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Cost to completly watercool?

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TheLegend

New Member
Joined
Sep 21, 2003
I'm considering purchasing a new system, since my dell is not going to run HL2 all that well (ok, it wont run it at anything over 10fps if im lucky).

So, I have come up with a few components, and found some nice cases, but I am worried about the noise all the fans are going to make. I was figuring 8 fans + whatever my power supply comes with to give full airflow, but I think it might make a huge amount of noise.

So here is the question:
If i want no fans in my system (except the 1 on PSU), how much will it cost me, and how hard to install? I dont want to spend more than $150 on the cooling alone. Is this possible? I plan to overclock as far as I can, so its important that the temp stays below say.... 40-55C (under load).

Please suggest products that are readily availible in Canada, or from dealers that will ship here. The price range I gave was in USD.

Thanks to all who reply :)
 
Well unless you run your system with a fan to cool down the water through the heater core, you will need a really big container to keep the water from heating up quickly. Either that or built the watercooling parts outside so that the fresh Canadian air can cool it down when winter comes.
 
I think you could get a FULL watercooling system for $200 USD or so. Anything else would be pretty hard.
 
Ok, how about this. If i got the CPU W/Ced, could I easily expand that as I had more money? Just adding blocks/tubes, or would I have to buy a new rad and stuff?
 
It depends on the rad you start out with. If you are starting your system with an 'open-ended' mentality, you'll begin with a somewhat 'overkill' system. I don't mean TEC or chilled-water or anything, but specifically in the pump and radiator. Start out with something that *can* handle multiple blocks and when the time comes to add additional components, you won't have any problems. I'd say go with a typical heatercore and a Danner-Mag3 pump. Lots of flow and plenty of potential for the future. Your CPU block is up to personal choice, but I would suggest a Swiftech MCW5000, D-Tek TC-4 or Whitewater.
 
indeed the key for expandabiltiy is gettin a pump that will allow you to add more blocks.. if you get somethign too weak it'll kill your set up later on when you add more stuff
 
how many gph is needed for say...
vid card, cpu, hdd, and ram?

Please add enough to that number to cool one or 2 other things as well :)
 
TheLegend said:
how many gph is needed for say...
vid card, cpu, hdd, and ram?

Please add enough to that number to cool one or 2 other things as well :)

I'd probabaly say the danner mag5, although watercooling ram is a huge waste, you'd be better off cooling the northbridge.
 
heck even water cooling the harddrive is a waste, whoever is selling those just wants your $$$. Cool the cpu and gpu. Northbridge if you got moeny to spare. Get a chevvete heater core, and a via aqua 1300 pump, and about 10 feet of tubing, anti freeze, and some leak blocking stuff, and you will be set.
 
I'd suggest to get pump with 3+ meters pressure or at least 2 meters.

Home-made blocks are far cheaper but designing & making them requires some knowledge and lots of time.

Car radiator + desk fan will give high efficiency on minimal noise.

Car rads are expensive, but used are cheap.
 
you can get a dtek procore for 40, the via aqua 1300 for like 15, a gemini cool wb for 35, tubing for like 6 atmcmaster.com, and hose clamps at home depot for like 5. So your total is roughly $100. Very cheap for pretty damn good performance.

P.S. the gemini cool wont perform as well as a cascade or WW, but its a least half the price.
 
if you could tell me where you bought from, and if they ship to canada, and pelase give me part names too :)
 
I'd say go with a WhiteWater $64.99 for AMD and $69.99 for P4, a Hydor L30 pump for $49.99 and they find a nice 86 Chevette heater core for about 20. Total price $135 for AMD and $140 for P$. Only thing left to get is the tubing and hose clamps. Seeing as how you were going to get fans any ways I'd say get to 120mm 131cfm Ys-Techs and run them at 7volts.


PS don't forget shipping and handle not included. For the extra money you spend you get a heck of a system.
 
TheLegend said:
if you could tell me where you bought from, and if they ship to canada, and pelase give me part names too :)

It was used. So you prollly wont be able to get it that cheap... but you should be able to do it around 150 if you are willing to do some work on it (make your blocks and such).
 
Pump

Water block

Heater core If link wont work search for 1980 chevy chevett heater core. Its 26.99

The above lists the three most exspensive parts, I would say another $30 spent at home depot on a res, tubing and misc fittings and your good to go. Oh and 120mm fans are around 10 bucks each. Of course you can price hunt a do better but I came up with this config in five minutes. Here are some pics of mine if your looking for ideas. It cost me about 130 bucks total. Pics of my W/c setup
 
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