Inline temperature sensors

[Chockymonster]

I’m preparing to build my first custom loop and need some pointers on monitoring.

I’m hoping to find an in-line sensor that doesn’t need me to look at the sensor to keep an eye on the temps.

What options are there that connect back to the motherboard to report data? I’m using an MSI Tomahawk X570 which i don’t think has a temperature header.

 

[Chockymonster]

Nothing, is the short answer.

You’ll need a separate controller and suite to monitor water temp. There’s a host of options, Corsair, NZXT, AwquaComputer etc.

Do a bit of reading into fan controllers and their software suites, and we’ll happily answer more questions as they arise.

I guess the first question is are there any to avoid?

 

[Chockymonster]

Case is a Phanteks Enthoo Pro SE
Motherboard is an MSI Tomahawk X570
Water cooling parts ordered
are:
£391.66 x 1 - EK Water Blocks EK-Quantum Power D-RGB P360 High Performance Watercooling Kit
£11.66 x 1 - EK Water Blocks EK-AF Ball Valve (10mm) G1/4 - Black
£4.16 x 2 - EK Water Blocks EK-AF Extender Rotary M-M G1/4 - Black
£6.66 x 1 - EK Water Blocks EK-AF Y-Splitter Rotary 2F-1M G1/4 - Black
£3.29 x 1 - Bitspower Touchaqua G1/4" Low-Profile Stop Fitting - Black (2 PCS )

I’m only doing a CPU loop to start.

 

[Chockymonster]

And why do you want a water temp sensor?

Big fan of the new velocity blocks. I take it you've checked you have the headers and compatibility for the RGB?

If it's just a CPU loop, and you're handling it all from the mobo, I wouldn't bother initially tbh. Save your cash and control with CPU temp.

The only issue will be fans ramping when they don't need to, but you can help mitigate this with a very shallow curve until you get into high temps.

why? I guess the same could be said for water cooling!!
With regards to the headers, I kinda assumed! I’ve got ARGB headers on the board and the description of the kit says it’s compatible with Mystic light. Worst case I have so much kit that can drive ARGB stuff that I can make it work!
After all, this is my Christmas light setup...

 

[Chockymonster]

Ah, gotcha. for me it was wanting to know that it was working so having both a hardware gauge/display I can look at and a software I can use to control/do stuff with based on the same data is what I wanted.

Knowing that different manufacturers change colours on wiring, use different plugs etc doesn’t surprise me. The same goes with the pixel manufacturers for my other light! Choose a vendor and stick with it to be sure it will all work.

Having looked at the Octo that does seem like it will do what I want and also let me add flow and other bits too.

With regards to temp monitoring, is it better to do that pre or post rad?

 

[Chockymonster]

I see what you mean about the Aquacomputer stuff. I started off looking at the octo, then saw the 6 Pro and wow do things escalate!
The sensible part of me is thinking about getting the fittings for the loop installed when I do it and waiting for the right price on a controller.

Now I just need to figure out what fittings I need!

 

[Chockymonster]

Thanks for the advice. I've done my usual thing and bought something without planning out the end goal!
Now I'm trying to work out what to do with an Aquaero when my new case (PC-O11) doesn't have a 5.25" bay.

 

[Chockymonster]

That's what I did with my AQ6 when I went from a Corsair (loads of 5.25 bays) to my Phanteks (no bays). I mounted the "Lite" version on a tray in the back of the PC.

This is what I’ve done at the moment. I need to figure out cabling as it’s messier than I’d like!
I’ve got the option of using an Octo but there are limitations from what I can understand. I use the software sensors and alarms which the Octo doesn’t support.
I’ve got a Vision display on one of my monitor arms so relocating the LCD from the aquaero isn’t a necessity.

 

[Chockymonster]

What makes you say that? It runs on USB via the AquaSuite software, I can't see why it wouldn't use software sensors.

It's also got a hardware alarm output which you can do all sorts with, like triggering the motherboard alarm via the CPU alarm header, shutdown your PC etc.

You can’t use software temperature sensors with it like you can with the aquaero. I’ve used a software sensor as a temp difference between the ambient average temp (inlet fan sensor and external temp sensor average) and the water temp to give me a Delta temp that is used for curve control on fan speed. The Octo doesn’t have the ability to create software sensors. You can cludge something together in the playground but it’s not as easy.

I’ve not looked into the alarms in detail yet, I’m now trying to understand why my flow numbers seem so low!

 

[Chockymonster]

What values are you seeing?

With the pump at 100% 47 l/h
90% the flow meter reports 32 l/h.
80% the flow meter reports 25 l/h.
70% the flow meter reports 20 l/h.
60% the flow meter reports Intermittent readings, either 0 or 14 l/h.
50% the flow meter reports 0 l/h.

The temperatures all seem good, but the flow rate seems off.

 

[Chockymonster]

It’s a MPS USB high. I’ve taken the thing apart and checked for blockages as suggested by aquacomputer. It all looks good from what I can see.
I’m wondering if I’ve done something wrong/overly restrictive with the loop layout
This was before adding the bracket for the sensor so the section under the graphics card is horizontal now.

 

[Chockymonster]

Teeny tiny thread hijack.

Could some recommend me an inline temp sensor? It doesn't need to be a fancy one with a display as i'll be connecting it to my Aquaero.

Also, is there an optimal place in the loop for it?

Thanks

i use aqua computer part number 53067. As for where to put it, it kinda doesn’t matter, the loop temperature doesn’t vary by a whole lot. I have one inside of the MPS which is before the CPU and one on the rad inlet, there’s about a degree difference.

 

[Chockymonster]

Take it you've selected the calibration in the Aquaero for your specific model of sensor?

~40l/hr is basically at the minimum it can measure, but your pump should really be in the 300+ l/hr I would guess for that loop, so I think the controller is set up with the wrong pulse/litre figure as a minimum.

the sensor is connected via usb and aquabus at the moment. Under MPS/System the only option is to set the device type which defaults to “high flow USB (53129)” there’s no configuration at all for the device other than that, there is for the other flow sensors but AC say that this one needs nothing changing.

the same options but different device number are available under Aquabus. Both report the same flow numbers.

 

[Chockymonster]

I've done some more investigation on this and think the issue is my cpu block.
I've drained the system again and reconnected the display to the aquaero and locked it to only show pump flow.
At 100% with the flow going from the reservoir -> flow sensor -> reservoir I get 570 l/ph
If I put the CPU block back in so it's reservoir -> flow sensor -> reservoir I get 40 l/ph again.

 

[Chockymonster]

Are you using DP Ultra in your loop?
Aquacomputer kit is pretty sensitive about what coolant you use, as DPU is about 20-25% glycol whereas most others like Mayhems is closer to 40%. My German isn't great and neither is Google Translate, but by most accounts it really does make that much of a difference, as any restrictions in your loop will be magnified by thicker fluids.

No, I'm using the ek fluid that came in the kit at the moment.

 

[Chockymonster]

After a productive morning of taking it apart and putting it all back together again I'm now seeing a flow rate of 290l/h with the loop complete.
It looks like I made a mistake during the swapping of the backplate on the water block from intel to AMD. I think at some point during the original assembly I inadvertently rotated the base of the copper block. Now I need to see if I can quieten the flow sensor!!