WATERCOOLING MY PC HELP!

[justspawn]

I have come to the solution of watercooling my PC.

I need some help in terms of what to buy, price is no matter, i just need to know what i would need/ what is recommended for my setup....
I DO plan on overclocking CPU and GPU.

CASE CMstormtrooper
MOTHERBOARD ASUS maximus IV extreme Z
CPU intel lga 1155 i7 2600k
RAM 8gb (2x4gb) corsair vengeance
GPU ASUS ati 7970
PSU NZXT hale90 850w
SSD 128gb Crucial
HDD 1tb WD black caviar

ALL i want to cool is CPU and GPU


as far as i know i will need
-GPU block (what brand for a full cover 7970 waterblock? so far the EK is looking nice, what is recommended?)
-CPU block (toss between SWIFTECH apogee HD or XSPC raystorm as they seem to have good results)
-Radiator---------would i need 1 rad with 2x 120mm fans or 2 rads with 2x 120mm fans to cool GPU and CPU?
-Pump (what is recommended?)
-Tubing( what size? is larger better? or not worth it?) RED tubing.
-Reservoir(apparently its not needed)
-Fittings?


Is there anything else?
Answers with detail would be highly appreciated, i am quite understandable when it comes to computers etc, but not when it comes to watercooling....
I will check this everyday after work, every hour.

Thanks in advance.

 

[justspawn]

BUMP?

 

[rubix_1011]

Have you read through the watercooling sticky? Much of what you are asking is covered in there.

 

[justspawn]

i have, but i would just prefer a straight answer of decisions to what i should get/need.

 

[rubix_1011]

So you just want someone to tell you what to spend your own money on, even if that may be incorrect (if you trust the wrong person) and you wouldn't know what you are installing or why?

Just trying to make a point here- do you trust people to just tell you what car or new television to buy? There are some real advantages to understanding what you are about to spend money on and do...you are the one installing it and supporting it, it's in your best interest to have a good concept of what you need and for what purpose.

-Reservoir(apparently its not needed)

For a newcomer to watercooling, I'd say this is almost essential as it makes filling and bleeding your loop much easier.

 

[justspawn]

ok, yes i understand that i just needed some opinions/recommendations from users that have done their own watercooling.


what they would recommend to what specs i have. I still am researching myself, and finding it pretty hard to decide upon what to get.

 

[rubix_1011]

Your build is very, very similar to mine, actually. That being said, the current i5/i7's don't really need watercooling, but I do it. You'll see the biggest cooling differences by cooling video cards. It all depends on your expectations and what you want to accomplish.

 

[justspawn]

i have finally decided what to get,


CPU: XSPC raystorm waterblock
GPU: ek7970 fullcover block with backplate
RAD: black ice pro II 240mm
RAD2: 140mm black ice GTX
pump: D5 mcp655

BUT am stuck with choosing a reservoir!

should i get a
------ bay/dual bay res
http://www.dangerden.com/store/xspc-5.25-bay-reservoir-clear-silver-black.html#tabs
OR
------ cylindrical res
https://frozenqshop.com/index.php/reservoirs/lf/lf250.html

are there any benefits between the 2 from each other?

any help is very appreciative as this is the last item for my computer.

I have the room for a bay/dual bay res or a cylindrical res.

Thank you in advance!

Regards,
James

 

[Motopsychojdn]

Some nice choices there, remember when you select your barbs/fittings and tubing that the sizes match
as for resses, theres no real difference between bay resses or tube resses, its just a place for the water to settle a bit,
and as mentioned gives you an easy way to bleed air from the loop, you could have a drivebay res as well as a tube or two if you so wished, but no need to overcomplicate things at this point hehe
Your block choice is great, as is your pump, Rads are solid, I'm not up on ek gpu blocks but beware of mixing metals in the loop, EK had an issue lately with nickel plating being sub-standard, may have been resolved but I'm not sure
overall good choices though, with a little prompting from rubix, you am do well
Moto

 

[justspawn]

thank you very much for that, i think i will have a tough think session tomorrow after work between the FROZENQ 250mm cylindrical res and the FROZENQ Helix dual bay res.

Again, thank you for your fast reply!

 

[Motopsychojdn]

Oh dear, oh deary deary dear......
you likey teh T-virus?
Heres my babies, a brace of blue 250's with uv cathodes, I also have the dualbay version of the drivebay res you linked

I'm currently planning a radbox mod with another pump/res combo in there, sixteen more fans and two EX480 rads, don't end up like me hehe
Moto

 

[justspawn]

my god, i aint that crazy

Maybe when im 30+ and have a pool of money to add to a project

But yes i will be deciding between them both, leading towards the bay as i dont know how i would mount the Tvirus to my case:S


http://www.realredraider.com/vbulletin/showthread.php?t=47617

^^^am browsing through this at the moment...

 

[Motopsychojdn]

Crazy? me? how so lol, one picture and the man thinks I'm mad lol, (you are definitely on the right track though )
See the little acrylic 'legs' they are sat on?
they have a bolt through the middle, you drill the hole in the case where you want/need it, bolt through and tighten, then the res clips into the cradle,

realred is a bit blunt for me usually, but he is like me in that he diesn't take S@%& when he sees it, I'm just nicer as to how I voice my disapproval
heres my log if you want an idea of the build, http://www.tomshardware.co.uk/forum/forum2.php?config=tomshardwareuk.inc&cat=13&post=311860&page=1&p=1&sondage=0&owntopic=1&trash=0&trash_post=0&print=0&numreponse=0&quote_only=0&new=0&nojs=0

and remember, once you start playing with water, the angle grinder and dremel are rarely far behind, but thats all part of the fun
Moto

 

[justspawn]

ah ok, i thought that, thank you for the help on this thread, very much appreciated.

I had a slight theory of actually welding copper pipe to my components(unique) for watercooling since im a plumber, but then again, there comes the risk of destroying your parts, so better off keeping the oxy away from my computer...

Thanks again.

 

[Motopsychojdn]

You could actually weld the pipes to the barbs, (Welding knowledge not good )
or use olive and nut connections, g1/4 on one side, threaded for the nut on the other
I'd go for the second as it will be easier to disassemble for flushing/cleaning
and would be a very unique looking build, can you say steampunk?
Moto

 

[justspawn]

yeah ahah was going to mention steampunk hah.

If i used Grade A copper it would provide better temperatures and reliability, or i could even use Poly pipe us plumbers use called REHAU, which again is very reliably and is put together using compression fittings with a tool.

But then again, that would be something i would do when i have the money to throw at it would be a very unique build though.

SOLID copper pipes, could add a MINIstop (the water outlet thing that is attached to your toilet which is a 1/4 turn thread, which you could use for flushing etc cleaning when needed).
jeeze i could go on all day!

 

[justspawn]

Ok everything is ordered EXCEPT
My radiators...

Still honestly dont know what brand to get ladida,

I will definitly be getting a 240 rad for top of case

And a rear 120 or 140 rad, is there much different between the 2?
A few little questions...

Also, with the radiators, could you please suggest a brand?
Eg i understand there is rs240 and rx240 radiators, but is there much of a difference?
Do you need 2 fans per rad? Eg 120rad needing 2 fans? Or is 1 enough?
Lastly is it that necessary for a shroud?
Thanks in advance

 

[rubix_1011]

Only problem with using copper pipe is lack of turbulent flow: round pipes usually decrease turbulence by allowing higher flow at a decreased rate...laminar flow. This decreases the amount of water that is actually making contact with the inner walls of the tubing, which then would conduct to the outer walls of tubing. Radiators with rectangular designed tubes force water through smaller channels at the same time (instead of a single, higher volume channel) which creates turbulent flow...thus increasing the amount of water to tube surface area contact at a given point in time.

Ok everything is ordered EXCEPT
My radiators...

Still honestly dont know what brand to get ladida,

I will definitly be getting a 240 rad for top of case

And a rear 120 or 140 rad, is there much different between the 2?
A few little questions...

Also, with the radiators, could you please suggest a brand?
Eg i understand there is rs240 and rx240 radiators, but is there much of a difference?
Do you need 2 fans per rad? Eg 120rad needing 2 fans? Or is 1 enough?
Lastly is it that necessary for a shroud?
Thanks in advance

Lots of good questions here. First, when you say 240, we typically interpret this as a 'multiple of a 120 rad'. Example: a 120 is a 1x120mm rad, 240 is a 2x120, a 360 is a 3x120 and a 480 is a 4x120. However, Swiftech uses a different measurement of 120, 220, 320, 420...same concept...yet different. :/

A 120x120x35mm rad and a comparable 140x140x35mm rad compare like such:

120mm total LxWxH volume: 504,000 mm^2
140mm total LxWxH volume: 686,000 mm^2

A difference of about 36% total volume. Again, these are very general approximations and do not take into account fin density. I am making these comparisons based on rads with presumably similar manufacturing design.

Don't really need a shroud.

1 fan is enough, but depends on what kind of fans and FPI of rads in question. Most rads are 12-13 FPI or lower so even lower speed fans would work relatively well.

Fan RPM less than 1200 rpm, run the fans in pull. Faster than 1200-1500 rpm, run fans in push (when using a single fan setup).

 

[justspawn]

Best answer selected by Justspawn.

 

[justspawn]

So again, is there much of a difference between the rs240 or rx240? Obvious grading within difference brands. Im looking at the HW GTX240 rad, but have read u can get rads the same for less from different companys?

 

[Motopsychojdn]

The Rx series is almost twice as good as the Rs, and the Ex series matches the Rx performance but is the size of the Rs, I'm using two EX480's on my next phase, they are only costing about twenty quid more than one Rx480, cheaper and as good?
I call win hehe
But try googling models like 'ex240 vs Rx240' for example to see head to head reviews on specific rads, and how to get the best frm the rads you eventually choose
Moto

 

[justspawn]

Great! That really helps, will do, and post what i bought.

Also will upload some photos once its all finished!

Regards,
Spawn

 

[rubix_1011]

I wouldn't consider an RS rad when you can choose an EX or RX. Even if it is a kit purchase, just avoid the RS...it's not that they are bad, there are just better options for marginally more money that will perform much better.

I really shouldn't say too much bad on the RS rads; my Swiftech MCR30's are essentially very similar design.

I'm going to close the thread since best answer was chosen. If you need it re-opened for additional info, PM me and let me know.

Thanks.