Watercooling check - anything I'm missing?

PinkFloyd

PinkFloyd

PinkFloyd

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Finally stepping into watercooling. Got a 120.1 Thermochill radiator sat here ready to use and have a Swiftech Apogee coming on Friday.
Going to be cooling the setup in my sig and later on in the summer the cpu will be a quad.

The first problem I've got is mounting the Radiator which I got second hand from the MM, it doesn't have any obvious way of mounting. Any suggestions? (see pics)
The fittings are 10mm / 3/8" ID and 12mm / 1/2" OD
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v607/The_Head/rad1.jpg
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v607/The_Head/rad2.jpg

The swiftech site says the block is comes with both 3/8 and 1/2 fittings. Is this ID or OD? Want to use the same size all around just for conveince.

I'm still confused as to which pump would be best, Different places seem to recommend different pumps and I don't really want to spend a fortune. Just need it to be a 12v pump. What pump provides the best performance/cost for the above setup?

Also what tubing should I look at, many to choose from, everywhere from fancy stuff to generic stuff bought from the local diy shop...
IIRC I read somewhere that I want tubing with an inner diameter smaller than the OD of the fittings to insure a tight fit, is this correct?

I'll be using a T-line and wormdrive clips with this.


Any advice would be great :)
 
The swiftech site says the block is comes with both 3/8 and 1/2 fittings. Is this ID or OD? Want to use the same size all around just for conveince.
Click to expand...
be OD as the threaded end will be 1/4" NPSM threads or 3/8" NPSM threads. more likely 1/4" tho. just remember NPSM threads are USA. BSPT Brit
 
Whoever sold you that rad didn't send you the fan-mount shrouds that are supposed to accompany that particular revision of ThermoChill Rads. That's also an old HE120.1 - the PA120.1 can outperform it by upto 40% with lownoise fans.
Without the shrouds for either side, you're stuck with gaffa-tape or other bodgy methods.

See point1 - http://www.thermochill.com/faq.html
# The second revision radiators featured removeable shrouds, and were released in early 2003. Removeable shrouds were added as a way to decrease cost... other retailers had the radiators available without shrouds to decrease initial costs, then you purchase only the number of shrouds required. This can save £4 or so off the cost of a rad.
Click to expand...

And no, shrouds aren't available to purchase separately new anymore for that particular rad I'm afraid. They went out of production when the PA series was launched, and stocks are LONG gone... a wanted post in classified forum sections is about your only solution.
 
Cheers for the info mate. Answered the question I had just wrote in again!

Will have to hope I can track one down, have just emailed the seller I bought it from hoping for an answer.

If not I'll have to pull a DIY job, my next door neighbour seems to know his stuff with metal work so hopefully he can help out!

Don't want to have to buy a new rad, haven't got the money atm, will look into it once I have everything else.
 
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Get a sheet of metal wider than the rad by 1cm on either side... cut a standard 120mm blowhole in it (center'd) for a standard 120mm fan, along with screwholes in each corner. Mark off the width of the rad... Bend the excess over the edge of a table, drill holes inline with those on the sides of the rad, use a No6 Sheet-metal selftapping screw to attach to rad. ;)
 
Tubing - If you are on a budget then Masterkleer 7/16 is your best bet. It is very good tubing for the price (circa 99p per foot). Tygon is slightly better tubing but is double the cost. The 7/16 tubing will provide a tighter fit being 1/16th smaller than 1/2". Some folk even run it without using a worm drive but I use them regardless to be safe.

As for pumps then this is possibly one of the items I wouldn't cheap out on as you pump is one component that shouldn't need upgrading if you choose and invest wisely. The DDC pro and ultra with aftermarket tops are excellent as are the D5 pumps. Cheaper pumps such as hydor are ok I guess but can be noisy aswell as not performing too good when used in a restrictive loop such as if you intend (and you wil believe me) to add more blocks or bigger rads to your loop. Best to invest in a decent pump now than regret it later.
 
Marci said:
Get a sheet of metal wider than the rad by 1cm on either side... cut a standard 120mm blowhole in it (center'd) for a standard 120mm fan, along with screwholes in each corner. Mark off the width of the rad... Bend the excess over the edge of a table, drill holes inline with those on the sides of the rad, use a No6 Sheet-metal selftapping screw to attach to rad. ;)
Click to expand...

Now why didn't I think of that! Cheers mate! :)



Thanks for the pointers, will likely go with the Masterkleer and the D5 as I can grab them from the same place as some of the other fittings I need to get. All nice and convenient :)
 
my rad has screwholes allready in it not sure if you said yours did or not
Click to expand...

Look at the pics he linked to - you'll see the fact that his radiator doesn't is the problem that we're talking about.
 
ahh woops

for the cost of one would it not be easier to buy a new rad with metal barbs ?

unless yoru a dab hand at metal fabrication.
 
You can make the part he requires for less than 50p, and the relevancy of "with metal barbs" is minimal seeing as the radiator he has he can use any barb he likes - plastic, metal or otherwise... plenty of places sell G3/8" threaded barbs suitable for ThermoChill radiators for £2 a pop.
 
CraigN said:
for the cost of one would it not be easier to buy a new rad with metal barbs ?
Click to expand...
I'm trying to do this on a budget! The reason I got this rad was that I got it for £12 ;)



Water block arrived this morning. Nice shiny new Apogee GT :D
 
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