Discussion on loop order what goes where

Associate
Joined
18 Feb 2006
Posts
450
Location
Halifax
Hi guys

Just starting a new build, I have all the hardware listed below, looking to water-cool CPU and also the 2080TI (water block ordered for the 2080TI though I do not have it yet) Looking to fit the 420mm radiator in the top of the case and the 360mm in the front its more the order that the items are connected, I will be using PTEG tubing.

Asus Maximus Hero XI
Intel 9700K
EK-Velocity sTR4 D-RGB - Nickel + Acetal - Water Block
Corsair DDR4 3200MHZ RGB 2 x 16GB = 32GB
EVGA 2080 TI Ultra FTW
Samsung 512GB 860 PRO SSD 2.5" SATA
Samsung 960 PRO 500mb M.2
Asus PG348Q ROG Swift 34" 3440x1440 IPS G-Sync 100Hz
EVGA SuperNova G2 1000W PSU
Case EVGA DG-87 (Bought the case form Ebay)
EK-CoolStream PE 360 Radiator
Alpha Cool NexXxos XT45 420mm Radiator
Aqua Computer D5 RGB Pump & Top
EK-RES X3 250 RGB Reservoir

PSU and the water block for the CPU fitted and the motherboard attached to the case, any advice appreciated.
IMG-0738-1612.jpg


IMG-0739-1614.jpg

IMG-0740-1616.jpg
 
Associate
Joined
13 Jan 2018
Posts
458
Location
London
Shortest and/or neatest route possible. The order doesn't really matter performance wise once the water equalises. Drain best fitted at the lowest point if possible.
 
Man of Honour
Joined
12 Jul 2005
Posts
20,482
Location
Aberlour, NE Scotland
As long as the res is before the pump the rest doesn't matter. Even going from the gpu straight to the cpu is only going to make the cpu temps a degree or so higher which isn't even worth worrying about. As Bugbait says, just choose the shortest/neatest route for the loop, especially with hardline as you don't want to over complicate things.
 
Associate
OP
Joined
18 Feb 2006
Posts
450
Location
Halifax
As long as the res is before the pump the rest doesn't matter. Even going from the gpu straight to the cpu is only going to make the cpu temps a degree or so higher which isn't even worth worrying about. As Bugbait says, just choose the shortest/neatest route for the loop, especially with hardline as you don't want to over complicate things.
Something like this? Excuse my crap drawing
IMG-0748-1624.jpg
 
Associate
Joined
13 Jan 2018
Posts
458
Location
London
You don't appear to be using cross flow radiators so the inlet and outlet will be on the same side. You've drawn them as opposite so that might impact your routing. If you're doing hard line tubing then it's easy to run the outlet from the top radiator into the inlet of the front one. Then you can route the front radiator outlet to the top of the reservoir.
 
Associate
Joined
13 Jan 2018
Posts
458
Location
London
Yes you are correct but the Alpha Cool NexXxos XT45 420mm Radiator has inlets/outlets on both ends of the radiator

Ah ok, not used those before and it wasn't obvious by a quick look at pictures. Pictured route looks fine but maybe add a drain link between pump and GPU?
 
Soldato
Joined
24 Aug 2013
Posts
4,549
Location
Lincolnshire
Only ways I can think are go 360mm rad in the front with ports in the bottom. From pump to front rad then front rad behind the mobo tray then up into the 420 rad. Out into the cpu, out into the gpu, out back into the top of the res.

Or alternatively run the way you have it set out but go from gpu to top rad, back to cpu then back to reservoir.

I’d also be tempted to buy or make an extended midplate so you could run a pass through fitting for the reservoir/pump to bottom rad. And for the GPU if that’s the route you want as it will tidy it up nicely.
 
Man of Honour
Joined
12 Jul 2005
Posts
20,482
Location
Aberlour, NE Scotland
Yes you are correct but the Alpha Cool NexXxos XT45 420mm Radiator has inlets/outlets on both ends of the radiator


If it's the normal XT45 with 4x ports on one end and a single on the other then that single is just a bleed screw and not for inlet/outlet. It's about time they did away with bleed screws on rads because I doubt that the majority of people have ever used them.
 
Associate
OP
Joined
18 Feb 2006
Posts
450
Location
Halifax
If it's the normal XT45 with 4x ports on one end and a single on the other then that single is just a bleed screw and not for inlet/outlet. It's about time they did away with bleed screws on rads because I doubt that the majority of people have ever used them.
Thanks for that from the photos I though it was inlet/outlet
 
Associate
OP
Joined
18 Feb 2006
Posts
450
Location
Halifax
Reservoir and pump installed tonight will try and get both radiators in, trying to cut a midplate today while in work from a large sheet of stainless
thumbnail-IMG-0749.jpg

thumbnail-IMG-0751.jpg
 
Last edited:
Associate
Joined
22 Mar 2009
Posts
468
Location
Down town gaza/Lah'darn
Hi my self id go 360 in front with ports to top heading up/across to 420 with pip running along side then down to cpu>gpu across to res then connect to pump with flexible tube to the front and up side of 360 to inputs

That way it's straighter routes and pipe along sides of rads shows it off nicely as looking at your drawing your sending rad back to pump and looks a hard one to bleed.
 
Associate
OP
Joined
18 Feb 2006
Posts
450
Location
Halifax
So I have run into my first issue/challenge I want to install my graphics card so it faces the front but it wont fit in the case as it is hitting the pump, I will have to raise the radiator and mount the pump under it
 
Soldato
Joined
26 Sep 2017
Posts
6,185
Location
In the Masonic Temple
So glad I found this thread.
I used to have an AIO on my cpu (ryzen 2700x) and then added a gpu block to my radeon vii, everything was fantastic, 72.C on the cpu OC @ 4.35ghz and max of 40.c on the gpu.

Then I though i would be a cool guy and bought a cpu block to replace the AIO and added it to the loop, i.e res/pump ->gpu -> Cpu - thick 60mm 360mm Radiator - >res/pump
And now my Cpu reached 90.c under full load when the gpu is being used hard as well and crashes, meaning i have to dial back the gpu or the cpu overclock to keep things under control.

So now I bought a more powerful d5 pump and a second radiator (240mm)

My question is, what is the best order to put these in?

Pump -> Gpu -> radiator 1 -> cpu -> radiator 2 -> pump ? OR
Pump -> Gpu -> Cpu -> Radiator 1 -> Radiator 2 -> pump
Or i've even seen
Pump -> Radiator 1 -> gpu -> radiator2 -> cpu -> Pump and
Pump -> Radiator 1 -> gpu -> cpu -> Radiator 2 -> Pump

Im so confused.

There is a 3rd option, and that is to use my old pump/res and have 2 separate loops going on, one for cpu and one for gpu.
But I'd rather avoid that if at all possible as there is literally no space left in my case and Id have to make it messy by cramming it in.

Any veteran custom loopers here please help me out
 
Man of Honour
Joined
8 Nov 2007
Posts
16,034
Location
Outer Space
Loop order doesn't matter regarding temps as the water temperature will normalise after a short period of time, the only thing is that the Res needs to be higher than the pump and feeding directly into the pump (assuming they are separate from each other?)
 
Soldato
Joined
26 Sep 2017
Posts
6,185
Location
In the Masonic Temple
Loop order doesn't matter regarding temps as the water temperature will normalise after a short period of time, the only thing is that the Res needs to be higher than the pump and feeding directly into the pump (assuming they are separate from each other?)
So what is causing my high temperatures right now do you think? not enough radiators, pump underpowered?
 
Back
Top Bottom