WC virgin needs some advice...

lgevans · 14 Dec 2011 at 15:00

Hi all,

I recently upgraded my case to a Corsair 800d in order to break my WC cherry! Having done some reading and nosing about on various forums I'm a little confused about what items should be put together.

My system spec: -

Asrock Z68 Extreme4 Gen3
Intel i5 2500k
Crossfire GFX

Having taken a look at some sites for water-cooling products I ran up a shopping list of almost £500 for various components. Once I got up off the floor I thought best to post on here and hope that I can get some quality advice.

I have had a shot at a shopping list of items I believe are necessary...
OcUK Tech Lab - 18w DDC Pump & Alphacool Acetal Top
EK CoolStream Radiator XT 360 (120.3)
EK Supreme HF CPU Waterblock - Copper Plexi
XSPC Single 5.25” Bay Reservoir - Multi Fascia
Noctua NF-S12B ULN Ultra Low Noise 120mm Cooling Fan X3
Masterkleer Hose Pack PVC 15,9/11mm (7/16ID) UV-Reactive Black 3.3m
EK-PSC Adapter Rotary 90° G1/4 Nickel x1
EK-PSC Adapter Rotary 45° G1/4 Nickel x1
EK PSC Compression Fitting 7/16 [16/11mm] - G1/4 - Nickel x12
Sub Total : £248.06
(This can be changed during checkout) Shipping : £10.00
VAT is being charged at 20.00% VAT : £51.61
Total : £309.67

The GPU water-blocks I want are not available on OC so will have to get elsewhere, but they ring up at approx £120.

Ergo taking the total spend to approx £440.

Would this be all that is needed for a loop of the CPU & GPU?

Also Would I better off getting a combined bay res/pump? I have been massively put off after reading so many reviews saying that these are very noisy and more prone to failure...

Finally, would I be better swapping the DDC pump for - OcUK Tech Lab - D5 Vario Pump & EK D5 X-Top V2 Value Combo? I have read that the D5 is quieter and has a much higher flow rate.

Thanks for your patience making it this far... Hopefully there is some energy left for advise/tips etc.

Cheers

(edited number of fittings i think are needed)

rjk · 14 Dec 2011 at 16:19

looks good

perhaps consider an SR1 or XSPC EX radiator as the performance will be a lot better [SR1 being the best]

also, go for Gentle Typhoon 1850 fans on the radiator and not noctuas.
you may want to get a fan controller to put them on but you will thank me in the long run

what GPU blocks are you after specifically?

I will get them in for you if you want

RomeoS · 14 Dec 2011 at 16:28

Would this be all that is needed for a loop of the CPU & GPU?

Looks good

Also Would I better off getting a combined bay res/pump? I have been massively put off after reading so many reviews saying that these are very noisy and more prone to failure...

Avoid like the plague unless your doing a very budget CPU only loop

Finally, would I be better swapping the DDC pump for - OcUK Tech Lab - D5 Vario Pump & EK D5 X-Top V2 Value Combo? I have read that the D5 is quieter and has a much higher flow rate.

I would get the D5. I have owned a D5 and DDC 18W... like the D5 so much I now have 2 in my loop.

Thanks for your patience making it this far... Hopefully there is some energy left for advise/tips etc.

Cheers

(edited number of fittings i think are needed)

-Get yourself a tubing cutter.
-I always get 2 more 90/45 degree fitting than I need just in case.
-I would swap the fans for the Gentle Typhoons 800/1150 RPM ones. If you are after silence, then the SR-1 or XSPC RX series are better suited to the job.
-I don't see any coolant on there, I can recommend 2L of Mayhems Ultra Pure H2O with 2 drops of Mayhems Biocide
-Bay res are OK but the tube ones are easier to work with when filling / draining

Cleeecooo · 14 Dec 2011 at 16:55

here's an improved shopping basket:
YOUR BASKET
1 x OcUK Tech Lab - D5 Vario Pump & Alphacool Clear HF D5 Top Value Combo £84.98
1 x EK Supreme HF CPU Waterblock - Nickel Plexi £55.79
1 x XSPC EX360 120mm Radiator - Black £49.99
1 x Lamptron FC5 V2 5.25" Bay Fan Controller - Black £34.99
1 x Phobya 5,25" Single Bay Reservoir Black £23.98
2 x Mayhems Aurora - Nebula Blue Coolant 1L £14.99 (£29.98)
3 x Scythe Gentle Typhoon 120mm 1450 RPM - 3 Pin £12.98 (£38.94)
1 x Masterkleer Hose Pack PVC 15,9/11mm (7/16ID) Clear 3.3m £10.88
1 x OcUK Tube Cutter Aluminum 3-14mm £8.50
1 x EK-PSC Adapter Rotary 45° G1/4 Black £3.59
1 x EK-PSC Adapter Rotary 90° G1/4 Black £3.59
12 x EK PSC Compression Fitting 7/16 [16/12mm] - G1/4 - Black £3.50 (£42.00)
Total : £399.26 (includes shipping : £10.00).

It basically has the things rjk recommended, some accesories and fluid.

Some of the things there are ,just aesthetic (eg, the fluid) so you can change those

The pump is also a more powerful one

lgevans · 14 Dec 2011 at 17:46

rjkoneill - I am after full covers for xfx 5870 non-reference cards. When i check EK site the model number i have fits the range for - ZNFC

Thanks to all you guys for the tips and info

edit - Quiet fans are a MUST which is why i went ofr the Noctua... are the ones suggested as quiet?

Cleeecooo · 14 Dec 2011 at 20:06

lgevans said:
rjkoneill - I am after full covers for xfx 5870 non-reference cards. When i check EK site the model number i have fits the range for - ZNFC
ZNFC?

Thanks to all you guys for the tips and info

edit - Quiet fans are a MUST which is why i went ofr the Noctua... are the ones suggested as quiet?

yes, silent, as long as you use a fan controller!

lgevans · 14 Dec 2011 at 22:04

Awesome thanx. Trying to track down Scythe Kaze-Master... Like this and think it will look good on the 800d to keep the front nice and sleek.

lgevans · 18 Dec 2011 at 07:03

Having mulled it over for days on end I have taken the plunge and ordered this lot: -

D5 Vario Pump & Alphacool Clear HF D5 Top Value Combo
EK-Supreme HF - EN (Nickel)
EK-FC5870 V2 Nickel x2
EK CoolStream Radiator XT 360
Scythe Gentle Typhoon 120mm 1850 x3
Akasa Apache 140MM Black Super Silent Fan
Scythe 70161 Kaze Master Pro Black
Phobya Balancer 250 Black Nickel
EK-PSC Fitting 10mm - G1/4 Black x12
EK-PSC Adapter 45° G1/4 Black x6
EK-PSC Adapter 90° G1/4 Black x1
Mayhems Aurora - Supernova Clear Coolant 1L x2
Masterkleer Tubing PVC 12,7/9,5mm (3/8"ID) Clear 3,3m (10ft)

Fingers crossed for the build!

Cleeecooo · 18 Dec 2011 at 10:22

You're gonna hate me... But the EX rads are better than the XT rads.

lgevans · 18 Dec 2011 at 10:46

BAH! Will msg and ask if they can swap it then... LOL Already asked them to swap a couple of other items in the order... they'll hate me!

Edit: just messaged them to swap out the EK for the XT.

lgevans · 18 Dec 2011 at 10:51

Had to ask them to swap the coolant too... According to Mayhem the aurora coolants are not for daily use. BAH!

Cleeecooo · 18 Dec 2011 at 10:56

Brilliant

Also, why 3/8 tubing?

lgevans · 18 Dec 2011 at 11:25

SH** SH**!!! Ordered wrong damn size... ok thank fek you are reading these posts

edit... its the same size... 3/8id same as fitting as 7/16?

Hyburnate · 18 Dec 2011 at 11:33

Cleeeeeeeecoooooooooooooo, is like the watercooling genie.

lgevans · 18 Dec 2011 at 11:36

idd

I have had to place orders with 3 different companies in order to get all the bits i need as OC out of stock on a bit

The consequence is that i am getting a little confused now.

Ordered EK-PSC Fitting 10mm - G1/4 Black with EK direct. Will 3/8 tube not fit?

lgevans · 18 Dec 2011 at 11:52

New EK Perfect Seal Compression Fitting (PCS Fitting) is a real high flow fitting. Made of brass with quality o-ring. Surface is coated with quality black finnish that is used for automotive industry.

A unique design with side imprinted EK logo will give your watercooling system a higher value.

Technical data:
- Thread: G1/4
- Outer diameter of fitting: 19-19,3mm
- Lenght: 26mm
- G1/4 thread lenght: 4,5mm
- Inlet hole ID: 10mm

For tubes:
Metric:
- ID 10mm; OD 13mm
- ID 9,5mm; OD 12,7mm
Inch:
- ID 3/8"; OD 1/2" <------------

Cleeecooo · 18 Dec 2011 at 22:16

Hyburnate said:
Cleeeeeeeecoooooooooooooo, is like the watercooling genie.

why thankyou. I'm not the most knowledgeable on here, i just post the most

lgevans said:
idd I have had to place orders with 3 different companies in order to get all the bits i need as OC out of stock on a bit The consequence is that i am getting a little confused now.

Ordered EK-PSC Fitting 10mm - G1/4 Black with EK direct. Will 3/8 tube not fit?

lgevans said:
New EK Perfect Seal Compression Fitting (PCS Fitting) is a real high flow fitting. Made of brass with quality o-ring. Surface is coated with quality black finnish that is used for automotive industry.

A unique design with side imprinted EK logo will give your watercooling system a higher value.

Technical data:
- Thread: G1/4
- Outer diameter of fitting: 19-19,3mm
- Lenght: 26mm
- G1/4 thread lenght: 4,5mm
- Inlet hole ID: 10mm

For tubes:
Metric:
- ID 10mm; OD 13mm
- ID 9,5mm; OD 12,7mm
Inch:
- ID 3/8"; OD 1/2" <------------

If you order 3/8 fittings, then you're okay if your tubing's 3/8

If you order 3.8 fittings and 7/16 tunbing then it's not going to work

As long as the tubing and fittings are the same size, you're ok.

Could you post screen shots of the baskets from everywhere to make it easier to cross check? (obviously make sure no competitor names are showing

)

lgevans · 19 Dec 2011 at 09:33

Thanks for helping out Cleeecooo

The details for the fittings I ordered are posted above. Thats copy & paste str8 from EK site. They do state in the details that 3/8 tubing is appropriate for the fittings.

If you google: 3831109845028 the first link is the one that takes you to the fittings.

Cheers for all the help!

I've also swapped out the aurora coolant as I discovered its not for everyday use. ergo ordered white tubing and Mayhems Ultra Pure H20 Watercooling Fluid.

Once Mayhems have perfected their aurora for everyday use then it will be going into the system very quickly

lgevans · 19 Dec 2011 at 10:58

800D case just arrived... OMFG! This thing is B I G !!!

Cleeecooo · 19 Dec 2011 at 11:20

Ah, so you've ordered 3/8 tubing then?

If you want colour, then you can use some mayhems X1

Glad to know the case is here. I remember thinkin WTF is this when I got my TJ07

BTW, We need pics!!!