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Spec me some watercooling?
- Thread starter mmj_uk
- Start date
Ahh mate, schoolboy error of not including budget.
What's your idea of quiet? How do you feel about external radiators and/or cutting holes in the lovely Eclipse? Can you sacrifice three optical bays and 5/7 3.5" bays to make space for radiators?
What's your idea of quiet? How do you feel about external radiators and/or cutting holes in the lovely Eclipse? Can you sacrifice three optical bays and 5/7 3.5" bays to make space for radiators?
Ignore the budget just spec me the best if it's too much I'll say.
I'd like to think it would be at least as quiet as my current Megalehem, the main source of source of noise I'd like to eradicate though is my 5870 which gets noisy when the fan ramps up.
I don't really fancy cutting the case up (but that's more due to laziness), I have 2 HD's, 1 floppy and 1 CDROM so I can spare 3 optical bays but not 5 x 3.5" ones.
It doesn't have to look pretty it's not a showroom piece or anything I just want it to quiet and effective.
I'd like to think it would be at least as quiet as my current Megalehem, the main source of source of noise I'd like to eradicate though is my 5870 which gets noisy when the fan ramps up.
I don't really fancy cutting the case up (but that's more due to laziness), I have 2 HD's, 1 floppy and 1 CDROM so I can spare 3 optical bays but not 5 x 3.5" ones.
It doesn't have to look pretty it's not a showroom piece or anything I just want it to quiet and effective.
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This chap is looking into cooling the same case, worth a read.
Water cooling with no budget and indifference about appearance is pretty much what I've done in the same case. Nothing I'd change, so all I can suggest is what I've done really.
240 thick radiator in the top (cut a hole or buy the top panel from an omega)
Stop using the floppy/move one of the hard drives external (I've put my floppy disk on the floor of the case, held in place with pvc tape).
Two thick 120 radiators at the front, separated by a 38mm san ace and two 25mm shrouds.
18W Laing ddc behind the radiators, connected to the 240 in the top and one of the 120 in the front. XSPC reservoir top, fill line running to the spare hole in the top. Consider ek options instead however.
EK supreme with middle plate removed, ek full cover graphics block. Get the acetal ones, not the clear.
That concludes how my case is set up. It isn't pretty, but it's holding a 4.4ghz i7 at 70 degrees.
Places for more radiators: one fits over the rear exhaust on the inside with a fan internal. Could fit one either side of the rear exhaust if you wished. Can also fit a 240 on the outside of the side panel. The ultimate in laziness would be to just have a thermochill 120.3 sat on your desk with tubes running to the pc.
Without the additional radiators you've got the equivalent of a quad in the case, which is more than capable of dealing with your processor and graphics card. I'd be happy to develop this idea further, but I can't really until you tell me more.
Water cooling with no budget and indifference about appearance is pretty much what I've done in the same case. Nothing I'd change, so all I can suggest is what I've done really.
240 thick radiator in the top (cut a hole or buy the top panel from an omega)
Stop using the floppy/move one of the hard drives external (I've put my floppy disk on the floor of the case, held in place with pvc tape).
Two thick 120 radiators at the front, separated by a 38mm san ace and two 25mm shrouds.
18W Laing ddc behind the radiators, connected to the 240 in the top and one of the 120 in the front. XSPC reservoir top, fill line running to the spare hole in the top. Consider ek options instead however.
EK supreme with middle plate removed, ek full cover graphics block. Get the acetal ones, not the clear.
That concludes how my case is set up. It isn't pretty, but it's holding a 4.4ghz i7 at 70 degrees.
Places for more radiators: one fits over the rear exhaust on the inside with a fan internal. Could fit one either side of the rear exhaust if you wished. Can also fit a 240 on the outside of the side panel. The ultimate in laziness would be to just have a thermochill 120.3 sat on your desk with tubes running to the pc.
Without the additional radiators you've got the equivalent of a quad in the case, which is more than capable of dealing with your processor and graphics card. I'd be happy to develop this idea further, but I can't really until you tell me more.
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Why not have a 120.2 in the top and a 120.2 mounted on the back? (use the swifttech rad box.)
Get an EK multi res for lots of tube routing options, a D5 pump with acetal top so you can get the barbs to match your tubing and small help in performance.
I like EK blocks as they are good performers for good prices, never heard of removing the middle plate mind (might have a play myself!). Acetal tops are far better than clear ones.
The EK supreme is a good CPU block and you can buy converter plates to change socket types down the line.
As for fans go with gentle typhoons or Apache PWM with a Akasa fan splitter so you can run them all off 1 header, or a fan controller in one of those spare optical slots?
Get an EK multi res for lots of tube routing options, a D5 pump with acetal top so you can get the barbs to match your tubing and small help in performance.
I like EK blocks as they are good performers for good prices, never heard of removing the middle plate mind (might have a play myself!). Acetal tops are far better than clear ones.
The EK supreme is a good CPU block and you can buy converter plates to change socket types down the line.
As for fans go with gentle typhoons or Apache PWM with a Akasa fan splitter so you can run them all off 1 header, or a fan controller in one of those spare optical slots?
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Just to add my 0.02...
I broke all the rules in my current setup (lots of blocks in a single loop and lots splitters and bends). I chose to cool the RAM (hot running dual-sided ECC DDR sticks), CPU, GPU and chipset. Overkill? Yes. But it keeps the MB temperatures down and improves stability. (I use all 4 CPU cores and the GPU for folding@home 24/7.)
I really like:
XSPC Dual DDC Bay Reservoir
It looks really tidy and is a doddle to fit. It's easy to refill (just put it in the top bay of a case and fit a fillport above it). Plus as bonus the perspex doesn't leak like some DD reservoirs I wouldn't care to mention!
Having a Dual bay reservoir allowed me to have a loop:
The pumps are both fitted into the same XSPC Dual DDC reservoir. Using 2 allows me to break the rules about making the (single) waterloop a restrictive (with lots of connectors). Without the dual pumps I don't really get high enough flowrates...
If you haven't got any(!!) budget restriction it's a useful buy. Though of course you can use the XPSC bay with a single Laing pump...
Given the shortness of the Akasa case I would be inclined to mount your radiator externally. There are brackets on the market specially designed to mount 1-4 120mm fan radiators. I would recommend getting the new 15mm spacing Thermochill radiators. They appear to be the best value around just now. If you can stomach the aesthetics you could fit a 120.4 external radiator (future proofing, etc.) to the Akasa case!! 120.3 would be fine for your components (as they are relatively low power - newer tech).
My own opinion is read around as much as possible and see what other people have done (especially with the same case) - as others have suggested in the thread. This is how you will get your best ideas!!
Bob
I broke all the rules in my current setup (lots of blocks in a single loop and lots splitters and bends). I chose to cool the RAM (hot running dual-sided ECC DDR sticks), CPU, GPU and chipset. Overkill? Yes. But it keeps the MB temperatures down and improves stability. (I use all 4 CPU cores and the GPU for folding@home 24/7.)
I really like:
XSPC Dual DDC Bay Reservoir
It looks really tidy and is a doddle to fit. It's easy to refill (just put it in the top bay of a case and fit a fillport above it). Plus as bonus the perspex doesn't leak like some DD reservoirs I wouldn't care to mention!
Having a Dual bay reservoir allowed me to have a loop:
Code:
Radiator (Thermochill PA120.3) -
Pump ([URL="http://www.overclockers.co.uk/showproduct.php?prodid=WC-047-AC&groupid=962&catid=1522&subcat="]Laing DDC 1+ Ultra[/URL]) -
GPU/ CPU/ RAM/ Chipset Waterblocks (in parallel)
Pump ([URL="http://www.overclockers.co.uk/showproduct.php?prodid=WC-047-AC&groupid=962&catid=1522&subcat="]Laing DDC 1+ Ultra[/URL])The pumps are both fitted into the same XSPC Dual DDC reservoir. Using 2 allows me to break the rules about making the (single) waterloop a restrictive (with lots of connectors). Without the dual pumps I don't really get high enough flowrates...
If you haven't got any(!!) budget restriction it's a useful buy. Though of course you can use the XPSC bay with a single Laing pump...
Given the shortness of the Akasa case I would be inclined to mount your radiator externally. There are brackets on the market specially designed to mount 1-4 120mm fan radiators. I would recommend getting the new 15mm spacing Thermochill radiators. They appear to be the best value around just now. If you can stomach the aesthetics you could fit a 120.4 external radiator (future proofing, etc.) to the Akasa case!! 120.3 would be fine for your components (as they are relatively low power - newer tech).
My own opinion is read around as much as possible and see what other people have done (especially with the same case) - as others have suggested in the thread. This is how you will get your best ideas!!
Bob
Thanks again any feedback is very welcome.
Just a quick question would the Akasa Omega case need any modification? can you fit a triple radiator into it? or does is only support 2x dual rads? if it makes things a lot more "plug and play" I'll pick up one of those too.
Just a quick question would the Akasa Omega case need any modification? can you fit a triple radiator into it? or does is only support 2x dual rads? if it makes things a lot more "plug and play" I'll pick up one of those too.
I am now thinking of getting the Coolermaster 840 case because it apparently has fittings for a triple radiator in the roof.
I will try with a single pump to begin with these are the parts I've got in mind:
Thermochill PA120.3
Laing DDC 18w with XSPC Reservoir Top
Watercool Heatkiller Rev 3 Copper CPU Block
EK HD 5870 Acetal Full Cover VGA Water Block
Does that look okay? or should i go with separate pump/reservoir?
I will try with a single pump to begin with these are the parts I've got in mind:
Thermochill PA120.3
Laing DDC 18w with XSPC Reservoir Top
Watercool Heatkiller Rev 3 Copper CPU Block
EK HD 5870 Acetal Full Cover VGA Water Block
Does that look okay? or should i go with separate pump/reservoir?
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Sounds good. I've tried the XSPC Reservoir Top and it is nifty because it stops the pump pumping large air bubbles.
I am using a pair of EK Supreme CPU blocks. But checking around I see that Heat Killer block is very highly recommended (but may be a bit restrictive)...
Still like the EK Supreme pricing though!!
EK full cover GPU blocks are really nice. My 8800GTX EK blocks were a pain as the cover screws weren't flush (and thus would have stuck into my soundcard in the adjacent PCI slot). I had to precision drill out the screw holes in the acetal cover... Thankfully EK stopped that stupid malarkey shortly afterwards...
It's good fun to take the blocks apart to see how they work inside. The science behind it is fascinating...
BTW make sure you get the newer 15mm spacing Thermochill PA120.3 otherwise it won't fit!!
Bob
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All blocks have to have some pressure drop to slow the speed of the water and create turbulence to allow transfer of heat from the block to the water. Blocks which have a higher pressure drop than average are often called restrictive.
I had to worry about that in the waterloop I was making because of all the junctions and splitter parts I was using (which add further restriction to the loop - slowing the water rate and dropping pressure). Every extra part you add to a waterloop drops another bit off the available pressure (or head) of the pump. If the total loop restriction is too great then the pump will not be able to move the water at all!!
Bob
Ok I'm with you, hope it's not too restrictive.
Quick question on flow now, if my pump with XSPC Reservoir Top is at the bottom of the case with radiator at the top of the case and CPU/GPU in between (CPU above GPU of course), what is the best loop?
Am I right in thinking it should be:
Pump > Radiator > CPU > GPU > Reservoir?
Quick question on flow now, if my pump with XSPC Reservoir Top is at the bottom of the case with radiator at the top of the case and CPU/GPU in between (CPU above GPU of course), what is the best loop?
Am I right in thinking it should be:
Pump > Radiator > CPU > GPU > Reservoir?
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The main things to ensure are:
(1) The reservoir feeds straight into the pump (not a problem for you!!)
(2) Outputs from blocks are vertically higher than inlets (allows bubbles to rise out of the part)
I understand that the loop order is otherwise fairly open ended. Basically as the heat transferred to the air by the radiator must roughly equal the heat created by the pump and transfered by the blocks.
Putting the radiator straight after the pump should help bleeding the air out it - this is slowest item to remove trapped air from (since the radiator holds a large volume of air or water compared to water blocks).
Also I would try to factor in a way to drain the loop (has this been discussed - don't know
). I've got a rather groovy tap sticking out at the bottom of the back of my case. Generally something near the bottom of the waterloop is the order of the day...Hope that's useful...
Bob
Can I not just turn the reservoir upside down to drain it?
Thanks for all the info.
Also with regards to point 2 on my GPU water block should I have the water input going into the bottom and exit out of the top? the waterblock itself is perfectly horizontal but you can choose which side (either top or bottom) to fit the barbs.
Thanks for all the info.
Also with regards to point 2 on my GPU water block should I have the water input going into the bottom and exit out of the top? the waterblock itself is perfectly horizontal but you can choose which side (either top or bottom) to fit the barbs.
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Yeh you can turn a bath upside down to empty it as well...
Fit the intake barb underneath the block and the outlet barb on top - obviously they should not be in G1/4 threaded holes directly above/below each other!!
A similar principle applies to crossfire/SLI. In this case fit the intake barb under the lowest card and the outlet barb to the top card (assuming you are using adjustable spacing SLI tubing to run the cards in parallel).
Bob
Yeh you can turn a bath upside down to empty it as well...
Well obviously I'll hold it over a bucket.
Fit the intake barb underneath the block and the outlet barb on top - obviously they should not be in G1/4 threaded holes directly above/below each other!!
A similar principle applies to crossfire/SLI. In this case fit the intake barb under the lowest card and the outlet barb to the top card (assuming you are using adjustable spacing SLI tubing to run the cards in parallel).
Bob
Ok fantastic thanks.
