spec me 3 components

R B Customs · May 2, 2006

List why you want to watercool:
i love it

List your budget:
cheap as possible
List what tools you have or have access and how profficient you are with them:
genius

List what kind of encloser (case) you have. And whether you are willing to cut it up:
gigabyte 3d aurora... will not cut the top due to custom paint. the 120.2 will plop right ont he back with no alterations to the case at all
List what computer parts you have (basics like CPU, motherboard)
see sig

parts i have:
Aqua extreme 50Z
D-Tek white water
DDfillport

need:
GPU block
tubing
double radiator

okay so ive read and read and read abotu radiators... but im thinking... is it REALLY worth paying £50 for a BIX or a PA rather than £30 for an XSPC radiator.

as for the GPU block i can get a silver prop cyclone SL for about £25.

now if someone could help me out picking the best, balanced components and hint to me along the way as to why to go for them that woudl be smashing. ive been lookign at all the reviews but as some one ( thor) pointed out its all abotu a ballanced system, just i dont have the experience to knwo what would be best.
thanks
Rick

Perseus · May 2, 2006

Relative worth is very hard to quantify for another individual. We all have differing amounts of resources available, not to mention priorities. What's "best" isn't all that straightforward either, but it's easier.

GPU block=Many people here seem to think very highly of the SP Fusion. I don't think you could go wrong there.

Tubing=The sentimental favorite, for me at least, would be Tygon 3603. It's easy to work with and hasn't had a problem with any of the additives I've tossed at it.

Double radiator=If there's a current best in this catagory it would probably be the PA series. From what I understand it works well with a broad range of fans and does so with relative quiet. What more could you ask from a rad?

edit: Looking for "balance" is a bit to zen for me when it comes to water-cooling. I try to source the best parts possible and go from there.

thorilan · May 2, 2006

i would go with a maze block for the gpu and a full thickness core or rad since you are not using impingement based cpu blocks.

tubing is really up to the individual and budget as some like it soft others stiff .

since you dont want to alter case and you say that bix/bip already fit on back, i would think that would be your best option . try looking around classifieds and ebay first for your rad/core first for better deals.
i would say go with a bonny core but from what i understand car heater cores in teh EU are much more expencive than in the states.

R B Customs · May 2, 2006

well as for resources... im not exactly rolling in it at the moment. weekend in scottland has taken its toll !

im still also a little confused as to wether i should go for a crossflow or a dual pass. ive read, read and read the thread i started the other week on this subject but astill stuck on what i should acctually go for

and i didnt want to ask that in the other thread as it would take it off an interesting topic

as i said i dont have the experience to knwo whats going to work best for me.
rad revies are liek trying to find a needle in a hay stack too !

so thumbs up for the silver prop although so far ive fouind much of the gpu blocks and copuies of eachother have suimilar flow resteriction etc the silver prop has always come out on top.
and £25 doest sound liek a bad price does it ( second hand)

also just remembered i can get a black ice extreme II for £45 including delivery... again trying to find reviews of both the PA and BIX2 is very hard... anyone got any real life comparison ?
thanks
Rick

R B Customs · May 2, 2006

thorilan said:
i would go with a maze block for the gpu and a full thickness core or rad since you are not using impingement based cpu blocks.

tubing is really up to the individual and budget as some like it soft others stiff .

since you dont want to alter case and you say that bix/bip already fit on back, i would think that would be your best option . try looking around classifieds and ebay first for your rad/core first for better deals.
i would say go with a bonny core but from what i understand car heater cores in teh EU are much more expencive than in the states.

didnt see your post thorilan, had the reply box open.
yea any double rad will fit on the back of my case. but to be honest theres no way i could fit a tripple in there without severe alteration... just cant be done !

by impingement i presume you mean liek the storm and that mad custom G7 block... my white water uses 'flow impingement' by nipping the input to a slot shape... but i doubt that has half the restriction of a storm yea ?

heater cores arnt just more expensive, theyre just darn hard to get ! plus im an absolute SUCKER for looks !

thor? just curious why the maze over the silver prop ?

White Runner · May 2, 2006

thorilan said:
i would go with a maze block for the gpu and a full thickness core or rad since you are not using impingement based cpu blocks.

tubing is really up to the individual and budget as some like it soft others stiff .

since you dont want to alter case and you say that bix/bip already fit on back, i would think that would be your best option . try looking around classifieds and ebay first for your rad/core first for better deals.
i would say go with a bonny core but from what i understand car heater cores in teh EU are much more expencive than in the states.

What thorilan said...

As far as a bip/bix 3, is it necessary? A bip/bix 2 should be fine imo.

Vrykyl · May 2, 2006

maze 4 gpu, Masterkleer 7/16th tubing and a thermochill PA120.2

its what i have an it rocks

R B Customs · May 2, 2006

Vrykyl said:
maze 4 gpu, Masterkleer 7/16th tubing and a thermochill PA120.2 its what i have an it rocks

id rather have explanations for why things are better over others... why do you think it rocks ?

Vrykyl · May 2, 2006

maze4 gpu - was very cheap, is SLI compatible on mobos with small spaces, keeps my voltmodded 7800gtx at 30*c load with standard bios set OC (see sig) and under 40*c when volted and OC'd higher...just add ramsinks

7/16th Masterkleer - was far cheaper than the 7/16th tygon tubing I had before it (£1 per ft vs £2.50), it has a better bend radius than my old tygon so it made tight turns so much easier (which trust me, with a LRWW youl be sooo glad of - its the waterblock I used to have, its an ace block but can make things a pain to tube up). plus the 7/16th size means no leaks on 1/2" fittings, as it has to be heated to fit over the barbs and then cools down water tight...tho always use worm clamps anyway!

Thermochill PA120.2 - brilliant radiator, gives me better temps than the HE120.2 i had before it, but with half the noise...its designed for use with quiet fans, so it lends itself to quiet systems

Does a nice job of temps for a 920 and gtx in the same loop.... gives better temps than cheap alternatives.

Check www.over-clock.com for uk watercooling supplies...imo theyre the best uk watercooling retailer

thorilan · May 2, 2006

for the rads . i dont think i said 3. i intended just for brand.

all of those rads will perform similarly in oyur setup with te exception of tubing length change for xflow.

if you can get the xflow one to shorten your tubing runs you will get better flow than the other 2 rads. if you cant get the runs shorter with the xflow then you will see the same temps with any of the double cores ( double refurs to 2x 120mm fan size )

if you are mounting the rad on the back and have to drill or cut holes in the back of the case i would need to see a pic of the back plate and a few other pics but would be easy to design a reallllllly short tubing run system with one of the resses i was talking aobut making. i even have all the parts needed. just need to get room mate to help out with the camera on this side

greenmaji · May 2, 2006

that case has two holes in the back for watercooling from the factory thorilan. (Ive checked it out, its not a bad case for back rad placement.. and is designed to use all 120mm case fans)

thorilan · May 2, 2006

are the holes for single or dual 120s and are they for dual pass ( most likely)

.

greenmaji · May 3, 2006

thorilan said:
are the holes for single or dual 120s and are they for dual pass ( most likely)

.

most definatly actually.. and mounted ports side down.

so if he was going single pass it would take a new hole up tword the top on the back.

R B Customs · May 3, 2006

greenmaji said:
most definatly actually.. and mounted ports side down.

so if he was going single pass it would take a new hole up tword the top on the back.

beat me to it !
yes my case has 2 pre drilled holes with rubberguard inserts for the pipes.
heres a really badly compressed pic of all the pannels

of which you can see where the 2x120mm fans go on the back plate, and the 2 holes under it for tubing.

ive whipped up some concepts in the ever useful MS Paint

heres a blank, and then 3 layouts.
not to scale, btu the layout is pretty correct

template ^^^^^^^^^^

dual pass version one ^^^^^^^^^

dual pass version two ^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^

single Pass ^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^

the dual pass versions would be by far the easiest to do, but the single is still an option

to me, the lengths of tubes look similar

*********EDIT*********
i need to put my DD fillport in there somewhere !

R B Customs · May 5, 2006

have my pictures scared people off?... im not suprised lol

thorilan · May 5, 2006

if you are willing to make your own air trap res and drill 1 hole then you can easily go with single pass . i can show oyu the fittings and orientation to use as i have everything right here ( need room mate to take pics and email em to me

R B Customs · May 5, 2006

air trap res... now thats a new one?
im presuming its a passive / in series res which acctually holds water at the highest part of the loop?
or is it just a Tline at the highest part of the loop... or both neither?

ill be willing to drill one hole. onl to compensate for single pass i may have to buy an XSPC rad ( ive not seen ANY single pass rads going second hand )
but really its a case of how many / what kind of jobs i get in the next few weeks as to what i can afford.
but if crossflow will work better, then so be it

whats your estimation of temperature difference between one of those dual pass rigs in my pics, over the single pass one?

greenmaji · May 5, 2006

don't ask him about temperatures.. (because they mean nothing) just look around for explinations and the single pass just works to get the water a bit cooler if set up with short runs.

R B Customs · May 5, 2006

okay
im on the verge of buying this:
Black Ice Extreme 120.2
Rad in good condition and comes 1/2barbs with receipt
£27 including delivery !
i dont know ( yet) weather its single or dual pass. but i dont think i can turn down that rad for that price whether its dual or sinlge pass or not.

or

am i being silly and should i get single pass no matter what ?

thorilan · May 5, 2006

extreme is dual pass. no you shouldnt get single pass no mater what. they will perform about equal . you can just use single pass to take advantage of higher flow pumps in less restrictive loops for better cooling and conversly you can take advanatage of dual pass with higher head pumps. the thing to remember is that with a single pass system if you have the ability to really plan out your case layout ( which very few people do) you can show a much larger relitive benefit.
its not easy for the normal case to accomadate all of the solid design principles for a water cooled system so you have to work within your limits

spec me 3 components

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