First-time liquid cooling suggestions

drasnordrasnor Starship OperatorHawthorne, CA Icrontian
edited November 2003 in Hardware
I'm planning to build a dual Opteron system in the next 1-2 months, and I've decided it's going to be liquid cooled. I've pretty much settled on the MSI K8T Master-2, though I'm going to wait for the Opteron 250's. This will be my first time to liquid-cool, and I don't want to screw up.

I'm planning to re-use my old sk00l Lian Li PC-7, which is old sk00l in the sense that it has 4 front-side USB ports and the domed-outward power and reset buttons.

So far I'm looking at:
2x Swiftech MCW5002-64 CPU blocks.
1x Swiftech MCW50 GPU block with 1/2" ID barbs.
1x Swiftech MCW20 chipset block with 1/2" ID barbs.

I'm planning to have a closed-loop system (no reservoir).

I don't know enough to make an educated decision on a pump, though I'm looking for a quiet one that I can bolt to the floor of my case and jack into my existing power supply.

My PC-7 has two front-side 80mm fan ports, though there's insufficient clearance to mount a BlackIce Micro or Micro2 there, much less a pair of Swiftech MCR80-F's. I only have one 80mm exhaust port on the rear of the case.

Any recommendations on a solution for radiators? I'd rather not have to cut up the case, though I'll consider reaming the back 80mm hole to 92mm. As it is right now, I'm not sure there's enough room to cut a blowhole, since I'm using all four 5.25" bays. I'd like to keep everything inside the case if possible, though I'm not above getting another case if it's necessary.

-drasnor :fold:

Comments

  • ThraxThrax 🐌 Austin, TX Icrontian
    edited November 2003
    Basically, you will not find a good pump that can go into your power supply.

    I DO suggest the VIA Aqua 1400 pump however, and for the radiator I suggest a 2 x 80mm or 2 x 120mm radiator. You can find your own heatercore from a car and use it, or you can buy pre-made. The best pre-made are probably Black Ice series radiators.

    Realistically, you're either going to HAVE to mod your case, or build an external box. If you go with a radiator that accomodates your case size, you're not going to be much better off than good air cooling...except you'll be spending an ass-load more.
  • drasnordrasnor Starship Operator Hawthorne, CA Icrontian
    edited November 2003
    That's what I was afraid of. Oh well, I'll look at getting a larger case or reconsider air-cooling.
  • madmatmadmat
    edited November 2003
    Eheim (I think that's how it's spelled) has a 12v pump.
  • fuxorfuxor i live in a giant bucket
    edited November 2003
    eheim has good pumps but the via 1400 is cheap and reliable.
    Can't go wrong with Swiftech!

    Chances are you'll want an external radiator box if your case is too small, your temps will be better anyways. watercooling uses the same principles as air cooling to dissipate the heat, so your radiator will only cool the liquid as low as the temperature of the air you're pushing through it.

    As fun as watercooling is, I'm very happy with my thermalright SLK-900A, though the fan is a bit loud for my tastes. I need a new rheobus :\
  • madmatmadmat
    edited November 2003
    Here's the 12v Eheim 1046 I was refering to.
    Just in case you're interested.
  • EyesOnlyEyesOnly Sweden New
    edited November 2003
    How are the waterchill line of products? They seem fine and fit into cases without to much modding.
  • TheSmJTheSmJ
    edited November 2003
    madmat had this to say
    Here's the 12v Eheim 1046 I was refering to.
    Just in case you're interested.

    Just get a decent aquarium pump.

    Cheaper, more GPH, and reliable enough that you can bet your fish's lives on them.
  • fuxorfuxor i live in a giant bucket
    edited November 2003
    psst, the via aqua line are aquarium pumps :)
  • TheSmJTheSmJ
    edited November 2003
    Ohh, oops.


    Well, then I'd recomend the one he said. :D
  • croc_croc_ New
    edited November 2003
    LOL
  • TheLostSwedeTheLostSwede Trondheim, Norway Icrontian
    edited November 2003
    I have never heard of a watercooling pump but you need either a pump that circulates the water or a pump that moves the water by being submersed itself. Any Eheim circulation pump is about the best you can get.
  • madmatmadmat
    edited November 2003
    I've got a 500gph 12v bilge pump with a 3/4" outlet and that little sucker moves some water.
    I haven't used it for anything other than testing it but it would kick some butt in a watercooling rig.
  • drasnordrasnor Starship Operator Hawthorne, CA Icrontian
    edited November 2003
    Ok, I'm looking at using a Lian Li PC-71 with 2 DD Black Ice Micro2 radiators (dual 80mm fans per radiator) and mounting one near the board and the other above the PSU. I did a little math, and it comes out that the intake/outake area of those two radiators combined is 256 cm^2, while the area of a dual 120mm radiator is 288 cm^2. Sound good?

    Also, I'm thinking about stringing them in parallel like Swiftech does in their new kit.

    -drasnor :fold:
  • TheLostSwedeTheLostSwede Trondheim, Norway Icrontian
    edited November 2003
    No point using to much power on the pump though. It's only going to be as good flow as the smallest area of the loop anyway which should be the radiator (you want the water to go sloooooow through it). More flow doesn't mean less heat.

    2 different radiators in parallell config and that also isn't on the same height or level wouldn't be a wise move either. 2 rads in parallell is good, yes, but a bitch to configure right. I would use them in series instead, at least if they are of different sizes.
  • madmatmadmat
    edited November 2003
    I was kinda thinking it'd be a good choice for powering a bong...you need high flow and high pressure to achieve a spray in one.
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