CM 690 First time water cool

max51 · 7 Jul 2011 at 09:42

Update, new parts turning up today. GPU blocks and all the fittings.
As for the cables it does need a lot of planning as the back looks like a birds nest at the moment

hbk123 · 7 Jul 2011 at 17:10

This should be excellent once its finished.

max51 · 8 Jul 2011 at 00:14

At last the rest of my parts have turned up.

Anti kink coils
Lamptron fan controller.
Lamptron spectral bar (blue)
EK FC-6970 water block's.
EK FC-6970 Nickel back plates
EK compression fittings
Xigmatek 120mm clear fans (blue LED)

GoogalyMoogaly · 8 Jul 2011 at 21:58

Good idea getting the tube cutter (as long as it fits the tubing). I got the same ones you have there when I re-did my loop. So much easier than a Stanley knife (which I used the first time)!

Careful when fitting the GPU blocks, I managed to kill my 5870 when I did mine (so had to replace it with a GTX 480 (which I've not done yet)

) and of course removing the stock cooler voids warranty (unless they're EVGA cards I think).

Also just spotted your 90º connectors on the XSPC RX240 rad. What did your flow rate ever do to you?

max51 · 10 Jul 2011 at 21:16

Hi all, i have had chance to do a little more to my project. To tackle the GPU's and fit the water blocks on them, a task that needed quite a lot of care and attention. To make sure you have the right thickness and right size thermal pads fitted to the right places. but for my first attempt i am very happy with the look and the outcome of them.
See the pics of them below and the first one installed in my build with the first bit of tubing connected to the top rad and CPU.

Block fitted.

Backplate fitted

The first one in place.
The next GPU i will take some pictures of the placement of the thermal pads to help others.
Sorry about some of the pics, as i have a slightly tempramental camara, i think i will have to invest in a new one at some point

max51 · 10 Jul 2011 at 22:40

Second GPU. Thermal pads fitted and standoffs fitted to the block.

max51 · 10 Jul 2011 at 23:55

Second GPU complete.

GPU's installed.

Now to sort the rest of the tubing and and some cable managment.

Lunawolfy · 11 Jul 2011 at 00:03

Looking excellent so far

Loving the chrome plate on the waterblock, makes the mobo look waaay bigger

max51 · 12 Jul 2011 at 12:14

Update, connected all the tubing to the blocks and res with loads of kitchen roll

Ready to leak test.

Ran the system all day and and i must admit i had one small leak

soon fixed though.
Once i had checked for any more leaks and got all of the air out, i am very impressed with the Alphacool D5 pump and the XSPC bay res. Peace at last

Apart from a slight background hum it is almost silent.

Now time to start to organise the cables. A bit of a task ahead

max51 · 12 Jul 2011 at 12:20

Cables out of the way as best i can, still needs little work at some point but looking good so far. glad i put the big rad at the bottom, room to hide lots of the cables. And to put the back on was a bit of a squeeze.

Hard work trying to hide all of them.

max51 · 12 Jul 2011 at 12:27

Almost there, time to put the front and side on.

Now time to check everything over and switch on. Fingers crossed !!
I will do the in the dark shots and the temp check later to check all is running well.

Shayper · 12 Jul 2011 at 15:17

Looking very nice mate

I love how the coolant in the cpu block matches the mobo perfectly, looks like you have a transparent CPU

ZZZAC · 12 Jul 2011 at 15:58

wow, that's real nice, get come more of the blue braid and hide all of the other cables, and this would be perfection

max51 · 12 Jul 2011 at 20:54

Thanks guys,
The last few cables i will be braiding as soon as the braid i have on order comes back into stock, then will add the last finishing touches.

max51 · 12 Jul 2011 at 21:02

More pics of my water cooling build.

max51 · 12 Jul 2011 at 21:12

Here are some temp and benchmark guides, max GPU temps for MSI Kombustor, and max CPU temps on prime 95. The GPU temps on watercooling have dropped by over 20 degrees. I have also added idle temps and a unigine benchmark

As you can guess i am well happy with my first ever attempt at watercooling

max51 · 12 Jul 2011 at 21:24

Review.
Starting with the case. A Cooler Master 690 II advanced.
I am well impressed with the quality of this case for the price and it has taken everything i have put into it without much problem. I have found it is a very easy case to work with , also plenty of room for even my duel graphics cards.
I have a couple of minor gripes, the side panel should have the option of no fan vent window as well as one with a vent, also i would have liked just a little more room behind the mobo tray for cable manegment as it is a bit of a squeeze to lay the cables flat enough.

max51 · 12 Jul 2011 at 21:40

Review for the cooling loop
CPU and GPU water blocks. EK Copper and Plexi. Full cover for the GPU's.
I found them very easy to install with a good set of instructions and instalation guide. Just be careful when stripping the air coolers of the GPU's and replacing them with the blocks.
Res with pump.
The bay res is the XSPC for the VPP655 or D5 pump.
SILENCE

As you can see from the pics i removed the tool free clips from the drive bay holders, as it is better to screw the res into place, and doing so it is very quiet with only a slight background hum.
Coolant used is the Mayhems UV blue.
Fan Controller i chose as it matched the case well is the Lamptron FC3. Clean and simple to use.

Liquid_Entity · 12 Jul 2011 at 21:42

Looks really good, I like that case too, so that is what I want for my build.

RJC · 12 Jul 2011 at 21:44

Very nice build