Investigating Watercooling...

Hello All,

I've been looking into getting a WC setup for the past year or so... but due to lack of job security then recently lack of a job (and lack of courage), I've held off. I've been reading forums and doing general research during that time. As I expect to return to gainful employment in the next week or two, I'm starting to get serious about setting up a WC loop. My current case is a cosmos 1000 and I would prefer to do an all internal build, but I'm not entirely opposed to an external rad if necessary. My current rig is an old core 2 duo, but I will be purchasing an i7-860 (oc'd to ~3.4-3.6) and will probably pair it with an ASUS P7P55D-E Deluxe and an already purchased ATI 5850. I want to get into water cooling for lower temps, lower noise, and, most importantly, because I like to fiddle with things.

I expect to purchase the new computer parts in ~1 month and the WC parts in ~2 months. I am just going to WC the CPU, although, I understand it can be dificult to stop there. Here are the parts I tentatively intend to purchase:

CPU Block: Swiftech XT
Rads: MCR120 & MCR220 or a MCR320 or 420 if I go external
Res: probably swiftech microres
Pump: Swiftech 655 vario
Tubing: 10' of some 1/2" ID/ 3/4" OD tubing
Clamps: Not sure here - what would be recomended for ease of use and effectiveness - I'm not all that interested in it being pretty for my first WC attempt
Fittings: I'll get some 1/2" OD G 1/4 thread fittings... but i'm not really sure how many I need.
Fans: 3 medium Yates- perhaps 6 in push pull if i'm not happy with 3
I'm also considering gentle typhoons as I've heard they're very good for quiet configurations
Fan Controller: Help - I'm looking for a controller that won't die, will fit in my case with the door panel attached and closed without modification, and doesn't have bright lights (for example, the sunbeam rhoebus extreme would be great if it weren't so damn bright and if the nobs didn't hit the door when you tried to close it)
Other: Petras Gell Stuff Vibration Absorption Block, Kill Coil
Coolant: distilled water

So, there's the background and my thoughts on parts. I do have a few other questions:

-So, I've read numerous posts about people who have accidentily damaged their rads by screwing in fans or trying to mount it. Is there any advice on how I can avoid this? Secondly, is mounting a rad fairly straightforward?

-If you aren't familiar with my case (cosmos 1000) it has one intake at the bottom and two exhausts at the top. I was going to mount the MCR120 at the bottom and the MCR220 at the top. I know the temperature of the air going out the top exhaust will be warmer and thus provide less cooling to the rad, but will it be too much of a detriment to the cooling, so that it would make more sense to go external?

-Lastly, since my case can fit 140mm fans, I'd rather use 140mm rads/fans, but the ones on the market that I've found are more expensive than I'm willing to pay. However, if swiftech released an MCR140 and 240, they would probably be in my price range. I had heard rumors that swiftech may be working on these rads, but haven't heard anything in a while. Does anyone know if they are in fact working on them/bringing them to market anytime soon?

Aside from my component questions and the specific questions above, any other comments would be welcome. Also, if I've left out any useful information, let me know.

Sorry for the long winded post, but I want to make sure I'm on the right track and understand what I'm doing before I make the leap. I also want to say a quick thanks to conundrum for his posts on tomshardware that led me to this and other helpful sites.

Thanks in advance,

X

Hiyas, don't thank me, thank yourself for doing it right. Good job and welcome to my home forum.

Could you make a sig (look at others for info that focuses on your needs?

Like to know your planned overclocks and planned additions to the loops. And your max room temps for the summer. That can make or break your overclocks or stress a too small loop.

Back later, off to get my controls set up for Bioshock2, beat Mass Effect2, time to move on.

EDIT: Holy crap batman! You have done your research, I'll be glad to help you. Glad your here. Wish we had more noobs like you.

Conumdrum said:

EDIT: Holy crap batman! You have done your research, I'll be glad to help you. Glad your here. Wish we had more noobs like you.

Click to expand...

+ 1 ! Informed noobs are easier to advice!

I just finished AVP 3... I think i am going to go buy Sup com 2...

Conundrum, based on your response, you may want to re-read my original post, since it seems you missed some of the details. (not trying to be a ****... just want to make sure you see all my questions) I admit, it was a bit wordy, but I had a lot of details I was trying to get down and quite a few questions I wanted to ask.

After reading a few WC forums for the last year or so, I always get a laugh out of the crazy uninformed posts about people wanting to watercool. I was thinking about making a joke along the lines of wanting to go all Thermaltake in my first post...but decided it was long enough as it was.

So... I'm not sure how to make a signature... but I'll list out my proposed build in the meantime:

CPU: i7 860
Motherboard: ASUS P7P55D-E Deluxe
GPU: ATI 5850
Case: Cosmos 1000 (already have)
And the usual other stuff... RAM, HDD, 750W PSU

I plan on OC'ing to about 3.4-3.6

As for my summer temps, I have no idea. I will probably be moving to Raleigh, NC in the next few weeks, which will probably be much warmer than my current location of Killingworth, CT. That said, I'll have air conditioning, so i can't imagine it will be all that bad. But this is one more reason that I want to go with at least 3x120 (1x120 + 2x120) and possibly 3x140.

X

EDIT: I will just be WC'ing the CPU, and I doubt I will be adding anything to the loop for a while. And, if I do, I'll probably add another rad anyway. So, consider this as strictly a CPU loop that will not have any future additions.

Under the blue banner at top of page ( where is review home etc...)
Click on User CP then sig :0

Thanks for the tip, Grosjambon. I read forums all the time, but I've never really had to set up an account before. I think my signature should be up now...

no problems... as for cosmos 1000 i think someone modded one in the case/case modding section... can't remember who did it...

I probably should have stated this originally, but didn't think of it: I don't want to mod my case. One issue is that I don't have the tools; but mainly, I don't want to complicate this any more than it already is. Perhaps it's because I can't do two things at once, but I want to just focus on making the loop work with my case as is.

X

Blatantly bumping my thread here... I've been out of town the past several days for an interview and was hoping to have some comments to read here regarding my proposed loop and my questions. Again, I've done a bunch of research, I just need some help and input from the guys who have been around awhile and done this stuff before.

Thanks,

X

-So, I've read numerous posts about people who have accidentily damaged their rads by screwing in fans or trying to mount it. Is there any advice on how I can avoid this? Secondly, is mounting a rad fairly straightforward?

Click to expand...

this only works for double 120mm sized rads or larger. but i put a fan on the rad then start to screw 1 screw and look from the side (so the rad is almost sideways from your head) and you should be able to see the screw going in. once you find the right length screw then the rest should all be safe.

i can tell you that 1 1/4" 6-32 sized screws work perfect for swiftech MCR series rad with a 25mm thick fan and a standard wire fan grill.

-If you aren't familiar with my case (cosmos 1000) it has one intake at the bottom and two exhausts at the top. I was going to mount the MCR120 at the bottom and the MCR220 at the top. I know the temperature of the air going out the top exhaust will be warmer and thus provide less cooling to the rad, but will it be too much of a detriment to the cooling, so that it would make more sense to go external?

Click to expand...

for what your cooling you should be fine internal, but you will get better temps with an external setup.


it would be nice if swiftech release some 140mm sized rads but i have no idea when and if they will be.

for clamps i use herbie clips as well as gear/worm style clamps from the hardware store. zip ties will work as well but use 2 if you do. even then i still prefer herbie or gear style clamps.


everything else looks good

to OCF!


I think your list looks great - you've done your homework!

Not that loop order of components matters too much but if you'll be putting your pump at the bottom of the case you might consider running the loop from your pump to the lower single rad, with it's fresh air intake, then into the CPU. Like I said, not much difference but you will get the coolest water in your loop going to the CPU with that configuration ...

Spawn-Inc, QuietIce - Thanks for the replies. I was leaning towards worm/gear style clamps as I've heard some people had trouble with herbie clips and didn't really feel like bothering with compression fittings. If swiftech is an unknown on the 140mm rads, are there any cheaper 140x1 and 140x2 radiators than the Black Ice rads? I was leaning towards going from the 120x2 to the CPU since I thought the added area might make up for the warmer air passing through it, but I guess it makes sense that the 120x1 from the bottom would have cooler water.

I'm still not sure how many fittings I need to get and any comments on my fan controller question would be much appreciated. Also, any other general comments are always welcome.

Thanks again,

X

2 by components.
Cpu = 2 -- xt include metal barbs.
res = 2 and include 2 closed barbs ( dont know the name...)
Rad = 2 by rad.
No barbs neded for the mcp655

Exentrick said:

I was leaning towards going from the 120x2 to the CPU since I thought the added area might make up for the warmer air passing through it, but I guess it makes sense that the 120x1 from the bottom would have cooler water.

Click to expand...

You're right to think the 2x rad will have the most overall cooling power, even with the higher temperature airflow, and it will still be doing that job if it's right after the CPU. In fact, since the temperature difference between the water and the warmer air will be highest at that point it may do a slightly better job if it's placed there.

But like I said earlier, the difference won't be much and total tubing length is often more important ...

Thanks again for the replies. So, just to make sure, I only need 4 barbs, 2 for each rad, and everything else has barbs already attached, right?

Since the front of my case has a door, I'm leaning towards a touch screen fan controller. I've heard bad things about the NZXT touch screen controller. But this Aerocool controller has a few decent reviews and the fairly high price makes me feel a bit better about the build quality (although, i know that isn't always the case). Any opinions on this controller or others?

Lastly, I'm actually thinking of getting the GTZ instead of the XT block, just because its a bit cheaper. However, as far as I know, the GTZ only comes with the 1366 mounting. Is it possible to get the GTZ with 1156 mounting?

Thanks again,

X

U will need 2 for the micro res. He come with cheap plastic barbs.
Make sure that you install the Metal barbs with the O-rings that came with the plastic barbs from the microres or it will leaks
SpawnInc Can explain it better than me. he Own one

Exentrick said:

Thanks again for the replies. So, just to make sure, I only need 4 barbs, 2 for each rad, and everything else has barbs already attached, right?

Since the front of my case has a door, I'm leaning towards a touch screen fan controller. I've heard bad things about the NZXT touch screen controller. But this Aerocool controller has a few decent reviews and the fairly high price makes me feel a bit better about the build quality (although, i know that isn't always the case). Any opinions on this controller or others?

Lastly, I'm actually thinking of getting the GTZ instead of the XT block, just because its a bit cheaper. However, as far as I know, the GTZ only comes with the 1366 mounting. Is it possible to get the GTZ with 1156 mounting?

Thanks again,

X

Click to expand...

yes GTZ can do 1156, you need to order the back plate for it.

the MicroRes ships with plastic barbs which will work fine, but if you want metal barbs then you need 2 more. if you use metal ones sometimes they can leak as the swiftech plastic barbs using a bigger o-ring. so just swap the o-ring from the plastic barb to the metal one.

That clears up the barb issue. Now, I think my only remaining question is which fan controller(s) to get. (See posts 1 and 15 for what I'm looking for in a fan controller). I probably need a fan controller that can regulate 6 fans, but I'm not opposed to buying 2 fan contollers that can handle 3-4 each.

Thanks,

X

It looks like the Aerocool controller I was looking at has been discontinued... So, now I've got no ideas as to what fan controller to get.

Please help!

X

Buy one that support 30W +
I only know scythe brand... I am using n another kind of fan controler ... Called a switch... Pm me if u want more info...