my 1st w/c setup :)

[shortbus_]

just finished putting together my first water cooling setup :)

its a swiftech 5002-p, via aqua 1300, and dtek radiator. 1/2" fittings... total price $150

my load temps with air were mid-60's*c now its down to 39*c :D

one question though. what is the best TIM for watercooling. my heatsink came with artic alumina so i figured id give it a try. i also have as2. would getting as3 or 5 make a big difference? and which is better for water out of the 2?

[Graystar]

The best TIM is the best TIM...doesn't matter what the application. AS 5 seems to the the pick of the litter nowadays.

[shortbus_]

ok sounds good. i guess ill pick some up when i get a gpu block...
this seems to be working just fine for now. much more stable now then with air. priming 295 now :D load temps 40*C @ 1.6 actuall vcore, 1.65 in bios.

im so glad i got this instead of a new case :)

[rogerdugans]

Congrats on the rig! :D
I just received the AMD version of the 5002- need a few more parts and my next modding project will be thoroughly underway.........

TIMs:

There have been a lot of reviews done, and all I have read place the top compounds fairly close together.....

Most people (myself incuded) seem to feel that the quality of the application is more important than which of the top ten or so compounds you use: too thick or uneven and the best of the bunch will give bad results.

I always had great results with AS2- as good as anything I have seen since, BUT!!!!!

Applying it properly is tricky.
Nowadays I am using Ceramique: results just about the same but much, MUCH easier to apply. ;) I bought the "honking big tube" size so I expect to use it for the next year or so. :D

As for which is better when water cooling-
the thicker compounds seem to take longer to "settle in" than thinner ones, probably due to no fan vibration on the heatsink. My water cooling temps take about 7 to 14 days to really stop moving much using the Ceramique- AS2 will probably be more like 2 or 3 days if it is applied right, I would think.

[shortbus_]

its really easy to get a nice thin coat on a p4 because all u have to do is put the right sized dot in the middle of the ihs and let the preassure do all the work :)

is the alumina stuff any good or should i use the as2?

[shortbus_]

stable @ 3.6 :>

[Yuriman]

AS2 is better, alumna is only decent. Its not one of the top pastes, while the artic silvers are.

[mata2974]

how about some pictures?

[shortbus_]

ill see what i can do ;o

dont have a digital camera so ill have to mooch one off a friend.

[zip22]

3.6!!! jeez thats nice. my 2.6c is at 3.51 stable but i have yet to push it further.