh?
(the reason i said the drives is because 12 drives? seriously NOBODY NEEDS THAT! so i use the space for the radiator or whatever else)

 

[Conumdrum]

It's enuff room for a nice rad and pump, block.

Time to learn.....................

Us guys have done the WC thing, there are basics you gotta know. Take a look, don't take it as a diss on you or a rebuttal, look at as a friend saying "Dude, you gotta know what to say and how to communicate".
.......................................
CPU HS $65
GPU HS and air HS for vram and mosfets $95, full cover block, $100-200
Radiator $60 min, up to $130
Pump $80 +
Resiviour $25
Hose, some barbs and clamps etc (min $25, more like $35)
Fans $15-30

I went top notch and spent close to $600 to cool my CPU and GPU.
First you gotta learn about WC. It's not like walking into Best Buy.
Spend a while (weeks is best for your sanity) at these links.
Look at the hundreds of loops close to your case and components in the stickies, read a couple 50 or so threads over the next week or so, you'll be on the ball to make the right choices and by then know how to put it together.
Not 'Roket Sience', but basic knowledge is required.
And you should spend a few hours on the listed sites reading threads. It's how we learn. Once the goodies show up on your doorstep your on your own.
For your benefit please spend a few days reading a LOT. At the busiest places for WC masters. Guys who have done it for YEARS at OC forums and xtreme forums. It took me a while (I was OCing on air, aftermarket stuff, bios settings, best chipsets etc etc) to learn the language and the tricks to a easy install.

Don't expect miracles or SUPER DOOPER over clocks. What you will get is a quiet system that can handle OC to the max of your hardware IF you buy quality and buy smart. And minor maintenance too, a bonus for the water cooler.

Also while there please read on case mods etc. The radiators are not for small cases, pumps and hose routing, wire management and other things are important. Google your planned case and the word water-cooled in one line. You might get lucky.
............................
Edit: The next paragraph was from 2008. With the advent of the HOT i7 and bigger GPU's, it has changed. A 220 size MIN rad for an i7, you want big overclocks, better go 320 sized rad.
................................

IF you just cool your CPU and your NB if you want, you can get by with a 120.2 sized radiator (RAD). And MAYBE fit in inside depending on your mod skillz. You want to cool your GPU too, you'll need a 120.3 sized rad, and it probably won't fit inside. The rear external rad really works great. No matter what your adding 10lbs to your PC.

Once you got an idea of what is good/bad then start getting your system for WC put together and we'll be glad to help.

http://www.xtremesystems.org/forums/index.php? Not a noob site, but great stickies
http://www.ocforums.com/ My fav, good peeps, know their stuff, less hardcore
http://www.skinneelabs.com/MartinsLiquidLab/
http://www.over-clock.com/ivb/inde [...] opic=20277 A GREAT Europe site
http://www.overclock.net/water-cooling/
http://translate.google.com/transl [...] n&ie=UTF-8 Info on rad testing
http://www.xtremesystems.org/forums/showthread.php?t=220593 More rad testing
http://skinneelabs.com/
http://forums.extremeoverclocking.com/showthread.php?t=282232

Stores
http://www.dangerden.com/index.php [...] e&Itemid=1
http://www.petrastechshop.com/
http://www.sidewindercomputers.com/
http://www.jab-tech.com/
http://www.performance-pcs.com

 

[Nickos]

Thanks mate,
I may of miss shot myself but when i said;
"stupid n00bs why do they always go for the 1200?'
i meant that in previous forums (that i have seen/been in) people tend to think there dealing with Richie the little A$$ with all the money, when he/she asks about the 1200.
i was trying to make it clearer that i have a mid-clear idea on how to do this.
anyways;
i am now aware after talking to my friend er.. google *sigh*
that there is a radiator made for the Antec 1200 so normally that might be an idea.
you said in your post about a reservoir?
now i know that's not a good idea.
so now i need a pump, block and the tubing (etc).
thanks for the help though.

 

[Nickos]

oh it may be an idea but i am using a socket AM3?

 

[Conumdrum]

They make CPU waterblocks and holddowns for a AMD chip.

The front of a 1200 can hold a 120x3 sized rad, no problem, there are 5 major rad manufactueres, you'll get a clue soon enough.

You'll begin to see 1200 WC rigs in the stickies etc. Just start reading and learning, join a forum or two, in a few weeks of hanging out and reading lots of posts you'll be fine, all your questions will become answers.

 

[Nickos]

Okay,
Here is the items i believe are good for me.
ZALMAN Zalman ZM-WB4 Plus CPU Water Block,
ALPHACOOL Alphacool Reservoir Cape Cooling Pro 10 [AC-CP10]
ALPHACOOL Alphacool Laing D5
ALPHACOOL Alphacool NexXxos Xtreme Pro
and tubing clips etc.
Ideas? opinions?

 

[Nickos]

okay,
now 99% of this makes sense.
the remaining thing is...god..feels soooooo *gasp* n00bish. noooo....'
it's i just can't believe i have to ask this but

Water? what do you put in it? antifreeze or not?

 

[rubix_1011]

Distilled water and some biocide or PTnuke. You can use additives like Feser (or several other brands) but they really don't provide any advantage over straight water, other than color and UV reactive.

 

[Conumdrum]

Umm I think you should spend a few weeks learning before buying. You picked a alum CPU block. It's also a very very very poor perfomer.

The rad you picked is umm okay, kinda small, never be able to add a GPU to the loop.

Your rushing it and setting yourself up for no fun.

 

[Nickos]

Okay,
i knew that the water block wasn't so super.
but i am trying to save a few $$$$$
thats why i have an AMD lol

 

[Nickos]

thanks rubix_1011 i had the idea just i couldn't seem to find what you put into the water.
sorry Conumdrum i should have mentioned i am trying to make a completely internal WC set-up.
that is why i went for the tiny rad.
so what size would still fit into the antec i know that you can mount it horizontally just under the "big boy" fan.
i would have just bought the antec one but no online stores seem to carry it or send it to Australia.
if you know any Australian Physical stores (walk in buy something walk out) i would love to know them.
pref in Victoria.

 

[Conumdrum]

WC stores in AU, look at the bottom of the linky, read it all really. It's more complicated than aftermarket air cooling for sure.
You'll be buying online for all of your stuff, no store can carry all the right stuff.
If your on a budget of xx and a good WC setup is xxx, then stay sir cooled till you can aford it. Don't buy a lesser WC system. You will feel the pain.

The 200MM fan is very very low pressure for a rad, it's unable to pull air through the rad. You would also be using warm case air to cool the rad, it's done, but not a great idea. In a Antec 1200 case you can fit a 120x3 rad in the front of the case.

Linky..................
http://www.xtremesystems.org/forums/showthread.php?t=223835
http://www.xtremesystems.org/forums/showpost.php?p=3736111&postcount=548 PAY CLOSE ATTENTION TO HIS SIG BELOW THE PICS, it has great parts.

http://forums.extremeoverclocking.com/showthread.php?t=282232

 

[Nickos]

Thanks mate you've been a huge help,
At the same time you posted i was reading a forum on Antec twelve hundred water cooling.
and they both said to mount it vertically at the front of the case so i think i will go with that;
haha let's just say i no longer have a $$ budget now its a $$$.
so this is my new idea.
Reservoir - ALPHACOOL Reservoir Cape Cooling Pro 10 [AC-CP10]

Pump - ALPHACOOL Laing D5 Water Cooling Pump Max Flow Rate 1500L h [AC-LD5]

Radiator - ALPHACOOL NexXxos Xtreme Pro III Rev.2 Radiator [AC-NEX-XTPIII]

Tubing - GIGABYTE Gigabyte Tube 1 2 inch special UV tubing [GBT-TUBE]

CPU block - ALPHACOOL NexXxos X2 BoldHIGHFLOW CPU Waterblock for Socket 754 939 940 AM2+

Plus i am going for the extra 120mm fan on the side of the twelve hundred.

 

[Conumdrum]

Your parts don't help me without links so I can kinda say yes or no.

Your still rushing it.

Did you read the last 30-50 posts on OC forums and maybe more on other forums? read ALL the stickies on ALL the site I posted?

It's been 3 days. Would you buy a supercharger for your car from first whim and install it 3 days after you got the idea with no previous experiance?

I'll cya in a few weeks. Done here.
If not thats what I mean by slow down.

Whats the rush? The PC is working fine, your posting on it.

You haven't mentioned your CPU you plan to cool, or possible GPU's later, or what your ambient temps are at in summer. That said your rad is sorley small. You look at ANY rad testing links yet or have any idea what your CPU has as a heat load?

Read, learn.

 

[Nickos]

errrr,
i have been planning this for months and it's not built it's going to be.
i wanted to wait until i had a good idea what to do..
but i should have made myself clearer i apologize for my misinformation.
anyways,
yes i have read ALL the posts and ALL the stickies on your sites and more.
right now i am posting on a computer with a X1050 so i can't even see the damn text (jokes kidding)

 

[Conumdrum]

I'll say the res and pump is good. The CPU block is a very old one, it's been beat by better cheaper blocks by now. The rad is probably too small for what your cooling. That reminds me. What are you cooling?

"You haven't mentioned your CPU you plan to cool, or possible GPU's later, or what your ambient temps are at in summer. That said your rad is sorley small. You look at ANY rad testing links yet or have any idea what your CPU has as a heat load?"

In all the linkies I posted I don't think I have seen one review or much of any discussion on the rad and CPU block or the hose you chose. So I'm at a loss where you came up with the info.

I'm sorry, I just don't see much in your parts choice. Maybe thats why I say what I say. I should just leave now.

 

[Nickos]

Okay,
1st off here is my proposed specs;
CPU: AMD Phenom II X4 Quad Core 955 Black Edition CPU, 3.2GHz
GPU: Gigabyte Radeon HD4890
mobo: Gigabyte GA-MA790XT-UD4P MB
HDD: 1.5 TB seagate.
RAM: 8gb (4x2) 1333mhz
DVD/CD: 2x LG 22x read+write
Case: Antec twelve hundred
next heat loads:
CPU load = 50*C - 58*C
GPU load = 84*C
No your "linkies" did not mention them, I was looking else were as well as your "linkies"

 

[Conumdrum]

Laing D5 vario Pump or MCP 355 with an aftermarket top. XSPC restop is really popular.

Swiftech, Feser, XSPC, Black Ice GTX, or possibly the rad you chose in a 120x3 size, no smaller. Thats 3 120mm fan sized rad. A hot CPU and a meduim heat GPU needs that much rad.

Many different CPU heatsinks to choose from. Pick a more modern one, Swiftech GTZ, Heatkiller, Danger Den TDX (okay and has AMD mounting). Look at the store links in AU that I provided.

You can go GPU chip only watercooling and cool the mosfets and Vram with stick on heatsinks, or buy a full cover block. Don't think anyone has released a FC block for the 4890 yet. Look at the Swiftech MCW60-R for GPU only. Danger Den, XSPC, , EK and Koolance for full cover blocks.

Tubing 1/2 ID x 3/4 OD hose, or 7/16 ID x 5/8 OD

Barbs. Bitspower G1/4 threads with 1/2 OD.

Res. You got that already, decent one.

Liquid. Distilled water and two drops of Petras PT or PHN nuke. You can buy fancy liquids if you like, their marketing department will love you.

fans for rad. Petras Yate Loon Mediums. Petra is the only one who gets the good Yates.

I guess your in AU, so up to you to find the stuff at places that sell and keep shipping down.