Watercolling an older pre-owned machine?

[DHR]

I seldom PC game anymore but it's nice having something there to when I fancy a dabble.

After all these years, I've still not done a watercolling project, but it's a bucket list item so I'm tempted to gather some pre-owned gear and have a bash.

Good idea? Bad idea?

If it's not used for 3-6 month would it be a problem etc.

 

[SirConfused]

It's a massive money pit if you're just doing it for fun but if you want to spend the money then crack on.

You might have trouble getting hold of a GPU block if you've got something really old you want to cool. If you don't use it for that kind of timeframe then definitely avoid any fluid with anything fancy in. I would also personally want to use something with a biocide just to be sure.

 

[mickyflinn]

Do it.

Start off with a simple loop just the cpu then add if you want.

Planning is the key.

 

[LuckyBenski]

It's very rewarding and an itch I had to scratch and I'm glad I did. Since 2018 it's got so very very expensive I wouldn't do a new WC build unless it was for fun (i.e. money better spent on hardware than cooling).

Do some planning, work out the extent of what's needed and what your goals are (e.g. radiators, pump, 2 blocks, fittings, tubing). A suitable case - case choice can make or break the WC experience as it's a pain working in small spaces whereas a nice case designed for it can be lovely.

Then start amassing parts when you see good deals e.g. on the MM or the bay. Pumps and rads are fairly universal and you can mix and match/cobble stuff together. But blocks need to fit your specific gear, especially GPU. Perhaps build around those two as they're hardest to source. You could look for a graphics card with a block on, or a block then find graphics card, and then start there.

My personal advice is, get the quality of life stuff: fill bottle with a squirty neck, funnel, cleaning chemicals/vinegar, litmus paper, quality tubing.

 

[TrojanWhore]

If it's just for aesthetic/bucket list reasons, go for it! (otherwise you can get a very competent air cooler for under £50)
I'm guessing you can access the MM so you should be able to pick up a pump/res and radiator for around £50 then just need a block plus tubing and fittings etc.

Regarding maintenance, as long as you can power it up every month or so I doubt you'd have any issues, I haven't drained/cleaned mine in over 5 years (although would not recommend, probabaly 1-2 years is good - I'm just lazy!) and it's been running fine. I'd avoid fancy (pastel/pearloid) coolants and stick to clear/UV fluids with a corrosion inhibitor/biocide additive.

If you can get a block for the GPU cheap, do that, near silent gaming is glorious What are the system specs?

And if you are after a basic pump/res/rad/possibly block and some bits let me know, I have some spares I could list!

 

[dave28]

You can do a simple CPU loop quite cheaply with used parts, that might get rid of the itch to splash out on a fancy eye candy loop that will be quite expensive.

 

[Mcnumpty2323]

if its not used for 3 to 6 months?
Seems somewhat pointless the time and cost
Of doing it
If using it that little amount of time?
But I have left mine for over a month without using it
No problem at all (biocide in coolant)
Can't see it being an issue

One option you could take
Something like a swiftech AIO
Those have a decent pump in them usually a DDC
Got a few kicking around in here somewhere that
Will eventually end up on members market
They either have 3/8 id and 5/8 od barbs which is a standard tubing size
Or I also have one that takes standard g1/4 fittings
The pumps strong enough to expand it to a gpu
Last time I used the 360mm one I had a 7700k,gtx1070 and added
A 240mm radiator too

They're not a bad way to start off watercooling
Due to decent pump
And easy to expand them from just cooling the cpu using stuff that's
Standard in watercooling like 3/8 x 5/8 tubing (10mm x 16mm)
And standard g1/4 fittings

Making sure you can actually get a block for your gpu is very
Important as not every gpu has a block available
Or get a second hand gpu with a block already fitted
Lost count of how many people I have seen buy their gpu
Then come in here asking because they can't find a block to fit it