In To The Deep End (Watercooling)

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Joined
18 Oct 2005
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606
Location
Swansea
hey people

heres my situation.

i have just spent £200 on this watercooling kit

Swiftech H20-220 Apex Ultra+ Watercooling Kit (Socket 462/478/LGA775/754/939/940)

http://www.overclockers.co.uk/showproduct.php?prodid=WC-021-SW

it has just hit me that i am in way over my head.

i have built many PC's but this is my first go at water cooling.

the reason for water cooling is probably curiosity (sp?)

also i am geting a opty 170 tomoro.

my specs

opty 146 - SI-120
dfi mobo
2gb ram
ati 1800xt
2x 160 hdds
Coolermaster Stacker

i have read this tutorial a few times and most of it makes sence to me
http://www.xtremesystems.org/forums/showthread.php?t=54331

the problem i have is where to start and what i need.
i will also take pictures ant each step of the way this will probs help you help me :) (just got to find cam :eek: )

im only cooling the cpu atm

i need to get
distilled water (for the loop and to flush the rad and the cpu block)
viniger to clean the rad
and some help from you people :)

before i do anything i need to plan where im gona put everything.

pic of my current setup
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v638/Stevewill6/Picture004.jpg

i have 3 choices for the rad

at the very front of the case
(this meens i will have to move my drives up but there is enough room from looking at it)

at the bottom of the case (that would restrict airflow?)

or

at the back mounted externaly (id have to cut 2 holes for the tubeing and im not sure how it would mount)

the reservoir needs to be mounted high so i was thinking of mounting it where my UV cold cathode is. how im not sure but there are a few screw holes.

the pump is the easy one i can mount it at the bottom of the case or in one of the hdd cages i have.

sugestions so far

im trying to get my head round this so you are gona have to try and bair with me.

Thanks

Steve
 
i will be getting disstiled water tomoro night

i can flush the rad and the cpu block then.

also gona have to find a way of mounting the hdds with out the hdd cages :S
 
Check these threads for ideas on rad and res placement.

Here

Here

Also i would suggest downloading the Swiftech PDF for you kit and have a good read through it before your wc arrives.
 
Last edited:
iv decided to mount the rad at the back off the case upside down so the barbs come through the hole at the bottom of my case by the cathode button

can be seen in this picture
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v638/Stevewill6/Picture004.jpg

the pump will sit at the bottom and im gona mount the res on the side of the drive bays mounted on to some of the screw holes that can be seen in the picture above

will mounting the rad with the barbs at the bottom cause any problems?
(i have seen it done just want to conferm it will not cause problems)
 
i have exactly that case and went watercooling recently. i mounted my rad in the top of case. granted it took some cutting to achieve it but im well impressed now. its great case. ill post some picks in a minute.
 






tubing is far to long but im gonna sort that out soon. and all the cables are a mess but essentially its a top mounted rad a drive bay reservoir and an ehaim pump mounted underneath. To get the PSU cage out from the top you will need a drill.
 
Bottom vent with the mesh removed is almost the perfect size for a dual rad, drill a couple of mounting screw holes or use HD double sided tape.
 
When i first thaught of going for a water setup i was literally bricking it, really wasnt keen on the whole water+electricity thing but now that ive done it and its all working perfectly (never over 40c full load on my opteron 146@2,7ghz) i wish i had done it sooner rather than later.
 
latest20case20fri20mediju9.jpg

Got my Rad in the roof, by the way the bend coming from the top of the pump is an optical illusion and is nowhere nere as tight as it looks.
Works a treat and keeps my 7800gtx at 520/1.37 under 40C even under load.
 
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