New Water Cooling Project

TheKnat

TheKnat

TheKnat

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Joined
13 May 2007
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Lancashire, UK
I've decided after having my current PC watercooled for quite a while now, that its time to move onwards a bit with it and replace the case which is looking a bit battered. So I am beginning my new over-the-top water cooling project!

First things to get was the case and I've always had my eye on one, but never known whether or not I could justify it. Today I just thought "what the hell" and ordered myself a Mountainmods U2-UFO CYO case :D. Obviously a beast of a case so it can handle my planned setup.

Now for the cooling itself, I'm still planning out what I'm going to be doing but I think I am going to go for 2 loops inside this new case. Loop 1 will handle the CPU and possibily the NB; Loop 2 would be for the 2 8800GTX's I currently have. Now I say possibly the NB, but I have the issue with my current motherboard, in that it has a heatpipe design connecting the NB, SB and some various other bits around the CPU. So if I wanted to water cool this board then I'm going to have to get those current heatsinks off and see whats underneath them. So I might leave this until later.

Because of the design of the new case, I am planning on having the following kit installed in it:

2 x Swiftech MCR320-QP triple radiators
2 x Swiftech MCP655 pumps
2 x Alphacool 5.25" UV reservoirs
2 x Scythe Kama Meter LCD 5.25" fan controllers
6 x fans of my choice (prolly Yate loons)
Red & Blue dye for the different loops

First question, can anyone see any problems with those component choices before I place any orders ?

Second question, when it comes to cooling the graphics cards is it better to have the line going from the exit port of GFX1 to the entrance port of GFX2 or to use a T-Line to split the incoming pipe to both GFX cards at the same time ?

I'm expecting the delivery of my new case at some point next week, so I will post some pictures up when it arrives. Oh and don't worry, I will be seeing how much I can OC this setup when its all done :)
 
sounds porno.... please update with pics as u go...

Most people have woman or cars as there back grounds, i have what my girlfriend calls "computer porn"

LOL
 
About question 2, I mean a setup like this one:
Stealth-sli-parallel.jpg


Rather than having it having it like this:
stealth-sli-2.jpg
 
Personally I would have it as picture two. Series is always better than parallel IMO.

The risk with t peices is that water will always want to go the direction of least resistance and you might find that one gfx card is hotter than the other. At least in series forces the water through both blocks.
 
Greebo said:
Personally I would have it as picture two. Series is always better than parallel IMO.

The risk with t peices is that water will always want to go the direction of least resistance and you might find that one gfx card is hotter than the other. At least in series forces the water through both blocks.
Click to expand...

Agree entirely.
 
Any reason to pick the Swiftech radiators over Thermochills other than cost? The Thermochills are well worth the extra if you can stretch to it.
 
No reason really, I thought the Swiftech ones would be as good tbh. If your saying that the Thermochill ones are better then its something I'll look at switching over.

I'll have to check the case order though, as I'm sure there was an option to pick between swiftech and thermochill spacing for the fan points.
 
Thermochill pa120.3 are the best (well the new Feser ones are better but expensive and not in the UK) so go with them.
 
Okay the fans I was looking at (Yate Loon D12SH-12) I'm now not sure if they have a molex connector or a normal 3 pin fan connector on the end. One site says one thing and a different site says the other. Anyone know what connectors the OcUK fans have on their end ? If I want to be able to control all the fans using the controllers then I need them to have the 3 pin adapaters.
 
Wow this has got to been the longest ordering time ever. Finally got around to getting all the parts ordered and after some messing around with the delivery company they have arrived!

Progress so far:

Install the 2 radiators, 6 fans and grills.
u2-1.JPG


I'm not sure about the black griils so these may get re-painted at some point.

Installed the fan controllers and resevoirs
u2-2.JPG


I've since switched the fan controllers to the bottom so that the wires from the fans can be tidied up easier.

Possible positions for the pumps and all wires connected up to fan controllers.
u2-3.JPG


u2-4.JPG


Not too sure where to put them yet. Half of me says put them round by the MB so they can be seen easier, but the other half says to put them round the back, near where the HDDs will be, to keep the case looking neat.

Next task is to take apart old computer, which currently looks like:
DSC01206.jpg


Task list stands as:
  • Dismantle computer completely
  • Remove old gfx heatsinks and replace with new ones
  • Remove old CPU block and replace with new one
  • Assemble system in new case
  • Decide on final placement for the 2 pumps
  • Leak test
  • ????
  • Profit

Still got a few parts left to get, like some white (well as white as possible) DVD drives, something to tidy the little fan wires up and something to stick the pumps down with (some sort of foamy gel type of thing), as I don't really want to start drilling holes in the case.

Dismantlement will start tonight with the draining of the old system. I am dreading doing this bit...
 
Looking very nice!

Must say those UFO's look simply massive. :eek:

Just got an H2g0 off the MM and TBH it looks pretty big on my desk! That would be humongous!

gt
 
Yeah the case is massive especially when you consider those are 2 PA120.3 radiators in the front :D

Before I go and start damaging anything, does anyone have any advice on the best way to drain an existing watercooling loop ? I imagine its going to be done in the bath to make sure all the water goes down the drain, but I'm still slightly worried about doing it.
 
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I just extracted my whole loop. I placed the res over the sink and undid it's lid.

Watch out for an initial splash of coolent and then just be patient while it drains.

gt
 
I attached a length of tube to the fillpoint on the reservoir and undid the reservoir and tipped it into the kitchen sink.

This emptied the reservoir, tubing to and from the cpu.

This got a lot out of my system. I then removed the tube from the res to the pump and unmounted the pump and tipped that into the sink which then emptied the radiator pretty much.

After that I just carefully worked my way round ensuring that I got the stuff out while each item still had tubing attached.
 
Greebo said:
I attached a length of tube to the fillpoint on the reservoir and undid the reservoir and tipped it into the kitchen sink.

This emptied the reservoir, tubing to and from the cpu.

This got a lot out of my system. I then removed the tube from the res to the pump and unmounted the pump and tipped that into the sink which then emptied the radiator pretty much.

After that I just carefully worked my way round ensuring that I got the stuff out while each item still had tubing attached.
Click to expand...

Nice one I'll probably try that method instead. Think I can take my current res out of the case quite easily with the tubing still attached so I'll empty most of it out that way.
 
More pictures today!

I drained the old system last night by starting at the resevoir and then cutting the pipes to individual parts and draining them one at a time. Bit of a mess but still seemed to go ok.

Stripped out all the old parts and started assembling the new water blocks onto the components:

New D-Tek Fuzion V2 block attached to the motherboard
u2-6.JPG


Heatsink removed from the 8800GTX
u2-7.JPG


And the new CPU blocks attached to both of them
u2-8.JPG


Upclose shot of one of the blocks
u2-9.JPG


MB fitted to tray and graphics cards added
u2-10.JPG


I've already run the pipe between the 2 cards to save on swearing later on. I might have to change the position of that lower barb so I don't have a nasty turn in the pipe.

Tray and PSU inside the case
u2-11.JPG


I'm a bit worried by the amount that the PSU is sagging there, but as far as I can tell there is no way to keep it propped up.

Checklist of stuff to do tonight:
  • Order new DVD drives from Overclockers, along with some cable tidies
  • Keep on deciding where I should place the pumps
  • Plumb everything together
  • Fill loop 1 and do a quick leak test
  • Repeat for loop 2
  • Leave loops running overnight to be safe

Hopefully tomorrow I'll some piccies of the loop in action, along with glowing shots of the nice UV liquid.
 
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