Spec me up, need complete loop

HomZ

HomZ

HomZ

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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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yes pump/res combos are good, depends what you want to do how you set it all out. do you want the 780ti watercooled it doesn't have to be that again is up to you.

depends on what you want to do but you have a few options:

option 1: buy a watercooling kit for just your cpu, eg: XSPC 240mm kit
option 2: buy a WC kit + gpu block for card (EG: XSPC 360mm kit + full cover water block)
option 3: go full custom for cpu/gpu
or go with say #1 and down the line if you want to add a 200mm rad + gpu block in the loop

without knowing exactly what you want to do its pretty impossible to help you right now

as for fans, case fans will not cut it. in ideal circumstances you would buy some fans designed for radiators like the corsair SP120 performance or the Scythe Gentle Typhoon fans.

or for now you can just go with an AIO watercooler for your cpu EG: Corsair H100i or the up-comming H105 . But you won't be able to add in anything to the loop.

For the budget you set out (£300) id go for a cpu loop now and add in later if i wanted to.
YOUR BASKET
1 x XSPC RayStorm 750 EX240 WaterCooling Kit £129.95
1 x XSPC 7/16" ID (16/11mm) High Flex Hose - Clear (1m Length) £2.99
8 x XSPC G1/4" to 7/16" ID, 5/8" OD Compression Fitting (Black Chrome) £2.80 (£22.40)
Total : £165.80 (includes shipping : £8.75).



8x compression fittings (6 for kit , 2 for mobo. Add in more as needed.) I'd personally use this fittings to connect up, very well designed and good peace of mind! Extra tubing just in case, then add in fluid of your choice for the cost of around £10. I'd go with normal Mayhems UV in the colour of your choice. This will cover you for your CPU and mobo. Should you wish to cool your GPU then add in 2x more fittings at least, a 200mm radiator preferred but you can probably get away with a 120mm of decent quality and a waterblock for the card (Will set you back around £70).

The kit comes with fans, but again if it where me I'd swap them out to gentle typhoon 1850's

last but not least, check everything will fit, there is nothing more gutting than buying WC parts only to find they wont fit in your case.
 
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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 ?
 
tbh leave the gpu for now till you have got comfortable with watercooling and like you said your card runs cool and quiet(Plus with watercooling in system it will decrease the ambient temps of your case overall), you should only need the 240mm for now here is a video of the setup: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=r6uoRYMuPEo&hd=1 so you can see how easy it is to maintain. Completely able to add more to the loop and the pump should suffice fine (Maybe not as good as a D5 but your looking at a couple of degrees C difference at best).

Pump noise is subjective to the person, I would suggest if you experience vibration which tends to cause the most noise that you line the side of the res/pump combo with some foam and you should be sorted. You might find the noise it makes goes way down after the initial bubbles are sorted out!

As for waterblocks i'm not entirely sure but any of the ones OCUK stock will be bang on :) again just make sure its compatible. Pretty sure they are all full cover blocks (Chip+vrm cooled) but make sure you get one of the full cover's !

Also push/pull while decent is not really needed at best you are taking a few C off temps, so if you run into space issues don't be annoyed :)

one thing you can do is add a T line for easy draining would certainly make the task easier, although you might find you could pull the whole lot out as one without draining if you have the space in the case that would mean taking the CPU block off. edit: just a T line forgot you were adding in your mobo :D
 
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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!
 
I actually can't see any T-valves on OCUK :/ but your just going to want a T connector , you plug one end of the T into the res, and you would have a piece of hose coming off that with something to cap it or use a valve joint.

just pull the res out the case (if you left yourself enough tube length) wack a bucket under it and empty away.

double edit: found the actual T-fitting ! http://www.overclockers.co.uk/showproduct.php?prodid=WC-217-XS&groupid=962&catid=1529&subcat=1852 you will need one of the plugs - http://www.overclockers.co.uk/showproduct.php?prodid=WC-107-XS&groupid=962&catid=1529&subcat=2588 and one of these to connect it to the res http://www.overclockers.co.uk/showproduct.php?prodid=WC-104-XS&groupid=962&catid=1529&subcat=2588 comes in chrome too (there are 5mm/10mm varients neither matter personally i'd like the 10mm more to hold on to while tightening)

1 example - http://i48.tinypic.com/2553r0k.jpg
 
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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.
 
Looks to me like a ref block would fit the card, least if you order with OCUK and it's wrong you can just call them up and sort it out with them :)

as for mixing metals , many will tell you its a bad idea. However like the test says it's good for about 3 years, you will want to drain and change the fluid in the loop every so often anyway so you can do a distilled water clean through it and the fluids have anti-corrosion elements to it. Add in the fact that its only the mobo that is different I would assume thus making the amount of metal mixing very low. Go for it! by the time ANY wear shows up it's time for an upgrade at any rate.
 
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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ok well whatever configuration you go for try keep it simple, remember more rads = more for the coolant to travel and more work for the pump. It could end up having the opposite effect and make the system warmer as an example. with that kit you are good for a 360+120 or 2x240's but nothing else if you ask me. Honestly a 240mm + 120mm will do your system top notch, the Corsair SP120 fans will do the job cooling it.

As for cabling it up hmm the pump runs off molex if I recall so really its just fans you have to worry about, a Lamptron FC6 + 3pin splitters and you are good to go (personally using this fan controller it is amazing. running 2x 120mm fans per channel + a 200mm fan on one) fc: http://www.overclockers.co.uk/showproduct.php?prodid=BB-002-LP splitters: http://www.overclockers.co.uk/showproduct.php?prodid=CB-013-AK Personally I think a fan controller is mandatory! ;)

And thank you for the offer I would gladly accept it :) Trust me a message
 
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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.
 
since all components in the loop will equal out in temperature you can really go how you like

eg: res/pump>rad>cpu>mobo>120rad>gpu>res/pump
or res/pump>rad>mobo>cpu>120rad>gpu<res/pump

doesn't have to be exactly like that but you get the idea :)
 
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.
 
nice, decent price. if you get stuck post in here but you should be fine.

out of the two I posted I would probably pick : res/pump>rad>cpu>mobo>120rad>gpu>res/pump I can see that working out rather neat !

Remember to post pics when you're all done ;)
 
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