First time watercooler - spec + questions

[V F]

typically if you like doing housekeeping every 6 months on average.. though i've had loops running using same liquid for more than a couple years no issues.. the rig in my previous post before i moved the components into the UMX4 case, was in a 750D, and the loop was still fine after 5 years.
You won't get any leeching like you would with soft tubes etc.

Plus if you did go with colour, it won't be maintenance free since they will eventually clog up your waterblocks (not end of world, flush, clean blocks with toothbrush, reloop).

6 months would be fine. Every 3 months too much? As distilled water is so cheap. The thing that is most impressive in the loop is the fancy drain port. Lobe how it slides back and forty with a click rather than using a tap/ball valve.

I'm going to keep the loop clear to match the two tone black/chrome. While giving a bit of RGB sparkle from the distro plate, memory and graphics block.

I keep reading about stories of people using something in their loop to lubricate the pump. Then I read others to stay away from silver coil as it says that will void EK's warranty and cause flaking.

 

[V F]

Quite fun watching this.

 

[im4gine3]

not sure about liquid to help with the pump.. maybe a silver coil or a cyclone in the reservoir.. but personally never needed one. D5 pumps are very reliable.. never had one fail on me. As long as you don't run the pump dry, that should last you years.

 

[MikeTimbers]

never heard of adding pump lubricant - utterly unnecessary.

 

[V F]

never heard of adding pump lubricant - utterly unnecessary.

Yeah, I've been reading a lot of scare stories over the last 4 nights. Though, people say to stay away from silver coil for EK as it can damage the nickel plating. I went with the EK Cryofuel Clear mix. I don't want the possibility of the jet plate rusting with possible IONs building up for the de-ionised water. Or any possibilities of algae.

Though, that quick release drain valve is truly fantastic. Got plenty of de-ionised water for flushes but after an 8 hour run last night for the pump, the lovely sound off the pump. Only a very quiet soothing hum and the water was crystal clear after those 8 hours. Bar the bubbles sticking to the distro plate. Hopefully less bubbles on the next final fill.

 

[V F]

So testing the thermals...

CPU playing Doom Eternal, 63C on the highest core all cores 5Ghz on the i9 10900K. Gigabyte 3080 Ti Xtreme was hitting 46C on the GPU, Hot spot 54C. GPU Memory 50C. Water temperature 36C with the fans reaching 960rpm. Water temperature 27C idle. About the same water temperature I had with the NZXT Z73. Only it was hitting 75 - 80C when gaming.

The Gigabyte card has quite a finicky setup with EK fittings triggering the leak protection system. Apparently they can be too tight contacting the gold circuits around the fittings thinking it's a leak. People said to losen them a little to stop the protection system or you get no video with the GPU block flashing red.

 

[Hewligan]

The gigabyte leak detection is wonderful in theory, terrible in practice. I have a z490 Waterforce motherboard and after endless false leak alarms I just googled the leak detection pin out and removed the single pin that handles this feature. I now run my build with that feature removed. It was a total pain in the butt! Alarm if over tightened. So you loosen to the point where a tiny trace of moisture hits the leak detection, then alarm and shutdown and wait AGES to be able to boot the system.

 

[V F]

The gigabyte leak detection is wonderful in theory, terrible in practice.

It is terrible. It's so stupidly sensitive to pressure setting it off. It took me a while finding the right pressure to stop setting it off. Loosening it off by 0.3 - 0.5 mm. It was making me a nervous wreck.


Anyway. I'm happy how it has turned out. Maybe some water cooling add-ons in the future.

I do love the Aorus Xtreme brand it promotes. "Dominant in Darkness"


Now to conjure up a frame extension for the glass panel.