My WC Setup final build: Any final comments?

Hey all,

I've bought my pump and waterblocks and I'd just like a final critique and any finishing comments on what I'm putting together.

Rig:

ASUS k8n-dl motherboard
2x Opteron 252s
Nvidia 8800 GTS OC (not wcing it)

big-assed case with 6 5.25 drive bays.

The WCing:
(everything is 1/2" ID)

2x Apogee GTs
Iwaki RD-20RZG Pump (to be mounted externally)
http://cgi.ebay.com/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&item=280098761816

4 feet of Tygon silver antimicrobial tubing
3 feet of Masterkeeler for the places in which the tygon is too tight a fit

??? Reservoir
Triple radiator.

The only two things that I'm at a loss for is what reservoir and what radiator. I was looking at something like the MCR-320 or Black Ice pro triple for the radiator and for the reservoir I was thinking of dual slot bayres. I could build the reservoir but I don't have time to do so at the moment, so I'm looking for something as cheap as possible in that regard.

Alternatively if there were a nice reservoir that I could mount in the upper portion of the case that had screw-holes to be attached to something like the side I'd use that too. The plan is to mount the radiator on the top of the case, the pump on the side, the reservoir on the inside, somewhere near the top where I have a ton of free space.

So, any comments/suggestions on the reservoir or radiator before I go shopping? Any comments on what I have so far?

-Ex

I've never used one, but people who have it seem to like this res.
http://swiftnets.com/products/MCRES-micro.asp

PVC pipe is a good option for a quick and cheap DIY res.

The Swiftech MCR-320, and Coolrad CR-32T are both good choices, and both perform about the same from what I've seen -- just a little bit behind the more expensive Thermochill PA120.3. The BIP isn't a bad radiator either. It's a bit more restrictive, but sometimes you can get them very cheap.

Hmm. I think I might just get one of the cheap (~$9) "ugly" bayreservoirs because of the ease of use and filling.

As for the radiator, this is what I'm looking at:

BIP III "X-flow"
http://www.dangerden.com/store/product.php?productid=194&cat=84&page=1

Anyone have a clue what the X-flow is?

BIX triple
http://www.dangerden.com/store/product.php?productid=4&cat=85&page=1

GT Stealth
http://jab-tech.com/Black-Ice-GT-stealth-360-Black-pr-3418.html

MCR-320
http://www.petrastechshop.com/swmcqposerab1.html

Suggestions, guys?

The Micro-Res is great, bleeds fast and is very quiet.

The X Flow is a "single pass" radiator and doesn't work as well. Stick to the GT Stealths or the MCR if you want to use quiet fans. The BIX or standard GT would be better if you want to use high performance fans.

Excelsior said:

Hmm. I think I might just get one of the cheap (~$9) "ugly" bayreservoirs because of the ease of use and filling.

Click to expand...

The bayres has a reputation for being more trouble than it's worth. I don't really know because I don't use a res, but quite a few people have had trouble with them, and I don't recall anyone saying anything good about them.

Otter said:

The bayres has a reputation for being more trouble than it's worth. I don't really know because I don't use a res, but quite a few people have had trouble with them, and I don't recall anyone saying anything good about them.

Click to expand...

Blech. In the past I always just used T-Lines so the whole reservoir thing is a bit alien to me. The entire appeal of a bayres is the ease of filling. With the microres I have no clue where I could mount it and keep it easy to fill. I'm planning on all the tubing and "stuff" only taking up the entire top portion of my case, really, not going on down to the bottom.

Interestingly enough the "X-FLOW" stuff I've seen is more expensive? What radiator would you guys go with from the list I recommended? Heh, I've never purchased a radiator either -- I used my own heatercores that I built. But I couldn't get a large enough HC Shrouded up in time for this.

I'd most likely be putting some "semi-quiet" fans on it. I have some 120s here that push a decent amount of air while not being too loud, but it still sounds like a jet when I turn on the computer

-Ex

Ahh, quickly! I need to order today:

Coolrad cr-32t
BIP III
BIX triple
GT Stealth
MCR-320

Excelsior said:

Ahh, quickly! I need to order today:

Coolrad cr-32t
BIP III
BIX triple
GT Stealth
MCR-320

Click to expand...

Moto7451 said:

The X Flow is a "single pass" radiator and doesn't work as well. Stick to the GT Stealths or the MCR if you want to use quiet fans. The BIX or standard GT would be better if you want to use high performance fans.

Click to expand...

I'll cuncur with Moto on this.

Okay. I went with the MCR (petras had it in stock) and bought up the MCRES. I suppose I can mount it up top somewhere. Thanks for the advice.

You made a good choice. Bay reservoirs are anything but easy to fill and bleed. I used one when I first started watercooling and will never use another one. You can always rig a fill port going into the top of the microres if you are so inclined to. I have a line from my res going into a delrin fillport.

voigts said:

You made a good choice. Bay reservoirs are anything but easy to fill and bleed. I used one when I first started watercooling and will never use another one. You can always rig a fill port going into the top of the microres if you are so inclined to. I have a line from my res going into a delrin fillport.

Click to expand...

I never understood the utility of a fillport, to be honest. Maybe I'm missing something?

When I used T-Lines I rigged up a brass barb with NPT threading to a plastic cap made for the same barb. I'd put a bit of teflon tape around the threading, screw on the cap, and have a leak-proof method of filling it. Furthermore, I think there's something that a lot of people might be missing:

TURKEY BASTERS.

By far the easiest way to fill a rig with T-lines for me. It'd take only about 10 or so fills with the baster max to fill up the rig completely. Is there something I'm missing about "fillports?" I still say they're for wusses, DIY for life

In my case I have a res that is lower than my top mounted rad. Using a line to a fillport makes it a lot easier to fill as I don't have gravity working against me this way. If the res is the highest point in the loop, then the fillport really isn't essential.