Watercooling 2 x 7970 and SB-E

[inSilica]

Please excuse the lack of particulars, I will post a build log once build gets underway.

Some advice on WC please. If I can avoid a dual pump setup as in the following picture I will be v. excited. 24/7 build required. WC MOT for at least 2 YEARS!

N.B. The back of the case is very well vented.

This is considering 2 x 7970 [CFire] (overclocked) + SB-E chip (overclocked).

GPU Blocks- Probably EK
Mosfet / SB Block - Probably EK
CPU Block - XSPC

Will be converting tubing size (on EK blocks) to XSPC via adapter

Fluid: Mayhem's White Pastel

RX360 kit (i.e. submerged pump in reservoir)

Any thoughts? will I have enough pressure? a better setup? (prefer reservoir in 5.25 bay)

I'm willing to dismiss mosfet block and SB-Block and put another fan directly over the mosfet in particular, i.e.

This will be my first WC setup and as you can see it's been a while since I upgraded

 

[inSilica]

I would think you don't want the 2x120mm fans sucking hot air in to the case regardless, have them blowing up and out

ideally you want watercooling fans to all be push, not pull how you've got them as radiators like the extra pressure, same with the 240 rad inside, ideally you want the fans to be mounted flush to the rad and pushing air to outside the case

instead of having a rad inside the case could you just do a bigger single external rad?

OK the sucking and blowing issue has been discussed many times. I initially thought exactly the same, I can flip these easily. Bigger Rad possible, agree with this. I have a feeling this way I can lower the temp on the water as it leaves the CPU or SB block before it arrives at the GPU and so on to 360, cool it again before it hits CPU.

I will still need an intake fan .... which I will have to think about, could flip the exhaust fan right behind CPU to bring air in

What case are you trying to do that loop in? The 240 rad at the bottom is in a very weird place. You sure it'll actually fit like that?

This is on the antec p280, there is space I believe specifically designed for a 35mm 240 RAD.

I can always move the fans like so, it will just be a little tight I think on the near the 240 RAD so I will put it down to experiment.

[N.B. Sorry I should have added: not drawn to scale]


My main concern is the pressure in the loop and the daisy chaining ... Any thought on SB block and mosfet?

 

[inSilica]

OK - I agree about the Mosfest and SB blocks

The P280 has already been purchased and has been sitting here since before christmas , I'm not a fan boy, I just think the P180 lasted my 5 years will become host to my new 15TB NAS as the P280 replaces it.

Thanks all for the replies.

I'd go bay res to 240, to gpu to cpu to 360 rad should end up neater, (particularly if you put the 360 ports at the other end)

I'd avoid the submerged pump versions as afaik the pumps aren't that great.

ps one d5 pump is all you will ever need
even if you had 4 gpu's/2 cpu's/mosfet/southbridge/ram/hdd and 5 x rads

Thanks for the tip about the d5, submerged pump and tidying up the loop...

almightydutch, Many thanks on the advice on tubing

I am in full agreement about intake which is why I suggested the main exhaust.

I'm very certain the RS240 will fit nicely on the side of the HDD cage, I cut a piece of cardboard out and fits the RS240 +2mm easily on top an side

Eliminating the RX360 and replacing with RX240 and switching the fans, my current revision:

Once I get the design I will spec the parts

 

[inSilica]

Right. Sorry I've been busy with other stuff to follow this up.

So I'm now avoiding the submerged pump, though I will probably get a reservoir with prebuilt mount for a pump, not necessarily this but eg.

http://www.overclockers.co.uk/showproduct.php?prodid=WC-066-AC&groupid=962&catid=2133&subcat=2134

Taking into consideration the wonderful suggestions and since I don't mind it looking ugly -> it's not for display and will be tucked away under my desk.

A custom water loop is what I have on a P280 case

illegible - (pink pillar) are custom mounts to put the radiator 50mm above the roof of the case. (brown) temp sensors

Feel free to criticize ... because it is my first water loop after all. I'm eager to get the parts in so once I feel the design is good I will update with a list of water cooling components for advice and discussion.

 

[inSilica]

1. Whats the ambient temp of the place it will be located.
2. You say 24/7, but whats the expected 24/7 rig? Is it mainly idle/browsing with a bit of heavy gaming or something more strenuous?

Just measured temperature, approximately 24/25 degrees Celsius on table. Placed thermometer below table, away from my current P180 and temp reads approximately 22/23 degrees Celsius

Not much gaming / maybe 3/4 hours a week (5 hours tops - probably slightly more on Diablo 3 when it's released) - But OC on CPU and both GPU's.

24/7 - maybe exaggerated - a normal workday for me is 8am - 8pm. May leave computer on sometimes to continue number crunch overnight.

Sometimes, mostly when gaming eyefinity will be engaged - complete resolution of 3600 x 1900, most of the time thrid monitor will be attached to Mac mini so resolution of 2400 x 1900 for this build.

Would like to run code on GPU via OpenCL. -> CPU, some pretty intensive simulations / image processing / computer vision tasks. I expect to use OpenMP, all 12 threads may be running simultaneously.

Edit: Also not much difference in cost to 560 Radiator (4 x 140), overkill? or will it make an impact?

 

[inSilica]

By number crunching overnight do you mean Seti/Folding type stuff? In which case I'd advocate cramming as much 120mm radiator space as you can, especially if you are going to be crunching on gpu and cpu at the same time.

Check out my weebeastie thread, 1 x 360, 1 x 240 and 1 x 120 with a 970X and 3 GTX470's and it needs the fans running 100% to keep cool.

cheers Biffa will have a look.