Liquid cooling on the cheap?

[SuperZ]

I don't suppose there are any "complete" liquid cooling solutions available for between $75-$100? (by complete i mean including the water blocks too!)

[smokenjoe]

I don't suppose there are any "complete" liquid cooling solutions available for between $75-$100? (by complete i mean including the water blocks too!)


None worth getting.

[SuperZ]

None worth getting.

At that price i'd be willing to settle for a crappy one :) (assuming its still better than air cooling!)

[ghettocomp]

I would never say that the cheap watercooling setups are better
than air, your best bet is that it will be only as good as... and
most likely wont last nearly as long.
The best thing you can do is to buy the best parts that you can
even if only 1 or 2 at a time, until you get exactly what works for
you.

[smokenjoe]

At that price i'd be willing to settle for a crappy one :) (assuming its still better than air cooling!)

At that price you are better off with air much better off. Same or better temps and more reliable.


Swift tec has some of the better kits just get good parts and do it right the first time. Anything with less than a 120MM rad is a joke.

Cheap pays twice.

[matttheniceguy]

What are you trying to cool?

The classifieds are a gold mine for cooling supplies. Consider this:

-Waterblock - I just picked up a whitewater for $15 :eek: Other good waterblocks for various CPU's and GPU's are there.
-Pump - Lots of D5's and other good pumps going for ~$35-50
-Heatercore - I see a nice one on there now for $12. BIXII's going for ~$20-30

Grab some tubing from home depot, use a T section rather than a resevoir, and you have yourself a very nice kit for under $100, and it will kick the crap out of any air system not using a leaf blower. :beer:

Edit: I see the original poster has less than 100 posts. Sorry man, you won't be able to see the classifieds untill you have 100 posts (keeps the trolls away). Hang around, ask some questions, find out what sort of water (or air) cooling really suits your needs, and you'll be at 100 posts and in on the sweet deals in no time!

[Daddyjaxx]

High end air cooling will blow away low end water cooling anyday.

[darkcow]

im in the same ballpark as you. check on the post i made earlier. im just checking out those Classifieds and buying used parts untill i can get the money. buy buying it used so far i've saved myself 30 bucks. and thats 2 and 1/2 dinners that i can now treatmyself too woohoo.


im only buying 1 or 2 things at a time untill i get all the parts as im in no rush to get it done. i have to finish my wooden case first.

[speed bump]

Well for cheap Wcing you can pick up a new WW for $24 or $34 for the copper top.
http://www.cooltechnica.com/Merchant2/merchant.mvc?Screen=CTGY&Category_Code=WB

A new Via aqua 1300 for about $20.

A new Swiftech MCR-220 for $40
http://jab-tech.com/120mm-Dual-c-257.html

or a single for $25

Throw in a couple of YL 120 fans @$3.70 each.

After adding a T-line, some tubings and clamps your right around $100 for a system that will cool better than just about any high end air solution.

[Moto7451]

From the link in my sig:

Wawawawawait a minute :D.

Via Aqua 1800: (http://www.drsfostersmith.com/product/prod_display.cfm?pcatid=8164&Ntt=via%20aqua&Ntk=All&Ntx=mode+matchallpartial&Np=1&pc=1&N=0&Nty=1) $16
Swiftech Apogee: (http://svc.com/apogee.html) $48
Masterkleer: (www.mcmaster.com) $.22-.81/ft (depending on if you want to use 1/2" or 3/8" and at what thickness... grab 10 ft)
77 Bonneville heatercore (with or without AC - note tubes are straight and longer on without AC): ~$25

Or one of these fine cores (http://www.overclockers.com/tips1031/) if the 77 Bonneville won't fit.

(2) 3/8" or 1/2" 3/8" NPT barbs (for the via) P/N 64800 or 64801: (http://www.usplastic.com/catalog/product.asp?catalog%5Fname=USPlastic&category%5Fname=6915&product%5Fid=8272) $.60

(if you want to save on shipping, US Plastics sells good vinyl tubing as well [not as good as Masterkleer but good]: See here (http://www.usplastic.com/catalog/product.asp?catalog%5Fname=USPlastic&category%5Fname=7513&product%5Fid=8594))

Hose clamps: Find them on sale at Lowes or wherever.

Silicone sealant to seal the Via's barbs: borrow some or spend like $2 on a small tube of Silicone epoxy (like Goop brand Marine Goop).

You're looking at about $100 in stuff (see it can be done ;-) ).

Other alternatives can include:

Swapping the Swiftech for a Universal White Water block (http://www.dtekcustoms.com/index.asp?PageAction=VIEWPROD&ProdID=137) which performs well and is a little cheaper. You could also pick up the new Mag Pump (www.dangerden.com) for $40 which would push the total over $100.

[fujimonster]

I have to say, stay away from the lower end all in one kits.

I was running an artic cooler 64 on an overclocked opty 165. I wanted to move to water to get a higher overclock out of it, so i picked up an evercool wc-202 system off of ebay, new and cheap.

It was a mistake. It idle'ed at 28c which was about 2c less then the artic cooler but under load, it would hit 45-48c where as the artic only got up to about 42c.

If I wasn't overclocking my system, the kit would probably be great, it was certainly quieter than the air solution.

Going forward, I'm going to have to put together a better 3/8 or 1/2 inch system to get where I want to me.

[fujimonster]

Well for cheap Wcing you can pick up a new WW for $24 or $34 for the copper top.
http://www.cooltechnica.com/Merchant2/merchant.mvc?Screen=CTGY&Category_Code=WB

A new Via aqua 1300 for about $20.

A new Swiftech MCR-220 for $40
http://jab-tech.com/120mm-Dual-c-257.html

or a single for $25

Throw in a couple of YL 120 fans @$3.70 each.

After adding a T-line, some tubings and clamps your right around $100 for a system that will cool better than just about any high end air solution.

I might just go for something like this. Are those Via aqua pumps reliable? Can a relay setup be bought that could power the pump up when the system is turned on?

[Ducatti]

I have to say, stay away from the lower end all in one kits.

I was running an artic cooler 64 on an overclocked opty 165. I wanted to move to water to get a higher overclock out of it, so i picked up an evercool wc-202 system off of ebay, new and cheap.

It was a mistake. It idle'ed at 28c which was about 2c less then the artic cooler but under load, it would hit 45-48c where as the artic only got up to about 42c.

If I wasn't overclocking my system, the kit would probably be great, it was certainly quieter than the air solution.

Going forward, I'm going to have to put together a better 3/8 or 1/2 inch system to get where I want to me.
Fuji...
:welcome: WELCOME TO THE FORUMS!!!:welcome:

[matttheniceguy]

If you know what you are doing you can wire a relay to turn on the Via Aqua. An automovie relay will switch from 12V nicely, and they will pretty much all have a high enough current rating. It's easy, and exactly what I have done.

That said, you need to know what you are doing. You have to splice the relay into the 120V power line for the pump, so if you screw it up you can kill your computer, or yourself.

[voigts]

You can also simply buy a relay (for example- http://www.crazypc.com/products/9321.html ).

I personally would do a little research and posting and get your count over 100 to gain access to the classifieds and get a D5 or maybe an Eheim 1250 slightly used instead of using a via aqua. I have been seeing a few D5 pumps sell for around $50 lately.

[myndlessdayz]

High end air cooling will blow away low end water cooling anyday.

agreed