Comments on my spec please

R.C.Anderson · 9 Sep 2011 at 13:55

I've got a 2500k & 6950 (unlocked to 6970), all housed in a HAF-X, but due to the temperature of my 6950 reaching 90+ when under full load (unless fans are at about 100%, then the noise is unbearable) I want to watercool, and there's no point not also watercooling my CPU whilst I'm at it

So, this is what I've been looking at:

Any comment, or suggestions for improvement?

Also, where does everyone get their distilled water from? I heard chemists/pharmacies are a good place, is this probably the best chance?

GoogalyMoogaly · 9 Sep 2011 at 14:00

I'd suggest 3-6 Gentle Typhoons

R.C.Anderson · 9 Sep 2011 at 14:09

Ah, yea, forgot to add fans, I'm going to be leaving the 2 200mm fans in the top of the case to pull air through the radiator, but I'm thinking of 120mm fans to push as well

mike gunnz · 9 Sep 2011 at 14:25

R.C.Anderson said:
I've got a 2500k & 6950 (unlocked to 6970), all housed in a HAF-X, but due to the temperature of my 6950 reaching 90+ when under full load (unless fans are at about 100%, then the noise is unbearable) I want to watercool, and there's no point not also watercooling my CPU whilst I'm at it So, this is what I've been looking at:

Any comment, or suggestions for improvement?

Also, where does everyone get their distilled water from? I heard chemists/pharmacies are a good place, is this probably the best chance?

Halfords - 5L of deionised for a fiver. No different from distilled in WC terms.

Get more than 2m of tubing to give yourself plenty of margin for error and enough to mess around with different routing piossibilities. Its cheap so just get 3 or 4 metres.

That TA 360rad is crazy expensive.

Consider the EK XT 360 currently on offer. Half the price and ample for your cooling needs.

Personally I'd always go for a 12v/18w DDC pump.

Edit/ Fans: Akasa Vipers are excellent as are the Scythes. Quiet, push lots of air and high static pressure.

R.C.Anderson · 9 Sep 2011 at 23:19

mike gunnz said:
Halfords - 5L of deionised for a fiver. No different from distilled in WC terms.
Thanks, I'll look into that

Get more than 2m of tubing to give yourself plenty of margin for error and enough to mess around with different routing piossibilities. Its cheap so just get 3 or 4 metres.
I hadn't fully decided how much tubing I would get yet, or even if I would actually get that tubing (I might decide to get some red tubes), but I was going to roughly measure out the length that would be needed with some string or something, then add a bit more to that.

That TA 360rad is crazy expensive.

Consider the EK XT 360 currently on offer. Half the price and ample for your cooling needs.
Yea, it's more expensive, but it does perform better (I'm assuming mainly because it's a lot thicker) But I would quite like the capability to go crossfire in the future, without having to buy a new rad, that's why I chose the TA360. The other thing I considered, was getting a cheaper 360 for the top (like the EK one), and a 140 (preferably, but would probably be a 120) for the rear. What do you think about that?

Personally I'd always go for a 12v/18w DDC pump.
Ah yea, I forgot when I added it to the cart, it was only the 10W version, shame ocuk aren't stocking the 18W at the moment

Edit/ Fans: Akasa Vipers are excellent as are the Scythes. Quiet, push lots of air and high static pressure. Thanks for the recommendation, I'll have to look into the 2 different ones, see which I think are the best

Krony · 10 Sep 2011 at 11:34

If ur going for some Scythe GT's i would get the 1850rpm ones and add a fan controller, as for the rad the TA is probably the best 120.3 rad atm followed closely by the Black Ice SR-1 and the XSPC RX.

mike gunnz · 10 Sep 2011 at 11:37

Regarding future crossfire: yeah that's a valid reason to get the TA although the XT would probably handle it as well. I did 5870 crossfire with an EK 360 with no probs but the TA would be better and last through future builds.

Wouldn't bother adding a second smaller rad, it won't help temps by much.

Deffo shop around for an 18w pump or better still get a D5.

R.C.Anderson · 11 Sep 2011 at 14:48

Cheers for the help guys, I'll find some more in depth reviews that will allow me to compare the EK XT, and the Thermochill TA rads.

If I was going to go with a second, smaller radiator as well, I would only get it if/when I go crossfire, do you still not think it would be worthwhile then?

As for the pump, I thought the 18W DDC was meant to be better than the D5, unless it's a high restriction loop, and I didn't think mine would be classed under that, as it's only 2 blocks (upto 3 in the future), and 1 radiator?

xtremedetailz · 11 Sep 2011 at 15:39

I was under the impression DDC's were much better with high restriction loops and the D5 with less resriction loops.
Thats why i have gone DDC ultra this time over a D5 as i will have lots onf 45's, 90's, and a few rads in the loop.
I have got a EK XT360 rad, a Slimline 280 rad, an EK Supreme and EK GPU block with a phobya 150 res and the DDC is still making the water in the res turbulant (even tho its got the anti cyclone kit in it)

Cleeecooo · 11 Sep 2011 at 20:54

Most if not all D5s have speed control so I don't think the difference will be too much. Ofcourse, you can't have a DDC for a really high restriction loop

ThePengu1n · 11 Sep 2011 at 21:29

Think you need a 6950 block, not a 6970 one, as you have a 6950

R.C.Anderson · 11 Sep 2011 at 21:51

Ah ok, I might have misunderstand about the pumps, maybe it's just that you can get away with the DDC on a low restriction loop.

and ThePengu1n, there aren't any 6950 blocks, as the 6970 & 6950 share PCBs, so the blocks would be exactly the same, therefore the 6970 blocks work on 6950s.