New to watercooling

Associate
OP
Joined
26 May 2019
Posts
17
Location
Athens, Greece
The vantages of AIO would be more not blocking the RAM with a massive cooler (considering your case allows the installation of the radiator at an ideal location), and easier to install. That's all.
Custom loops allows upgrades, as cooling other components.
Regarding prices, the idea of the kit is that would offer better value than individual parts, as packaging would be reduced, and the manufacturer manages to "push" few bits at their price, without being noticed, as tubing and connectors.
Worthy checking at https://www.caseking.de/, if prices may work better for you.
yeap i ordered it from caseking today... It comes 25€ cheaper with DHL.
 
Soldato
Joined
28 Dec 2017
Posts
8,385
Location
Beds
The vantages of AIO would be more not blocking the RAM with a massive cooler (considering your case allows the installation of the radiator at an ideal location), and easier to install. That's all.
Custom loops allows upgrades, as cooling other components.
Regarding prices, the idea of the kit is that would offer better value than individual parts, as packaging would be reduced, and the manufacturer manages to "push" few bits at their price, without being noticed, as tubing and connectors.
Worthy checking at https://www.caseking.de/, if prices may work better for you.
Probably best not to link to OcUK competitor stores...
 
Associate
OP
Joined
26 May 2019
Posts
17
Location
Athens, Greece
Ok my order arrived, and it is time to build my loop. What is the correct order? Pump/Reservoir--> Radiator--> CPU block--> Pump? Or Pump/Reservoir--> CPU block--> Radiator--> Pump
 
Last edited:
Soldato
Joined
28 Dec 2017
Posts
8,385
Location
Beds
Loop order makes little to no difference. The water flows much faster than it would take to "pick up" some heat then release it into a radiator. The water flows, lots of individual particles collect heat at warm spots, and warmer particles release heat at cool spots like radiators. As long is the pump is fed from a reservoir (as standard in a pump/res combo), it's all good.

Basically, plan routing to make for neatest tuning runs, easiest maintenance, and maybe least overall distance.
 
Associate
OP
Joined
26 May 2019
Posts
17
Location
Athens, Greece
Loop order makes little to no difference. The water flows much faster than it would take to "pick up" some heat then release it into a radiator. The water flows, lots of individual particles collect heat at warm spots, and warmer particles release heat at cool spots like radiators. As long is the pump is fed from a reservoir (as standard in a pump/res combo), it's all good.

Basically, plan routing to make for neatest tuning runs, easiest maintenance, and maybe least overall distance.
I am asking because i read through the manual and proposes the Pump/Reservoir--> Radiator--> CPU block--> Pump order. Many videos i saw on youtube they go Pump to CPU block, and after to the radiator.
 
Soldato
Joined
28 Dec 2017
Posts
8,385
Location
Beds
I am asking because i read through the manual and proposes the Pump/Reservoir--> Radiator--> CPU block--> Pump order. Many videos i saw on youtube they go Pump to CPU block, and after to the radiator.
That's interesting, does it specify that order or is it just an sample diagram? Several YouTubers have done experiments and usually found 1-2° difference or less. Always worth finding several examples though :)
 
Don
Joined
7 Aug 2003
Posts
44,275
Location
Aberdeenshire
It doesn’t make a practical difference loop order. You may as well tube it up to minimise tight bends/90deg corners and overall tube length.

For a normal loop, 250W heat load will increase water temp by about 1degC across a water block, likewise you radiators will be doing the same heat removal when the loop is in equilibrium.

You radiator capacity just determines how close that equilibrium temperature is to ambient.
 
Associate
OP
Joined
26 May 2019
Posts
17
Location
Athens, Greece
That's interesting, does it specify that order or is it just an sample diagram? Several YouTubers have done experiments and usually found 1-2° difference or less. Always worth finding several examples though :)
Νο it is a sample diagram but it refers to it that it is the most commonly used loop pattern.

It doesn’t make a practical difference loop order. You may as well tube it up to minimise tight bends/90deg corners and overall tube length.

For a normal loop, 250W heat load will increase water temp by about 1degC across a water block, likewise you radiators will be doing the same heat removal when the loop is in equilibrium.

You radiator capacity just determines how close that equilibrium temperature is to ambient.

I connected it pump-cpu-rad and i will see how it goes.

I put the rad at top with the fans blowing air from the inside of the case to outside. Should i care about idle temps, or when everything is set, shall i run a stress test?
 
Last edited:
Associate
OP
Joined
26 May 2019
Posts
17
Location
Athens, Greece
idle temp should be a few degrees above ambient +4-5 .. let your loop bed in before trying to kill it there will still be air in the loop ..
you did tilt it back and front side to side ? you will be surprised how much air is hiding ..
Yes i tilted in all directions during leak test. Now i am at 29C in a room of 25C. I stressed the system a bit with prime, max temp was at 48c.
 
Associate
Joined
5 Mar 2017
Posts
2,216
Location
Cambridge
idle temp should be a few degrees above ambient +4-5 .. let your loop bed in before trying to kill it there will still be air in the loop ..
you did tilt it back and front side to side ? you will be surprised how much air is hiding ..
Very good point.
Mine is running for 3 days now, temperature dropped a bit, and I believe still a bit of air around.
 
Associate
Joined
5 Mar 2017
Posts
2,216
Location
Cambridge
Mine I'm running pump, 420 rad, CPU, GPU, 280 rad, reservoir, back to pump.
My thinking is that after the pump, which adds a bit of heating, cool down again, them as cool as possible to the processor. But in my system, you could argue that the cpu adds quite some heating and the water goes warm to the GPU.
I could optimize the system and swap the order pump, CPU, 420 rad, GPU, 280 rad, reservoir, back to pump, but I don't think the fluid is moving that slow to really matter. I may be wrong.
 
Associate
OP
Joined
26 May 2019
Posts
17
Location
Athens, Greece
Mine I'm running pump, 420 rad, CPU, GPU, 280 rad, reservoir, back to pump.
My thinking is that after the pump, which adds a bit of heating, cool down again, them as cool as possible to the processor. But in my system, you could argue that the cpu adds quite some heating and the water goes warm to the GPU.
I could optimize the system and swap the order pump, CPU, 420 rad, GPU, 280 rad, reservoir, back to pump, but I don't think the fluid is moving that slow to really matter. I may be wrong.
The fans work at what speed?
 
Associate
Joined
5 Mar 2017
Posts
2,216
Location
Cambridge
At the moment I'm using them at 30%. They go to 50% under load. At 30% you can only hear them if you go down close to the case. Seated, just a whisper. At 50%, noticeable, but not annoying. Considering that they would go to 50% just under games, and them sound on or headphones, not bad.
I'm just waiting a fan controller to manage them better. Using the Phanteks hub I can't get rid of the annoying 100% run when turning on the PC. Affects my stealth use of the PC before being flagged by the OH.
Honestly, I would say that 30% would be enough 24/7. Just jumping to 50% because the slower fans are connected to the same hub.
 
Associate
OP
Joined
26 May 2019
Posts
17
Location
Athens, Greece
At the moment I'm using them at 30%. They go to 50% under load. At 30% you can only hear them if you go down close to the case. Seated, just a whisper. At 50%, noticeable, but not annoying. Considering that they would go to 50% just under games, and them sound on or headphones, not bad.
I'm just waiting a fan controller to manage them better. Using the Phanteks hub I can't get rid of the annoying 100% run when turning on the PC. Affects my stealth use of the PC before being flagged by the OH.
Honestly, I would say that 30% would be enough 24/7. Just jumping to 50% because the slower fans are connected to the same hub.
You start the curve at 0C/30% right? I have my fans at the hub of Fractal Design as well.
 
Associate
Joined
5 Mar 2017
Posts
2,216
Location
Cambridge
Yes. But don't know if because the fans are 4 pin or because the hub is being powered by the SATA cable, but a get few seconds of tornado before the desired speed kick in.
Are you using the SATA cable to power the hub or straight from the motherboard reader?
Tried to run 2 fans, from the hub without the SATA cable and started as desired, but won't run without the SATA cable when there's 10 fans connected to the hub.
 
Associate
OP
Joined
26 May 2019
Posts
17
Location
Athens, Greece
Yes. But don't know if because the fans are 4 pin or because the hub is being powered by the SATA cable, but a get few seconds of tornado before the desired speed kick in.
Are you using the SATA cable to power the hub or straight from the motherboard reader?
Tried to run 2 fans, from the hub without the SATA cable and started as desired, but won't run without the SATA cable when there's 10 fans connected to the hub.
Yes, without the SATA cable they do not run at all.
 
Back
Top Bottom