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nodiaque

Registered
Joined
Dec 31, 2006
Location
Laval, Canada
Hello everyone. I have a pc with a water cooling since last year. So far, everything is great. Here is my setup:

PC:
Case: Thermaltake Armor Case
cpu: amd sempron 3100+
video card: xfx geforce 6800 gt AGP

Water Cooling:
Kit: Thermaltake Big Water CL-W0005 (not exactly the one on the link, without the liquid tank)
VGA Water Block: Thermaltake CL-W0038 VGA Water block
Coolant: Car Prestone Radiator Coolant
Tubbing: Included 1/4" ID
Radiator Cooled with 2 12 cm fan, 1 in, 1 out

Currently, the VGA Water Block is removed because my vga card broke so I had to send it back.

I find that setup good but not perfect. Since my room is hot even in winter (lived in canada, when it's -30 outside, it's atleast 25 in my room, in Celcius), I removed my air cooling for water cooling when my computer started to be at critical temp even on idle. With my water cooling, I managed to get a decent below 50 degree for my cpu but my gpu stay hot since water is coming already hot from cpu. My pump is having a hard time too so I'm planning on changing for a new one but I don't know what to take. I'm planning on adding the following component but unsure if it's good or better can be found for same price range.

Here are my upgrades:
North bridge Water Block: Thermaltake CL-W0083
Liquid tank: Thermaltake CL-W0031 Aquabay M3
Water Flow Rate and Water Level Checker: CL-W0032 Aquabay M1

I'm thinking on changing for 1/2" tubing too, that should help a lot.

The setting I'm thinking to do is as follow:

Start from radiator to liquid tank, continue to pump, from pump go to Aquabay M1, then use a Y/T-Splitter that goes (a)1 part to gpu, (b)the other to another Y/T-Splitter. this one goes to (c1) the cpu and (d1) the north bridge. After, (c2) and (d2) use another Y/T-Splitter to get back to (e) 1 tube. Now, (a2) and (e) merge with another splitter to get to (f), which go to the radiator. (check graphic)

http://olympus.kicks-***.org:8080/~neo/image/pc.gif

Why use Y/T-Splitter? That way all water going to water block are freshly cooled from liquid tank and radiator, not heated from a recently cooled water block.

I don't know if that can be made or if my parts are good. I'm also planning on installing a prob for the temp of my water. If you have better idea or better parts then the one I used (not necessarily thermaltake) and a good pump to pump all that, you can always say it, I'm here to get more info, suggestion on feedback on my setting and what I'm planning to do.

Thanks a lot
 
I'd say lose the thermaltake stuff. I've had some experience with the bigwater kit and for me it was just slightly better than air.Northbridge cooling probably not necessary. You don't say what cpu or gpu you trying to cool so suggestions are hard. Off hand taking into account your case I'd recommend a dual 120 rad., apogee waterblock, mcp655/d5 pump, mcw60 gpu block and masterkleer tubing.
 
FrostyAMD said:
I'd say lose the thermaltake stuff. I've had some experience with the bigwater kit and for me it was just slightly better than air.Northbridge cooling probably not necessary. You don't say what cpu or gpu you trying to cool so suggestions are hard. Off hand taking into account your case I'd recommend a dual 120 rad., apogee waterblock, mcp655/d5 pump, mcw60 gpu block and masterkleer tubing.

well yes I'm saying it, in the begining of the post, amd sempron 3100+ and geforce 6800 gt.

I've read that 2 rad isn't a good idea since it's reduce water flow (I might be wrong). Thing is that I don't know where I'm going to put the second rad.

One thing for sure, I'll put 1/2 tubbing (or might be 3/4) and I'll take the tubbing a reno depot, since it's the samething but cheaper on the price.

The fact that I split with Y my plug-in, good idea?

Why no northbridge? My last mobo fried that so that's why I though of cooling it.
 
I was saying get a dual 120 rad i;e; Blackice pro II or simular. Your northbridge on 939 boards doesnot generally generate enuff heat to warrant water cooling and the addition of that block will add an additional restriction that will influence the total cooling efficiency of your loop. Same with all those "Y" connectors.
 
Those thermalright pumps are supposedly really weak. And to run from CPU, GPU, NB, and RAD, you're going to overload that pump IMHO. Also get rid of all those "Y" connectors and run it all in a series. CPU > GPU > NB.

Honestly the NB doesn't need to be liquid cooled. A ~$20 CPU air cooler is plenty to keep it reasonable.
 
It's a socket 734 and not a 939. Putting Y will yes restrict the cooling efficiency but putting 2 rad will too, no?

As for putting PCU > GBU > NB, I don't think so. The thing is that my water comming from my cpu is already hot, near 40-50C so for cooling my GPU (which both are overclock), not very good. It is true that Thermaltake pump is very bad, that's why I'm planning on changing for mcp 655 pump.

As for the north bridge, I think I need it. You see, my computer without any overclocking already have heat problem (with good fan like tornado, volcano and some other vantec air cooling) in winter (live in quebec, where right now it's -23 without wind factor). I had my window open last winter and my pc was saying "hey, it's too how in here, look at that, my cpu is at 65C and still rising!". Same for GPU, I've got my video card slowing down once because of heat tresshold was reached. And since my last mobo (same I have now, was on waranty) burned, Nb was defective (so did my video card afterward), that's why I was thinking of giving them all cooled water.

I though that maybe I could take 3/4 hose and split them to 1/2 hose to get them back to 3/4? Wouldn't that help for the water flow? or it would be worse?
 
When he says "dual" he isn't saying to put a 2nd rad. Rather a larger one. Like a Black Ice Pro II. and rather than splitting with Y connectors running is series would keep it at a better flow.
 
Thermaltake blocks AFAIK only take 1/4" tubing.

Personally a good air cooler > thermaltake cooling.

Spend the money on a Tuniq, or an Ultra 120 and put those on your CPU. Same with your video card. Arctic coolers fit AGP 6800s.

The problem with your NB cooler, simply is, it sucks. ANY aftermarket NB cooler is better than stock.


This should fit your Sempron. Your video card cooler. And your NB.

And all this will be less hassle than your liquid and probably cheaper. I put everything in a cart for $151.96. An MCP655 is around 70 and to add your other blocks and ect would probably run your more money.

My .02...
 
Well to start off all that tubing will be a rats nest especially when mixed with psu and drive cables. Thermaltake products generally use smaller tubing which I would never use so to me that makes it a bad loop not only in design but in products. Not to sound harsh but I'm being honest. If you must run the flow meter just put it in the loop normal no Y or L pieces. IMO run it rad > cpu > nb > vid > res > flow meter > pump but I would drop the flow meter all together. By running all those Y pieces you just hurt your flow and clutter up your case.

Also remember to leak test, new people to w/c tend to leave that important part out and fry hardware.
 
WonderingSoul said:
Thermaltake blocks AFAIK only take 1/4" tubing.

Personally a good air cooler > thermaltake cooling.

Spend the money on a Tuniq, or an Ultra 120 and put those on your CPU. Same with your video card. Arctic coolers fit AGP 6800s.

The problem with your NB cooler, simply is, it sucks. ANY aftermarket NB cooler is better than stock.


This should fit your Sempron. Your video card cooler. And your NB.

And all this will be less hassle than your liquid and probably cheaper. I put everything in a cart for $151.96. An MCP655 is around 70 and to add your other blocks and ect would probably run your more money.

My .02...

Hmmm... I understand what you mean but the problem here is that air cooling isn't good enough. All computer I had in this room always had heat problem because the room is too hot. Even my hd already burned because of heat problem and believe me, my computers were well air cooled, simply couldn't cool enough cause the room is too hot. At least now, even if it doesn't indeed make a big difference with my thermaltake water cooling, it's already stabilizing the temperature lower then air.

Thx for sharing though, I keep that in mind and I don't say you're saying bull****, I asked for suggestion and thats what you gave me, thanks Wondering Soul (and all of the others too).



As for the rad, I didn't though that's what you meant ;). I might skip the NB for now but one thing for sure, I'm going to need better water cooling gear. I'm not keeping any of those thermaltake one that's for sure, so I'll need to re-equip with bleeding, tubing, filling, tank, waterblock and pump. I'm still wondering if it's really such a bad thing to split instead of chain cause cpu really hot so it's not really cooling my gpu as much as cold water would. By reducing the size of the tubing between the split, that would keep a constant pressure and water flow no?
 
wannaoc said:
Well to start off all that tubing will be a rats nest especially when mixed with psu and drive cables. Thermaltake products generally use smaller tubing which I would never use so to me that makes it a bad loop not only in design but in products. Not to sound harsh but I'm being honest. If you must run the flow meter just put it in the loop normal no Y or L pieces. IMO run it rad > cpu > nb > vid > res > flow meter > pump but I would drop the flow meter all together. By running all those Y pieces you just hurt your flow and clutter up your case.

Also remember to leak test, new people to w/c tend to leave that important part out and fry hardware.

Yeah, really small tubing indeed, that's why I'm planning on a 3/4" tubbing with 1/2 split, that shouldn't create a big problem.

As for the leak test, I'm sealing my stuff with silicone so no water leakage (well, I leak test anyway)
 
what if I split once.

I remove everything and go that way:

Tank 3/4" > Pump > Y > #1 CPU 1/2" > Y > Rad 3/4"
> #2 GPU 1/2" >


How about that? or is it worst by reducing tubing size?
 
Reducing size will strain the pump quite a pit.

As for running from the CPU to the GPU I wouldn't worry about it. I think you're misunderstanding the WCing. The high temps of your CPU block won't necessarily increase your GPU temps but only more than increase your coolant's ambient temps. As well your GPU block won't really take so much heat since it is a liquid block and video cards do not produce nearly the same wattage of heat as a CPU does. The placement of the components do not really matter since they flow so fast through all the liquid is the same temps more or less, since the radiators purpose is to cool the liquid and since it is flowing so fast, think of it as one whole temp.


Also, how is your case's airflow? If you have good enough flow through the case I do not see why good aircooling is not sufficient enough to cool that sempron.
 
airflow? I had some tornado fan before and volcano too + 3x 180 mm, 2 in front, 1 in back (had the tornado in the back). As I said before, the room is too hot so how can hot air cool something?
 
nodiaque said:
airflow? I had some tornado fan before and volcano too + 3x 180 mm, 2 in front, 1 in back (had the tornado in the back). As I said before, the room is too hot so how can hot air cool something?

Sheesh man, how hot is this room? 100f+?
 
well right now in winter (in quebec), without anything to heat my room except my computer, it's aroung 32C (in winter, remember it's -20C outside right now without chill factor). You don't want to know in summer.
 
nodiaque said:
well right now in winter (in quebec), without anything to heat my room except my computer, it's aroung 32C (in winter, remember it's -20C outside right now without chill factor). You don't want to know in summer.

What do you live in!? A greenhouse!?

Man, that room is seriously out of hand :p But if your temps are seriously that hot. I'd recommend doing a whole overhaul of liquid cooling and scrapping that thermaltake kit.

Here is a link to a ~100 liquid cooling kit by Moto7451.

Or you could built a decent liquid cooler for cheap this way:

Dtek White Water: ~$30
Dtek MP-1: ~$40
HW Labs BIP3: ~$40
Masterkleer tubing Part # 5233K44: ~$5
MCP355: ~$70.
+$20 for various expenses.

30+40+40+5+70+20= $205

Now that is a VERY nice cooling setup for quite cheap. And it covers all your bases of CPU and GPU with a TRIPLE!! 120rad and a VERY nice pump. The CPU block could also be exchanged for something else for more or less $.

And it would hands down cool a LOT better than that Thermaltake. Tell me what ya think :D



edit: signing off for the night, send me any PMs if you have any specific questions for me that you need answered I will get to you in the morning!
 
Last edited:
thanks alot, I'll check on that tomorrow or in the following day's because I'm going out of town for 2-3 day so I don't know if I'm going to have access to a computer.

As for the price, to be honest, I'm willing to pay, as long as it's not too much for the kit. I'm in canada so it's CAD but you can count in USD, it's nearly the samething now.

So if you got other parts to suggest that are pricier but do a better job (not just a small difference, let's say a good difference so it wort the spending).
 
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