Thinking about going watercooled. A few questions.

Chipstik

Chipstik

Chipstik

Associate
Joined
26 Jan 2009
Posts
15
I'm thinking about switching my cooling to WC, and was wondering if there were any tips you guys could give me. Such as several do's and dont's, brands to use and avoid, and finally, are all components compatible with each other? Such as radiators and pumps, and water blocks.

I was looking at the following. Please tell me if there are any better or if there is a problem with the ones I have chosen:

http://www.overclockers.co.uk/showproduct.php?prodid=WC-048-XS
All so far. I need a Pump/Resevoir (preferably together).

My specs are:

CPU : AMD Phenom II X4 940 Black Edition
CPU Cooler : ASUS Silent Knight AL
RAM : 4GB Corsair Dominator
Motherboard : MSI K9A2 Platinum
Case : Coolermaster Cosmos S
Graphics Card : PowerColor HD 4870 1GB + Sapphire HD 4870 512MB (Crossfire)
PSU : Corsair HX850
 
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i would get the heatkiller V3 at that price!!
RAD is good but a Feser or Thermochill are good buys aswell what ever you can get cheapest tbh.
what will you be cooling CPU, GPUS and Mobo?
 
good idea no point buying water blocks now when new cards are coming soon!!
a 120.3 will keep your CPU nice and cool and allow for a bit of over clocking goodness, shame you havent got access to members market as a lot of watercooling gear gets sold on there very cheaply.
my advice is to go for the best pump you can afford as it will be used for many setups to come. i initially went cheap and when i decided to cool something else had to get a new pump/res.
the worst thing about water cooling is the cost!! you will see a major difference between you silent knight and water so it will be worth it (ive still got a silent knight in my loft!!)
 
Sorry for the double post, but whats the general feel towards tubing and barbs of different sizes. Which is best? 3/8 or 1/4? do all of the components have to match? Can you put 3/8 barbs in a 1/4 component? would a 1/4 Resevoir and pump be enough?
 
before you get yourself suspended - lose the link to the shop above. link to enzotech direct or just say your thinking about the enzo luna (we'll know what you mean :D)

Also ready the sticky and a few watercooling guides - will help with all the basic's like tube / barbs / loop order / companies etc, etc.

Generally you have three types of loop: performance - quiet - bling

Each have there own 'best' bits - and you can have elements of all three with some compromise. If you 'know' your be expanding the loop at a future date, Sayso point about the pump is a very good one.

FAQ (top to page on left) will tell you about the rules on links and what members market is. It's worth making a few hundread posts to get access (could save you £50+ easy) and be part of the community here. All depends on if you can wait a few weeks...
 
I'd say 1/4 tubing over 3/8 barbs, using hot water to expand it then letting it cool and contract on the barbs. Or any smaller tubing over bigger barbs... just reduces the risk of leaking.
 
Well never had a single leak on my barbed fittings with 1/2 tubing and I have a large loop 2xRads 1xRes 1xCPU 1xGFX not sure we what the rest will say.

Get a good Reservoir some thing that will fit in to your case easily and be out the way had a swifttech one when I first went to WC and it got in the way because it didn't fit in to my case well hehe now using a 5.25 Drive bay Reservoir
 
1/4" tubing over 3/8" barbs Superewza? Very high restriction and not actually possible to fit them over the barbs. I take it you've tried this combination yourself?

7/16" over 1/2" barbs is the popular one, with 3/8" over 1/2" being the more hardcore/bloodyminded approach. Compression fittings are excellent but cost more. Any tubing size above 8mm inner diameter works fine, thicker have marginally better flow rates per meter but longer loops as it can't bend so sharply. 3/8" or 10/8mm would be my choice but 1/2" seems very popular.
 
I prefer 7/16 nowadays over 1/2, it's a good compromise between small and large diameter tubing, high flow with tight bends and minimal wall compression - what more could you ask for? No barbs too, if you're daring enough :D
 
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