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Kilyin

Member
Joined
Jul 26, 2004
Location
Richmond, VA
I've been reading the forums alot, and I'm seriously considering switching to watercooling. The only knowledge I have about watercooling, I've gotten from here and various other websites. (A64 3000+ oc'd and 8KDA3J mobo) I just need a nudge in the right direction, and a bit more cash. ;)

To Buy List:

DD D4 (changed from Eheim)
MCW6002-64™ 1/2" (tube ID) CPU Waterblock for AMD® K8 Athlon™ 64 & Opteron™
77 Bonneville Heater Core Radiator w/o AC with Shroud and Mounting (2-4 Sanyo Denki 120mm)
10-15' 1/2" Tygon tubing
T-line, worm clamps

Editted 8/10/04 - Final Buy List
 
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My two cents:

Have you looked here?

http://www.procooling.com/html/pro_testing.php

The lower the Delta T (change in temp from ambient) the better. Looks like the Swiftech is one of the best, and cheapest (the Little Rivers are always OOS and over $100 each).

Also look at the Fedco 2-342 Heatercore that you can buy at auto parts stores. Two 120mm's fit on it and supposedly it's only around $20.

Tygon is really.... thick. For me it's hard to use in tight spaces, like connecting your CPU block to your chipset block, for example. If you use an antifreeze mixture the nice clear Tygon will eventually get kinda gray and icky-looking.

Some waterblocks work better with high water velocity and some work better with lower velocities. You may be able to save some cash by going with the Ehiem 1048 and getting a Swiftech MCW6002, which works great with low flow systems. I would go with the complete custom setup. I've found that if you try to use premade kits they usually rape you on the radiator cost, sometimes by a lot.

$299 for a kit that only cools the CPU seems a bit much to me...
 
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I would pick the DIY kit myself, it may take longer to put it but you will have a greater knowledge of the system in the event of a problem. Also I would get a relay for the pump, so it switches on and off with the rest of the computer.
 
I'm not entirely sure about the pump relay. I've heard that since these pumps are aquarium mag-drive pumps they are designed to be constantly on. Turning them off too often can actually mess them up.
 
iamtrout: Doesn't low flow rate mean less cooling / higher temps? I'm pretty sure I want maximum flow rate for maximum cooling, from what I've managed to learn thus far.

I'll go with a different kind of tubing also.

I haven't seen that URL before though, thanks.
 
MCW20-A Chipset water-block for AMD® platforms: $33
MCW6002-64 1/2" CPU Block for AMD 64: $45
MCW50 adapter kit for nVidia 6800: $13
MCW50 VGA Water block 1/2": $39
Fedco 2-342 Heatercore: $20
2 120mm Fans: $30
Ehiem 1048: $58
Reservoir: $25
1/2" Tubing: $10

Total Cost for Watercooling GPU, CPU, and Chipset: $273
The FrozenCPU kit obviously has some issues.
 
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iamtrout said:
MCW20-A Chipset water-block for AMD® platforms: $33
MCW6002-64 1/2" CPU Block for AMD 64: $45
MCW50 adapter kit for nVidia 6800: $13
MCW50 VGA Water block 1/2": $39
Fedco 2-342 Heatercore: $20
2 120mm Fans: $30
Ehiem 104: $58
Reservoir: $25
1/2" Tubing: $10

Total Cost for Watercooling GPU, CPU, and Chipset: $273
The FrozenCPU kit obviously has some issues.

Can I ask what site you priced that on? I'm not sure I wanna dive into this (pun intended) and try to watercool everything yet, I figured I'd start with the CPU, and see how that goes first.
 
There's an ongoing quasi-scientific debate over low flow rates vs. high flow rates. Apparently us in the good U-S-of-A believe in high flow rate, while the Europeans believe in low flow rate. All I know is that the Swiftech MCW6002 performs better with a low flow rate pump, combined with a LARGE tube diameter (1/2"), than with a higher flow rate pump. At least that's what the Procooling review of the MCW6002 indicated.
 
Most of the prices were taken from swiftech's own site, http://www.swiftnets.com/

The Fedco Heatercore was taken from word around the forums, the Ehiem was taken from http://www.froogle.com, the fans were estimated, the tubing was estimated, and the reservoir was from http://www.dtekcustoms.com/index.asp?PageAction=VIEWCATS&Category=249. Note that you don't have to get a bay reservoir. They sell cylindrical ones for about the same price that can clip to the outside of your case. Dunno where off of the top of my head.

"I figured I'd start with the CPU, and see how that goes first."
In that case you save more money :) Keep in mind that if you watercool the GPU you should install RAMsinks and get some airflow on the video card.
 
Thank you sir.

I'm thinking I'm going to have to go external with alot of the equipment - so I'll keep the cylindrical reservoir in mind. I'm no case modder, and I don't have alot of extra room left in my case.
 
Yeah, I feel your pain. I'm going to try to fit all this stuff onto a SFF machine.
 
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The FrozenCPU kit obviously has some issues.
so does your suggestion... how can you recommend the guy a 1048 with a dbl HC and three blocks?? are you mad. The MCW is restricive enough, but add a double HeaterCore and two more blocks !!?? NO SIR.

@Kilyin...I suggets you,
Get a double HC (2-342)
Get Clearflex60 1/2"ID tubes.
Get the DangerDen GF6800 block
Get a T-line instead of a res.

Pump: I would suggest the MCP600 (aquaXtreme 50-z) or the DangerDen12v (MCP650) in either setup. (unless you are willing to pay for an iwaki...)

If you want three blocks (CPU,NB,GPU) I would suggest you get the MCW6002 as it performs well at lower flowrates.
If you only want one or two blocks (CPU,GPU) maybe you can swing using the Dtek WhiteWater. It performs better then the RBX at the flowrates you will get with a dual block setup and either one of the above pumps. It is also easier to mount with good contact.

check this out and play around with it to see for yourself.
I wouldnt bet on more than 1.75 GPM with either of my pump recommendations (the best you can get besides Iwaki)
Ohh and one more thing... DONT GET THAT KIT, its wayy overpriced and isnt very great.
Hope this helps

SenC.
 
Senater_Cache said:
so does your suggestion... how can you recommend the guy a 1048 with a dbl HC and three blocks?? are you mad. The MCW is restricive enough, but add a double HeaterCore and two more blocks !!?? NO SIR.

@Kilyin...I suggets you,
Get a double HC (2-342)
Get Clearflex60 1/2"ID tubes.
Get the DangerDen GF6800 block
Get a T-line instead of a res.

Pump: I would suggest the MCP600 (aquaXtreme 50-z) or the DangerDen12v (MCP650) in either setup. (unless you are willing to pay for an iwaki...)

If you want three blocks (CPU,NB,GPU) I would suggest you get the MCW6002 as it performs well at lower flowrates.
If you only want one or two blocks (CPU,GPU) maybe you can swing using the Dtek WhiteWater. It performs better then the RBX at the flowrates you will get with a dual block setup and either one of the above pumps. It is also easier to mount with good contact.

check this out and play around with it to see for yourself.
I wouldnt bet on more than 1.75 GPM with either of my pump recommendations (the best you can get besides Iwaki)
Ohh and one more thing... DONT GET THAT KIT, its wayy overpriced and isnt very great.
Hope this helps

SenC.

Thanks for the input, much appreciated. I'll look into getting a different CPU block.

Looks like the MCP600 pump has been discontinued, according to swiftnets.com. So I'll probably end up going with the MCP650. If I just go with a CPU block for now, would that make adding GPU cooling difficult down the road?

I've been told reservoirs are good for newbies, because it's hard to bleed the air from a T-line setup. Any truth to that?

I'm definitely not going with the kit, thanks. Too much money.

Where can I get the 2-342 double HC? At an auto-parts shop?

I'm going to be kicking myself if I buy all this and don't see a big improvement over air cooling.
 
Where can I get the 2-342 double HC? At an auto-parts shop?
you should be able to, yes.


Looks like the MCP600 pump has been discontinued, according to swiftnets.com. So I'll probably end up going with the MCP650. If I just go with a CPU block for now, would that make adding GPU cooling difficult down the road?
The MCP650 is a great pump. It is in fact the sam epump as the DangerDen 12v pump and is also know as Laing D4.
With that pump, adding a GPU block down the road, will be no problem.

Thanks for the input, much appreciated. I'll look into getting a different CPU block.
as I said before, with the MCP650, best choices would be WhiteWater or MCW 6002.

SenC.
 
Okay, I've searched a bit and I'm coming up short. What year/model/make car is the Fedco 2-342 double heatercore? I found a thread with web sites to do a cross reference, but the urls are no longer valid.

Thanks in advance.
 
Kilyin said:
Okay, I've searched a bit and I'm coming up short. What year/model/make car is the Fedco 2-342 double heatercore? I found a thread with web sites to do a cross reference, but the urls are no longer valid.

Thanks in advance.
IIRC, it's the '77 Bonneville core (with AC?). I have yet to make my Bonneville core break a sweat. My temps don't change when my 2 aluminum Evercool 120mm's are on 7v, or 12v. Overkill isn't a bad thing. :D
 
RickyJ said:
IIRC, it's the '77 Bonneville core (with AC?). I have yet to make my Bonneville core break a sweat. My temps don't change when my 2 aluminum Evercool 120mm's are on 7v, or 12v. Overkill isn't a bad thing. :D

The 77 Bonneville core w/ AC is Fedco 2-302. I don't know what car the 2-342 is from, but they're different cores.

77 Bonneville core w/o AC...that's the one I want. Fedco 2-199. GDI is 398219.

Good heater core cross ref site: http://www.autopart.com/radiatorinfo/heatercoretech.htm

Thanks everyone here for making this a very informative messageboard, I've learned quite a bit reading posts over the past week or two.
 
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I just plunged into watercooling myself. No regrets at all so far. Running faster and cooler :)

I have the MCW600, working great so far, can't hear it above anything else in the room.

I went with all DD blocks, TDX, Maze 4 NB and GPU, rad from the local rad shop and a T-line. Rad is external (will go under my desk when I am done). Went with DD because I liked the look ;) but performance was still good on the reviews, the few dollars more didn't matter to me.

I had some thin wall Tygon from work, would kink like there is no tomorrow. Ended up getting some thicker walled vinyl tubing to see how that goes (cheap as heck :p )

Temps are great now, haven't done all the testing yet but about 17 deg C lower idle and 23 Deg C lower under load. Noise is way less, and I think it looks better too.

Even found some of that German blue antifreeze to go with the rest of my blue themed case :)
 
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