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For me, there's not much that would justify £27 for a fan...
First time watercooler - spec + questions
- Thread starter Damien.
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no
On a price to performance ratio then those fans are never going to be a good deal but that's not the only reason you buy them.
If you spend £200 on fittings, £50 extra on GPU block because you like the look of it more, £80 on PSU cables, £200 on pump Res tubes, £200 on rads. Why would you then not buy the most aesthetically pleasing to your eyes fans?
Yes they are stupidly expensive but I do like my sl120 and I am considering changing all 6 for al120. Even to me that seems like madness so I am just thinking about it.
If you spend £200 on fittings, £50 extra on GPU block because you like the look of it more, £80 on PSU cables, £200 on pump Res tubes, £200 on rads. Why would you then not buy the most aesthetically pleasing to your eyes fans?
Yes they are stupidly expensive but I do like my sl120 and I am considering changing all 6 for al120. Even to me that seems like madness so I am just thinking about it.
@Haz123 True but I think I have my eyes on the EK black fans with removable corners. Something looks really sexy about some of the partial black stealth builds with glowing liquid from subtle RGB glowing from other areas.
As I'm going mainly matte black tubing top and bottom keeping two inlets to the GPU and CPU clear.
As I'm going mainly matte black tubing top and bottom keeping two inlets to the GPU and CPU clear.
So it looks like I hit a little snag. 
Cannot fit a 60mm radiator with the front distribution plate. Cannot get the fittings in. They hit the metal housing for the IO plate (0.3mm too big with the fittings) and the fan gets in the road of the fittings in the front. Plus a 90 degree fitting is way too tight to get into the holes to the front plate.
I'll save the 60mm radiator for a future build. Had to order the 40mm radiator but did get the Nemesis 360 radiator on the floor with the front distro plate. Had to dremel out two PCI brackets that I don't need. It's going to look real nice.
Getting all the fittings lined up for the tubing next week. I wanted to go for a square look for the tubings in how they line up. I think I'm going to go with PMMA tubes. Inlet clear, outlet black.
I must say though, black nickel fittings is so sexy on the front distribution plate.
Cannot fit a 60mm radiator with the front distribution plate. Cannot get the fittings in. They hit the metal housing for the IO plate (0.3mm too big with the fittings) and the fan gets in the road of the fittings in the front. Plus a 90 degree fitting is way too tight to get into the holes to the front plate.I'll save the 60mm radiator for a future build. Had to order the 40mm radiator but did get the Nemesis 360 radiator on the floor with the front distro plate. Had to dremel out two PCI brackets that I don't need. It's going to look real nice.
Getting all the fittings lined up for the tubing next week. I wanted to go for a square look for the tubings in how they line up. I think I'm going to go with PMMA tubes. Inlet clear, outlet black.
I must say though, black nickel fittings is so sexy on the front distribution plate.
Which blackice rad did you go for? GTX or the LX series? I don't have that type of case, but the performance difference between the 2 is negligible and wouldn't be surprised if the LX fit as the dimensions are couple cm smaller than the GTX variant.
The EK X3M fans are really nice.. but a little too loud for my liking (above 1600rpm. I have 7 of these buggers in my rig and will be replacing them with the AL120 (mainly for cable management and aesthetics.).. but in terms of vibrancy, EK wins these ones over the AL's
The EK X3M fans are really nice.. but a little too loud for my liking (above 1600rpm. I have 7 of these buggers in my rig and will be replacing them with the AL120 (mainly for cable management and aesthetics.).. but in terms of vibrancy, EK wins these ones over the AL's
It's the Nemesis GTS 360. http://hardwarelabs.com/nemesis/gts/360gts/
Hopefully I wont need to go above 1000rpm on the fans. Hoping for 800rpm. The fans in matte black with that kind of Transformers black rubber is very sexy.
With the way the EK fans are shaped, they really helped routing the fittings. It would have been a real struggle if it was square fans.
The build is coming together nicely. Got the 40mm EK radiator and fans installed on top and the Nemesis GTS 360 on the bottom. The fittings that's going to make most of the runs straight is looking pretty sweet. Matte black on the rear end, black nickel on the front to compliment the acrylic. Everything is looking very stealth.
Inlet pipes will be clear and outlet matte black.
After numerous measurements I decided to go with the 12mm. 14mm and 16mm would look too chunky for the case. With 12mm it'll make the pipes look nice and long. Plus the fittings don't get in the road for 12mm.
Onto cable management tomorrow to get ready for the pipes. The space is getting tighter and tighter.
It was their build (GGF Events) that inspired me to go mostly black. Keeping the Corsair ram, GPU plate and Distro plate with some RGB.
Stealth looks so slick with subtle RGB.
Hopefully I wont need to go above 1000rpm on the fans. Hoping for 800rpm. The fans in matte black with that kind of Transformers black rubber is very sexy.
With the way the EK fans are shaped, they really helped routing the fittings. It would have been a real struggle if it was square fans.
The build is coming together nicely. Got the 40mm EK radiator and fans installed on top and the Nemesis GTS 360 on the bottom. The fittings that's going to make most of the runs straight is looking pretty sweet. Matte black on the rear end, black nickel on the front to compliment the acrylic. Everything is looking very stealth.
Inlet pipes will be clear and outlet matte black.
After numerous measurements I decided to go with the 12mm. 14mm and 16mm would look too chunky for the case. With 12mm it'll make the pipes look nice and long. Plus the fittings don't get in the road for 12mm.
Onto cable management tomorrow to get ready for the pipes. The space is getting tighter and tighter.
It was their build (GGF Events) that inspired me to go mostly black. Keeping the Corsair ram, GPU plate and Distro plate with some RGB.
Stealth looks so slick with subtle RGB.
What's a good recommended drainage fittings for hooking up a hose to the front distro plate? Since I'm all EK fittings.
Getting real close now to start work on the pipe measurements. What a task this has been so far. Will have to install the fittings down the back of the GPU for the limited space I have. It's the last part to complete.
It's worse than a very hard jigsaw.
Getting real close now to start work on the pipe measurements. What a task this has been so far. Will have to install the fittings down the back of the GPU for the limited space I have. It's the last part to complete.
It's worse than a very hard jigsaw.
What's a good recommended drainage fittings for hooking up a hose to the front distro plate? Since I'm all EK fittings.
Getting real close now to start work on the pipe measurements. What a task this has been so far. Will have to install the fittings down the back of the GPU for the limited space I have. It's the last part to complete.
It's worse than a very hard jigsaw.
i've got a couple of these in my loop:
https://www.overclockers.co.uk/ek-w...fwiEhmm3cB8-1632944972-0-gqNtZGzNAmWjcnBszQel
You use a fitting on the end of the pipe, I use some soft clear pipe and a soft tube compression fitting. You unscrew the cap and screw in the fitting and then quarter turn the drain port body and pull it towards you which then opens the port, I have one also.
From what I've searched, most used a male to male connector connecting it to the distro plate then running the tube to it so it doesn't sag.
I assume it's also fine to have the top radiator in a push exhaust from the fans below the radiator or having the fans right to the roof so the top of the radiator is completely below the fill exterior port?
Been checking everything before I start cutting pipes.
I assume it's also fine to have the top radiator in a push exhaust from the fans below the radiator or having the fans right to the roof so the top of the radiator is completely below the fill exterior port?
Been checking everything before I start cutting pipes.
Hmm, I'm thinking I'll go with one of the metal passthrough temperature sensors that can be hooked up behind the GPU on its outlet. Keeping the piping all clean looking rather than a big gaudy box on display from the piping. Looking at these OLED readouts, they're real nice but big. Plus it seems a large number of complaints about them.
I assume it's ok to have an XSPC (temperature passthrough) part along with EK fittings?
I assume it's ok to have an XSPC (temperature passthrough) part along with EK fittings?