Zalman Reserator XT - Possible to mimic?

Diggsy

Diggsy

Diggsy

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Been considering a watercooling setup, but don't want internal because my case doesn't have the room for it, and also I don't fancy have it all installed in the case anyway.

So I was looking at the Reserator XT, and the main thing putting me off it is that most reviews say the rear fan is very noisy when 100%.

Also, if I am going with water, I would ideally like it to cool at the very least my CPU and GPU, with the possibility of adding Mobo cooling too. My main concern is getting noise levels to an absolute minimum whilst still having a high performance system.

Now, I was wondering. What would it take for me to mimic the idea of the XT?

Would it be possible to buy 2x 120.3 rads, a quiet pump, a res and some aluminium and build my own external system?

I was thinking similar to the XT would be good, but with the larger 120.3 rads it should allow for much better cooling performance, and allow for the usage of slow running fans.

Something like...

..............EXHAUST.............
Fan > Rad _PUMP__Rad < Fan
Fan > Rad __RES__Rad < Fan
Fan > Rad _______Rad < Fan
.......................................

So, it would basically be a box with 1x 120.3 at each side, with the fans intaking from outside, then the Res and Pump inside the box and an exhaust at the rear. Possibly even with an intake at the front to push the air through the middle.

But what about quick release connectors that the Zalman uses? Can these be purchased seperately?

It seems that it could be reasonably easy to create something both effective and not too expensive either. Just need to figure out how everything needs assembled and where to get it all.

I would even be happy to pay to have the 'enclosure' for it properly fabricated if required, although I reckon with Alu I could do it myself.

Would it be that easy, or am I missing something somewhere?
 
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Sounds very simular to an active version of many passive setup - go for it.

And the Zalman connects are sold separately - but I'm sure I've seen larger ID ones in metal else where.....

links to jokester and my thread
 
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Thanks for the reply. I just need to work out costs involved etc before I commit to it.

I take it 1 pump would be enough?

And how would it all go together?....

Res>Pump>Rad1>Rad2>CPU>GFX>Res?
 
mine goes. - Res>pump>CPU>chipset>rad>rad>Res

As with a passive system (with low wattage pump) it better to have move pressure in the blocks that the rads.

With an active system (and 18w pump) you route is best

The water should flow from the pump output, straight into the radiator, and then on to the CPU block, then back to the pump. This is because the pump heats the water up a small amount, and the CPU block needs the coldest water possible to cool the processor effectively
Click to expand...
 
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Monkey Puzzle said:
Maybe I'm being dumb, but why would that make a difference? The flow is the same throughout the loop after all...
Click to expand...

Same here, flow consistant throughout the system. I only thought the order mattered as far as cooling goes ie recommend to go from radiator to cpu as that will always ensure the cpu gets the coolest water. Not meant to make much difference to temps however, maybe 1 degree max.
 
Okay, this is what I am thinking of, top down view....

WaterCooler.jpg


Now, having looked at it myself, the only thing I think might be better would be, rather than 1 exhaust fan at the rear, how about 3 in the top?

Only slight concern is that with between 7 and 9 fans installed, they are gonna have to be extremely quiet running. I know it can be done, but will the cooling still be adequate?
 
Greebo said:
Same here, flow consistant throughout the system.
Click to expand...

When filled and bubble-less your right - but getting a silent aka 3w pump to push through the rad and then the blocks is a nightmare, trust me. Theirs a reason why Zalman setup the loop with the blocks straight after the (large head, low flow) pump. The heat dump of a 3w pump into the coolant is also tiny so it's a win-win solution.

w3bbo build log with a cube case has lots of fan running very quietly - have a look here
 
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Hmmm, spanner in the works, just realised the space I want to install the finished item in is 240mm wide x 250mm high.

Obviously 2x 120.3 PA's won't fit, unless I have them almost touching and the res and pump above, but this isn't really a great option.

So, it might either need a complete rethink, or maybe thinner rads? Or possibly just use 1 PA 120.3, but doubt that it would be enough to cool all I want.

Thinking time...
 
Or just have the 2 pa120.3 radiators face up/down and have the thing on stumpy legs, as so:

Radbox-2.jpg


Would be quite a beast of a box though.

Edit: Didn't read the 250mm high bit.
 
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You'd pay quite a bit to have a custom enclosure for your external system. Maybe you could mod a small PC case, HTPC or an old Shuttle case? I do not know much about the performance of the XT, I suspect the fan may run at higher speeds compared to the typical 120.2 or 120.3 setups purely because it is a single fan system, which is a shame if that is the case because I would be sold on it on looks alone.

To compare, I purchased an Innovatek Aquamatic Pro external unit last year (the Reserator XT is cheaper and better looking). It worked out to be equal in price to me buying the same internal components seperately and a new tower case. I have a midi case which I like. The Innovatek unit has a very compact profile but it is fairly long in length.

This is a 120.2 rad with two 120mm fans. It is cooling a Core2Duo @ 3.5 Ghz, 2 x 8800GT XFX XXX and the NB, SB and Mofset of a 680i mainboard. Water temperatue is 36 - 38C under load. The fans are inaudible. The recommended operating temperature for the coolant is 40C and I expect the fanspeed will increase in the coming months with the warmer weather. Since the addition of a second 8800GT the loudest component in my case has been the power supply, a 650w Antec. Previously the loudest component was a WD Raptor. I guesstimate that about 300 - 350W of heat is being disposed of by the Innovatek unit which is rated to 800W. Granted the WC puritans do not like these prebuilt units but to be honest, it has been more than up the task. Innovatek G-flow CPU waterblocks however are something of a disappointment, good looking (subjective I know) but underperforming and and overpriced.


Just saying you may not need as much cooling capacity as you think and there are other external units out there. Koolance is another which springs to mind but I found them to be more expensive than the Innovatek at the time but I liked how Innovatek offered a complete 'system'.
 
Frank Grimes said:
You'd pay quite a bit to have a custom enclosure for your external system. Maybe you could mod a small PC case, HTPC or an old Shuttle case? I do not know much about the performance of the XT, I suspect the fan may run at higher speeds compared to the typical 120.2 or 120.3 setups purely because it is a single fan system, which is a shame if that is the case because I would be sold on it on looks alone.

To compare, I purchased an Innovatek Aquamatic Pro external unit last year (the Reserator XT is cheaper and better looking). It worked out to be equal in price to me buying the same internal components seperately and a new tower case. I have a midi case which I like. The Innovatek unit has a very compact profile but it is fairly long in length.

This is a 120.2 rad with two 120mm fans. It is cooling a Core2Duo @ 3.5 Ghz, 2 x 8800GT XFX XXX and the NB, SB and Mofset of a 680i mainboard. Water temperatue is 36 - 38C under load. The fans are inaudible. The recommended operating temperature for the coolant is 40C and I expect the fanspeed will increase in the coming months with the warmer weather. Since the addition of a second 8800GT the loudest component in my case has been the power supply, a 650w Antec. Previously the loudest component was a WD Raptor. I guesstimate that about 300 - 350W of heat is being disposed of by the Innovatek unit which is rated to 800W. Granted the WC puritans do not like these prebuilt units but to be honest, it has been more than up the task. Innovatek G-flow CPU waterblocks however are something of a disappointment, good looking (subjective I know) but underperforming and and overpriced.


Just saying you may not need as much cooling capacity as you think and there are other external units out there. Koolance is another which springs to mind but I found them to be more expensive than the Innovatek at the time but I liked how Innovatek offered a complete 'system'.
Click to expand...

I don't think it would cost that much - a large sheet or two of sheet aluminium from a DIY store probably wouldn't be that expensive.:)
 
The fact that the XT is a bit noisy at 100% is not exactly relevant as even after priming my CPU at 4Ghz for hours it still only needs to get the fan up to 75% to keep the water temp to within 2C of the ambient temps.

You may stretch it a bit more with a GPU but unless you prime for fun, a custom box looks overkill. The only thing to consider changing is the CPU block, which ran out steam at 3.5Ghz - I use an EK Supreme.
 
Monkey Puzzle said:
Or just have the 2 pa120.3 radiators face up/down and have the thing on stumpy legs, as so:

Radbox-2.jpg


Would be quite a beast of a box though.

Edit: Didn't read the 250mm high bit.
Click to expand...

That looks promising.

Whilst I am limited to 250mm high, I can stretch it to 450-480 deep, so I could even install the pump and res behind the 120.3's, then 1 or maybe even 2 large fans on the roof.

Hmmm, really getting the idea now. Just have to work it all out and cost everything...

Aluminium - £50
2x 120.3 - £110
6x 120mm Fan - £60
Pump - £50
Res - £20
CPU Block - £35
GFX Block - £50
Tubing & Fittings - £20

...looking at that, it could be a very expensive project - Approx £400:eek:

Anyone see anywhere that I could bring the cost down a little? Cheaper fans volt modded or something? Different rads?

Would ideally prefer to stay below the £300 mark, rather than £400.
 
Don't bother with exhausts. Just put your 6 fans on the rads and be done with it.

Mesh the walls/roof of the box to allow air to escape.
 
Diggsy said:
That looks promising.

Whilst I am limited to 250mm high, I can stretch it to 450-480 deep, so I could even install the pump and res behind the 120.3's, then 1 or maybe even 2 large fans on the roof.

Hmmm, really getting the idea now. Just have to work it all out and cost everything...

Aluminium - £50
2x 120.3 - £110
6x 120mm Fan - £60
Pump - £50
Res - £20
CPU Block - £35
GFX Block - £50
Tubing & Fittings - £20

...looking at that, it could be a very expensive project - Approx £400:eek:

Anyone see anywhere that I could bring the cost down a little? Cheaper fans volt modded or something? Different rads?

Would ideally prefer to stay below the £300 mark, rather than £400.
Click to expand...

If it can only be 480mm deep max you may have a bit of a struggle to get the pa120.3 plus the length of a pump in as well, though just about do-able - the pa120.3 is 430mm long, a laing DDC pump with aftermarket top would add about 3 cm to the length if put on it's side (see ASCII picture below), then just have to add in the thickness of attaching the ddc and thickness of the box sides.
.....____
___|.....|
|...|......|
|...|......| <--- DDC
|...|......|
|__|......|
....|......|
......| | <--- outflow barb
......| |
......| |__________________________________________________________
....| .............. .........................................................................................
....|...............................................................................
....| ............................................................................................ |
....|.............. ................................................. PA120.3.......................|
....| ................................................................................................. |
....|____________________________________________________________|
 
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Diggsy said:
That looks promising.

Whilst I am limited to 250mm high, I can stretch it to 450-480 deep, so I could even install the pump and res behind the 120.3's, then 1 or maybe even 2 large fans on the roof.

Hmmm, really getting the idea now. Just have to work it all out and cost everything...

Aluminium - £50
2x 120.3 - £110
6x 120mm Fan - £60
Pump - £50
Res - £20
CPU Block - £35
GFX Block - £50
Tubing & Fittings - £20

...looking at that, it could be a very expensive project - Approx £400:eek:

Anyone see anywhere that I could bring the cost down a little? Cheaper fans volt modded or something? Different rads?

Would ideally prefer to stay below the £300 mark, rather than £400.
Click to expand...

Aluminium - £25ish
2x 120.3 - £110
6x yate loon 12cm fans - £30
Pump- DDC 18w &aftermarket top £60
CPU block £35
GFX £50
Tubing and barbs £20

Totalling £330ish, though you could knock about £25 off if you went for a swiftech mcw-60 or Danger Den Maze 5 GPU only block rather than a full cover one.
 
Thanks for the list MP. Will do some browsing and if/when I decide to go for it, I might even place wanted ads in the MM, try to save a few ££'s ;)

Tell me something though, what are these 'tops' for the pumps I keep seeing? What do they do, and I take it they are essential?
 
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