Another First time watercooling log

Mightycamels · 18 Aug 2010 at 19:04

Hey,

Thought I might as well document what might well be a tremendous **** up and make a log of my first watercooling attempt.

I have been researching this since before Christmas and have been buying bits and pieces for it since may.

After spending days reading through forums and reviews I finally decided what to buy with the last parts arriving this week.

I am planning on upgrading my graphics card later on in the year to a 400 series which will either be added to the loop or on a another loop.

Its to cool a i7 920 @ 4.0Ghz on a Gigabyte EX58-UD5. The reason I want to go water is that I render videos for 3D walkthroughs which can be 30+ hours to render at 100% load. Although temps are fine at the moment it gets pretty noisy and I keep thinking it cant be good for it to be like that all the time so here we are.

My Spec for my CPU only loop

Case: Cosmos S
Pump: Laing DDC Ultra 18W with XSPC Laing DDC Pump Top V3
Res: EK Multioption Reservoir X2 250 Advanced
Rad: Black Ice SR1 360
Block: EK Water Blocks EK-Supreme HF Nickel Universal
Fans: Sharkoon Silent Eagle 2000 120mm
Fan Controller: mCubed HFX 113 T-Balancer BigNG Cooling Controller
Fittings: TFC Compression Fitting G1/4" Thread 1/2" ID/3/4" OD - High Flow and OcUK Value Double Nipple G1/4" to G1/4" with O-Ring
Hose: XSPC white ID 1/2 OD 3/4
Fluid: Distilled water with PT Nuke

So the build starts tomorrow
(Pics to come soon)

The only problem so far is that the BigNG uses an internal USB but the case has 4 usb's on the front using both the internal headers of the UD5 so I have to lose on side of USB's which is annoying.

Anyway if anyone has any advice please let me know

Cheers

JeffyB · 18 Aug 2010 at 19:10

Sounds like you have thought this through, look forward to your log. I can vouch for a few of your components, i use a sr1 as well, fantastic rad and use the same compressions. You may need some rotaries for them as there are some issues with large 3/4od compressions on some components.
A mod may move your thread to the project log section
http://forums.overclockers.co.uk/forumdisplay.php?f=126
If not pm one of them

TheCenturion · 18 Aug 2010 at 19:14

Looking forward to this. It's always nice to see people breaking their watercooling virginity

Eclectic · 18 Aug 2010 at 19:16

http://www.overclockers.co.uk/showproduct.php?prodid=CC-001-BE

Has an internal USB header on a PCI card

Sorted

Nice set up BTW.

Mightycamels · 18 Aug 2010 at 21:50

A few picks of unboxing and puttin a few bits together (hope the pics work, never posted images before)

JeffyB · 18 Aug 2010 at 22:17

Can you fit those compressions side by side on the plexi top supreme? Also is the compression on the bottom of the res doing up enough to make a propper seal?

Mightycamels · 18 Aug 2010 at 22:37

Yea the compression fit next to each, the double G1/4 thread isn't very long but does make a very good fit. Guess I will find out when I leak test it tomorrow. Hopefully it will be okay

PaulyD · 19 Aug 2010 at 12:08

Glad to see you have done a fair amount of research and thought this one through thoroughly, it shows in your component selection.

Looking forward to your finished log, as Jeffy said this would be better in the Project Log section, can easily be moved by a mod if you contact one

Bubo · 19 Aug 2010 at 12:52

Mightycamels said:
the double G1/4 thread isn't very long but does make a very good fit. Guess I will find out when I leak test it tomorrow. Hopefully it will be okay

Not sure if JeffyB didn't mean the visible comp fitting on the side of the res or the hidden fitting between the res and pump inlet, which is what I think you are referring to.

Considering the compression fitting, you have to make sure there is enough "flat" and peripheral clearance for the fitting not to bottom on a raised bit of the res before the o ring has compressed sufficiently. From the looks of the pic the fitting looks a bit big for the available flat, hard to tell really thogh.

Considering the double g/14 fitting, is it one of the rotary fittings or fixed? If fixed then you've been lucky in that it has tightened up with the res inlet inline with the pump outlet.

JeffyB · 19 Aug 2010 at 12:54

Thats exactly whet i ment Bubo, unless ek have change the design of the circular flat area around the inlet on the res a 3/4 compression wont screw into the res enough to make a seal. This is why i had to use a couple of rotaries on my ek multi 250 res.

Mightycamels · 19 Aug 2010 at 13:03

Ah I see what you mean, well one way to find out, will let you know in an hour or so.
Cheers for the heads up both of you

Bubo · 19 Aug 2010 at 13:26

Can you do us a favour, since you have the advanced version of the EK res. Can you take some close up pics of the top and bottom showing the available ports. I have the normal version of the EK res and am thinking about changing cos of the abilty to now properly use this res as an inline vertical res due to the internal tubes and extra ports.

Mightycamels · 19 Aug 2010 at 18:26

Will upload photos when I go back home budo, doing this at my dads workshop at the moment.

What is the best way of getting the air out. Tried raising the pump and res above the rad but still sounds like a water feature in the CPU block

JeffyB · 19 Aug 2010 at 19:21

I had to play chase the air bubbles round your sysem whilst holding the res upright. I litterally was picking my entire case up and turning it around to get the air where i wanted it to go. make sure anything loose is removed or secure it if your going to do this.

Mightycamels · 19 Aug 2010 at 19:39

It seems to of sorted itself out now after lots of holding the case all sorts of ways. I was worried for a while that the pump was really noisy but it super quiet now I keep thinking it's not working. Should I run it for 24 hours or just 3 or 4 hours, after 2 not any sign of leaks even on the side of the res. Fingers crossed

Mightycamels · 20 Aug 2010 at 00:13

Here are some close up pics of the res.

Mightycamels · 20 Aug 2010 at 00:23

And here is my progress so far. Haven't got
Any further than leak testing it so far due to one thing or another

The block mounted up (the instuctions were rubbish so if I got this wrong please tell me)

The fans on top of the roof

The motherboard installed

With the pump and res mounted

And leak testing

So far so good, will install the rest in the morning although I have had a few drinks (and will have a few more) as I got a new job today so it won't be to early

Any thoughts let me know

Chris_83 · 20 Aug 2010 at 08:26

Mightycamels said:
And here is my progress so far. Haven't got
Any further than leak testing it so far due to one thing or another

The block mounted up (the instuctions were rubbish so if I got this wrong please tell me)

Shouldn't the springs be at the bottom and you tension onto them? Never done WC but it looks wrong in that photo.

Bubo · 20 Aug 2010 at 08:35

Thanks for the res pics, however that is a normal EK multioption res not the advanced as per you spec list, hope you didn't order the advanced and get the normal by mistake.

Bit late now but it looks like you would have been better off with a restop instead of the xspc top and ek res combo, but once you sort out the leaning tower of Piza thing it will be ok. Also if you are still having problems bleeding that then there is no problem with temporarily unscrewing the pump feet and lifting the pump out of the case while you rotate the case around, if you haven't already sussed that. With the way you have your rad barbs pointing downwards you pretty much have top do that to ensure all air in the rad can get out.

Bubo · 20 Aug 2010 at 08:38

Chris_83 said:
Shouldn't the springs be at the bottom and you tension onto them? Never done WC but it looks wrong in that photo.

In theory it shouldn't matter which side they go, however there is usually too much clearance between the plate and the bottom nut for the spring to be able to compress.