DIY Water Cooling Kits?

Andy_Curtis · 6 Dec 2017 at 15:21

Hi All,

only 1 week into my first ever PC build and I have the itch to make some changes.
I wanted to water cool the PC from the beginning, but have no experience so decided to postpone that....

To get a bit of practice and an understanding of it all, before I attempt a full, hard tubing build in the future, I thought I'd try one of those DIY loops?

Has anyone got experience with these? Are they risky/leaky?

My basket at Overclockers UK:

1 x EK Water Blocks A240 Fluid Gaming Performance Water Cooling Kit = £159.95
- Additional Radiator :Unwanted
- Add Coloured Fittings:Unwanted

Total: £168.65 (includes shipping: £8.70)

UnworthyBean · 6 Dec 2017 at 15:27

The kit is just a selection of stuff that works together to save you the time of picking and choosing. Just a quick look but I'm fairly sure that each part of the kit can be bought separately on it's own.

In theory, you could buy this kit and change out the fittings and tubing to get a hard tube kit later down the line.

So, to answer the question, EK are a decent brand and they're highly unlikely to leak. Just remember to test without the computer powered on.

Andy_Curtis · 6 Dec 2017 at 15:30

UnworthyBean said:
The kit is just a selection of stuff that works together to save you the time of picking and choosing. Just a quick look but I'm fairly sure that each part of the kit can be bought separately on it's own.

In theory, you could buy this kit and change out the fittings and tubing to get a hard tube kit later down the line.

So, to answer the question, EK are a decent brand and they're highly unlikely to leak. Just remember to test without the computer powered on.

Yeah I thought that was the case. I'd rather get this all in one kit for now, just to practice filling/cleaning a loop and getting a feel for handling liquid in the PC.
Then when I am more confident, Ill add some hard tubing, buy some extra fittings and cool the GPU as well.

haszek · 6 Dec 2017 at 16:01

I went the same route. Flex tubing gave me some experience, what I'm dealing with, how it all works. I think it's safer in terms of leaks (compared to hardline). Instruction is also good for those kits, which shows you step by step (except it doesn't say to flush radiator prior).

It would still be good to think about some extra fittings and drain valve, maybe few angled fittings (to avoid kinks, they can be used later with hardline too).

Smffy · 6 Dec 2017 at 18:48

Andy_Curtis said:
Yeah I thought that was the case. I'd rather get this all in one kit for now, just to practice filling/cleaning a loop and getting a feel for handling liquid in the PC.
Then when I am more confident, Ill add some hard tubing, buy some extra fittings and cool the GPU as well.

Just to highlight these new ‘gaming’ kits are aluminium and not copper/nickel. NEVER mix them, i.e in two years don’t decide to get a stand-alone block and use that radiator.

It’s a cost saver to bring price down and perfectly fine but have a read of the galvanic corrosion sticky and be mindful of what you pair together. Also know that people here will pair you the components of you need help pal.

Edit: drain valve advisable but I don’t think there are aluminium ones... unless it’s a kit option? Particularly advisable if you are mounting in a cramped case. That or quick release.

D1craig · 6 Dec 2017 at 23:33

Andy_Curtis said:
Yeah I thought that was the case. I'd rather get this all in one kit for now, just to practice filling/cleaning a loop and getting a feel for handling liquid in the PC.
Then when I am more confident, Ill add some hard tubing, buy some extra fittings and cool the GPU as well.

make sure to check your gpu has an aluminium block available as a normal copper block wont work (well it will work but after a month or so the different metals will corrode each other).

facboy · 7 Dec 2017 at 19:39

Honestly I would just put your own loop together using copper parts. The alu is just dead end if you want to swap out or add parts later.

Mick-1965 · 8 Dec 2017 at 11:24

Honestly, all this scaremongering about mixing alu and copper.
Its not a problem if you use the correct coolant.

Smffy · 8 Dec 2017 at 12:29

Mick-1965 said:
Honestly, all this scaremongering about mixing alu and copper.
Its not a problem if you use the correct coolant.

Lol yes it is... the corrosive inhibitors are not a magic bullet that completely prevents corrosion. They won’t slow the process down or prevent with such a difference in index.

Mick-1965 · 8 Dec 2017 at 12:52

Smffy said:
Lol yes it is... the corrosive inhibitors are not a magic bullet that completely prevents corrosion. They won’t slow the process down or prevent with such a difference in index.

Thats sarcasm....Right

One of my water cooling systems with alu radiator, copper radiator and to add to the mix a cast iron pump put together in 2005 is still running fine today.
By some of the posts in this thread its should have all corroded away 10 years ago. lol

As said if the right coolant is used then there is no problem.

facboy · 8 Dec 2017 at 16:50

Why do it if you don't have to?

Smffy · 8 Dec 2017 at 17:32

facboy said:
Why do it if you don't have to?

Coz no logic, don’t do it end of story. Unless you want to attempt to get lucky at the risk of killing your expensive components.

Pointless.

Bluntwrapped · 8 Dec 2017 at 18:21

Black Ice Nemesis GTX rad, Silent Wings 3 fans, D5 pump/res combo, EK fittings, clear tubing, EK CPU block and whatever coolant you want to use.

Better than any kit and just as easy to put together.

Mick-1965 · 9 Dec 2017 at 00:15

facboy said:
Why do it if you don't have to?

If you dont have to is a good point, then why or why not ?

All I was stating was if you happen to, then there is no problem if you take the right precautions
Its like crossing the road. Do it right and you wont get run over.

simple..... al and cu do not have a problem together in a wc loop if the right coolant is used.

Mick-1965 · 9 Dec 2017 at 00:25

Smffy said:
Coz no logic, don’t do it end of story. Unless you want to attempt to get lucky at the risk of killing your expensive components.

Pointless.

hmmm 10 + years of luck.
Ok by me.
Come on, you sound like you're an intelligent lad, stop listening to the whispers that have now been blow out of all proportion..... do some research.

Smffy · 9 Dec 2017 at 01:03

Mick-1965 said:
hmmm 10 + years of luck.
Ok by me.
Come on, you sound like you're an intelligent lad, stop listening to the whispers that have now been blow out of all proportion..... do some research.

Or stop recommending a problem. Done replying so don’t bother.

Bluntwrapped · 9 Dec 2017 at 09:41

Lol that escalated quickly..

If you want to watercool on the cheap, buy an AIO.

If you’re going to do a custom loop, do it properly and piece it together yourself. A kit comprising of fairly crap components, like the EK one above, is likely to put you off for life.

Aluminium, DDC pump, yuck

Mick-1965 · 9 Dec 2017 at 11:20

Smffy said:
Or stop recommending a problem. Done replying so don’t bother.

How am I recommending a problem, when there is no problem if its dealt with correctly.

Dismiss alu radiators if you wish by saying they dont dissipate heat as well as a copper equivalent or you dont like the colour are valid enough arguments
but saying a problem exists without actually knowing that is does exist is not the right way to criticise a product. This is how old wives tales come about.

Andy_Curtis · 10 Dec 2017 at 20:47

Well thanks fr all the replies haha. And good to see some friendly feedback on each others posts hehe.

Water cooling is a long way off anyway. I might decide against it some way down the road.