Opinions on proposed custom loop.

Marcofella

Marcofella

Marcofella

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Joined
22 Jun 2015
Posts
31
Hey All,

First post on here, so go easy on me ;-)

After 15 years of blindly buying Dell systems, I decided to build my own. I've just completed my build.

Intel Core i5-4690K 3.5GHz
Cooler Master Seidon 120M 86.2 CFM Liquid CPU Cooler
MSI Z97S SLI Krait Edition ATX LGA1150 Motherboard
Kingston HyperX Fury White 16GB (2 x 8GB) DDR3-1866 Memory
Plextor M6e 128GB M.2-2280 Solid State Drive
Seagate Barracuda 2TB 3.5" 7200RPM Internal Hard Drive
Seagate Barracuda 2TB 3.5" 7200RPM Internal Hard Drive
MSI Radeon R9 290X 4GB Video Card
Cooler Master Storm Stryker (White) ATX Full Tower Case
Corsair CX 750W 80+ Bronze Certified Semi-Modular ATX Power Supply

I'm quite proud of it, but I want to take it further and overclock the **** out of it. So i decided to take a look at building a custom loop for the CPU and GPU. Now taking in mind that I am trying to keep my system white/black I have put together a list of parts that propose buying.

CPU Water Block - Koolance CPU-380i
GPU Water Block - EK-FC R9-290X - Acetal+Nickel (Rev.2.0)
Radiator - Xspc AX240 Dual Fan Radiator White
4 X Fans (Push/Pull)- Enermax UCTVS12P-W 76.0 CFM 120mm Fan
Reservoir - XSPC Single Slot DDC Bay Reservoir/Pump Combo 18W

Is this enough? I do have a Kraken x41 140mm radiator that I could butcher into the mix if the AX240 wasn't enough. Or do you think I will need another AX240? My case can handle 2 x 120x240mm rads.

I'm also unsure of piping and fittings. I obviously want as much of it/them white if possible.

Any help and advice you guys can offer would be great.

Thanks Marco
 
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The watercooling section is slow cause there aren't many of us.

For your questions.

Definitely add another 240mm radiator. Don't feel the need to only buy a white rad cause you probably won't be able to see it. If you are mounting a rad at the top of you might not be able to fit a AX240 and a pair of fans due to mobo clearance.

Tubing is personal choice, how thick do you want it too look, how tight are your bends, do you want coloured coolant or coloured tubes? The brand choice is nearly always Primochill Advanced LRT.

You need 2 fittings per component in the loop, bitspower do white ones but they are expensive. There is a EK ACF in white, monsoon do both chaingun and their free centre fittings in white too.

Someone else will have to advise on your pump and res as I am no expert on those.

EK make a white waterblock that you might want to consider: https://www.overclockers.co.uk/showproduct.php?prodid=WC-641-EK&groupid=962&catid=1519&subcat=2286
 
Cheers for the response. I've since revised my list and now have 2 x Magicool G2 SLIM 240mm rads to go in, both with a push/pull fan system.

I've gone for the slim rads as I think I would struggle to get the push/pull installed.
 
I don't know whether you'll have space for push pull in the top, even with a thin rad. I doubt it.
 
Going with a thicker rad and not going push pull is better. From what i have read push pull only makes about a few degrees difference but the noise is vasty louder
 
I just use pull in my loop and I recommend that you research the fans and get the most quite ones with decent SP, so you can run them at max to get best cooling. I use Corsair SP120 quiet and when I ramp them up, they are loud! I am considering replacing with EKWB-Furious Vardar as they are having good reviews for noise and SP.
+1 for Primochill Advanced LRT and compression fittings. I use Monsoon fitting, but this was based on aesthetics, rather then one make being better then the other.
Think about tube thickness and how it will look in the case. I use 13/10mm as I have a MATX case and did not want to swamp the case.
 
Cheers for the heads up on those EK Vardars. OcUK are doing a 3 for £30 deal on them. That's near half the price of the fans I was going to get.

I was going for the Primochill tubing, but with EK-ACF Fittings 19/13mm G1/4 White. My case is big enough, and I like the look of it.

I changed my mind on the reservoir and have just ordered the Koolance RP-401X2 single bay. Not quite sure which pump to go for. It mentions the PMP-400, but not sure which brand. A lot of the info is bloody confusing.
 
In regards to the top, I would go for a thick radiator, with fans on one side, will probably preform better.

Get a D5 or a DDC pump. I have the D5, and it is great, but so is the DDC. :)
A DDC is smaller, so if space is a concern, that is the one to go for.
 
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