CPU Block orientation

almightydutch · 12 Dec 2011 at 10:09

Hi all, just starting to build my new rig and need a couple of answers.....I have a hunch that it wont really matter and may only make a degree or two difference for the whole loop but here goes:

1: I have a EK Supreme HF block (i5 2500k CPU), should I mount it so the holes are horizontal or vertical? Vertical means nicer tube routing but I am worried the block wont perform to its max capability.
Has anyone run the block that way or is it a big no no.

2: Last I had a GFX card in the loop I had two rads so choosing what componenets went where in the loop was easy, but I'm now building a loop with Vario d5, EK Supreme HF Block, EVGA GTX480 Hydro, XSPX RX360(maybe a res but not 100% on that yet)
What way should I be routing the tubing? Pump-CPU-Rad-GFX, Pump-Rad-CPU-GFX etc etc

Cleeecooo · 12 Dec 2011 at 10:17

Block orientation doesn't matter

You loop can go in any order as long as the res is before the pump

almightydutch · 12 Dec 2011 at 10:22

Cracking, perfect answers there mate, I had a feeling it wouldnt matter as the copper in the block will dissapate the heat enough for it to not matter which way.
As for the res, yeah I know that one.

Just sometimes you want a bit of backup to make sure your own thoughts are correct.
Nice one Cleeecoooo!!!!

Bubo · 12 Dec 2011 at 11:56

Thing with the EK block is that it has a jet plate inside, i.e. a metal plate with long thin slits cut into it. The idea of this is to direct the water flow and make sure it follows a certain path. I think it is intended to impinge water over where the cores are on the chip and therefore common sense would dictate that the slits should be in line with the cores. You can imagine if you had the slits at 90° to the cores that there would be a large area over the cores which would not see directly impinged flow. In other words the block is not rotationally symmetrical and to get the best out of it it should be mounted as per the instructions. For a i7 950 on a standard mobo means it the ports should be horizontal, I don't know if the i5 2***k is the same but you could get an idea where the core lies from the pin layout on the bottom and then see which direction this goes with the chip in the mobo. The slits ought to be in line with the long axis of the core.

Edit: just to clarify if you can't see your jet plate if you don't have a plexitop, the long axis of the slits lies 90° to a line between the inlet/outlet ports. So if you want your slits vertical the ports have to be horizontal.

Also, you should factor in the recent release of a new jet plate for these blocks, I specifically that it was to improve the performance of this block with i7 2**K chips, though I would have thought i5's would be similar. The new jet plate still has the long slit, only it has a single slightly wider one rather than two thinner ones on the default plate.

Cleeecooo · 12 Dec 2011 at 16:06

almightydutch said:
Cracking, perfect answers there mate, I had a feeling it wouldnt matter as the copper in the block will dissapate the heat enough for it to not matter which way.
As for the res, yeah I know that one.

Just sometimes you want a bit of backup to make sure your own thoughts are correct.
Nice one Cleeecoooo!!!!

No problem

Bubo, I fcourse, what you say is right but it doesn't make a HUGE difference.

Personally I'd buy some 45 degree fittings

almightydutch · 20 Dec 2011 at 14:12

For the moment i'm gonna see what its like sitting with the in/out in a vertical arrangement seeing as i've installed it that way for now. I dont mind messing about later on with fittings/orientation but we'll see what temps I get with layout #1.