Quiet / Powerful pump?

Strawberry

Strawberry

Strawberry

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Joined
29 Dec 2009
Posts
649
Location
Germany
Hey.

I am building a rig for a friend with a pretty expensive watercooling setup. I'm just wondering what the best pump to use is, since he wants a pump that won't vibrate / make noises even when mounted against the case.

In his loop is:
1x EK Water Blocks Supreme Acetal CPU block
1x EK Water Blocks EK-FC285 GTX Rev2. full cover GPU block
1x Phobya G-Changer 360x120x60mm radiator
1x MIPS ASUS P6T Deluxe Series Nickel chipset block (3 waterblocks)
2x Aquacomputer ramplex RAM-waterblock copper edition

and maybe also
1x EK Water Blocks EK-CoolStream RAD XT 120mm

Which constitutes a loop with a whopping 7 waterblocks and 1-2 radiators.
I was wondering what pumps I should be getting him for this setup?

Would a Laing DDC 12V really be needed? What about two of the 420 l/h versions (instead of one 600 l/h)? What other alternatives are there?
I don't like the looks of the Laing pumps because they don't have G1/4 threading. I was considering an Alphacool Eheim Station II (the same I have) because they have an integrated reservoir, however they vibrate quite a lot. I also got him a Silencer / Antivibration Mat for this purpose though.

What powerful, noiseless pumps would you suggest?

Or should I dump the loop and go for two/three cheap loops instead?
 
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There's a few blatent contradictions in that post I'm afraid. If he mounts a pump against the case, it'll transfer vibrations. Pumps have to move to work, so you're stuck with that unless you don't bolt it to the case. I'm hanging mine off a radiator mounted in the top panel by the tubing the water is going through, does pretty well at dampening it.

Flow rate through that is going to suck badly. Even with an 18W ddc it's not going to be great. Is he hoping for silence or for good temperatures? A 10W ddc will deal with that, but temperatures aren't going to be all that special. Use an aftermarket top with the ddc, they're all basically the same. Gives it G1/4" threads and better performance.

Splitting it into smaller loops would be better for temperatures. Need to find space for another radiator then. Either way get him to open up the ek supreme and take the steel plate out, using a spectacularly restrictive block in an already restrictive loop isn't cunning (I'm using an ek supreme, with a similarly restrictive loop, and am flow rate limited with an 18W ddc. Soon to move to using two of them).
 
I'd drop that cpu block straight away - it's not very good when you run multi block loops.
Secondly all good pumps are quieter that most case fans (but really shouldn't be hard mounted).
Thirdly both the DDC pro/ultra and the D5 have tops that take G1/4 threads.

If your building a loop for someone you should know this.
As wells as cherry picking better hardware than listed.

Edit: JonJ's being much more forgiving that me.
You'll be doing your 'friend' no favours if you don't research watercooling (and may kill his hardware)
And if you being paid...

Spec list reaks of a more money than sence build or a best a noob Bling-Bling build.

Appoligies for the outburst - everyone has to start somewhere.
But make sure to can afford to replace your friend pc if it all goes wrong.
as your OP shows you don't know what you are doing (or at the very least the UK watercooling scene)
I know first hand the german 'norm' for watercooling is different - My first loop was all german parts.
 
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The CPU block can be exchanged for something else. (Still in the designing phase - nothing actually ordered yet)

If using only one pump we're going to mount it on the floor using 12mm anti-vibration pads, another can also fit on the HDD cage (floor-mounted). So I believe we're restricted to two loops, but he has two rads either way so I guess that should be fine.

He's looking for an ideal balance of temps and silence. His system by far isn't as quiet as mine though, so a rather noisy pump with an anti-vibration pad should still do the job, as long as he can't hear the hum over his case coolers. (Which I find very loud now that I'm used to my 600rpm setup)

He won't be overclocking much though (his plan is 3.5, I've been trying my best to convince him to allow me to take his setup to 4+)

If splitting the loops, how would you recommend it?
CPU on 3x1 + GPU/Chip/RAM on 1x1
or
CPU + GPU on 3x1 + Chip/RAM on 1x1 with weak pump?

Edit:
@Shadow
Ah no, I'm really just helping him out a bit, not being paid or anything.
 
Three options for you.
1) Have a look at the Typhoon 3 (two loops one pump)
2) Single loop with cpu/gpu/nb - leave the rest of the mobo and ram alone
3) I'd also surgest air cooling as a 360+120 is not enough for the lot.

Q9550@4 and 4890 on a 120.1@600rmp - sounds toasty
 
Aside from what shadowscotland and JonJ678 have already said - and they know a lot more about watercooling than me - I would have to ask, why RAM blocks?

In all likelyhood this guy doesn't need his RAM cooling anymore than it's being cooled now. Even if he did there are MUCH better ways of doing it than with the best part of £100 worth of blocks
 
That's what I told him - but he insists to get them anyway just for the fact that he has them. :/

I've checked out the Typhoon 3. Sounds reasonable, I think I'll use that.

Ps. Temps are fine actually, both CPU and GPU peak at 45-50°C which is a tradeoff I'm willing to make for the silence it offers me. I can run the fan at max for 40°C load temps but the sound of the air flow alone (even when nothing is attached to the cooler) is too loud for me to sleep.
 
shadowscotland said:
Spec list reaks of a more money than sence build or a best a noob Bling-Bling build.

Appoligies for the outburst - everyone has to start somewhere.
But make sure to can afford to replace your friend pc if it all goes wrong.
as your OP shows you don't know what you are doing (or at the very least the UK watercooling scene)
I know first hand the german 'norm' for watercooling is different - My first loop was all german parts.
Click to expand...

1. In all honesty that's sort of what it is. He doesn't really want that much of power, he gets most of his components simply on the basis that they look good or are expensive or new.

He chose most of those components simply because they were black or good-looking, this is just an initial draft either way.
Usually before I order something I do a lot more research on the subject/articles in question, as well as reading reviews for every single component. I hadn't done this yet, as we're still in the designing phase, especially since we're not sure what loop setup to use.

2. We're prepared to take that risk, but I'd double and triple check / re-ask about everything before ordering either way, especially since this is not for myself and I am admittedly still moderately inexperienced, especially when it comes to watercooling.

3. Out of interest, where would you say the components are going wrong most? I realize most of the products are biased towards EK Waterblocks but that was largely because of their presence in the lists we chose from, as well as their visual appeal.
 
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Updates:

The CPU block has been exchanged for a Swiftech Apogee XT Extreme Performance, I am considering upgrading the tubing size and going for a high-flow radiator as well, then using the DDC 18W with the Typhoon 3 top.

The main reason I chose the radiator is for it's dimension, as it's a 60mm thick radiator instead of the standard 30-40mm. I figured this would double its surface area due to increased volume.

Anything else I should be obviously changing out?
 
Strawberry said:
Updates:

The CPU block has been exchanged for a Swiftech Apogee XT Extreme Performance, I am considering upgrading the tubing size and going for a high-flow radiator as well, then using the DDC 18W with the Typhoon 3 top.

The main reason I chose the radiator is for it's dimension, as it's a 60mm thick radiator instead of the standard 30-40mm. I figured this would double its surface area due to increased volume.

Anything else I should be obviously changing out?
Click to expand...

If you're going for quiet, I'd be wary of a deep radiator as you'll need some hefty fans to get sufficient pressure. The Thermochill PA is specifically designed to be thick, but allow the use of low noise fans, and is the radiator I'd go with personally. Unless they've been wrecked since the buy-out.
 
The thermochill PA's are still extreamly good - As are the feser and XSPC RX's
All work well with low speed fans, all now have 'standard' 15mm fan spacings.

The typhoon 3 only works with the D5.
There is a XSPC duel bay res that can be used with two DDC's for two separate loops which is also very good (but louder).

EK make good watercooling kit (especially chipset/gpu blocks and res's) but there are better rads, pumps, cpu blocks.
They also do a three block mobo set (like the MIPS one)

If he is insistant on ram cooling then MIPS make the best one and it will work well with the mobo blocks.

The XT is the best block currently - and also works well at lower flow rates.
looks very shiney too (which I guess your friend is into).

The biggest issue you will have is tube routing.
With soooo many blocks, you'll need either 3/8 tube or lots or 45 degree fittings.
 
Yes, I have rotary and angled fittings covered.
The thermochill PA sound good, I'll probably get a 360 and a 240. He has a case specifically designed for watercooling with multiple radiator spaces, special fillport etc so they'll fit just fine.
(On a note, the Phobya G-Changer was designed for low pressure fan usage as well)

Seems he decided the RAM blocks aren't really worth it now, so the final configuration will probably be a dedicated loop for the CPU, and a loop for the bridge and GPU.

Thanks for the help and for the constructive criticism, I'm happy to take any chance I can get to learn.

Ps. Slightly offtopic, but I repositioned my case in a way that blocks most of the noise when I'm at my desk or in my bed, and turned my fan up to maximum speed (1200 rpm). Idle temps are now at 33°C, and after running prime95 on In-Place large FFTs (maximum heat) and Furmark Xtreme GPU burning mode at the same time for 30 minutes my temps are stable at 44°C on the CPU and 39°C on the GPU.

How come I'm getting such good results on a single 120mm rad? Both my CPU and GPU are overclocked by large amounts after all.
 
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Sorry if I'm double posting too much, but I believe any post that adds significant content and expects a reply deserves the ability to bump:

Is this configuration okay? (As you'll notice we've gone with two pumps after all)
(listed in the order they'll be in the loop)

First loop: (Dedicated CPU high-flow) - 19/13mm tubing
- FrozenQ Reactor Core Extreme Reservoir
- Laing DDC-Pump 12V Ultra 600l/h with a Swiftech top
- Swiftech Apogee XT Extreme Performance
- XSPC RX360 Triple Radiator

Second loop (GPU/Chipset) - 11/8mm tubing
- Laing DDC-Pump 12V Pro also with a Swiftech top but comes with reservoir
- EK Water Blocks EK-FC285 GTX PCB Rev.2 SLI
- XSPC Rx120-D Single Radiator
- MIPS ASUS P6T Deluxe Series Set
- XSPC Rx120-D Single Radiator
 
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