Pump conundrum !!! Looking for advice

Shetlander · 1 Jun 2010 at 11:15

My rig consists of a Q6600 @ 3.71Ghz with a Swiftech XT block. A 5850 with a EK block. An EK reservoir and a Laing DDC Ultra with an EK top. The cooling is 2 Thermochill rads, 120.3 & 120.2 and 1/2 inch tubing.

I have been reading up on the dynamics of watercooling and from what I can see from my temps and water speed I think my loop is suffering from a lack of flow. In my loop (due to space) I have 4 of these - http://www.overclockers.co.uk/showproduct.php?prodid=WC-172-OK&groupid=962&catid=1529&subcat=.
I think these are partly responsible for the restrictions in my loop as well as the 2 rads.

My conundrum is this. I have 2 DDC Ultra pumps and a Swiftech MCP655 pump.
I know head pressure is good for restrictive loops but that to acheive good cooling you also need a decent flow to create turbulance with in the tubing.
Should I go with a dual DDC pump setup or a will a single MCP655 be a better compromise of flow & head pressure?

Im also considering changing the Swiftech XT block to a EK Supreme HF. Would this make an appreciable difference?

Amidar · 1 Jun 2010 at 12:34

Is it not worth trying with just the 120.3 rad on it's own? as it seems a bit overkill using both a 120.3 & a 120.2 for a Q6600 & a 5850.Just thought that using 2 rads would possibly restrict your flow a bit, if you still want to keep both radiators i would use the MCP655 pump.

Shetlander · 1 Jun 2010 at 14:40

I house it all in a TJ07 and picked the 120.2 up cheap. I redid all the tubing just after xmas and thought whilst I had the case apart I might aswell add it.
It was also a kind of long term plan as hopefully my next upgrade will be a new mobo/cpu & ram and so the extra cooling will come in for that.

MikeTimbers · 1 Jun 2010 at 16:56

You need to lose the angled adaptors. I would also replace the separate EK reservoir and top with an XSPC reservoir top.

By the way what are these unacceptable temperatures you're having?

pastymuncher · 1 Jun 2010 at 19:07

Lose the angled connectors and the 120.2 or fit a second DDC. I can't see how a single 120.3 can't manage your rig. I have the CPU/GPU/NB all cooled by a single 120.3 with no problems at all.

Shetlander · 1 Jun 2010 at 19:37

Since adding the 5850 and changing my CPU block from the Fuzion my temps have gone up by 4-5c so I added the second 120.2 to try and counter the rise but they went up by 1-2c more. Thats why I think its a flow issue.

The angled adaptors have to stay due to space and routing as I havnt found anything even close to them in regards to change of direction in a limited space.

MikeTimbers · 1 Jun 2010 at 22:37

So did the 120.2 reduce temps again? What's the sequence?

If you can't remove the angled adaptors, I'd try removing the DDC-Ultra and put in the D5.

You could also try a proper flow test. Get a big container and plumb it into the inlet of your pump. Get another one for the end of the tube that was the inlet to the pump. Put some water in the container and ensure the pump is primed. Then mark the water level in the container. Add one gallon. Turn on the pump. Time how long it takes to return to the marked line.

Greebo · 2 Jun 2010 at 12:08

As said before, you really shouldn't need both rads. I have a Q9650 plus 5850(EK full block) plus 9800gtx+ (ek full block) all cooled with one dual radiator :eek:

However, all my waterblocks are very non restrictive and I am using the Swiftech MCP655 pump.

I must admit, temps took a hit when I added the 9800GTX+ but I can live with that.

Since you have two or more pumps why don't you put one pump and one radiator in two seperate loops and cool the cpu and gpu seperately?

The Swiftech XT block excels with low flow scenarios with temps only being 5 degrees more between 0.32 gpm (MCP655 on setting 1) and 2.55gpm (3 xMCP355 and one D5 on full speed :eek:

)

http://skinneelabs.com/swiftech-xt.html

So really, increasing your flow rate is going to gain you very little and adding the 2nd radiator should not have made too much difference (although it did and the wrong way!)

Looking at that site, the difference between your MCP655 and using two DDC Ultra pumps would only be one degree.

So what's the problem? My first thought is that having two rads with your connectors is too restrictive and I would remove the 2nd rad or at least use two seperate loops.

Secondly, what are you using to remove the heat from the radiators? It may well be that your loop is removing the heat from the cpu/gpu but not enough is being removed from your radiators.

Lastly, did you remove all the air properly from your loop? Does the full length of both radiators get equally warm?

Hope this all helps.

Brizzles · 2 Jun 2010 at 13:46

As has been posted above.

Flow rate will have a minimal effect on temps.

Main things to look at ;

Fully bled radiator

Fans ( what sort are you using ? )

Waterblocks seated correctly

A D5vario and a 120.3 rad will easily cope with that loop.

wolvers · 2 Jun 2010 at 14:08

MikeTimbers said:
You need to lose the angled adaptors. I would also replace the separate EK reservoir and top with an XSPC reservoir top.

This. Those swivel connectors are pretty restrictive, especially 4 of them, and the ultra with XSPC res/top is great.

OP, why did you swap out the fuzion for the swiftech block? I've always considered the fuzion to have very good flow, dunno if that's really the case but a m8 had one with a res XT and when he changed it for something else the flow meter reading took a nose dive.

Greebo said:
I have a Q9650 plus 5850(EK full block) plus 9800gtx+ (ek full block) all cooled with one dual radiator

Crikey, that's good going. I thought that my 'loop of many single rads' was on the limit! What sort of temps are getting on the 5850 core? Both of mine max out around 48C after an hour or so of BC2, which seemed pretty good to me running at 950mhz.

Greebo · 2 Jun 2010 at 14:17

wolvers69 said:
This. Those swivel connectors are pretty restrictive, especially 4 of them, and the ultra with XSPC res/top is great.

OP, why did you swap out the fuzion for the swiftech block? I've always considered the fuzion to have very good flow, dunno if that's really the case but a m8 had one with a res XT and when he changed it for something else the flow meter reading took a nose dive.

Crikey, that's good going. I thought that my 'loop of many single rads' was on the limit! What sort of temps are getting on the 5850 core? Both of mine max out around 48C after an hour or so of BC2, which seemed pretty good to me running at 950mhz.

In actual fact the swiftech block is very, very good with low flow loops and is a better cooler than the fuzion so I don't blame him for swapping.

As for my loop, I'm maxing out at 50C on the 5850 now I have added the 9800GTX+. It used to be 46C.

However, 50C is still more than good enough

I do have a very balanced setup with a very high flow rate, no restrictions, radiator mounted at the top of the case with hot air extracted by a couple of 38mm San Ace fans (running at 5v). If I turn the fans up to 12v I can keep the 5850 at 43C

wolvers · 2 Jun 2010 at 17:11

Are you blowing warm air, from inside the case, through the rad then? I was doing that to begin with but when I changed it to ambient air blowing through it, temps dropped nearly 10C. I'll never run a rad like that again.

If I keep the rear rads fan at 12v both 5850s max out at around 43C.

Greebo · 2 Jun 2010 at 18:05

wolvers69 said:
Are you blowing warm air, from inside the case, through the rad then? I was doing that to begin with but when I changed it to ambient air blowing through it, temps dropped nearly 10C. I'll never run a rad like that again.

If I keep the rear rads fan at 12v both 5850s max out at around 43C.

My theory is that with everything watercooled inside the pc, the in case air temp won't be much different to ambient. It's a very well ventilated case and large.

Also I can't see any other way with my case of doing it. I once had my rad outside the case with an older smaller case but it's a PITA tbh. Much neater inside.

And my 9800GTX+ maxes out at 40C with the 5850 at 43C plus my cpu at 60C and that is with one old, dual, thin radiator and my 5850 running at 1100 with 1.35v through it and my 9800gtx+ at 800/2000.

wolvers · 2 Jun 2010 at 21:23

Sounds like it's all working well then :cool:

. My case didn't have great airflow so the heat off the motherboard was definitely making a difference to the temperature of the air flowing through the radiator.

I also tried a remote radiator setup too, with excellent results. You're spot on though it can be a PITA. The experience made me keen to keep it all in the case.

Sounds like the OP has plenty of options and it would be great if he was able to try out each one in turn to see what gives the best results.