Spec me water cooler

supergluechris · 30 Oct 2012 at 19:36

Hi all, I wish to get into water cooling. Seeing as it's Christmas soon I think it is a great excuse to get the equipment. Here is what I have. I only plan to cool the CPU and maybe the GPU at a later stage.

Cosmos 2
i5 3570k @4ghz (want to go higher)
Gigabyte UD5H
600W PSU
3 HDD's

I would like to spend under £200 but less is better. Any ideas welcome. Kits or custom kits alike.

Thanks all

pgi947 · 30 Oct 2012 at 19:39

What case are you using at the moment?

Edit: derp, Cosmos 2, give me a min to do some googling on rad compatibility

pgi947 · 30 Oct 2012 at 19:46

Right-o

You can get a slim 360 in the top and thick 240 in the bottom.

A good 360 kit should do you well, should be enough to keep the upgrades minimal when it comes to adding a gpu to the loop, something like the following may fit:

http://www.overclockers.co.uk/showproduct.php?prodid=WC-157-XS&groupid=962&catid=1532&subcat=

The rad is 35mm thick, so it wouldn't hurt to have a measure up on how much room you have up top before purchasing. Push comes to shove you can always buy individually with a slimmer radiator, iirc they can go as low as 28-29mm.

supergluechris · 30 Oct 2012 at 20:01

I hear it is quite a struggle to get a 360 at the top and even then I think people have it on a pull only config? will that effect anything?

pgi947 · 30 Oct 2012 at 20:14

Its widely perceived that push/pull is quite pointless on larger radiators, so pull only would be fine, the struggle seems to be down to thickness and the motherboard used (heatsink locations and ram slot location dependant).

A nice build log here from XS: http://www.xtremesystems.org/forums/showthread.php?279636-Cosmos-II-Watercooling-2012

Fairly sure he is using the 360 in my above link.

supergluechris · 30 Oct 2012 at 21:07

I like the tube res over the bay res. I just don't know where to begin =/ I'd prefer the pump and res to be together.
I think the specs need to be then a

360 rad
tube res and pump
tubing
connectors. (need angles ones for red + CPU
Tubing
fans

pgi947 · 30 Oct 2012 at 21:37

A little over budget but it can easily be manipulated to get it down, just a rough spec before I head off to bed:

YOUR BASKET
1 x OcUK Tech Lab - 10w DDC Pump & EK-DDC X-RES 100 CSQ Value Combo £89.99
1 x XSPC EX360 120mm Radiator - Black £49.99
1 x Aqua Computer Cuplex Kryos Delrin for Socket 775/1155/1156/1366, G1/4 £39.98
2 x Mayhems Ultra Pure H20 Watercooling Fluid 1L £4.99 (£9.98)
6 x EK PSC Compression Fitting 7/16 [16/11mm] - G1/4 - Nickel £3.29 (£19.74)
2 x XSPC 7/16" ID [16/11mm] High Flex Hose - Clear £2.99 (£5.98)
Total : £227.65 (includes shipping : £10.00).

Obviously add fans, angle fittings etc.. on top.

supergluechris · 31 Oct 2012 at 16:16

pgi947 said:
A little over budget but it can easily be manipulated to get it down, just a rough spec before I head off to bed:

YOUR BASKET
1 x OcUK Tech Lab - 10w DDC Pump & EK-DDC X-RES 100 CSQ Value Combo £89.99
1 x XSPC EX360 120mm Radiator - Black £49.99
1 x Aqua Computer Cuplex Kryos Delrin for Socket 775/1155/1156/1366, G1/4 £39.98
2 x Mayhems Ultra Pure H20 Watercooling Fluid 1L £4.99 (£9.98)
6 x EK PSC Compression Fitting 7/16 [16/11mm] - G1/4 - Nickel £3.29 (£19.74)
2 x XSPC 7/16" ID [16/11mm] High Flex Hose - Clear £2.99 (£5.98)
Total : £227.65 (includes shipping : £10.00).

Obviously add fans, angle fittings etc.. on top.

looks good but it is very much over budget and also. the rad is not in stock

supergluechris · 31 Oct 2012 at 16:33

You wouldn't recommend this then?

YOUR BASKET
1 x EK-KIT H3O 360 LTX Performance Watercooling Kit £156.98
1 x Mayhems Pastel - Gigabyte Orange Coolant 1L £14.99
Total : £183.37 (includes shipping : £9.50).

supergluechris · 31 Oct 2012 at 19:25

I have bought the above. we shall see how it goes

dave_beast · 31 Oct 2012 at 19:41

supergluechris said:
You wouldn't recommend this then?

YOUR BASKET
1 x EK-KIT H3O 360 LTX Performance Watercooling Kit £156.98
1 x Mayhems Pastel - Gigabyte Orange Coolant 1L £14.99
Total : £183.37 (includes shipping : £9.50).

supergluechris said:
I have bought the above. we shall see how it goes

Good kit, it gives you the option to upgrade parts at a later date if and when needed.

pgi947 · 31 Oct 2012 at 19:50

it is a good kit, this is what I was going to suggest for dumbed down price range for you

supergluechris · 31 Oct 2012 at 22:32

pgi947 said:
it is a good kit, this is what I was going to suggest for dumbed down price range for you

Thanks for the help and ideas. I don't thing the cosmos 2 is the best case for water cooling but im just a starter so it should all be good

supergluechris · 1 Nov 2012 at 17:26

Still not been posted yet

looks like I won't receive it in time for the weekend

supergluechris · 15 Nov 2012 at 21:26

If I was to buy extra tubing. What would I need to get? Size wise?

OptimaLnrg · 15 Nov 2012 at 22:08

you'd have to check with EK or in your instructions, but I think they use 10mm-13mm don't they?