YEEESSS! WC project a success!

I finally finished my WC setup. Leak tested for 5 days, and it's sealed up tight. I'll post pix and specs later.

yay congratz Also what are your temps (be sure to include your ambient temp).

At stock speed, temps are:

Ambient: 33
CPU idle: 47
CPU load: 50

Better than I got on air but still not great. Due to the pump (Mag 3) not strong enough for 3 blocks (2 maze and the CPU is a restriction type) and a BIX2. Although the temps stay very stable....
Apparently the GPU did not get seated properly, the temp was 68 idle.


OC to 4.16 ghz-
Idle: 49
Load: 53

Decent considering what it was at 3.2ghz.

That pump will handle more than that. The problem is the BIX2 not being able to dump enough heat. It looks good. now it's time to get a heater core.

Also, I would try and rework the tubing so you don't have a 90 degree bend before the pump inlet.

Try like this: Pump > rad > cpu > gpu > northbridge > tee > pump

that will probably use a good bit less tubing which will further help temps.

Hmm, unsure about your cpu temps....

I had a mag3 with a single heater core aand was running 3 blocks (maze4 cpu, gpu and chipset) on a XP 2500+ (190x13.5=2565) and my hardware doctor was reporting 39-43c over ambient of 28c.

A couple of things to check:

1) The temp readings could be wrong, but since you have air readings from the same mobo and sensor, the delta between the two readings should suffice.
2) I have 1/2" ID, yours looks like 3/8. Dont think that should make much difference.
3) What direction are the fans pulling/pushing air through the rad and what type of fans are they? If you have the fans pulling air out of the case and then through the rad, try reversing the fans.
4) It doesn't look there are much of a shroud on the rad. This would create a significant dead spot on both 120s.
5) Try reseating your CPU block.

Just my 2 cents.

http://www.ocforums.com/showthread.php?t=396244 <- please give that a read if you are concerned with your temps.

ribuck97: the BIX2 is made for use without a shroud, Tubing size isn't all that important there are other aspects and it is hard to say his temperature readings are off without further proof.

Depending on the design of the loop tubing size can play a significant roll. High resistance waterblocks will work better with lower resistance tubing than high resistance tubing, especially with lower power pumps. The mag3 is a very powerful pump though, as it's more powerful than just about if not all of the 12v pumps.

The black ice radiators, while designed to be used without a shroud, actually have shrouds that will further increase their efficiency. I just picked this one up for my BIP2: http://www.voyeurmods.com/index.php?action=item&id=1061&prevaction=category&previd=2&prevstart=0

I have no idea the depth but I feel it will help out a good bit, especially since I use low powered 120mm fans.

Edit: The shroud has 1.5" screws, which is 38mm. A 'standard' fan is 25mm so the shroud is ~12-13mm, or aobut .5" deep.

pwnt by pat said:

Try like this: Pump > rad > cpu > gpu > northbridge > tee > pump

Click to expand...

That is the order I have it in. But I'm wishing I had done something different with the tee, the air doesnt rise easily where it is (I turned it on it's face to bleed, so the tee was the highest point).


The tubing is 7/16. I have the fans (24v Sanyo Denki's running on 12v) pulling fresh air through the rad and into the case. I butchered the power cord on the Mag 3 and put a regular PSU socket on the back, and the little black switch on the face turns it on. The switch was donated by the same PSU. Once I forgot to turn it on and the CPU was at 90c in about 10 seconds. Scared the crap out of me, but it dropped below 60 in about 2 seconds when I turned the pump on.

Thanks for the link Sewerbeing, I have read it before and it's great stuff. My water is feels very cool when I hold the tubes in my hand, but I dont have a exact temp. I am thinking my block may not be set right, since I know the GPU is not set. The NB readings are high too, I think I will need to reset all the blocks. Also I just got 2 high speed Delta's, I may put them on top of the rad pushing down.

I have a external temp sensor/fan controller as well, it reports temps < 5c over ambient. I'm not sure I mounted the sensor right, but I taped it to the bottom of the block right next to the CPU.

Looks like you go bridge > rad > pump.

I still say eliminate that 90 degree bend and I bet you drop a few degrees.
good luck

damarble said:

The tubing is 7/16. I have the fans (24v Sanyo Denki's running on 12v) pulling fresh air through the rad and into the case. I butchered the power cord on the Mag 3 and put a regular PSU socket on the back, and the little black switch on the face turns it on. The switch was donated by the same PSU. Once I forgot to turn it on and the CPU was at 90c in about 10 seconds. Scared the crap out of me, but it dropped below 60 in about 2 seconds when I turned the pump on.

Click to expand...

This is just a suggestion or assumption but forcing cold air down where hot air wants to get out doesn't seem to conincide. You have hot air from compenents that want to rise and at the same time you are trying to have cold that wants to sink so they are probably conflicting with one another and now your RAD is probably not performing as well as it should.

I still believe in having proper air flow in the system even though you are water cooling, you should still keep the air flow proper for the sake of the compenents not watercooled and to also help the RAD perform better too. That is why I kept my RAD in the front as an intake.

...But I could be wrong.

Also, do you have the fans ducted/shrouded? That would greatly decrease the dead spot and also quiet it down a bit too.

Bryan D.

Well a lot of people have had their rad at the top, but it looks to me like you do not have a fan exhausting air out of the back of your computer, if your blowing all that air in, you should try get it out. Also it would help the system as it would have more air flow around the components.

pwnt by pat said:

Looks like you go bridge > rad > pump.

Click to expand...

You're right, my bad. It goes pump>rad>CPU>GPU>NB>rad>tee>pump.


I havent installed any exaust fans yet, but the side is left off fot now and the air has plenty of room to escape. I still havent ducted/shrouded anyhting.

My big problem now is the gfx card. The GPU itself stays cool enough now, but everyhting else on the card gets so hot you cant touch it. The design of the fan that used to be on there caused air to be blown over the card. So I need to mount a fan in there someplace.

Flip your fans on your rad over so they are pulling air through the radiator and out the top.

damarble said:

You're right, my bad. It goes pump>rad>CPU>GPU>NB>rad>tee>pump.


I havent installed any exaust fans yet, but the side is left off fot now and the air has plenty of room to escape. I still havent ducted/shrouded anyhting.

My big problem now is the gfx card. The GPU itself stays cool enough now, but everyhting else on the card gets so hot you cant touch it. The design of the fan that used to be on there caused air to be blown over the card. So I need to mount a fan in there someplace.

Click to expand...

You need a shroud on the rad, your fans pulling the air down is fine as the cooler outside air will drop to the bottom of the case and mix with hot air at the top in the process. Overall your temps in the case should be cooler. For your gfx card just get a slot cooler to blow on the card for the other components to stay cool. I use one for the same reasons you stated and it works great for me.

If you can fit a 120mm in the front of your case to blow air in do it. It will help to keep your pump cool and reduce temps overall. Also put one in the back for exhaust as it will keep air moving across your board and help to keep those components cool.

sicloan said:

Flip your fans on your rad over so they are pulling air through the radiator and out the top.

Click to expand...

I would say that would be pulling warm air from the system though the rad, but I highly doubt that it would make a large difference either way.

mysterfix said:

If you can fit a 120mm in the front of your case to blow air in do it. It will help to keep your pump cool and reduce temps overall. Also put one in the back for exhaust as it will keep air moving across your board and help to keep those components cool.

Click to expand...

I have room for both, and will install them when I get the time. I made a bracket and mounted a 92mm fan on the expansion slots (after removing the blanks and cutting the posts out). It blows inward directly over the gfx card, and it works perfect. The card is barely even warm now, and after reseating the GPU block I see 39c idle and 42c load.


Here's something interesting: The difference in CPU temp is only 2 degrees or less when the fans are at full speed or lowest speed.

damarble said:

I have room for both, and will install them when I get the time. I made a bracket and mounted a 92mm fan on the expansion slots (after removing the blanks and cutting the posts out). It blows inward directly over the gfx card, and it works perfect. The card is barely even warm now, and after reseating the GPU block I see 39c idle and 42c load.


Here's something interesting: The difference in CPU temp is only 2 degrees or less when the fans are at full speed or lowest speed.

Click to expand...

Yeah I noticed that on my setup as well so I adjusted the fan speed until I reached the lowest temp possible. This way I get the lowest temps possible without running my fans at full blast.

Looks nice

After 7 hours of Prime @ 3.6ghz my CPU temp was 55c and my NB was the same.

Nice! congrats... and nice OC buddy!!