Full Water Cooling Build parts needed. First timer

shankly1985

shankly1985

shankly1985

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Hello guys can you spec me a full water cooling setup for RX VEGA and soon to own i7 8700k

The new case I going to buy with be Lian Li Alpha 550
Since this is my first try at water cooling loop I would like to use flexible tubing and solid Red and Black colour.

Also would be really helpful for an easy to drain tap or something. Budget around £400 enough?

Thanks

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Here you go comes in over your budget so you may decide to change fans or something but this should be all you need. Also I haven't included any fan splitters in case your case comes with a hub or whatever.

My basket at Overclockers UK:


Total: £552.61
(includes shipping: £11.10)



​
 
Last edited:
Doobedoo said:
Here you go comes in over your budget so you may decide to change fans or something but this should be all you need. Also I haven't included any fan splitters in case your case comes with a hub or whatever.

My basket at Overclockers UK:


Total: £552.61
(includes shipping: £11.10)



​
Click to expand...

Thanks a lot for taking your time doing this. Would 1x thicker 360 Rad be enough for both GPU and CPU? Dont really want to install a Rad at the front of the case.
 
shankly1985 said:
Thanks a lot for taking your time doing this. Would 1x thicker 360 Rad be enough for both GPU and CPU? Dont really want to install a Rad at the front of the case.
Click to expand...
It would but you'll probably need to run the fans a bit higher. General rule of thumb is 120mm rad per component plus 120mm for overclocking.

No harm in trying to begin with then adding a second if you need the extra cooling capacity.
 
You could save yourself a pretty penny if you swapped out all EK fittings along with the Res/Pump combo for Barrow fittings/res/pump. OCUK dont stock them but it is a very good alternative.
 
I would defiantly look at the barrow fittings as they soon add up with the amount you need, but to be honest I would stick with the EK D5 res and pump.
 
Doobedoo said:
I would defiantly look at the barrow fittings as they soon add up with the amount you need, but to be honest I would stick with the EK D5 res and pump.
Click to expand...

Pretty sure all D5 pumps are made by the same company, EK just put a sticker on and shove it in an EK box.

But look into Barrow fittings, I made out a list of what I needed, contacted someone who stocks them and they gave me a great discount.
 
I'd be tempted to get the transparent Supremacy EVO block if you're using coloured fluid and have a side window.

https://www.overclockers.co.uk/ek-water-blocks-ek-supremacy-evo-wc-637-ek.html

Same for the graphics card, although as you'd only be able to see it from under the card, maybe not as worth it.

I'd also be tempted to get 2m of tubing if it's your first time, gives you the chance to make the odd mistake (cutting tubing too short).

As for the radiator(s), I think you could get away with one. Maybe a 420mm in the top, gives a bit more than the 120mm per component + 120mm extra recommendation.
Maybe you could get something thicker than 30mm too, not sure how much space is available in the top of that case.

You may be able to add a 120mm rad on the rear exhaust, but it may clash with the top rad and even if it doesn't tube routing can be fiddly.
 
Dempsey22 said:
Pretty sure all D5 pumps are made by the same company, EK just put a sticker on and shove it in an EK box.

But look into Barrow fittings, I made out a list of what I needed, contacted someone who stocks them and they gave me a great discount.
Click to expand...
I'd prefer to buy the pump through ocuk if it was me, it's a known quantity and any issues would be sorted quickly. But it's not my money.
 
GoogalyMoogaly said:
You may be able to add a 120mm rad on the rear exhaust, but it may clash with the top rad and even if it doesn't tube routing can be fiddly.
Click to expand...
Straight from the Gpu into the rad and from the rad straight into the Cpu. Not much to it really 45 or 90 degree angles will defiantly help.. Just don't buy an EK slim rad as I had clearance issues with my pci slots.
 
Thanks a lot guys all being taken into account.
Tubing I wasn't planning on using a coloured liquid for my first time and was just going to buy coloured tubing?

Didn't realise the case supports 420mm Rad think I will go with that and see how it performs.
Tbh guys am not looking at keeping really low temperature am just wanting stable GPU and Cpu clocks if that means I can do this at 40c 50c 60c am happy.
 
shankly1985 said:
Thanks a lot guys all being taken into account.
Tubing I wasn't planning on using a coloured liquid for my first time and was just going to buy coloured tubing?

Didn't realise the case supports 420mm Rad think I will go with that and see how it performs.
Tbh guys am not looking at keeping really low temperature am just wanting stable GPU and Cpu clocks if that means I can do this at 40c 50c 60c am happy.
Click to expand...
Colored tubing or liquid is down to personal preference really. Just make sure what ever fluid you use has the right corrosion inhibitors to prevent any buildup in your loop.

420mm will be fine if your case supports it.
 
shankly1985 said:
Thanks a lot guys all being taken into account.
Tubing I wasn't planning on using a coloured liquid for my first time and was just going to buy coloured tubing?

Didn't realise the case supports 420mm Rad think I will go with that and see how it performs.
Tbh guys am not looking at keeping really low temperature am just wanting stable GPU and Cpu clocks if that means I can do this at 40c 50c 60c am happy.
Click to expand...
I'm basing that on the website, if you scroll to the bottom:
http://www.lian-li.com/en/dt_portfolio/pc-a550/
Radiator Support 360mm x 120mm / 420mm x 140mm
Click to expand...
not sure if that's top or front.

If you're going coloured tubing instead of liquid (which is what I'd probably do) then maybe not having transparent blocks is better. Although I do like the transparent blocks (and it's nice to be able to see if there are air bubbles).
 
GoogalyMoogaly said:
I'm basing that on the website, if you scroll to the bottom:
http://www.lian-li.com/en/dt_portfolio/pc-a550/

not sure if that's top or front.

If you're going coloured tubing instead of liquid (which is what I'd probably do) then maybe not having transparent blocks is better. Although I do like the transparent blocks (and it's nice to be able to see if there are air bubbles).
Click to expand...

Going by the image at the bottom of this link it supports 3x 140 at the top
https://drive.google.com/file/d/1DlGa8BLx0Yo17Ue7qLaxdnfqHXAX9fQp/view
 
What I wanted to do on my next WC build was to get one of these:
http://gelidsolutions.com/thermal-solutions/accessories-pwm-fan-adaptor/
(although not sure if the EK block allows access to the fan header)

and a couple of these:
https://www.overclockers.co.uk/akasa-flexa-fp3s-3-fan-pwm-controller-ak-cbfa06-30-cb-000-fs.html

then split the radiator fans to be controlled by the motherboard/GPU PWN fan header (but powered by the PSU directly, hence the adaptor cables).
That way you could just set fan curves as normal, rather than manually having to change the fans or set a static speed to run under load or idle.
Or you could use SpeedFan, but I could never (be bothered to) figure out how to use that.
 
I have the same blocks In the basket I posted and I don’t have an issue with air bubbles. Just run the pump at full speed with the res cap off and stilt, shake and tap the loop in a few places normally gets rid of any air.

I also have clear hoses and red coolant and i like the look of it, that way you have the red in your reservoir as well.

If you have the gpu block front facing then perhaps a clear block will look better, but you may need to use a 90 degree elbow to make your tubing run a bit nearer.
 
shankly1985 said:
@GoogalyMoogaly would air bubbles be easy to see if I just use the res/pump?

I might just go with clear tubing and red colour water.
The case also allows a GPU to be mounted front facing. :)
Click to expand...
It depends where the air bubbles are, if they're in the water blocks or rads a pump/res won't help. When you fill the system the res will allow you to see the air bubbles, but as long as the tubing isn't a solid colour you'll be able to see the bubbles in the tubes (except for the ones that get stuck in the blocks or rads). That's why people tend to tip the case around while (or just after) filling the system, to try to dislodge air bubbles (even the ones you can't see).

If you can mount the GPU with the bottom facing the side window, that might look cool if you have transparent blocks.

I don't want to make it sound like the black Acetel blocks are more of a problem than they are, I don't expect air bubbles to get trapped in the blocks much and a little tipping of the case with the pump running will probably dislodge any that may be there. It's just a little more guess-work with the Acetel blocks. I imagine most air gets stuck in the rads, which you can't do much about other than keep tipping the case and crossing your fingers.
 
Regarding one rad, I have currently one ek 360 PE rad in the front and while playing PUBG I get around 47C Gpu temps and 50C cpu. However fans are at around 1300-1400rpm, ambient around 22C. I could slow down fans to 1100-1200 but temps would go up by 3-4C, as my PC is not so close to me I don't mind.

Also I had ek pump/res combo bought from ocuk, which ocuk gives 1 year warranty on, but ek gives 2. When my pump failed after 1.5 years ek is great and they sent me new one just based on photos/video of the broken one. So very happy.
 
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