Quiet Water Cooling

I am going to change my aircase into a watercooling case now, because of the noise. (Well mostly my nazi mom complaining about the noise.) The case is getting to be pretty loud, since it is summertime and the temperature is like 90F in my room. Also even with the fans on high, the pc is still getting some high temps.

I want to watercool my system and I already know how to build it and everything, I just need to know what parts are the quietest, without risking performance. I don't come to this forum that often, but I am asking you guys to help me out. So if you can offer any ideas or suggestions about waterblocks, pumps, or even power supplies that are quiet but work well, that would be fan-freaking-tastic. Thanks guys, I really really appreciate it.

the only real noise consideration for watercooling is the fans, the pump makes littel noise and if kept inside the case becomes even less of a consideration. Try to use 120mm fans as they give the same airflow as two 80mm fans for less noise than one.

well i just dropped about $250 for my water cooling rig. Below shipping is not include since it will be different for your location.

The Stuff:
Swiftech 6002 WB $42
Swiftech mcp600 $84
1/2ID tygon tubing (10ft) $30
Chevette heater core with fan shroud (bought from bret @moddershq) $52
VW (blue) anti-freeze $19.17
Y connectors,inline shutoff valve,hose clamps $15
Delta 120mm 77cfm (Had it from a server i took apart)

Is nice and quite and my case has no PAXMATE yet! I had to go looking as i wanted Tygon tubing, worth the extra money to me. Right now on my AI7 with a 3.0c @3.6 1.56v idle 40c/ load 44-45c sys temp 32-33c

linky for shroud (http://www.moddershq.net/articles.asp?articleid=8#Scene_1)

*yea i know time to update the sig*

Couple of things....

1. I hope your 'nazi mom' will be okay with a $150-$250 setup, cause WC isn't the cheapest thing in the world. That being said... it's a hell of alot more satisfying than air, and more fun to tinker with.

2. Water cooling isnt going to help that 90F in your room. with such high ambient temps, your WC performance might not be as good as you see here in the forums. Or if your PC is giving off enough heat to create 90F room temps.... it'll still be giving off the same amount of heat with a Water setup...

3. Noise: 120mm fans @ 7v or on a rheostat/potentiometer. Very quiet.

As for recomendations:

How much are you looking to spend total?
What Mobo do you have? (if amd: does it have mounting holes, or just socket lugs.)
Are you planning on just cooling the CPU, or GPU and NB? ( some of those NB fans can be pretty loud once you get rid of the others)
Do you have access to any tools, and are you inclined to make stuff yourself? (cardboard shrouds, putting barbs on heatercores, etc.)

Heater cores are great price/performance items, if you get the right ones.
blocks will depend on what you want to cool and on what mobo.
pump will depend on number of blocks, type rad/heatercore and money.

tubing, fans, shrouds, clamps, water and additives are pretty much up to you...

Here is my recommendation for quiet watercooling.
Maze 4 CPU waterblock
Black Ice Xtreme
Evercool Alumnium Fan
Antec TruePower series
Clearflex tubing

Hook the evercool into the fan connector on the antec. The fan will be spinning at around 500rpm and be completely quiet and wilonly hurt performance by 1 or 2C

I'm looking to spend around 200 bucks total.

The mobo I currently have is the DFI Ultra Infinity, I think it has mounting holes but I am unsure.

I was planning to just cool the cpu, since the gfx card im getting is a nvidia 6800gt, and im guessing that already has major cooling. ...Right?

No, Im not inclined to make my own stuff. It's not because I am lazy, just cause I am not too good at making that kind of stuff. And...because i am a little bit lazy.

For tubing i was going to find some cheap ones, and for water additives I was going to use car antifreeze.

For the heatercore I was going to go to autozone and get a 20 dollar one. Don't know what the performance on that is compared to the black ice ones.

Heres a site to get about 3 ft free tubing and most of your connectors free, just tell em you want to test it out to see how it handles for future order consideration worked for me and many others, heres the site http://www.eldonjames.com/html/sample_guestbook.html#

enjoy!

The bonnyville '77 w/o ac was ~$19 has space for 2 or 4 fans...

The chevette core is a little more (20-25) and has space for 1 or 2 120s.

Unless you buy them premodded, you are gonna have to
A. stretch your tubing over the ends...
B. cut the pipes down so you only have to stretch the tubing a little bit.... or
C. pull the standard in/out-lets and install your own barbs.

Blocks: the new swiftech 6 series is probably the only real option for mobo's w/o the mounting holes (wait a few minutes and you'll see me proven wrong ). I don't have much knowledge about the bolted blocks, due to my lack of mobo holes. but someone will come along with that info if needed.

Stay away from vinyl tubing... you'll just end up buying something else when you see what a pain it is to keep from kinking.

Probably got enough antifreeze laying around in the garage, but grab a gallon of distilled water.

If you are planning on getting the big heatercore, I would grab 4 fans in one shot. save on shipping.

you will want to shroud those fans, which you can either try and find some overpriced manufactured ones, or do the "pain in the ***" method but much less pricey, cardboard ones. or you can get the best (or worst) of both worlds with a homemade aluminum shroud.

Pumps.... everyone has an opinion. ease of use would be one you can via your psu (molex) like the dtek csystem or swiftech mcp600; or you can go with the 3 prong wall connecting type, eheim 1046/1048/1250, Hydor L30/35, Mag3/5, etc......

worm drive clamps are available at home depot or lowes, as are nuts/bolts for mounting the Heatercore.

Just to get us all on the same page... are you planning on a 3/8 or 1/2 inner diameter setup? either choice will eliminate certain options listed above.

Well "Nazi Mom" found out about watercooling and gave the red light. Apparently, she dosent want a chance a fire or something might happen. -_-;;; Well back to aircooling I guess. Thanks for all the support guys, at least I know how to build a case if i wanted to.

doesn't want to chance a fire with water cooling.............................

ermmmmm...............

that would be a pretty good trick to start a fire,WITH WATER........
water + electronics = dead electronics not fire.

~Magick_Man~

yeah your mother isn't very informed on the whole "Science" thing. you might want her to read this thread, we will tell her whats up.

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