Beginner to Watercooling - help me choose my kit please

dawmdt

dawmdt

dawmdt

Associate
Joined
18 Mar 2014
Posts
6
I have recently purchased the components for a new self-built PC and am having cooling problems across the three graphics cards when they are at full use. As such I've decided to change to watercooling but this is not something i've ever done before so I'm looking for some advice from you guys. The relevant components of my system are as follows:

Motherboard: Asus Rampage IV Extreme Black Edition Intel X79 (Socket 2011) DDR3
CPU: Intel 4930K 3.40GHz (Ivybridge-E) Socket LGA2011 Processor
Graphics: Asus GeForce GTX 780Ti DirectCUII OC 3072MB GDDR5 PCI-Express x 3 SLI
PSU: Silverstone Strider Series 1500 Watt

The case I'll be using for the final set-up with watercooling will be this one:

http://www.overclock3d.net/reviews/cases_cooling/lian_li_pc343_atx_case/1

Can you please advise what components I'd need to purchase to watercool this setup (I know roughly, ie radiator, reservoir, pump, fans, tubes, connectors, thermal paste, coolant and 4 x waterblocks for CPU and GPUs but I was looking for specific recommendations if possible, and also if I'd forgotten anything!)

Also, the case above will be large enough to host two separate watercooling circuits with their own pump, reservoir etc - one for the CPU and one for the GPU. Is this a setup you'd recommend or is one circuit sufficient?

TIA!
 
Last edited:
GiraffePencils said:
One loop is fine, 2 is mainly for the visual appeal.
Are you wanting it mainly functional or do you want to show off?
or a bit of both? :p
Click to expand...

Well I've done some research and I know you can get clear reservoirs that sit in the 5.25" drive bays... so I was considering two loops with different coloured coolants... so yeah, a bit of both :D
 
A good option for the res which I have used is the koolance rp-452x2 it can be run with either 1 pump, 2 pumps in series(which I have done) or you can run a dual loop system which I will be doing soon.
Click on my build link in my sig. For pics.

If you were to run in series I would recommend a clear/coloured fluid and not pastel as there is some separation in the left/out chamber due to no turbelance(pump sucks on out, pushes to right on in flow)
 
So you're wanting Drive bay res?
one on the left one on the right type thing (looking at the case)

As a first timer you might be opposed to the idea of hardline tubing but it looks very nice :p
Depending on whether you're going flexible or hardline will effect your fittings, otherwise the rest can be chosen easily.

What kind of budget are you looking at here?
Will you want the MoBo cooled with the CPU?

Edit: Nickolp1974 suggestion is a lovely res
 
Well budget's a tricky one because I've got a healthy chunk left to spend after saving some cash building my system but I don't want to spend it for the sake of it... let's assume a reasonable any cost set-up for now and if it proves too expensive perhaps you all can help me revisit possible lower cost options?

Not worried about cooling the motherboard (or RAM). Just the CPU and GPUs.
 
A ball park budget figure would help!!
The loop in my rig inc fans and controller was around the £1300 mark, 1 CPU and 1 gpu!!(soon to be 2 plus mobo blocks and a little bit of acrylic in the CPU area) and that figure will rise to about £1700!!
But I have used bitspower fittings and other niceties :D
 
Nickolp1974 said:
A ball park budget figure would help!!
The loop in my rig inc fans and controller was around the £1300 mark, 1 CPU and 1 gpu!!(soon to be 2 plus mobo blocks and a little bit of acrylic in the CPU area) and that figure will rise to about £1700!!
But I have used bitspower fittings and other niceties :D
Click to expand...

Fair enough :D

Let's say under £500, is that do-able?

Thanks for all the guidance, this is a really new area for me!
 
What screen res are you running??? As you could sell one of the Ti's to increase your WC budget, you have some good kit and to do it justice/right your budget needs to be increased a little.
 
Yes I can stretch to that budget (adding up your numbers came to about £700, so let's say £700-800, and that's do-able).

During normal use 3 x 2560x1440, for certain games 1 x 2560x1440 and for "immersion" games (eg flight sims) 3 x 1920x1080
 
think you can get 2 x 240's in the roof and and 360 in the front,
so use 1 240 for cpu and 240+360 for gpu in a dual config.

white pastel for cpu area for contrast and blood red for gpu's to add colour!!!

YOUR BASKET
2 x EK Water Blocks EK-D5 Vario X-TOP - Acetal (incl. pump) £89.99 (£179.98)
3 x EK Water Blocks EK-FC780 GTX DCII - Nickel £79.99 (£239.97)
1 x EK CoolStream RAD XTX (360) £74.99
2 x Hardware Labs Black ICE Radiator GT Xtreme 240 £56.99 (£113.98)
1 x EK Water Blocks EK-Supremacy Clean CSQ - Acetal + Nickel £52.99
2 x EK-BAY SINGLE RES CSQ - Acetal £38.99 (£77.98)
2 x Monsoon 16/10mm (ID 3/8 OD 5/8) Free Center Compression Fitting Six Pack - Red £27.95 (£55.90)
1 x Mayhems Pastel - Ice White Coolant 1L £14.99
1 x Mayhems X1 Blood Red Coolant £7.99
1 x Bitspower BP-CLTAC-S3 Crystal Link Tube Set For 3-Slots £6.98
3 x Primochill Primoflex Advanced Tubing 16/10 - Clear £5.99 (£17.97)
6 x Monsoon 16/10mm (ID 3/8 OD 5/8) Free Center Compression Fitting - Red £5.45 (£32.70)
4 x Bitspower BP-MBWP-C71 Matt Black Multi-Link Adapter £5.42 (£21.68)
Total : £907.69 (includes shipping : £8.00).

 
Wow thanks for that - do you know if that GPU water block will also fit a 780ti as it states 780 and I know EK do a specific one for the 780ti (but that specific one is also compatible with the 780 :D )

I'll probably go for blue instead of red on the GPU's but that's just me ;)
 
Go to ek cooling configurater and check against your card. Most what fit the 780 will fit the Ti.
http://www.coolingconfigurator.com

Also check exactly what rads you can fit, what i have specified will do the job but i would want a little more.
Check rad placement too and check for thickness, measure from top of motherboard to roof etc.
 
Last edited:
Nickolp1974 said:
Go to ek cooling configurater and check against your card. Most what fit the 780 will fit the Ti.
http://www.coolingconfigurator.com

Also check exactly what rads you can fit, what i have specified will do the job but i would want a little more.
Check rad placement too and check for thickness, measure from top of motherboard to roof etc.
Click to expand...

Thought the Ti has a complete different PCB to the 780/Titan?
I checked on CC, both the DCUII PCBs look nearly identical bar the raised SLI fingers, and CC state two different blocks. So i'm slightly confused on that one :(
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Back
Top Bottom