Spec me up, need complete loop

HomZ

HomZ

HomZ

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Joined
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Leeds
Hi all,

After finishing off building a decent spec PC I decided air cooling doesn't do it for me anymore so need a complete system to put into a Coolermaster Trooper case,

Ideally id like to cool the CPU, GPU and the Asus Formula 1150 board appears to have fittings for watercooling so would like to take advantage of that too.

I have no idea where to begin as I don't know anything about good/bad watercooling hardware

Id like to do this on a budget of around £300 but don't mind spending more for the right kit

Specs,

4770k (1150)
Asus Maximus Formula
MSI 780TI gaming edition (does this even need WC) ?

as my current case fans are red I guess it makes sense to stick with the red theme

When I decide to buy I will post pics of how it went.

Thanks
 
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Hi Murah thanks for getting back to me appreciate your input!

Sorry about the confusion regarding the vga card, when I started to write the post I figured I would cool the vga but the more I think about it im not sure this card needs it as its quiet to start with and im not sure how confident I feel gutting this graphics card, suppose I should just man up and go with a vga block too and do it properly,

So I am looking for something to fit my coolermaster trooper, Im wanting to put a 240mm rad in the top, a 120mm rad on the back, then have 4 fans at the very top of the case in a push pull config and them same again with the 120mm rad which ill mount on the back of the case

The watercooling kit you linked to looks good, will I be able to put in a vga block to that too, is the pump good enough ? judging my what you said the rads should be able to handle that nicely.

How easy is that to fill should the system ever need a top up, likewise how easy is it to bleed, anything else I can throw in to the loop to make it easier to top up/bleed

The compression fittings having just checked are the correct ones for my motherboard so thats great, Ill order 2 bottles of fluid thanks for the tip!

Fan wise ill get the SP120's as I can get those from work quite cheap, everything else will be from here.

I know for definate a 240mm rad will fit with 4 corsair 120's as my mate fitted a h100i to his trooper on the same motherboard on friday (had to clip one corner of the sp120's as the armour on the asus formula board was causing an obstruction)

Sorry for all the questions but im guessing that pump/res is quiet ? I am looking for very low noise in general use, noise whilst gaming wont be an issue though so can crank it up then.

Ill add 6 more fixings in to make sure I have enough, 2 for graphics card, 2 for additional rad and ill keep 2 spare.

any 780ti block you would reccomend ?
 
Hi, thanks for that video that looks like just what I need

I'll order all the bits later today, Im just looking through the site now and not sure on what T line I need, also what type of connector do I need to go on the end of the tube running from the T line, there's so many different connectors and sizes im worried about ordering the wrong one. I take it ill need extra compression fitting for the T line too ?

Thanks again for comments, been a massive help!
 
Ahhh I get you now, I was thinking of running extra tubbing about 2-3 inch's worth from the T line to make it easier to drain, I think ill just do like you said and remove the res when I need to, plenty of space in this case so when I mount it I can hide some of the tubing in the 5 1/4 bays

Them bits you linked to are only cheap so ill pick them up anyway

Im slightly concerned after reading many websites tonight that running the water cooling into the motherboard could be a bad idea due to mixing metals, Asus on there website say its fine to use a aliminium block with a copper watercooling as they have anodized the surface so it can withstand 216 hours of salt spray testing which is equivalent to 3 years of galvanic corrosion exposure.
 
Morning, honestly I'm not sure, ill have to check that before I order one, I know the cooler is obviously an aftermarket one but don't know for sure if msi stuck it on a reference pcb or if it's there own.
 
Well this is helpful, some websites say it's reference and others say custom, I'll check for pictures of both pcbs when I go on the pc later, on phone atm.
 
I am defo going to do this now Murah, I have emailed ocuk to ask if the block I found would be compatible, Having just had a good look around my case it looks like I could get a 240mm rad in the top and a 240 in the bottom, would you advise that being a good idea ? I have more than enough space for it, I was going to stick a 120 on the back of the case too but I don't think I need to bother ?

If I do go double rad, the fans at the bottom of the case would you have them as push or pull and would they sit on top of the radiator or underneath, soon as I hear back from ocuk I am going to order.

Sorry for all the questions, I just want to make sure I build the right thing :)

Thanks!
 
I like overkill :) a 360 in the top looks like it would fit but would need modification and looks like I compromise the integrity of the case handle which I don't want to do.

Putting a rad in the front isn't really an option as I have 6 hard drives so not much space at the front.

Could go totally overboard and have 3 rads x2 240 x1 120 although having fans on them all would be noisy I imagine

How would you suggest I cable it all up, I watched the video you linked me to so I would have copied that but if I throw a gpu block in not sure what would be best.

Are you recommending different options because you are against top and bottom rads or was you just giving me more options.

Murah, would you be interested in playing the new splinter cell game, I appreciate all the help you giving me so you are welcome too it as a thank you :)
 
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Nice one, I'll go 240 120 then, ill order today and get the kit you advised, ill look at a few connectors which go at an angle to make it look neater,

When I mentioned about how to cable I meant i meant do I need to worry about what tube goes to what itis our a case of if it's all connected it's fine

I'll message you over the code tonight mate.

Thanks again.
 
Right ok mate I'll just do however then, ordered all my parts this morning and ocuk have shipped my order already, I wanted to order a gpu block but the one I picked wasnt compatible apparently so asked for one that does fit but yet to hear back from ocuk, will send you that code later tonight when I'm home,

I ended up ordering those extra parts to make a bleed pipe, ordered some uv and red lights too, ordered the 120 rad, came to just short of 230, ordered four sp120s from work for 30 quid. Looming forward to making a start.
 
Hi mate, just managed to get on, I'll setup like you said and then see how I get on,

I'll show you some pics when I'm done, most likely not until the weekend though I aint in mad rush to get it up and running, still have the laptop :)

Will message you that code now mate!
 
Recieved all my parts today inc a free pack of Harribo's which my mate soon robbed off me,

I believe I have everything I need although the more I plan it out in my head I keep coming up short and thinking ive missed something,

regarding the T junnction you mentioned, I bought that and also bought the male to male connector you mentioned and also got another connector which looks to screw into the T junction to plug one of the holes (edit G1/4 plug)

My trouble is if I was to run another pipe from the T junction what am I putting on that end when I want to drain, I keep thinking I am missing some other connector, looks like I need some sort of female connector on the end of the tube and then the G 1/4 plug to go into that ?

Have I missed something ? confused :)
 
It's all gone Pete tong, if I fit the 120 rad on the back there's too much of a bend to get it into the board, it also blocks one of the pipes for the board, I can't have a push pull config going on the top as that doesn't fit either, I'm ditching the 120 rad which I'll send back to ocuk tomorrow, it's turning into an absolute mare.

I've mounted the 240 rad in the top and put the fans blowing onto the rad, if I'm lucky I'll be able to get one fan in the top to act as an exhaust. Really wish I hadn't of bothered now :(
 
It's up and running and just leak testing seems fine after half hour, the pump is noisy though, not what I was expecting at all so I hope this gets quieter over time, I'd already set the fans as push before I read your post sorry, I'm happy to have finished for the night now I need to go to bed lol, will send you a pic when it's all done.
 
All up and running now, still have a few bits to do tomorrow but calling it a night now, just had a quick run on occt getting 33 degrees idle with fans on lowest settings so only thing I can hear is the pump, at full load with fans on full it tops out at 72 degrees after only 5 minutes

Using arctic silver so hope once that's run in it comes down further,

To say ive spent almost £250 doing this im not that impressed thus far, its the noise of the pump that is doing my head in the most,

Pretty much getting the same temps as I did off my enclosed unit with push pull config :(

Ill have to compare to see what other people are getting, Im very tempted to pull it all out and send it back :( I could cry lol.
 
Morning,

I have the XSPC 240mm kit from overclockers which comes with the x20 750 pump

I'll take the block off and reseat but im pretty sure its on there correctly as its very tight,

As far as I know the bubbles are out, how exactly can I get them out if there are any, the pump doesn't sound to be struggling.

Not noticed any leaks whilst its been left overnight, I'll pull it all out tonight as the coolant level isn't at its absolute maximu, enough room for another 100/200ml max id say

I didn't get the gpu block, ocuk did get back to me but said the one I wanted wouldn't fit and linked me to one which was £95 which they said they thought would fit, atm im glad I didn't get one as it would only be more work for the pump.

I cant understand why its so poor, I was expecting better :(

getting similar temps to people using h100i which I could have bought for £80, like you say though must be something wrong somewhere, Im sure we'll figure it out and ill be happy with it eventually.

Thanks guys
 
I think I will take the rad back out and change the position of the fans, ill have them exhausting rather than pushing cold air onto the rad.

I think I have cabled up ok too I went with

Pump res > rad > cpu > board > pump

the cable coming from the board back to the pump is quite long as I wanted to tuck it up in the top of the case to make it tidy,

Ill send you some pics now mate.
 
Hi mate, that was with occt, it's what I've always used for testing overclocking, I noticed in Asus ai suite there is about 10 degrees difference so maybe occt lies,

I managed to get hold of some scyth slipstream fans that I've had on my desk for ages, they are quite thin so should mount in the top as exhaust ok.

I'm going to bleed out the rad tonight and look at mounting the 120 rad on the outside of the case, case has holes for tubes pre drilled so may work out, could also put the spare corsair 120s on that as push pull too, took your advice and got a fan controller, my mate gave me his scyth one that he didn't use. Getting there mate!

Did splinter cell work ok for you ?
 
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