Over the edge, must have water cooling

_k

So after reading sledge's thread on his water cooling he is doing I couldn't help myself I think with enough pushing I am finally going to do it. I had planned on doing WC shortly after doing my main's build but just never bought the parts.

I was getting to the point of giving up on it again when I ran across CrazyPC.com and saw their prices on the gear I was looking at.

Swiftech MCP655 Water Pump -80$
Swiftech MCRES-MICRO Rev2 Reservoir - 26$
Swiftech MCR320-QP Radiator Black ***WHAT THE HELL PRICE***
w/ G025_Fittings: 9342820-2_Bitspower_05_FITTINGS - 55$
PrimoFlex UV Green 1/2ID x 3/4OD Tubing 5ft - $13


And then order Swiftech Apogee GT CPU block from Microcenter for 43$ to my door. The only thing crazy has to that price is a DD block and I really don't want to use that plus its only for AMD.

I wouldn't feel to bad though ordering the Swiftech Apogee GTZ Extreme Duty Waterblock for 54$ to just get it all in one shipment. I am really trying to keep it as close to 200$ as possible with a swiftech pump and at least a 2x120 rad.

I can't believe that triple rad price or the fact the variable speed pump is the same price as the B version. I really want to press buy now! With the GTZ block its ~240$ to my door.

So any suggestions on parts to change or places to look for cheaper gear?

Sledgehammer70

I think your off to a good start. My 655 I got for $73.99 and it has the speed option. I haven't played with the speed settings yet. In other reviews the XT block is outperforming the GTZ and GT but only by 1-3c.

MAGIC

I guess i just never caught on to the spend 60-70 dollars on overpriced bitspower fittings fad. You can get some high flow chrome barbs and clamps for like 20 bucks and get the same if not better flow. Everything else looks good though. If you can find thermochill radiators anywhere i would go with them over the swiftech but you may have a hard time finding them.

Good luck.

Sledgehammer70

It is more for the looks than anything when it comes to bitspower fittings. It also makes it much easier to drain the system when needed. No need for a T line.

MAGIC

http://www.sidewindercomputers.com/thpa3xra.html

Sidewinder has thermochill radiators in stock, and thats a good price on a triple. I would use a T line with a fill port over a reservoir any day. It gives much better flow.

Looks like you can get that radiator, a swiftech xt, and a MCP655 for about 240. I dont know where you are looking to buy that pump for 80 but thats a rip off. Unless you are looking at the one with the stupid speed control feature. Its available without it for about 60.

Why would you want your pump pushing water anything but as fast as it can?

_k

Because. Why would you want to cool your computer with water when air works just fine?

How about this:
MCP655-B - 65$
Swiftech Apogee GTZ - 55$
Black Ice Xtreme 3(2191840 volume) - 64$
Swiftech MCRES v2 - 26$
PrimoChill Pro 5 ft - 9$

shipped 220$

removing the rez and doing
primochill black nylon T - 2$
Danger den brass fillport - 12$
shipped 217$

Sledgehammer70

Honestly I disagree with the flow remark on the reservoir. But again that depends 100% on what reservoir you use. The XSPC rez I used made it super easy to fill, bleed and from the looks of it maintain. It also allows great flow for the overall system and gives a good point to drop some temp gauges in without it looking out of place. My build ended up with more piping than I would have liked, but the end result was good and I think it looks good

_k

I am going to do the B pump, Black Ice rad, GTZ block, and the tubbing. Still trying to decide if I want to use a rez or fill port instead. Using the rez should give me slightly lower temps in the system right? That might be good given the lower volume rad plus it being slightly higher restriction compared to the Thermo or XSPC so it would be better suited to med to high CFM fans. Planning on using CoolerMaster spare fans I have, 19dBA 44CFM 1.8mm H2O.

How should I really plumb this? The rad is going on top of my case, Thermaltake Armor, and I can put everything else high, low, and middle.

Serp

rad -> cpu block -> reservoir -> pump -> rad

The temp difference between a reservoir and a T line is probably negligible. It's really down to which is more convenient for you.

_k

Does it make a real difference for height placement on the items though? Lets say I have it plumed as above and the rez and pump are essential at the same height with the block lowest in the loop but the pump is orient on its side instead of a normal vertical position. I don't think it would make any real difference since its fluid and all inlets outlets would not be pushing/sucking air but I just want to double check.

Serp

I always heard that you want the reservoir above the pump because gravity feeds the water to the pump. Other than that I don't think it matters about block placement.

Sledgehammer70

Yes Reservoir above pump is ideal it honestly puts less stress on the pump in the long run.

MAGIC

Pump should be the lowest part in the system.

csimon

I would swap the Swiftech Apogee GT or GTX for the Apogee XT with the money you save from the reservoir. But if you absolutely must have the reservoir don't install it in the loop. Bring it down to a "T" line like you would a fillport. Also, run that pump at full speed.

Keep the flow of that loop as simple and efficient as possible and you won't need a lot of effort removing heat from that system. Also it is advisable to have surrounding ambient temps as low as possible.

Donut

Loop order doesn't really matter, over a little time the temps will all equalize.
Res or "T" line, personal preference. I put mine before the pump to make sure it has plenty of water, don't want the pump to run dry. The res is easier to bleed the air out, T line takes up less space.

Water gear on-line, personally I like.
http://www.jab-tech.com/
http://www.petrastechshop.com/

I'll check those 2 first, then go to Sidewinders, Frozen CPU...

Double check your order, usually I'll order 10' of tubing. (extra goes in the parts box, for when I change a block or whatever) Stinks to be putting it all together and have to wait because you were a foot short. Clamps and barbs, make sure you have enough.
Coolant, I personally used distilled and PHP nuke. Some use special coolant, some prefer just a silver "kill coil" and distilled.

_k

1
WC-1021
Danger Den Fillport (Brass)

10
BW-1025-UR-34
PrimoChill UV Colored Nylon Hose Clamps (UV Red - 3/4 inch)

1
PC-1060
PrimoChill Black Nylon Barbed T Fitting for 1/2" ID Tubing

10
TB-1011
PrimoChill PrimoFlex Pro LRT 1/2" ID x 3/4" OD Tubing (UV Red)

1
WC-1080
Swiftech MCP655-B Pump

1
WC-1017
Hardware Labs Black Ice Xtreme III Radiator (Black)

1
PT-1001
Petra'sTech PT Nuke Concentrated Biocide (10mL)

1
AK-1009-34
PrimoChill UV Red Anti-Kink Coils (3 Sizes Available) (3/4 inch)

_k

So everything showed up today, simply forgot fittings for the rad.......to Microcenter I run tonight to try and get the last set.

and by forgot I mean I couldn't find them in the box.

jedihobbit

_k_ wrote:

........to Microcenter I run tonight to try and get the last set.

And.............;)

_k

Oh I found the set that got sent with my rad, I had to dump the peanuts out because they were at the bottom of the box by themselves.

Just working on cleaning the CPU block mas0n gave me, mounting fans with scotch tape, making sure rad fittings are on tight. Going to try and work out plumbing lengths and placement tomorrow so I can cut tubes and leak test friday or saturday.

Sledgehammer70

pics!

_k

This is right after I finished doing the plumbing and before filling.


Every set up in the tub to begin this pain of filling and bleeding air.


Distracted.


Sitting around waiting for air to collect in the t-section.


The final setup that got the last of the air out and I am finished up the 20ish hour leak test.

jedihobbit

_k_ wrote:

The final setup that got the last of the air out and I am finished up the 20ish hour leak test.

_k

oh and i cut myself pull fans and a fan 3-pin bus out of my case but i decided not to write a letter to thermaltake to get them to put a warning on their cases. I consider only bleeding once during any computer build project to be a good day.

Does it really matter how much PH nuke you put into the system as long as you meet the min recommended amount? There is about a litter of water in the system and I put two drops in, I am wondering if it matters if I put two more in just to make sure since I might get lazy and not swap water for over a year.

jedihobbit

Oh I can relate but it wasn't a case.........When pulling the plug on an 8700, the zalman snagged me with its cooling fins! In the second pic to can see the fin spacing!



Guess it was telling me it didn't want to be replaced by a competitor's WC block..........

_k

shutting down for the install.

jedihobbit

_k

back up

jedihobbit

AND......................

_k

my computer is running......









I ran into a little snag, my secondary video card that I run my second monitor off of had to get pulled. It is slightly taller than my GX2 and the pump housing was bumping into it so it had to say bye bye. Tubing should really be trimmed in two places but eh it sits behind a desk all day, I view it has holding more water that way and the sink factor gets larger.

I am running 40-50F off of ambient which is about 20F better than air...I think I need to spend some time working numbers. I gunned the CU side of the block as best as I could during load, 120F 50C. Running a q9450 at 3.6 on 1.38v. I can work the vcore down some but don't want to.

Serp

Looks hot Michael!

_k

So now that everything is pretty darn silent I had to listen to the darn MCP fan spinning like mad. With the default fan, Nvidia system manager was showing 51C so I simply unplugged that and put a 120 fan standing up on my video card and blowing straight onto the main sink are of the MCP and the tail end, between RAM banks and CPU socket. With the stock fan replaced MCP temps are 61C, it never changes, but I cannot find any place that list anything and people are posting temps for the 790i MCP between 45C-70C+.

So is that high low don't worry about it until the mobo stops working or the system crashes...?