First timer needing a little guidance

logicfry

logicfry

logicfry

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Joined
20 Jun 2013
Posts
261
Hey all,

After 2 years of running my system OC'd on air, it's time to go water and do a little upgrade.
looking to upgraed from 3570k (@4.4) to 4770k and from gtx560ti to gtx770 and water cool both the cpu and gpu.
Been reading the sticky threads all morning and have been checking out parts etc. This has left a number of questions.

so the spec system will be
i7 4770k, want to OC to at least 4.4ghz
gigabyte z97x-ud5h
2gb gainward gtx770, want to OC.
xclio case can take internal 240mm rad

would like to have a 5.25" bay reservoir but i'm lost in the detail of what size fittings are needed, what side tube fits these fittings and how to split the pump outlet into 2 parallel flows for each part of the system.
not looking for the cheapest solution, just a decent performer without any extra bells and whistles that are unneeded.

how do i know what size fittings to get? each website seems to give different to little info on exact part fitments.

am i best getting a kit and expanding it to take the graphics card?

how do i split the pump output into parallel circuits and back again before the rad?

fan control, is the mobo ok for controlling the rad fans or is a controller really needed?

and lastly, is a 240mm rad with 1L reservoir enough to cool both the hot bits?

thanks for reading.
 
Hey people, thanks for the info.

Yeah the case can't really take a bigger rad so looking for a new one is prob the right thing to do. this is my current one, a cheapo Xclio Nighthawk. TBH it's been a great case but only running air cooling so far.
XCLIO-Nighthawk.jpg



That 450d looks like a nice case, wonder if you could move the audio and usb connections down one slot and get a 3rd fan in there?

so my thinking about wanting only cold(cooled) fluid to both gpu and cpu isn't the right way to think about the plumbing, well it is my first time :D
so would a loop of pump>cpu>240rad>gpu>240rad>reservoir work?

how big sould the reservoir be? does it need to get bigger the more things you cool, or is the extra fluid in the bigger rad(s) enough?

with 2 rads in the loop does it need a better pump or will any old pump do?
 
Unless it makes routing easier or more aesthetically pleasing, don't bother trying to route a rad in between the blocks.
Reservoir size makes little to no difference unless it's the size of a bucket/barrel. Basically, don't worry about it.

Any half decent pump will handle that kind of loop easily.
 
great thanks!

so how much rad do i need for cooling an overclocked i7 and 770? anything more than 240mm is new case time anyway. not fussed about how it all looks really, will try to make the best install possible but not adding parts or spec for the sake of aesthetics.
spose i could run an external rad as big as i like, there are holes in the case for it.

so would the loop be better to go past the CPU first as it runs cooler than the GPU?
 
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360mm total should cover it. 2x240 would be great.

ED: Loop order isn't really that important either. Go with whatever looks best or is easier to route.
The only thing to remember is to always go res-pump.
 
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so does this looks like a workable first stab at cooling?

system 4770k +OC, gainward gtx770 +OC

cooling parts
Corsair 450d case
EK sbay single slot reservoir
single EK DDC 3.2 pump
EK p360 radiator
EK-FC770 gainward version GPU block
EK-Supremacy CPU block
EK csq 10-13mm g1/4 fittings x8
clear 13/10 tube
3x Corsair af120 fans
Artic cooling mx-2 paste
EK-Ekoolant 1L

As far as I can tell all the fittings are the same size on those parts and the tube is to suit the fittings.

are there any kits that could reduce the overall cost, most seem to be just for cpu anyway. is it worth expanding on of these kits to take the gpu too?
 
Have you looked at the Corsair Air540 case? See link in my sig for example.

You'll get a 240mm and a 360mm rad in there easilly, and it's more than enough even if you decide to double up on your GPU's in future.

** Edit **

You won't get a bay res in the Air540.

Also, why have you specced AF120 fans? It should be SP120. Static Pressure for rads.
 
Sorry to barge in on the thread but basically if you're running a single gfx card and not overclocked, there's no advantage to watercooling right? Specing up a new gaming rig and looking at the cooling solutions.
 
Paul N said:
Sorry to barge in on the thread but basically if you're running a single gfx card and not overclocked, there's no advantage to watercooling right? Specing up a new gaming rig and looking at the cooling solutions.
Click to expand...

my 2nd rig is watercooled and has 1 GPU. its about the silence rather than the look and cost.
 
Paul N said:
Sorry to barge in on the thread but basically if you're running a single gfx card and not overclocked, there's no advantage to watercooling right? Specing up a new gaming rig and looking at the cooling solutions.
Click to expand...

As said above, it's about noise reduction and also aesthetics too. Having said that, if I were spending money on a custom loop I'd be spending the extra tenner on a K chip and having a dabble.
 
Paul N said:
So the fan on the watercooler doesn't kick up nearly as much as the air cooled ones I take it?
Click to expand...

Correct, more so for GPU'S. My gtx 670 would touch 68 degrees on air and the fans were loud whilst keeping it below 70 (custom fan curve). Under water, the same load has it sitting at 40 degrees and my rad fans (sp120) are set at 900 rpm via fan controller.

I've actually went SLI with another 670, and the second is on air at the minute. I had forgotten how noisy the rig gets when gaming. The second gpu will be under water as soon as ocuk get some stock of Monsoon fittings. .. I can't stand the noise!
 
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