Need advice on Water cooled rig setup !

Ferg · 9 Jan 2010 at 21:12

Hi, first time going for water-cooling, for now just CPU, later on will go for graphics card is well. Any body can help me with setting up the rig.
Case is Antec Three Hundred, Asus P6TD Deluxe, Intel i7 920.

Thanks.

Planing to spend about 150 - 200 euro

JonJ678 · 9 Jan 2010 at 21:24

Aquatuning are the guys who attempted to trademark "bitspower", "thermochill" etc. **** aquatuning. .

2 Trademarks Rightfully Owned
2 Trademarks Questionably Owned
4 Trademarks applied for, now in the hands of the rightful owners (through some means I don't know which)
1 Trademark applied for now apparently abandoned.
7 Trademarks still in the process of trying to be stolen

That said, it looks like you're spending a lot of money on connectors, lights and so forth, but the only radiator is a 120mm one and the pump isn't so good. Is this a cosmetic exercise or are you looking for performance? If so a better pump and bigger radiator would be more worthwhile than the temperature sensors etc.

Ferg · 9 Jan 2010 at 21:50

Thanks JonJ678, reason I was going for aquatuning , they shipping components for all Europe, end I didn’t find anybody else to do that.
Can you speck me basic setup – keep in mind of size of case and I want to keep everything inside . I am looking for performance

bifday2k · 9 Jan 2010 at 22:02

Sadly due to the case you won't get performance, iv even mounted my normal 120 rad on the outside at the back of my antec 300.

The antec 300 is just to small to do it internally without heavy modding of the case.

So that being said unless you want to mod ur case, i personally think ur going to have to budget for a new case if ur aiming for performance cooling.

JonJ678 · 9 Jan 2010 at 22:04

I think most places in Europe will ship to other places in Europe, ocuk do at least.

Beyond the basics, such as "ek supreme lt" being excellent value for money and 60mm thick radiators being better than 30mm ones I'm not sure. The antec 300 doesn't lend itself to watercooling, I'm not sure where you can fit radiators in it. Can you cut a hole in the top to fit a 240mm or 120.2 radiator?

Pretty much the only difficult thing to watercooling is finding a place to put radiators, past that a small pump will fit anywhere and water blocks are smaller than heatsinks. There are probably photos of watercooled Antec 300s online, but I can't think of any offhand.

bifday2k · 9 Jan 2010 at 22:14

As you will need the thicker rads for performance, and basicly a 240 min there is 2 options with the antec 300.

Modify the front, by taking out the Hardrive cage, and using one of the upper slots with an adapater for the hardrive.

Alternativly mounting it on the outside at the back.

You can't really mod it into the roof as even the thin rads will hit the mobo, especially with fans on, hope these help.

Ferg · 9 Jan 2010 at 22:22

Well, that no go, for changing the case - I do not have much space were I can place it.
Radiator I was planning to put where ventilation hole in back of case, but should be inside, in this case – size is very important for me.
For OcUK shipping in another country - well I have doubts about that is well, because is not mentioned anything about that any where.
If yoy can speck me what I should have for decent water cooling and where I can buy ? Right now I living in one of Baltic countries – have business there.
No water cooling components available at all…

I have 3 HDD in use right now – will do not fit below optical drive… ****.. :mad:

bifday2k · 9 Jan 2010 at 22:37

If you look at the top pic where the fan is at the back, you will be able to put a normal (slim) 120 rad there, inside.

But don't expect performance, you would actully be better of, getting a corsair H50 to be honest.

Or just stick to air cooling, but if u really want water the easiest and cheapest way in that case is the corsair H50

Ferg · 9 Jan 2010 at 23:02

That really annoying - I always was thinking that is custom water cooling is always beter than Corsair H50, I only can think, to put one fan and one radiator inside the case and the same to do outside in same place… If that no go, I just will stick with cooling on air.

JonJ678 · 10 Jan 2010 at 00:11

A good pump, cpu block and thin 120mm radiator will outperform a corsair h50 but you'll pay more for it.

it's just unfortunate that you've got this particular case. Fitting a 240 radiator in the front and finding somewhere else to put hard drives is probably the best approach available, maybe mount the drives behind the radiator?

Ferg · 10 Jan 2010 at 00:24

Ok, If I will stick with 1x120 fat radiator with push – pull setup – with one would you recommend for me, same question about pump and rest of components. I really would like to have reservoir in one of my optical drive bays – any good are available ?
I decide just have try, from components that I can install in my situation. Only what I need – pointer to decent parts. ( maybe some body from forum mates will help me to buy them from UK )

I just have quick sketch with Paint – this is how I was planning to make loop, If I make mistake, or you think is are better place for the pump or another component – please, let me know.

Sorry for my English – I know, is very bad.

Ferg · 10 Jan 2010 at 04:01

Anybody ? Or I am asking to much ? :confused:

I am complete noob on components for water-cooling – all radiators and pumps for me looks the same, except the cost. :rolleyes:

JonJ678 · 10 Jan 2010 at 04:10

Pumps can be summarised as laing = good, if too expensive then look for high head pressure. Bay reservoirs look too likely to leak for me to want to use one, so I know nothing about them. Perhaps they're fine, but I'd never trust one.

A 60mm thick radiator probably wont fit there with a fan, but measure your motherboard and case to be sure. Is there anywhere else you can put the hard drives? Two in the optical bays, one on the floor of the case perhaps. The radiator might fit better at the top, measure this place too.

JonJ678 · 10 Jan 2010 at 04:10

bifday2k · 10 Jan 2010 at 04:22

Ok below is a spec that will fit in the antec 300 using the rear fan mount, did'nt add fan/fans in as thats personal choice.

As said before the thicker rads simply won't work in that rear position, i would'nt class this spec as performance, but it is better then the H50.

this is only a guide.

Ferg · 10 Jan 2010 at 06:54

This XSPC RS120 120mm Radiator - Black should be no problem to fit in my case is only 121x35x155mm. I believe is decent is well. But is out of stock…. JonJ678 recommending Laing made pump – how about this; Laing DDC 1-T Pro 10W 12V DC Pump ? XSPC Single Bay Reservoir – Black is out of stock and aquatuning have only silver version, that sad, because case is black…. CPU blocks, are Heatkiller CPU Waterblock Revision 3 LC is not better then EK Supreme LT ? Do I need to look for back plates for them is well ?

Just now I will stick to key components, and try to look for rest of components in local shops.

Can I think that this setup is good, or I better stick with setup that recommended for me by bifday2k ?

Ferg · 10 Jan 2010 at 07:03

JonJ678 said:
Pumps can be summarised as laing = good, if too expensive then look for high head pressure. Bay reservoirs look too likely to leak for me to want to use one, so I know nothing about them. Perhaps they're fine, but I'd never trust one.

A 60mm thick radiator probably wont fit there with a fan, but measure your motherboard and case to be sure. Is there anywhere else you can put the hard drives? Two in the optical bays, one on the floor of the case perhaps. The radiator might fit better at the top, measure this place too.

You recommendations JonJ678 is very valuable for me, I can feel you competence and really friendly try to help – really appreciated, but that small PC case, and I just will try to get best of it. If you will help me with this, that will make may setup running like dram.

JonJ678 · 10 Jan 2010 at 07:21

The heatkiller lt and ek supreme lt are about the same, I think I'd choose the heatkiller but either is good. A backplate isn't required but is a good thing to have, as it lets you put more pressure on the cpu without damaging the motherboard.

The thing I'd change there is the reservoir to this one.

I know you like the idea of a bay reservoir, but this one will take up less space and perform significantly better. It also lets you use any barbs you like with the pump, instead of the plastic ones. The 10W ddc is ideal if it fits within budget, exactly the right pump to get.

Can you fit a second radiator in the top of the case? I still think the way to go is a 240 in the front with the hard drives mounted to the radiator using something like these.

These fix three hard drives to a 120mm fan, so you can hang them off the radiator. Those particular brackets are from mountainmods, the photo is just to illustrate the idea.

No problem man, I've learnt so much from these boards that I do my best to give something back.

1kiwi · 10 Jan 2010 at 10:09

Surely you would need a 120.2 for the 920?

JonJ678 · 10 Jan 2010 at 10:13

Nope. A 240 would be better, clearly. This is why I'm trying to lead the OP towards the a 240 mounted where the hard drive cage is. However the H50 is an example of a thin 120mm radiator with distinctly budget pump and cpu block, and it still matches air.

There's not a chance the H50 will outperform the above. If he can use a 60mm thick radiator I'd be confident in it trouncing the H50, but the OP doesn't think it'll fit, and looking at photos of the 300 I suspect he's correct. Just a shame it has to be inside an antec 300.