Building my own PC?

Barso

Barso

Barso

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27 May 2009
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278
I am going build my own PC after problems with the company that built the PC I have just sent back.
These are my parts:
Coolermaster cosmos s,
Tagan piperock 1100 PSU,
Pioneer BDR 203BK blu-ray,
ASUS P6T deluxe V2 or ASUS RAMPAGE II extreme,
core i7 940,
Zotac GTX295 (already have this),
soundblaster X-FI TITANIUM,
2x samsung spinpoint F2EG 1TB HDD's.
What do you think?
How hard is it to build and install a watercooling kit?
I am looking at the overclockers kit Swiftech H20-220 APEX ULTIMA PLUS.
If I buy all of my kit from overclockers, is there any reductions in price?
Thanks for the help.
 
I don't think you get reductions, but might be worth sending a webnote asking.
Components look good. I'd choose P6T deluxe over the rampage, and the 920 D0 over the 940. If you want to drop that much money on processor, it's got to be the 950 not the 940.
You've forgotten ram.

Watercooling isn't difficult if you're willing to research it. Far better to assemble from components rather than buying a kit, rather analogous to assembling a computer beating buying one prebuilt. If you want to cool graphics as well as cpu you'll need reasonably impressive radiators, which you'll need to find a location in your case for.
 
If you don't ask, you don't get - it's always worth ringing up to see if you can wrangle a discount; maybe half price shipping since you don't have enough posts yet.
 
I already have the RAMand the GPU.
Thanks for the help,I am looking at the coolermaster cosmos S.
What are the main things to look out for when watercooling?
I intend to assemble the watercooling kit and let it run for 24HRS to sort out any leaks, I dread to think installing it and finding a leak!!!!
I am looking at installing a 240mm radiator at the top of the case with a swiftech CPU block.
For pump and reservoir,the XSPC Dual 750 bay reservoir and pump.
What else would I need?
 
As long as you're sure the ram is compatible, thats all good then.

In a case, you're looking for places radiators will fit. I cheated and bought the akasa omega, which holds a fair few radiators without modification.
Otherwise, have a look through the water cooled case gallery and see what people have done. Dremels tend to be involved.
A bigger case will be easier to fit radiators into than a small one, there's some beautiful matx watercooled systems out there but they're not so easy to assemble.

I wouldn't recommend the combined reservoir pump. Firstly, you don't need that much water in the system. Secondly, the pump isn't so good. The laing ddc with xspc top is the standard answer, and it's what I'm using now. Very pleased with it.
 
Thanks for the help,much appreciated.
What cables do you recommend I buy to connect the PSU to the different components?
I don't want to start assembling and find the build is postponed because of the abscence of one cable.
I will go with the separate reservoir and pump now.So I will be installing reservoir,pump,CPU clock,120mm radiator and two 120mm fans.
What is the sequence for the components? Where should I be running the tubing to and from?
 
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Everything you need should be supplied with the PSU. If you want to be double sure and have a few spare £, grab these extension cables. To be honest, i doubt you will need them. The Cosmos S is big but not stupid big.
 
The order of components in a watercooling loop is irrelevant. The only thing you need to be concerned with is that your reservoir should be before the pump. In your case, then, you'd be looking at

Res -> Pump -> CPU -> Radiator -> Res
or
Res -> Pump -> Radiator -> CPU -> Res

This rule would also stick if you started adding other waterblocks into your loop at a later date.
 
Thanks for the help guys.
The last thing that worries me is the motherboard.
Are they easy to assemble and attach the watercooling CPU block to and how easy are the jumpers to sort?
I think I will go with the the i7920 and OC to 3.6.
Thanks again,you've been very helpful.
 
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Pretty easy mate. It will come with some screws and hopefully a backing plate, you put the backing plate on the underside of the motherboard, then the block in place with some TIM (arctic silver 5 or whatever your choice is), drop the screws into the matching holes in the board andtighten that baby up. I always tighten opposite corners myself, a bit like chaging a car wheel. Not sure how much difference it makes in reality, but in my head i like to think i'm being thorough. It should come with instructions anwyays.

The 920 is a good choice as Jon mentioned. Excellent value for money and will easily hit 3.6 under water. The P6T is also th board of choice at the moment. You can't fail to go wrong really.

Don't forget of course you need to buy a couple of meters of hose/tubing, plus you'll need a hoseclip (avoid the plastic ones. jst order the stainless steel jubilee clips, or pick some up from B+Q or something) for every barb. You'll also need 2 barbs for each component you have. 2 on the rad, 2 on res, 2 on pump (probably supplied with) and 2 on the water block.

1/2" tubing is the general favourite, but a couple of guys on here ran some really good tests proving that size of tubing really makes little difference so it's whatever looks best to you.

Aside from that, you're good to go!

edit: as for jumpers, Asus boards come with a very handy little block where you stick your case cables onto the pins that are colour coordinated, and then the whole thing goes right on the board. So easy my Nan could do it.
 
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Thanks again,invaluable information.
I owe you a beer.
I don't know why I didn't build my own in the first place.
I stand to save a fortune building my own and with the components I want also.
 
What flids do I need for the watercooling?
There are additives, dyes, feser1,primachill etc.
Di I drill the holes into the reservoir then fit the barbs for the tubing or do reservoirs come with barbs fitted?
 
Won't need to drill and tap holes in anything, probably need to screw the barbs in yourself.

Feser 1 filled my waterblocks with crap, so I'm abandoning it. Going to use deionised water from a garage instead. Dyes are probably not worth the risk, go for coloured tubing instead. PT nuke or similar is quite good, and some form of anticorrosion additive is probably a good idea.
 
As above, dyes leave a nice residue over everything. Not sure what impact that has performance wise but, i'd avoid them myself. Coloured tubing is the way with some deionised water, as the man says.

The res will either have barbs fitted, or barbs you need to screw in. Everythign is plug and play. The only drilling you will need to do is for your case to fit the radiator.
 
Thanks,I will be getting coloured tubing then
All I need is some ant-corrosion coolant then?
Seems I am all ready to start this build.
Thanks for the help.
 
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