New Build Watercooling Help - Kit or Custom Loop

Evilmunky

Evilmunky

Evilmunky

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Hi All,
So I am in the process of speccing out my new build - based currently around an i7 3770k and radeon 7950 card. I am looking to put it in the massive case Xigmatek Elysium on the basis I have a whole bunch of hard drives, will most likely add another GPU and want to go watercooling.

I was originally thinking I will chuck in a H100i for now and be done with it until I want to upgrade the cooling, at which point I will replace that. However, I am now thinking I will put either a kit or custom loop in, to cool the CPU (will be overclocking) and also up to 2 gpu's (and who knows - SSD too? lol).

What I want to know is, will something like the
EK-KIT H3O 360 HFX High Performance Watercooling Kit
or
XSPC RayStorm 750 RX360 WaterCooling Kit

be suitable? Ideally I want to spend no more than £225 or so at this point, but I need the system to be able to be added to at a later date - ie another 360 rad, another resevoir and GPU blocks, without needing to replace the pump.
I am also after a seperate tube style resevoir.
Will the above kits do what I need, or should I go purely custom, and if so, can you help spec what I would need, right down to tubing / barbs etc?

Hope you can help

Thanks
 

Evilmunky

Evilmunky

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I think the D5 is pushing towards too much at this stage money wise. After some reading I like the EK kit and it has the tube resevoir which I am after. Will that take another rad / gpu blocks at a later date?
 

liquidfire

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If anything it really depends on how much resistance there is in your loop. I'd be more inclined to buy a bigger pump than to run two in serial. Some people like the redundancy of two pumps.

Personal choice really.

If your only planning on a gpu (maybe two) and a cpu I think a single loop would be absolutely fine:)
 

liquidfire

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No worries:)

I believe koolance and ek have a very good blocks for your gpu.

I run purely ek parts in my system other than the 360mm rad which is a hardware labs sr1 great rads. You can run really quiet fans on them:)

The only thing I can suggest with the ek kit(from my experience) is to get some anti vibration washers for the fans.

The pumps mounting kit is amazing but the anti vibration not so much I got some of that clear silicone sealant and emptied it into a baking tray, let it set then cut it to the size of the pump mount. Works much better:) (smells great haha)

If you can run the pump from your cpu header (check your mobo cpu headers rating) or if not grab a fan controller. I've got the Lamptron fc touch and it works brilliantly for that kit.
 
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Evilmunky

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Hmm not sure if the pump can run from the cpu header - I will be getting : MSI Z77A-GD65 Intel Z77 (Socket 1155) DDR3 Motherboard

What do I need to check?
 

Evilmunky

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Hi Liquidfire - another quick question. I have received the kit and all looks good (just waiting for some other bits). The EK 150 basic resevoir - how do you have the input / output setup? Ideally I would like the input to drop in through the top (the top being the bit with only one port and the tube inside attached) and output through one of the bottom ports, but if I do this, I am not sure how I would fill the loop. Any ideas or can you advise how you did yours?
 

liquidfire

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That's exactly how I set mine up in pipe through the top(single port side) then the outlet through one of the others.

I took that little tube out of the bottom and screwed it to the top screw plate(mine was in the bottom plate,yours is fine:)) . If you then fill the the resi until its about 3/4 and submerge the tube in the res(you can put a funnel in the side you don't screw the lid on yet) I then ran the pump for a short period until the water dropped to just above the tube then stopped the pump, refill and repeat.

As long as you keep the tube submerged it creates a full loop and won't let the air get sucked back into the loop.

Beware of the pump pushing large amounts of air through and draining the water quickly don't want to let it run dry(might kill the pump) and every so often you'll get a huge bubble of air pushed through which might spit water out the res.(paper towel under)

Once you think you have got the loop full screw the cap back on see below.

Once finished getting air out;

Now this isn't the best idea but I found by twisting the hose with the top screw plate anti clockwise about 6 turns (be careful of the tube) then whilst keeping the pipe twisted put the plate into the res and screw it in:)

Now this is the fun bit now the loop appears to be full with the cap screwed back on tilt the case side to side even put the case on its side(or just the rad if not installed yet). Keep running the pump and keep an eye on the res level you'll be surprised how much air is in the rad.

Top up the res again I left about an inch free at the top of the res empty. Then just pack up the rig with lots of paper towels around the connections and run the pump periodically check for leaks. I stared at mine for a good 30minutes before I felt trusting enough to leave the room with the pump running haha.

Let us know if you want anymore advise. The main thing needed afterwards is PICTURES:)

I'm not amazing at describing things so feel free to point out bits that need clearing up:)
 
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Evilmunky

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Dude - that is just the information I needed. Thanks a tonne! I will give that a go once I get my Case issue sorted out and let you know how I get on.
 
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