"My first" watercooling loop

Soldato
Soldato
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Hi all

I have the spec in my signature along with an RTX 3060Ti FE.

I want to watercool - just something to do and a bit of fun. However, as ever I want to do it on a budget.

Things I have
- 3D printer and CAD modelling skills, so I guess every mount required I can design & 3D print.

Things unavailable
- 3060Ti FE waterblock(?
- Any watercooling skills or knowledge

Things I know I need

- Pump
- Reservoir
- Tubing - probably start with flex tubing for simplicity and cheapness?
- Radiators? In 750D I can do 1 top 360 and a front 240 or a rear 120?

I am happy to start with CPU only watercooling and add GPU when blocks come out.
Also happy to buy MM used parts.

Main thing I am confused about are fittings. How do they fit together with tubing sizes?
 
Soldato
Joined
18 Oct 2002
Posts
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Location
Aranyaprathet, Thailand
There are two types of fitting for soft tubing and hard tubing. These are not interchangeable. All fittings will have a specific "inner diameter" ID and "outer diameter" OD. Tubing has the same two measurements. So long as you match them you will be fine.

All fittings have the same thread size for screwing into components - G1/4". Fittings are typically "straight". If you then want to adjust the angle that the fitting has related to the component (radiator, block, etc.) you can buy angled connectors that have a "male" end to connect to the component and a "female" end for your standard tube fitting to screw into. When planning your loop it pays to think about how you want the tubing to bend and to use 45 and 90 degree angle connectors to help smooth the bends out. These angle connectors can be expensive if you're using a lot of them.
 
Soldato
Soldato
OP
Joined
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Posts
9,715
Location
Leicester
There are two types of fitting for soft tubing and hard tubing. These are not interchangeable. All fittings will have a specific "inner diameter" ID and "outer diameter" OD. Tubing has the same two measurements. So long as you match them you will be fine.

All fittings have the same thread size for screwing into components - G1/4". Fittings are typically "straight". If you then want to adjust the angle that the fitting has related to the component (radiator, block, etc.) you can buy angled connectors that have a "male" end to connect to the component and a "female" end for your standard tube fitting to screw into. When planning your loop it pays to think about how you want the tubing to bend and to use 45 and 90 degree angle connectors to help smooth the bends out. These angle connectors can be expensive if you're using a lot of them.
Right thanks I understand now. Shame that hard and soft tubing use different fittings. Not sure what to go with then but I will have a think

Hopefully should be able to get fittings from the MM a little cheaper


In terms of pump, is D5 or DDC (the names I see) the best two to go for?
 
Soldato
Soldato
OP
Joined
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Posts
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D5 or DDC - both great. But don't rule out cheaper options. Depends on your budget really. Fancy pump/reservoirs can be very expensive and cheap options will work perfectly well for a pc loop.
Ah right, I thought they were basically the only options hence their popularity!
 
Soldato
Joined
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8,270
Location
Aranyaprathet, Thailand
pump tops usually go directly onto the pump in place of the factory one. If you had a D5 it comes without any way to connect anything to it so the pump top is the piece that covers the impeller and allows fittings to be attached. In the case of a DDC, the factory top isn't great as it has unremovable plastic 3/8" barbs. A replacement pump top for a DDC therefore replaces theat with one that has G1/4 fitting positions and simultaneously typically improves flow.

factory DDC

https://www.overclockers.co.uk/lain...12v-with-2-x-g1-4-outer-thread-wc-003-la.html

factory D5

https://www.overclockers.co.uk/alphacool-vpp655-d5-pwm-water-cooling-pump-wc-094-ac.html

d5 pump top

https://www.overclockers.co.uk/singularity-computers-d5-pump-top-polished-acrylic-wc-00e-sc.html
 
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