Need watercooling help please

[Extol]

OK heres the deal I finally have to descided to go this route. Now my question is this is it better to run a closed loop system or should I have a resivoir. Which gives better performance? Now onto question 2 is a heatcore better than a radiator or is the performance equal. And finally question 3 which will give the best performance.

[muddocktor]

I just built my first watercool system since Christmas, but I'll try to help you out.:) I went with a reservoir because I liked the idea of having the extra water in case of a minute leak that I might have and also it is easier to bleed the air out of the system. I also used an Antec SX1200 case, which is a full tower case. That gave me the extra room to mount the reservoir internally. I decided to use a radiator from D-Tek Customs instead of modding a heater core. I'm pretty sure that is what their rad is anyways, and I was too lazy to do all the work of modding it.:D They also have a nice sheetmetal shroud that fits their radiator and mounts a 120 mm fan. If you decide to do your own radiator, I would go with a heater core instead of a transmission cooler. It was designed to work with a water-based substance rather than an oil.

Just my opinion and good luck with the watercool project.

[Trieber]

Hey muddock, where did you get your Antec 1200? I have looked but only been able to find the 1030, not the full tower 1200... where did you get yours?

[UserName]

you can have a closed or open loop system with or without a resivoir. Open means the water see's the air, closed don't

In theory resovoirs have the ability to store heat capacity, which means if you get a sudden surge of heat they will moderate it. It also means once they get hot they have a tendancy to stay hot.

I feel that a good system has no need for a resivior. At most a burp tube.

A heater core will beat any rad out there and it's cheaper.

[Extol]

I just built my first watercool system since Christmas, but I'll try to help you out. I went with a reservoir because I liked the idea of having the extra water in case of a minute leak that I might have and also it is easier to bleed the air out of the system. I also used an Antec SX1200 case, which is a full tower case. That gave me the extra room to mount the reservoir internally. I decided to use a radiator from D-Tek Customs instead of modding a heater core. I'm pretty sure that is what their rad is anyways, and I was too lazy to do all the work of modding it. They also have a nice sheetmetal shroud that fits their radiator and mounts a 120 mm fan. If you decide to do your own radiator, I would go with a heater core instead of a transmission cooler. It was designed to work with a water-based substance rather than an oil.

Ya I was thinking about the d-tek customs radiator. I have the antec sx840 case, and I think I will go with a resivoir since its easier. I dont want to mod anything myself either.

[Extol]

Ok well can anyone give me some links on how to make the resivoir if I should go that way. And I would also appreciate some links how how to make a burp tube for a closed loop system.

[UserName]

thread (http://forums.overclockers.ws/vb/showthread.php?threadid=48220)

and pic. G is burp tube

Note no resivor

[Extol]

Alright cool now how do you fill it with water when it needs it and also is that a heater core.

[Extol]

Anyone????

[UserName]

sorry i was elseware

You pour water into the tube marked G

Read the thread to see what he did.

[Extol]

I think I have made up my mind up on the closed loop system. Now how do you add water to it for the very first tme after installing everything without getting air in there.

[UserName]

you pour water into the tube marked G

when it's full turn on the pump and add more water.

The beeutifull part is the air bubles will get traped in the tube so you can just keep toping it up.

Neat huh.

Aint hoot smart?

[jbslow]

Air bubbles???

Build a bong and all the air is blown out the shower head plus you have a big @$$ hole far away from the comp to fill the system with water.

[f155mph]

Well if you use a res for your system you wouldn't need that tube. Also a system with a res don't need to be bleeded. Just go Home Depot and get a underground electrical box. Drill some holes and put some barbs on it. The box come with water tight lid and it is gray.

[f155mph]

Oh yeah, go to autozone and get the heater core. I got 12x5.75x2 for $18.99. You just need to figure out which size you need.

[Extol]

Oh yea one more thing how often do you have to fill the closed loop system as opposed to the one with the resivoir.

[Extol]

Anyone at all

[UserName]

a closed loop system is a system that the water cant see the air

a system with a res can be either closed or open

so i dont understand your question

[Extol]

Oh sorry what I meant was how often do yu have to fill a closed loop system if ever.

[UserName]

it's a closed loop so the water got's no where to go. unless you leak. so you got not to fill.

ok?

[Extol]

Thanks a bunch that cleared it all up!

[muddocktor]

Originally posted by Trieber
Hey muddock, where did you get your Antec 1200? I have looked but only been able to find the 1030, not the full tower 1200... where did you get yours?

I got it from pchertz.com from this page here. (http://www.pchertz.com/cases1.html) They were reasonable on their shipping for such a big case and shipped promptly. Now the SX1200 doesn't have a psu; I already had one and didn't need to spend the extra money for another psu in the case.

[Trieber]

Yea... I found it there also, but thing was, I was hoping they would have had it in Black and with the face cover for the top drive bays like the SX1040... I was shooting for a more "pleasing to the eye, unform looking" case. I was tring to avoid fan grills on the side ande really loud ones at that. Something I could sit in the middle of the room and have someone put their coffee on it so I can yell at em and tell them it isn't a coffee table for them to ask then what is it? Then, I can say, that is my computer...

"Behold the power of... wait? Where's the darn coffee table?"