Spec me please

Skittles

Skittles

Skittles

Associate
Joined
17 Oct 2013
Posts
26
Hey,

I'm looking to watercool my pc but I'm not sure where to start. I've read through the forums and it's not always clear what to go for on the rad front.

I'm looking to cool an FX-8350 & R9 290x, single/double loop? :confused:

Case is a Corsair Carbide 540 cube jobby.

Cheers
 
I'd say single loop. Much easier to route. The 540 isnt a huge case so 2 x 240mm rads should be suitable for it.

Do you prefer low noise over performance? If so have a look at the hardware labs sr1s and some scythe gentle typhoons. (I currently have 19 1450rpm GTs and its whisper quite with voltage control).

If noise isnt a concern have a look at the hardware labs GTX or XSPC EX240 and some high power fans like the 1850rpm or 2100rpm scythe gentles.
 
Thanks for the input. After stressing my brain for a while I came up with this...

YOUR BASKET
1 x OcUK Tech Lab - XSPC D5 Vario Pump & EK-D5 X-RES 140 CSQ Value Combo £114.98
1 x Aqua Computer Kryographics Hawaii Radeon R9 290x £89.99
1 x EK Water Blocks EK-Supremacy £49.99
2 x Hardware Labs Black ICE Radiator GT Stealth 240 £35.99 (£71.98)
2 x Mayhems Pastel - Red Coolant 1L £14.99 (£29.98)
2 x Primochill Primoflex Advanced Tubing 16/10 - Clear £5.99 (£11.98)
10 x XSPC G1/4" to 3/8" ID, 5/8" OD Compression Fitting (Chrome) £2.99 (£29.90)
1 x XSPC PSU Bridging Connector (24 Pin) £1.30
Total : £412.07 (includes shipping : £10.00).


:eek:

Suitable or overkill? I'm a little lost as it's my 1st wc setup. Does it need a D5 pump? Have I missed anything? (other than fans!) I'll not be going dual GPU again as single card seems to be a lot easier so expansion is very unlikely.
 
Last edited:
Updated with SR1's, low noise is important.

YOUR BASKET
1 x OcUK Tech Lab - XSPC D5 Vario Pump & EK-D5 X-RES 140 CSQ Value Combo £114.98
1 x Aqua Computer Kryographics Hawaii Radeon R9 290x £89.99
2 x Hardware Labs Black ICE Radiator SR1 240 £55.98 (£111.96)
1 x EK Water Blocks EK-Supremacy £49.99
2 x Mayhems Pastel - Red Coolant 1L £14.99 (£29.98)
2 x Primochill Primoflex Advanced Tubing 16/10 - Clear £5.99 (£11.98)
10 x XSPC G1/4" to 3/8" ID, 5/8" OD Compression Fitting (Chrome) £2.99 (£29.90)
1 x XSPC PSU Bridging Connector (24 Pin) £1.30
Total : £452.05 (includes shipping : £10.00).






YOUR BASKET
1 x Mayhems Fine Silver Kill Coil £4.50
Total : £6.78 (includes shipping : £1.90).



Also will I need these?

Thanks
 
Last edited:
In the Corsair 540, go with 1x360 and 1x240

2x240 will just look odd ... look at some of the WC builds of the 540. There's plenty around
 
And save yourself a quid on the bridging connector. A paperclip does the job. Bridge the green with with any of the black wires on the PSU 24pin cable.
 
Thanks again. All that onboard, along with recent horror stories of acrylic blocks I've just been reading...

YOUR BASKET
1 x OcUK Tech Lab - XSPC D5 Vario Pump & EK-D5 X-RES 140 CSQ Value Combo £114.98
1 x EK Water Blocks EK-FC R9-290X - Acetal+Nickel £95.99
1 x Hardware Labs Black ICE Radiator SR1 360 £69.98
1 x Hardware Labs Black ICE Radiator SR1 240 £55.98
1 x EK Water Blocks EK-Supremacy Clean CSQ - Acetal + Nickel £52.99
3 x Corsair SP120 Performance Series High Pressure - Dual Pack (CO-9050008-WW) £25.99 (£77.97)
2 x Mayhems Pastel - Red Coolant 1L £14.99 (£29.98)
2 x Primochill Primoflex Advanced Tubing 16/10 - Clear £5.99 (£11.98)
1 x Aqua Computer Ball Valve Female Thread G 1/4 without Fittings £5.99
10 x XSPC G1/4" to 3/8" ID, 5/8" OD Compression Fitting (Chrome) £2.99 (£29.90)
Total : £558.32 (includes shipping : £10.50).



Fans will be running at 7v.

Besides the agonising price tag, do the specs look about right? no mismatching fittings/tubing or anything missing?

Thanks again.
 
Last edited:
What is the ball valve for?

If you're looking for a drain from the ball valve, you'll need 2 additional fittings + a T-Adaptor + male-male adaptor to connect the ball valve to the T-adaptor and probably a G1/4 plug to plug the end of that ball valve.

Re: fans, pick up the quiet edition ones instead of the high performance ... you don't need the thing lifting off.
 
YOUR BASKET
1 x OcUK Tech Lab - XSPC D5 Vario Pump & EK-D5 X-RES 140 CSQ Value Combo £114.98
1 x EK Water Blocks EK-FC R9-290X - Acetal+Nickel £95.99
1 x Hardware Labs Black ICE Radiator SR1 360 £69.98
1 x Hardware Labs Black ICE Radiator SR1 240 £55.98
1 x EK Water Blocks EK-Supremacy Clean CSQ - Acetal + Nickel £52.99
1 x EK Water Blocks EK-FC R9-290X Backplate - Black £26.99
3 x Corsair SP120 Quiet Series High Pressure Low Noise - Dual Pack (CO-9050006-WW) £25.99 (£77.97)
2 x Mayhems Pastel - Red Coolant 1L £14.99 (£29.98)
2 x Primochill Primoflex Advanced Tubing 16/10 - Clear £5.99 (£11.98)
1 x Aqua Computer Ball Valve Female Thread G 1/4 without Fittings £5.99
1 x XSPC G1/4" T Fitting (Chrome) £3.95
12 x XSPC G1/4" to 3/8" ID, 5/8" OD Compression Fitting (Chrome) £2.99 (£35.88)
1 x XSPC G1/4" 10mm Male to Male Fitting (Chrome) £1.79
1 x XSPC G1/4" Plug (Chrome) £1.55
Total : £598.57 (includes shipping : £10.50).



I gotta be getting close :p
 
£412 to nearly £600 :O Blimey

I think you're looking good now there mate :) Glad you've gone to the effort of looking components up and building your own basket.
 
If you use the bottom hot swap bays in your 540 I'd check to make sure a 360 rad has clearance on them.

From what I've seen most people running a 360 rad in the front of there 540 meant not using the right hand hot swap bay.
 
daveip said:
£412 to nearly £600 :O Blimey

I think you're looking good now there mate :) Glad you've gone to the effort of looking components up and building your own basket.
Click to expand...

I'be been bickering with myself for months browsing the forum and shop :D I can see my credit card weeping in the background :rolleyes:


Thanks Famas, you're right, I'm using both bays and have a total clearance on around 60mm. Looks like I'll need to go with a GT Stealth at the front.

YOUR BASKET
1 x Hardware Labs Black ICE Radiator GT Stealth 360 £49.99
Total : £55.97 (includes shipping : £4.98).

 
A thinner rad might be an option, you also need to consider fittings as these are whats going to hit the drive bay.

If you're going for a 240 rad at the top of the case you wont have room to mount the 360 rad with the fitting point at the top.

Having the fittings at the bottom of the case puts them very close to the drive bay. you might have to use a 45 connection straight into the radiator to give you clearance.

I might be wrong but thought it was worth mentioning.
 
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