Please help with custom watercooling

Flanno

Flanno

Flanno

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Decided to watercool my rig...still thinking about a swiftech kit but would prefer custom. Running a Lian Li A70B, 790i ultra, QX9650, Sli'd Ultras. Replaced the stock Lian Li fans with Noctua 1300rpm jobs (6 of them!), running off a Zalman fan controller. NB fan replaced with Antec spotcool. Cooling cpu with Noctua NFP12 with 2 Noctua fans in Push Pull. Happy enough with peformance and temps. Really want to watercool as it's something new for me and it's cool :) Problem is I am hopeless at diy. Having said that, I picked up the Lian Li replacement top panel the other day which has 2 blowholes.
Same as this : http://www.lian-li.com/v2/en/product/product06.php?pr_index=127&cl_index=2&sc_index=10&ss_index=74

If you remove the top drive/psu bay it's possible to fit this top panel with 2 x 120mm fans, so I don't see why a Rad with 2 fans would not fit there. In fact I think it was designed with that in mind. So no mods required. As for the pump/reservoir I am thinking the XSPC dual 5.25" rad with built in pump. Again no mods needed. Just fit it.

So I am thinking

Rad
http://www.overclockers.co.uk/showproduct.php?prodid=wc-001-to&groupid=701&catid=193&subcat=1041
or is there something better available. and what fans work best ? would the 1300rpm noctuas be enough ?

pump/reservoir
http://www.overclockers.co.uk/showproduct.php?prodid=wc-011-xs&groupid=701&catid=193&subcat=1040
all integrated. so i like it. no idea if it's any good. it get's a good review here and they say to partner it with low restrction rads and blocks.
http://www.martinsliquidlab.com/xspc-dualbay-reservoirpump-review.html

(The specs also say's 1/4" thread, while the Rad is 3/8". Maybe I need a different Rad ?)

CPU Waterblock ?? No idea ?? What fixings do I need to buy with it ? What works best with the rad and pump I suggested ?
Tubing, the same....clueless. Do I get 3/8", 1/2", what brand, what clips etc..

Any help appreciated.
 
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The rad is good but might struggle with the cpu/gpu/nb.

The pump is really only good for small loops. Get a proper pump like a DDC1 or D5.

For the block get a D-Tek Fuzion.

Tubing - 7/16" Masterkleer. Jubilee clips from B&Q

Get 1/2" barbs for everything.
 
Cheers mate.

How about this pump
http://www.overclockers.co.uk/showproduct.php?prodid=WC-004-SW&groupid=701&catid=193&subcat=1042

It says it comes with 1/2" barb fittings, so I take it I need to buy no barbs for the pump. Also, as I don't want to go cutting holes anywhere, is it ok to mount such pumps on bottom of case or in drive bay with some strong double sided 3m tape or something similar ?

Only cooling cpu, so from the little I have read, I think that a dual PA120 rad is ok for me. According to the spec it has Fitting Thread: 3/8" BSPT/NPT (no idea what BSPT or NPT means). You mentioned use 1/2" barbs all round, so I take it I need a converter of some sort which attaches to the rad then.

A couple of these possibly :
http://www.overclockers.co.uk/showproduct.php?prodid=WC-003-TO&groupid=701&catid=193&subcat=1049

Have also seen EK do high flow ones with Orings ideal for the Rad I want. Maybe better.

Regarding tubing, you recommend 7/16" tubing. Why not slighltly bigger 1/2" or smaller 3/8" ? Is 7/16" easist to fit, best performance ? It does say it's ideal for 1/2" fittings here in the link below so I take it compatability with most 1/2" barbs is the main plus. Are anti-kink coils worth getting ?

http://www.overclockers.co.uk/showproduct.php?prodid=WC-026-DD&groupid=701&catid=193&subcat=1048

On the Dtek fuzion cpu block, I understand it uses a 1/4" hose threading, so like the Rad, I assume I have to buy some barb converters. Dtek do 1/4" to 1/2" jobs. Also what does the accelerator nozzle kit do exactly ? Worth having ?

Finally, what Reservoir would you recommend. Is it ok to use ones which sit in a 5.25" bay ?

Sorry for all the questions. Trying to learn as much as I can as quickly as possible. I'll go away now and read some stickys. :D

I have a budget of around 250-300 quid by the way.

Thanks
 
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Thanks. Yeah..I need to find out what rads will fit. I guess I'll measure the distance between the fan holes on the lian li top panel tommorrow.

Any idea what rads fit ?
 
AFAIK - everyting but Thermochill

The XSPC RS range look promising

HERE


Low pressure drop and quite open fin spacing - yet to see some proper thermal testing though, but it is unlikely that they will be near to Thermochill. Not sure on fan spacing either.
 
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Thanks mate.
Suppose I could always get a rad box if I wanted to mount a thermochill.

Assuming the dual fan version fits (only want to cool cpu so think it woudl be enough), I think I would still consider an xpc dual bay reservoir and integrated pump, just for convenience. I know it aint as good as the Laing, but this site rates it pretty well and says it's quiet.

http://www.martinsliquidlab.com/XSPC...mp-Review.html

They say to partner it with low restrction rads and blocks ? What do they mean by low restriction. Do you have examples ?

thanks
 
Have decided on a radbox. Want to mout rad outside case if possible.


Question on tubing.

If I go for 1/2" barbs everywhere....pa120.3, fuzion block, Swiftech MCR320-QP...then should I get 1/2" ID tubing (tygon), or is it safer and easier to fit the the 7/16" ID Masterclean. Jubilee clips I assume I need.

Question on swiftech radbox ver 2

Easier to mount swiftech rads to these, or still ok with thermochill ? And if fitting a tripple rad, is it possible to hang centre fan off radbox rather then top fan ?
 
7/16" is easier to route than ½" and once on, will not come off without cutting it. Many water-coolers don't bother with clips with the 7/16" because it just isn't necessary.

As for the radbox, you could mount the rad on any one of the fan mount points.
 
Thanks Mike.

So here is what I have decided on :

1. D-tek Fuzion CPU block with 1/2" barbs and Nozzle Kit

2. Swiftech MCB120 Rev 2 RadBox

3. Thermochill PA120.3 with Shroud and 1/2" barbs

4. 3 x Noctua NFP12 1300rpm 120mm fans (already have these)

5. Laing DDC 18w Pump + one of the following tops with 1/2" barbs
- PetrasTech DDCT-01S
- XSPC DDC Pump Acrylic
- EK Waterblock Laing DDC X

Which would you recommend. Will be mounted in bottom of case with
XPSC L Stand using double sided pads which are supplied.

6. Either XPSC Bay Reservoir (have a spare 5.25" bay) or Swiftech MCRes
Micro. Again with 1/2" Barbs. Which would you recommend ? I won't be
cutting holes so maybe the bay res is better.

7. Tubing....7/16" Masterkleer as your recommend. Would 7/16" Tygon be
better, and is there any advange to Anti-Kink coils or are they mostly for
show. I will only be cooling cpu initially. I'll still go for hose clips to be safe.

8. Coolant. G11. I just came back from mates workplace and got a 3L
bottles of deionized water which he made up for...as good if not better
then distilled he swears :)

9. I am going to measure how much space I have on the bottom of the
case, and I was thinking as an alternative to 5. and 6. above to get a
Laing DDC 18w pump + EK DDC X-RES 100 or XPS Laing DDC Top with
Reservoir. Would seem simpler then having the reservoir in one place and
the pump in another. Or bad idea ?

thanks again
 
What's the best way to run the loop if initially only watercooling cpu


1. Res > Pump > CPU Block > Rad > Res

or

2. Res > Pump > Rad > CPU Block > Res

I think there is probably little difference but maybe with 2., the cpu will get the water as cool as possible as it goes to rad first.
 
Good choice of kit.

Res type is down to personal preference - choose either. The XSPC is the only bay res to get as it has baffles inside. The MCres is smaller, easier to hide and less bling.

You are correct in your assumptions in loop order. The 2 options you have posted are both viable. Preference is for 2 for reason you indicated but ONLY if the tubing routing facilitates this. Best is to keep tubing short and with as few bends as possible (improves flow and looks better) Don't go for option 2 if it means that there will be a tangle of tubing to pipe it up.
 
Flanno said:
What's the best way to run the loop if initially only watercooling cpu


1. Res > Pump > CPU Block > Rad > Res

or

2. Res > Pump > Rad > CPU Block > Res

I think there is probably little difference but maybe with 2., the cpu will get the water as cool as possible as it goes to rad first.
Click to expand...
It doesn't make any real difference what order you place the components (significantly less than 1C difference between the hottest and coolest part of the loops). Just tube it up to keep it tidy, other than having the ability to fill the pump inlet with water when filling the loop.
 
Thanks for all the great info guys.

Am considering the Lain DDC 18w pump with the EK-DDC X-RES 140 top or XSPC Laing Res Top. This way I get a pump, top and res all combined in 1 which will sit in bottom of Lian LI A70B. Any weaknesses to doing this instead of going for a separate pump/top an res ? Also, do these things come with some way of mounting them other then having to get the drill out ?

My Rad will be positioned outside the case on a rad box. I assume it's best to have the 3 Noctuas draw heat away from the rad. Does it matter if you position the rad on the radbox with barbs on top of rad or bottom of rad. Because from a tubing point of view, if the barbs are on bottom it would be a very short run from the pump to the rad. If barbs are on top, then it would be a fairly long run, so might be smarter to have tubing go from pump to cpu to rad. Won't know till I have ordered the stuff and test fitted it.

Regarding bleeding and checking for leaks, I see some people do this inside case with mobo installed (I know they jump psu and don't start board up). I assume this is so they can get an idea for tubing length and make the cuts accurately. However I was thinking once you have the tubing sorted it would be wise to remove mobo from case and leak test that way.

Finally what components do you need to clean/wash first. I assume just the rad. Run hot water through it, followed by some deionised or distilled. I see vinegar recommended from time to time, but an equal no. of people say not to use it ?

Oh..I just thought of something...if you want to upgade at some point (say motherboard), how do you actually bleed all the water out of your loop ? I would have thought this would be an issue using just ordinary barbs.

thanks
 
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DDC-XSPC Res-top is a good idea if you have the bucks. You can just stick them to the bottom using double-sided tape.

I have the pipes going into my external rad at the bottom as it was much easier to plumb but it can make bleeding difficult. I just tilted the case until the back became the bottom so the rad was therefore horizontal.

Just flush the rad with mains pressure for a couple of minutes and you'll get it pretty clean. I've never bothered.

To empty the loop simply place a container under a low point and remove the tubing from the barb. Or even cut it. You'll probably need new tubing somewhere in your loop if you're re-routing.
 
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