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Elluzion

Elluzion

Member
​
Joined
Jul 3, 2007
Location
[NorCal]
I finally got all of my watercooling gear ready to set up and run. This is my FIRST setup and it is going to be watercooled.

I will start putting it together on Monday. I will definetly post pics of it when its all done and stuff.

Stats are as follows:
Swiftech MCP655-B™ 12 VDC Pump Without speed controller
D-Tek Fuzion Cpu Waterblock
R-3400 Black Tygon Tubing (7 Feet)
Swiftech MCRES-Micro
Swiftech MCR320-QP-K Triple 120mm Radiator

Distilled Water
Iodine
Algae Be Gone (Fish Tank Stuff)

Ok so now for the questions:
1. What order for the setup for the best cool? (Radiator > Block > Reservoir > Pump?)
2. How to fill the loop corretly? (adding water, etc)
3. How to bleed the loop ?
4. How do you know when the loop is full?
5. Pump connects to power supply, how do I run it so that I can fill up the loop.

If their are any other comments about how to do anything or tips that would be great. I want this to be an easy process.

Thanks everyone!

Oh and if I have to remount my waterblock, their isn't really a way I can take the mobo plate out and do it since the loops is all connected right? Is the best way to mount the block with the mobo plate in the case?? or should I take mobo plate out, mount it, then connect the tubes?

1 more thing, what to clean my cpu with? I have as5 on it right now. what is good for cleaning it off?
 
Order doesn't matter. Use the least tubing you can, simplest routing. Only order that kinda matters is for you to leave your tee-line/res at your pump's inlet, but honestly that doesn't really matter either if you can just keep your pump primed. Once it's filled it doesn't matter.

To fill the loop, add in water to your tee/res until the pump is fully primed and the res/tee is full. Fire on the pump (hook it up to a spare PSU and jump the PSU by shorting the green wire to any black wire on the 20/24-pin ATX connector). After the res/tee is almost empty (make sure the pump NEVER runs without any coolant), stop the pump, re-fill the res/tee, and repeat until the loop is filled.

To bleed, just let the loop run until all of the bubbles are gone.

You can unmount and mount your block with it connected to the loop no problem. It might be a bit restricted but you shouldn't have any problems. I never did. I never tore down my loop when I needed to remount blocks, I just unmounted them and moved the rest of my loop to accommodate. I could even unmount my old 9800p and x850 while the block was connected to the loop. That might be a little harder with certain blocks (MCW60 uses screws, the maze4 uses bolts and knurled nuts, the maze4 is MUCH easier to mount than the MCW60 IMO).

Use alcohol to clean up the CPU and anything else you ever need to clean.
 
what order would be preferable for most?

Thanks for the info guys.

The problem is I can't put it together outside of my case because I have a hole that one of my tubes has to go through. I have to directly put it into my case and fill it through the res which will be in my case. lol. This might be tricky
 
Elluzion said:
1. What order for the setup for the best cool? (Radiator > Block > Reservoir > Pump?)
2. How to fill the loop corretly? (adding water, etc)
3. How to bleed the loop ?
4. How do you know when the loop is full?
5. Pump connects to power supply, how do I run it so that I can fill up the loop.
Click to expand...
1. Like Snake said the most preferable setup would be the one that uses the least amount of tubing. Therefore, the order does differ from case to case. Putting the reservoir above and before the pump is done so that the water you fill into the reservoir pours right into the pump.

2. Just fill it until your reservoir is almost full, shake it around a bit, fill it up again. Repeat that for 3-4 times. You will have to power on your pump eventually to completely fill and bleed the loop, make sure the pump has water in it.

3. To bleed the loop just leave the cap on your reservoir off and let the pump push the fluid around for a few hours to get all the air bubbles out.

4. The loop is full when all the tubing and parts are filled with water and there are no air bubbles. The MCRES has a logo, make sure your fluid level is above that logo.

5. You can use something like a paper clip to connect the green and black wires on the power supply's 20 pin connector to jump start it. This allows you to run the pump without turning your motherboard on.
 
Elluzion said:
what order would be preferable for most?

Thanks for the info guys.

The problem is I can't put it together outside of my case because I have a hole that one of my tubes has to go through. I have to directly put it into my case and fill it through the res which will be in my case. lol. This might be tricky
Click to expand...



Shouldn't be a problem.

And for the record, leak testing outside of the case (in fact, in any position other than "installed") is essentially pointless. The reason is because putting the loop in an installed position with blocks mounted, pump/rad mounted, tubes routed, etc., puts strain on the tubing and torque on the blocks which could create a leak that wouldn't be there if you were leak testing without anything installed.
 
Thanks for the info.

Do I add a few drops of iodine and algecide ( i got alge be gone from a pet store)
 
i am getting everything set up. I will have it done by today (hopefully) and post pictures and all of that. I will create a new thread for that.

My order is going [Radiator> pump > res > cpu ]

for the iodine and algecide. few drops? recommendations?
 
Instead of iodine, I (along with others) use something like anti-freeze because, not only does it eliminate the chance of algae, it also acts as an anti-corrosive agent.

And the added bonus is the water in your loop looks whatever color your anti freeze is :)
 
i have black tygon tubing so you can't really see the fluid except in the res.

Why would you use anti freeze? its not like a car. Anti freeze will just slow down the water
 
well as i said, first of all it prevents algae, and second it prevents corrosion. The mixture of anti-freeze is very week, say 1-2 mm for every 9-10 mm of water so it really doesnt impede flow much at all.
 
evilrad said:
You really need to have the res before the pump so that it is feeding the pump. If not, you are going to have a very "fun" time filling the loop.
Click to expand...

i just set it up the easiest way it could have gone. yeah it will be "fun" im gonna be working on it in about half an hour.

i wasn't aware of that. People just said "do it the way that uses the least amount of tubing"

how will I fill it lol?
 
You really want the reservoir before the pump...that's it's whole purpose, to provide a constant feed of water to the pump inlet.

I see no point in adding antifreeze to your loop- there are no mixed metals and you already have an algaecide.

I also use Tygon r3400 and run straight distilled water and see no signs of any growth after several months of running.
 
pics will have to wait until monday. sorry guys.

new order for loop:

[Rad>Pump>Block>Res]
 
Elluzion said:
pics will have to wait until monday. sorry guys.

new order for loop:

[Rad>Pump>Block>Res]
Click to expand...

I also think you should put that res right before your pump! I built a system in the wrong order once and will never do it again. Imagine and 80 lb case and trying to rotate it to get the bubbles out.... I took two people to bleed the thing.
 
datura3 said:
I also think you should put that res right before your pump! I built a system in the wrong order once and will never do it again. Imagine and 80 lb case and trying to rotate it to get the bubbles out.... I took two people to bleed the thing.
Click to expand...

well the whole system is in a loop it will get a constant feed of water regardless if it is before after whatever. Well if it doesn't go well, then I will have learned from my mistake. but my watercooling will be there for years, so.

No one ever mentioned before to put the res before the pump. ug
 
Elluzion said:
No one ever mentioned before to put the res before the pump. ug
Click to expand...
Sorry, next time I just won't give you my opinion....

Actually, what's more important is that the Res is above all the other components. It should act as an air trap.
 
It is actually best to put the res before the pump as it ensures that the pump doesn't run dry when filling/bleeding, but it isn't absolutely necessary with your loop order as long as your rad is situated above the pump inlet and can supply a constant flow of water. If the pump runs dry at all it can damage it. I would reroute your tubing and put the res before the pump.

As for the antifreeze, 5-10% isn't enough to keep away growth at all. Stuff will happily grow in that weak of an antifreeze mixture. It isn't necessary in an all copper loop, although I prefer to use it for its PH buffers and color. And 5-10% isn't going to make any measurable difference in performance at all.

For the iodine, if you have any acrylic in the loop, make sure your iodine is alcohol-free as alcohol doesn't play well with acrylics. 5-6 drops is enough for an average loop. As for the algaecide, if you look at the bottle, one or two drops is like 10 times the concentration needed for a fish aquarium, so that is what I do.

Also, the res doesn't have to be at the top of the loop in order to work, neither does a T line for that matter. But having it at the top of the loop makes bleeding a lot quicker as naturally, air rises. Just position it with the easiest way for air to bleed possible given your setup, and avoid tubing routing that goes up and down and up and down so that air has an easy way to escape.
 
voigts said:
It is actually best to put the res before the pump as it ensures that the pump doesn't run dry when filling/bleeding, but it isn't absolutely necessary with your loop order as long as your rad is situated above the pump inlet and can supply a constant flow of water. If the pump runs dry at all it can damage it. I would reroute your tubing and put the res before the pump.

As for the antifreeze, 5-10% isn't enough to keep away growth at all. Stuff will happily grow in that weak of an antifreeze mixture. It isn't necessary in an all copper loop, although I prefer to use it for its PH buffers and color. And 5-10% isn't going to make any measurable difference in performance at all.

For the iodine, if you have any acrylic in the loop, make sure your iodine is alcohol-free as alcohol doesn't play well with acrylics. 5-6 drops is enough for an average loop. As for the algaecide, if you look at the bottle, one or two drops is like 10 times the concentration needed for a fish aquarium, so that is what I do.

Also, the res doesn't have to be at the top of the loop in order to work, neither does a T line for that matter. But having it at the top of the loop makes bleeding a lot quicker as naturally, air rises. Just position it with the easiest way for air to bleed possible given your setup, and avoid tubing routing that goes up and down and up and down so that air has an easy way to escape.
Click to expand...

since my rad is at the top of my case, I can't put the res above it. I have a way that I will tilt the system on its side and lift the res above all components when I fill it up

I will figure it out with filling it up.

Thanks for everyones help.
 
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