Ryzen 3900x WaterCooling Help (Beginner)

[Asgaroth]

Hi All,

I'm about to upgrade my build and am looking to go with the new Ryzen 3900 series system. I would like to try my hand at water cooling this system. This is my first attempt at water cooling so any and all suggestions would be appreciated.

My hardware

Case: Nanoxia Deep Silence 6 Rev B
Motherboard: ASUS ROG Crosshair VIII Formula
CPU: AMD Ryzen 9 3900x
GPU: Palit GeForce RTX 2080 Ti GamingPro OC
Memory: Corsair Vengeance LPX 64GB

I had a look at the water cooling configurator on OCUK's website and came up with the following configuration:

WC Components: OCUK Configurator
GPU Block: EK-Vector RTX 2080 TI Water Block
GPU Backplate: EK-Vector RTX 2080 TI Backplate

Apparently the Crosshair VIII Formula also has the option to watercool it's VRM's, I was wondering if I could include that in this loop configuration too, and do I have all the bit's n bobs I need to get started?

Any and all suggestions, tips/tricks are all much appreciated.

EDIT: Kit I finally ended up with:

• Reservoir : Koolance RP-452X2 (rev 2.0)
• Pump (x2) : EK D5 Vario
• Radiator (Top) : EK CoolStream XE 360
• Radiator Fans (Top x3) : EK Vardar F3-120 120mm
  
• Radiator (Side) : EK CoolStream CE 280
• Radiator Fans (Side x2) : EK Furious Vardar Evo 140mm
  
• CPU Block : EK Velocity AM4
• GPU Block : EK Vector RTX 2080 Ti
• GPU Backplate : EK Vector RTX Backplate
• Tubing : EK-Tube ZMT Matte Black
• Fittings (x20) : EK ACF 13/19mm
• Liquid (x2) : EK CryoFuel

 

[Sin_Chase]

I don't think there's any need to cool X570 VRMs but if it includes the chipset that would be worthwhile getting in the loop even just to get rid of its fan.

You'll need extra fittings for the GPU and any extra blocks such as a motherboard one.

You should implement a drain port (more fittings) and consider your loop layout. It may make sense to get some 45 and/or 90 degree fittings.

 

[Asgaroth]

I don't think there's any need to cool X570 VRMs but if it includes the chipset that would be worthwhile getting in the loop even just to get rid of its fan

Ahh okay, I was just reading the Anandtech motherboard overview and in the article's first paragraph they mention the board having EKWB heatsinks which can be attached to custom watercooling loop. I thought, if I'm going to do this I may as well attempt to connect those heat sinks to the loop. Although, I'm not too sure where those connections would be, I'm still waiting for the board to arrive.

You'll need extra fittings for the GPU and any extra blocks such as a motherboard one

Thanks, I'll need to have a look into how many extra fittings I'll need for the GPU, as for the motherboard block, I've not seen any on EKWB or OCUK's websites that are for this board, so I dont think any have been made yet, however, I'm guessing someone will come up with one to replace the chipset fan.

You should implement a drain port (more fittings) and consider your loop layout. It may make sense to get some 45 and/or 90 degree fittings.

I'll need to have a think about how I want to connect this all up, however, for the drain port, what bits would you need to implement a drain port. I assume that this will be near the bottom of the case somewhere.

 

[Asgaroth]

On a side note, does the "EK Water Blocks EK-DBAY D5 MX - Acetal" come with a D5 pump?

 

[Sin_Chase]

Yup a drain port will be at the bottom of the loop.

I'll be using a 3 way G1/4 female T splitter. 1 port in, 1 port out and 1 port to a ball valve which I'll attach a piece of soft tubing to when draining.

 

[Sin_Chase]

On a side note, does the "EK Water Blocks EK-DBAY D5 MX - Acetal" come with a D5 pump?

The configurator isn't actually very clear and OCuK stock both a res only and res+pump.... I'd check with them!

In inclined to say no from the pictures and the apparent pricing..

 

[Asgaroth]

Here's my initial thoughts on the setup:



I'm no paint expert, but that was a quick and dirty draw of my initial thoughts, here's the breakdown using the numbers in the image:

[1] pump out to cpu block in
[2] cpu block out to x570 heatsink in
[3] x570 heatsink out to 240mm radiator in
[4] 240mm radiator out to gpu block in
[5] gpu block out to 360mm radiator in
[6] 360mm radiator out to pump/res in

This is my 1st water cooling attempt, so the above could be way way off on how things actually do fit together.

Does that look more-or-less do-able, I'll need to have a think about the drain port and where I can/should put it.

As always tips/suggestions etc much appreciated, thanks for the comments thus far.

EDIT: Here's a better image of the Asus ROG Crosshair VIII Formula, just for an idea:



I'm guessing those black circles on the shields around the CPU are potential connectors for the water cooling loop, but, I wont know for sure until I get the board (later this week).

 

[Sin_Chase]

Given the EK logo on the VRM area I am inclined to believe you are right and those are G1/4" plugs which can be removed.

The loop order does not really matter as long as the pump is below the res (which it will be for you seeing as it's a contained drive bay solution). Try put your res/pump combo as high as possible as this will help bleeding out air. Given that loop order does not really matter you should design for aesthetics and ease of install. It's going to get quite busy in the CPU/VRM area so you might need to have a play with angled fittings and tubing to make sure none of your bends are too tight and cause flow restriction/kinks.

My main tips for a soft tube install is to make sure your tube cuts are as straight as possible so they seat fully on the fitting. You might find that the tube can be quite hard to get on the fitting, I often have a cup of boiling water next to me. Can tip the end of the tube (about half an inch or so) in the boiling water and let it heat up a bit. It will become much softer and easier to get on the fitting. Do not over-tighten fittings as you will warp or damage the O-Rings or the block itself. Acetal is easy to crack with excessive force. Pay particular attention to IN and OUT ports for GPU/CPU blocks etc. CPUs are often universal but some have distribution plates designed for a certain flow direction. GPU blocks often have 4 ports and sometimes you have to use a combination of certain pairs to ensure correct flow. The block manual will identify which these are.

With regards to filling NEVER run the pump dry. Depending on how your loop ends up you will want to fill the res until the pump is clearly submerged and then power up the pump to shift a little water then power down to fill some more. Do this in small bursts as you might find it takes a second to power down the pump and stop flow after killing the power (My PSU has a small lag time for example)

With regards to filling the loop get yourself a 24 Pin ATX jumper plug or google how to manually do this with a paperclip/other suitable conductive loop. This is ESSENTIAL for leak testing as you can power the pump and flow water without putting power to any other component (Main board, CPU, GPU etc). Make copious use of kitchen/other roll underneath fittings so that if they do leak it does not get on components. Especially important to protect the PSU as this is the powered area. Non-contaminated watercooling fluids are usually non conductive. If you get a leak do not panic and just power down. Try ascertain why you have a leak. Rotary fittings are often a source of leaks and there might be undue pressure on it from a tube causing the o-ring seal to fail.

Bleeding can be a royal PITA sometimes. Be prepared to man handle your case into all sorts of directions to work air bubbles loose. When doing this make sure all your fill ports/other openings are shut! You can modulate from a slow to high speed on the pump also to aid this endeavor. Personally I find CPU and GPU blocks the worst to get entirely bubble free. It will take a while for all micro bubbles to purge from the loop and you'll notice that the fluid is not clear of air immediately. I often open the fill port on my res from time to time after a new fill to let any trapped air in the top of the res to escape.

Planning your drain port will be a little tricky given that case and radiator configuration. You could consider flipping the bottom rad so the ports are at the bottom but this will make bleeding air out of it more difficult so you might want avoid that. The issue with that bottom rad in that orientation is that you will never be able to drain it with gravity alone as all the liquid will sit in the bottom of it with nowhere to go. Perhaps search for some loops builds in the same case and see what others have done,.

 

[Asgaroth]

Thank you for those excellent tips Sin_Chase, much appreciated.

My next couple questions are:

[1] For the radiator(s), are EK the better ones to go for or are there other preferred radiators?
[2[ For the radiators does the "thickness" matter, for example, EK's Extreme vz Professional range.
[3] For the res/pump combination, are there other preferred combo units for drive bays?
[4] For the soft tubing, are the EK tubing sufficient, or, is there an alternate preferred?
[5] For the tubing, which ID/OD is recommended? I've been reading that 13/19mm (half inch) is better for flow speed.
[6] For the fluid, is there a preferred fluid?
[7] Does the metal combinations matter, should I stick with all copper or all nickel?
[8] For the tops of the block I like a clean black look, does it matter if its acetal or plexi for the tops?
[9] I'm guessing that EK are suggested for the CPU/GPU blocks, I've only read good things about them, however, for my OCD, are there better alternatives I should look into?

I'm not after RGB and alienware lighting, I just want to get a decent cooling system in place as I dont intend upgrading the system for a couple years once I've forked out the €€€ for this build.

 

[MikeTimbers]

Avoid EK Duraclear tubing, it leaches plasticiser in my (and others) experience and quickly clouds while leaving that plasticiser in your blocks, pump and radiators.

 

[Sin_Chase]

Thank you for those excellent tips Sin_Chase, much appreciated.

My next couple questions are:

[1] For the radiator(s), are EK the better ones to go for or are there other preferred radiators?
[2[ For the radiators does the "thickness" matter, for example, EK's Extreme vz Professional range.
[3] For the res/pump combination, are there other preferred combo units for drive bays?
[4] For the soft tubing, are the EK tubing sufficient, or, is there an alternate preferred?
[5] For the tubing, which ID/OD is recommended? I've been reading that 13/19mm (half inch) is better for flow speed.
[6] For the fluid, is there a preferred fluid?
[7] Does the metal combinations matter, should I stick with all copper or all nickel?
[8] For the tops of the block I like a clean black look, does it matter if its acetal or plexi for the tops?
[9] I'm guessing that EK are suggested for the CPU/GPU blocks, I've only read good things about them, however, for my OCD, are there better alternatives I should look into?

I'm not after RGB and alienware lighting, I just want to get a decent cooling system in place as I dont intend upgrading the system for a couple years once I've forked out the €€€ for this build.

1 - I've not done rad research for many years since buying and using mine.
2 - Thickness does matter and you should read about the differences. FPI is also important. Higher FPI means more cooling ability but will require louder fan speeds to cool properly. Lower FPI can be run with slower fans with less noise. It's all a balancing act.
3 - Sorry, never looked at drive bay res/pump combos
4 - No opinion on EKs soft tubing but the earlier reply indicates some potential leeching complaints
5 - Choose tubing size based on amount of space available in case, ease of install and aesthetics. It makes no difference.
6 - I use Mayhems X1 premix which has biocides, inhibitors for mixed metals and is compatible with most/all tubing types
7 - Nope, use a suitable premix/other coolant with an inhibitor in it
8 - Acetal or plexi is purely an aesthetic choice
9 - EK is a solid choice for blocks and have been in the game long enough to put out a decent product. There are other manufacturers you could consider but I really would not bother. Aquacompter have some nice kit but are very expensive for example.

 

[Asgaroth]

Thanks all for all the help, I think I've finally settled on the following components:

• Reservoir : Koolance RP-452X2 (rev 2.0)
• Pump (x2) : EK D5 Vario
• Radiator (Top) : EK CoolStream XE 360
• Radiator Fans (Top x3) : EK Vardar F3-120 120mm
  
• Radiator (Side) : EK CoolStream CE 280
• Radiator Fans (Side x2) : EK Furious Vardar Evo 140mm
  
• CPU Block : EK Velocity AM4
• GPU Block : EK Vector RTX 2080 Ti
• GPU Backplate : EK Vector RTX Backplate
• Tubing : [url=https://www.ekwb.com/shop/ek-tube-zmt-matte-black-16-10mm]EK-Tube ZMT Matte Black[/URL]
• Fittings (x20) : EK ACF 13/19mm
• Liquid (x2) : EK CryoFuel

The tubing appears to be made by PrimoChill and re-badged by EK, hopefully that wont be a cause for issue as mentioned previously in this thread.

I still need to select the T-splitter and ball valve for the drain port.

I thought the Koolance reservoir would be nice if I wanted to run 2 separate loops for the CPU/VRM and GPU. It also has the option for the fill port(s) in the front or the top of the reservoir.

As for the tube diameter, is 13/19mm okay for a first-timer like me? I've read a lot of people say that that diameter is better for water flow, does it really make that much of a difference, or should I just stick with the 10/13mm tubing which seems to be more of a "standard" when it comes to options for fittings/connectors.

Does this selection look okay to the guru's out there, is there anything glaring that I may have missed?

As always, thanks for any and all responses.

 

[MikeTimbers]

Size doesn't really matter wrt to tubing. it's just about aesthetics. I kinda like the bigger tubing but of course you will see more of it when it's filled with coolant simply because of the thickness of the wall.

 

[Smffy]

Just to put this out there... why would you buy the formula and not use the VRM cooling? Literally a few more fittings to do it, if you don’t fancy it then but the hero instead and save yourself a few hundred quid.

Wouldn’t be so hard to use it so why not? Or save £200.

 

[Asgaroth]

Just to put this out there... why would you buy the formula and not use the VRM cooling? Literally a few more fittings to do it, if you don’t fancy it then but the hero instead and save yourself a few hundred quid.

Wouldn’t be so hard to use it so why not? Or save £200.

A few posts up from here I do mention that I am going to cool the VRM's with water cooling, which is the whole reason why I am here asking about water cooling, this is my first attempt, and wanted to include the VRM cooling with the loop.

 

[Smffy]

A few posts up from here I do mention that I am going to cool the VRM's with water cooling, which is the whole reason why I am here asking about water cooling, this is my first attempt, and wanted to include the VRM cooling with the loop.

Ah ok? Must have missed that point, I saw people talking to you about you don’t need to cool them, worth doing if you get the board for it (I’ve got the same one). You will enjoy the escalating costs of cooling

 

[pmc25]

Hi All,

I'm about to upgrade my build and am looking to go with the new Ryzen 3900 series system. I would like to try my hand at water cooling this system. This is my first attempt at water cooling so any and all suggestions would be appreciated.

My hardware

Case: Nanoxia Deep Silence 6 Rev B
Motherboard: ASUS ROG Crosshair VIII Formula
CPU: AMD Ryzen 9 3900x
GPU: Palit GeForce RTX 2080 Ti GamingPro OC
Memory: Corsair Vengeance LPX 64GB

I had a look at the water cooling configurator on OCUK's website and came up with the following configuration:

WC Components: OCUK Configurator
GPU Block: EK-Vector RTX 2080 TI Water Block
GPU Backplate: EK-Vector RTX 2080 TI Backplate

Apparently the Crosshair VIII Formula also has the option to watercool it's VRM's, I was wondering if I could include that in this loop configuration too, and do I have all the bit's n bobs I need to get started?

Any and all suggestions, tips/tricks are all much appreciated.

The Formula is a huge waste of money. It's double the price for totally redundant VRM cooling (identical VRM to the CH Hero which barely needs the heatsinks that it has) and higher bandwidth LAN (about 1% of people actually use the difference).

It's also less than clear that the standard Hero is amongst the better boards in its price range (unless you're doing extreme LN2 overclocking and want all the BIOS features and hard points & buttons on the board for that). I'd go for a cheaper Taichi or maybe the Aorus Master (much better VRM).

A few posts up from here I do mention that I am going to cool the VRM's with water cooling, which is the whole reason why I am here asking about water cooling, this is my first attempt, and wanted to include the VRM cooling with the loop.

You don't need to cool the VRM. It's not going to make any difference whatsoever. The VRMs are hugely over-specced on these more expensive boards even for the forthcoming 16 core (even though arguably the CH Hero / Wifi / Formula have the weakest of the Master / Taichi / Ace / Godlike / Extreme). They output very little heat. If you're running at stock clocks you could take the heatsinks off and there's no way you'd get any thermal throttling due to VRM temp (unless ambient is REALLY hot and you run Prime95 24/7).

 

[Asgaroth]

Thanks for the info, guess I'm going to be stuck with the Formula, it's already been shipped and on it's way here now. Guess that will be an expensive learning experience for me (ie: do your research before buying).

On the plus side, it will be "fun" to try to cool it all, as I've already ordered the water cooling gear mentioned above, only changes to the above are the tubing and fittings, went for EK TUBE ZMT Matt Black 10/16mm and associated fittings.

Might need to get some 45/90 degree fittings, but will wait to order those once I have eyeballs on the actual system.

 

[pmc25]

Thanks for the info, guess I'm going to be stuck with the Formula, it's already been shipped and on it's way here now. Guess that will be an expensive learning experience for me (ie: do your research before buying).

On the plus side, it will be "fun" to try to cool it all, as I've already ordered the water cooling gear mentioned above, only changes to the above are the tubing and fittings, went for EK TUBE ZMT Matt Black 10/16mm and associated fittings.

Might need to get some 45/90 degree fittings, but will wait to order those once I have eyeballs on the actual system.

I'd just return to sender (refuse delivery if I were you). The board is literally identical to the Hero save the LAN & VRM waterblock (and a screen on the internal part of the IO shield which is useless unless running on an open bench). It's literally pouring money down the drain. It'd only take a day or two longer to get one much cheaper shipped.

 

[Asgaroth]

Hi All, back again!

Well, all my gear finally arrived (except for the friggin 8-pin cpu cable extensions) and I'm planning the tubing layout at the moment, the system is in the current state in the image below:

What I am wondering about, at the moment, is where to put my drain port. I believe this should be at the lowest part of the loop, if that is the recommendation, then that means I would need to run the drain bits off of the GPU block. My question is, if I do run a short tube with a ball valve off of the GPU, will it pose any cooling problems?

Any thoughts/tips/tricks would be greatly appreciated.