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NOOB for water cool

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sonny1

New Member
Joined
May 7, 2006
My gig specs:

DFI RS-482
AMD 4400 X2 @2.7 @1.6 core ITE (1.625 bios)
2 X 160 WD HDs
OCZ 2X1GB Pla 3200@246 @2.5,3,3,6 X 11
EVGA 7900GT 1.4v mod @660,1750/ VF-700
Antec TP2 550
Aspire Qpack.

Here is my story.

Due to space limited of the case, I'd used the Zalman 7700 to cool the CPU but it got hot at 64 or more even I added a 8 cm fan to the side of the case. The 7700 gets loud when i play games. Just got the Thermaltake big SE 120 and currently test outside the case, it brings the CPU temp now to 53 Celcius at dual prime95 with the fan setting about 73 % to be quiet.

Since I used the spared PS Antec 400 w to test the system (outside the case) I didn't use the 7900GT and used the onboard video, the DFI chipset temp went up to 92 Celcius.

Here are my questions:

1. Is the CPU at ~53 too hot to be 24/7 operation?
2. If I put the system back in the case and close it, how much higher temp would I be anticipated?
3. If I use the 7900gt instead of the onboard video, will the chipset temp goes higher than without it? ( I didn't pay attention to chipset temp before I disassembled the system)
4. Would the Thermaltake Big water SE 120 be able to support add another
chipset cooler block? If it does, which chipset cooler block should I buy? refer cheap but sufficient.
5. Do I have to refill or add the water periodically?
6. If later I change the pump(which is kinda small), would my temp be lower since it would pump the water faster?

My goal is to have a decent and portable gaming computer for lanparty and QUIET. I probably can find somewhere in my wife's purse for some more hard earned big bucks to make this system meets my goal. Any suggestions would be greatly appreciated.

sonny
 
I sure hope you can afford another 4400+. If you are running a Vcore of 1.625 on the 4400+ in the BIOS, it is more than likely more like 1.650. The max "safe v-core" is considered 1.5 on the X2's or maybe pushing it to 1.55 at a max.

You really need to keep the temps below 50c at full load. There is no way in God's green earth that that TT is going to handle what you want. It isn't handling what you have now. The TT may suit some for cheap water cooling for silence at stock speeds, but not the extreme overclocking that you are trying to do.
 
jaxx, thanks for taking time reponse to my post. No, I cant afford another 4400. My Cpu is funny tho, its wouldn't even stable at default speed until I have to bumped up the v-core. This happened to 2 other MBs as well , the DFI Ult D and the ASUS A8N-SLI deluxe. The v-core needed to be stable at 2200 is 1.45 for dual primed 20hrs+ . When used with 7700 the temp is already 54. I don't know it the defective CPU or other things like the RAMs/PS, but the temp of the X2 really bother me. I can't RMA it because I've bought it off Ebay as used. Once I get home, I will set it back to 1.45 and c if temp is under 50C. The system is perfecly stable at current settings and Benchmark scores look really good compared to 2.2ghz. I dont C any different when play game tho, given the fact that we olddies play old games like Breakthough Medal of Honor, Red Alerts 2...LOL.

Sonny
 
Yeah, doesn't the SE have 1/4" NPT, that's really restricting, and last time I checked it came with a 90 L/h pump, so with that chip don't expect any miracles in temps, and it's definately not capable of handling another waterblock in the line. For me, I'm building a watercooling system right now and I'm already $415 into it, and still need the tubing, clamps or compression fittings, havent decided yet, and a resevior. I would say sell the SE and try to build a custom kit, maybe a Black Ice Pro 240 mm rad and an MCP350 pump, somehting along those lines, and then you could add in another block. Might cost a little more but it's definately worth it.
 
im ashamed to say i have a thermal take big water - bought it ages ago when i didnt know squat ( many of us have been there ) ive got to say its the most shoddy piece of kit ive ever come across for cooling although its DAMN quiet.
thankfully im selling it on and ive started building a new loop with the hlp of the guys int he forum.
so irf you want my 2 cents, id aggree with arca !
 
And also, I believe all of us have been there, like you said R B Customs, I had a BigWater 745, then after it arrived I started reading on here, never even took it out of the box, LOL! Sold it immediately for full list price to my friend down the street, he just needed quiet cooling.

EDIT: I'll get some pics and post them in here, I'm going over there to install UV cold cathodes in his case today.
 
Okay guys, I am sold. I'll try to get rid of the BIG WATER SE. Now let the scary adventure begin.

Which components you guys are recommend for budget ~$200 and will work with the Qpack case? Or is it possible?

Thanks for all the inputs.

sonny
 
Uhh, lets see, for CPU only you could do:

Black Ice Pro Radiator-40 dollars?
Primoflex 1/2" tubing 10 feet- 20 dollars
Danger Den TDX or RBX-52 dollars
Danger den D5 pump-75 dollars
Fans-20 dollars, panaflo high/medium speed or delta 75 CFM triple blade
Tline- like 3 dollars
OR
Resevior 20 dollars
so thats like $200-$220 without shipping
 
I'm not sure without holding the case in one hand and the DD D5 pump in the other if it will find a nice place to be in that case. On that note, my recommendation would be these:

MCP350 Pump ~$70
Black Ice X-Flow Pro ~$30
Swiftech Apogee CPU Block ~$45
MCRES-Micro reservoir ~$15
3-4 feet of whatever the best tubing you can afford ~$.99-$2.99 per foot
Yate Loon D12SL-12 ~$6
Trip to walmart for clamps, antifreeze and distilled water ~$10-15 ($60something if you accidentally walk down the game isle.)
That is before shipping and should come up to about $200, less if you find good deals.

Someone with hands-on experience dealing with this case advise further on tubing lengths, please. Better I eat my words then this WCer-to-be get too short a cut of hose. :)
 
I cant use the black Ice x-flow due to where they put the Inlet/Outlet but the pro radiator will do. Which pump is better the D5 or MCP 350 ? How about TDX/RBX or Apogee? Is it matter much in the size of the reservoir?
 
D5 is the exact same as the MCP655 and they are better than the 350, but if you got a 350 then you could do a bay style pump/res setup, where the resevior and the pump fit into one 5 1/4" bay, my pricing was a little off, just thinking on my feet, but Dice and I have about the same ideas, so maybe combine them both, make your own, do some research and most importantly have fun.
 
You can find some nice reviews here. In the end, the parts you get will be decided by what will fit in your case and what you can afford. You really can't go wrong by getting an Swiftech's Apogee/Storm or Danger Den's RBX/TDX. They are all of high quality. It boils down to preference. You'll see the differences in the link provided. As for the 2 pumps (MCP350/MCP655) are concerned, both will easily do the job, so IMO it is a matter of usable space in the case. If you can fit the larger MCP655 (aka DD-D5) then kewl, if not, you'll be well served by the smaller 350. As for the reservoir, you can easily omit it from the loop altogether by using the T-line and cap. Again, preference. However, whether choosing the T-line or the res, placing it so that it feeds the inlet of the pump has been beaten to death and stands to reason. The centrifugal impeller pump (655 & 350 among most if not all other pumps commonly used for PC watercooling have a weakness: They don't have much lift (read: suction). That said, if you wanna sacrifice a 5.25 bay for the res, or even res+pump in the case of swiftech mcres 1000, you will be well served. If you need them both, go with a different res, or no res at all. :) Arca_ex said it best:
...make your own, do some research and most importantly have fun...
 
One more thing to add, the RBX is only effective to use with a high output pump for example 315+ GPH, the D5 would just cut it, because of the restriction plate inside of it, personally I use plate #5, the impingement jets, but i have a 675 GPH pump, and that rating is at 1 foot of lift too lol
 
How about these?

Apogee CPU block
MPC655 Pump
Black Ice pro (consider the 5th or worst in sticky thread)
Panaflo 120mm
MCres reservoir
Primoflex tube

Do they all have 1/2 inch fittings?

Thanks sonny
 
Ha, black Ice Pro is definately NOT THE WORST radiator, that's the top five, there are so many radiators that are worse. Plus that post is from like 2001 or something like that. All of them can be ordered with 1/2" fittings. What panaflo fan are you looking at? And what color primoflex are you getting, lol just curious.
 
The fan is Model #FBK-12G12LH.
The color? Purple perhaps....:drool: Nah, just blue or green as mainstream... LOL

How is the Maze 4 CPU block compares to apogee block???
 
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