Advice about buying my WC parts.

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BringTheRain

BringTheRain

BringTheRain

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Hi guys, going to take the plunge with water cooling.

Looks like I will have to buy in stages.

I know buying in stages is a bad way to do a build.

But my thinking is, certain parts will not matter if they sit in a box for a couple of months.

I know you will cry "save up" not that easy for me. Terrible with money.

So what should I look at buying first.

This is my plan on buying?

  1. Fittings
  2. Tubes
  3. Liquid and dye
  4. Res
  5. Pump
  6. Rads
  7. CPU blocks
  8. GPU blocks

Have I missed anything?

Me personally, I cannot see a problem with buying in stages. The worst case scenario is the build takes 6 months. Having a rad sit in a box I assume will not cause problems? But something like a pump, could be faulty on arrival. Then I don't find that out for 6months.

I think buying a computer build is not a good idea over 6 months. With my latest build pretty much everything is within a two month time scale. So all the warranty runs out in either 2 or 3 years time.

Thoughts please?

Thanks

BTR
 
Fittings depend on what tubing you have obviously but you could pick up the tubing, fittings, res, fans, pump top (if your using one) rad first.

I would leave the pump incase it is faulty (though they are easy enough to check when you first get it.) I would also leave the blocks until the end incase of either hardware changes or block changes (EK change to EN nickel for example)
 
Martini1991 said:
What are you watercooling :p?
Click to expand...

I have left the cpu/gpu covers til last. As unsure. Current is i5 2500k and 6950.

But I am looking at maybe i7 and CF 6970's or one 6990. Haven't decided yet.

Greboth said:
Fittings depend on what tubing you have obviously but you could pick up the tubing, fittings, res, fans, pump top (if your using one) rad first.

I would leave the pump incase it is faulty (though they are easy enough to check when you first get it.) I would also leave the blocks until the end incase of either hardware changes or block changes (EK change to EN nickel for example)
Click to expand...

I am currently researching fittings and tube size. Stuck on that, lol. But I like the idea of 3/8"
 
1/2in tubng is quite chunky. 3/8in tubing is more flexible and is almost as good performance wise. Then theres the 7/16 wildcard tubing which fits (very tightly) over 1/2in fittings.

My first WC rig had 1/2in, my new one has 3/8in. Either way a bowl of hot water to soften up the tubing before fitting is useful - wish I'd known that on my first build.
 
1/2" is very chunky, can be quite a pain to get the right angles you want.

I'd say 3/8 is more preferable.
Though I like my chunky 1/2"'s :p
 
1/2" doesnt appeal to me really. Looks to big :(

Why is 7/17" a wild card? Bit of an odd ball size?

Any thought on my actual plan though?

Good idea/bad idea? :)
 
BringTheRain said:
  1. Fittings2
  2. Tubes2
  3. Liquid and dye4
  4. Res 1
  5. Pump3
  6. Rads 1
  7. CPU blocks 1
  8. GPU blocks 1
Click to expand...

Whatever You order, make sure you get as much as it as you can from OcUK. *Competitors!* is utter utter crap - worst etailer I have ever dealt with.

You'll need a new case *cough* TJ07 *cough* and chances are, you won't stick to that order. I got some bits off the MM as they were cheap. I suggest you plan for the hottest components. With regards to the i7, unless you have a programme which uses hyperthreading.

A second 6950. Do you really need one? World of tanks should do fine without the second card ;)
 
On the subject of tubing/fitting sizes, 7/16" tubing on 1/2" barbs is the standard, the other alternative is to use 11/8mm compression fittings which is what I've been using the last few years. Masterkleer does tubing in both these sizes and is excellent for bend radii/kinking and resistance to clouding.

Pumps, I recommend the D5 with an aftermarket top, or a DDC, again with aftermarket top, the D5 has the flexibility of having speed control.

EK do a wide range of CPU, MB and GPU blocks all top quality, but otherwise avoid plexi tops as they are prone to cracking, acetal is the best option usually, I'm suspicious of blocks that have plated tops as there's been several issues with poor quality leading to rampant galvanic corrosion.

Just use water + silver kill coil, and if you're worried about corrosion a drop of corrosion inhibitor.
 
BringTheRain said:
I don't understand the numbers?
order which you could buy :)

Just getting into pc gaming, so will be playing other games as well bud.

i7 will help with some tasks coming up :)
make sure they can actually use the i7 before wasting money ;)
Click to expand...

BringTheRain said:
As it's my first attempt. And fairly new to building.

Should I just buy one of the OCUK ek kits.

Then when I am comfortable with water cooling.

Expand/chop and change.

Saves a big headache to start off

http://www.overclockers.co.uk/showproduct.php?prodid=WC-117-EK&groupid=962&catid=1532&subcat=
Click to expand...

Nooooooo!!!!!!

The kits can't really handle dual graphics cards. The kits are exactly the same as buying components separately in terms of difficulty. The only advantage is hat everything is pre-chosen.

Sorry about mentioning the competitor - thought I was on the EVGA forums for some reason. doh!
 
Jokester said:
On the subject of tubing/fitting sizes, 7/16" tubing on 1/2" barbs is the standard, the other alternative is to use 11/8mm compression fittings which is what I've been using the last few years. Masterkleer does tubing in both these sizes and is excellent for bend radii/kinking and resistance to clouding.
Tygon 7/16 would be my choice, but the XSPC stuff is ok aswell

Pumps, I recommend the D5 with an aftermarket top, or a DDC, again with aftermarket top, the D5 has the flexibility of having speed control.
+1 for D5. got mine off MM for £40 :D

EK do a wide range of CPU, MB and GPU blocks all top quality, but otherwise avoid plexi tops as they are prone to cracking, acetal is the best option usually,
plexi tops are ok aslong as you're careful enough when you handle them. plexi, IMO, looks beautiful on nickel. It's like telling someone not to get a touch screen phone due to chances of cracking, whilst true, it won't happen if you take care.

I'm suspicious of blocks that have plated tops as there's been several issues with poor quality leading to rampant galvanic corrosion.
EN blocks have fixed the issue, so i'm happy to put my faith in them

Just use water + silver kill coil, and if you're worried about corrosion a drop of corrosion inhibitor.
Click to expand...

or water and biocide with the corrosion inhibitor.
 
Hi BringTheRain ,Just to but in I just got 1 of them kits and it was the 1st time for me at watercooling and it knocked around 15-20c off the load temp's.It went together ok had 1 or 2 problems but that is because of been a newb.:)
Scoobie
 
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