Breaking into the world of watercooling.

so, i finally made the plunge, and ordered my parts to watercool my rig today!
not the first time i have built a watercooling loop, but the first time i have built my own! (built a loop for a friend a few years back, he is still running it, problem free!!)
decided that i wanted to get my e8400 running a little bit cooler, so hopefully this will do the trick nicely.
dont have a credit card, so i was forced to order the parts from my local shop, but they seem to have a decent enough selection of watercooling components, and fair prices.
parts i ended up getting are as follows:
Pump - Swiftech MCP655
Rad - Swiftech MCR320
Reservoir - Swiftech MCRES-MICRO Rev.2
CPU Block - Swiftech Apogee GT
Im gonna be going with the black Primochill Primoflex Pro LRT 1/2ID tubing, and plan on running the loop Pump -> CPU -> Rad -> Reservoir.

what are your guy's thoughts on the anti-kink coils? it is going inside a 932 HAF, so i dont think i'll have to worry about too tight of bends in the tubing.
also, for coolant, i think i would rather go with a non-conductive fluid, just me being a little freaked out about sticking water so close to my computer, I was thinking about going with Primochill PC Pure Extreme Water Replacement, anyone else use this, or have any thoughts on it?
also, aftermarket tops for the 655, are they worth it, i really do prefer the look of the EK D5 X-Top Rev.2, and it seems to boast superior performance numbers, or is that something i should not bother with?
also, how big of a difference are the fans i have on the rad going to make?
i was thinking i would start with 3 fans (45 CFM) pulling air through the rad, out the top of the case, perhaps adding another 3 to the other side in push/pull configuration if necessary

Why are you going with the Apogee GT? Price? It's a pretty dated CPU block. I don't think the aftermarket top for your D5 will help you much since you are only putting one water block on the loop. The quality of the fans are going to determine their longevity and how quiet they run. Just make sure that you are pulling air from outside the case (cold) through the rad.

I doubt you’ll need anti-kink coils in a HAF. I’ve got some relatively tight bends in my RC690 and have no kinks. If the tubing is good (and Primochill LRT is excellent), you shouldn’t have to worry about it. Unless you want the extra color of course.

For liquid, water is non-conductive. It’s minerals in water that are conductive. Get distilled and it will be as non-conductive as any consumer-grade liquid you can buy. There are truly non-conductive fluids that are not just marketing gimmicks, but the average person cannot afford them.

In my (and many others’) humble opinion, use distilled water + PT Nuke or a silver kill coil. You can get PT Nuke at any number of online dealers (Sidewinder, Petra’s, Jab-Tech, etc); you can also get a Paypal account without a credit card AFAIK, you just need a bank account.

Here’s a D5 pump top shootout to help guide you if you choose to go with an aftermarket top.

GMdoubleG said:

Why are you going with the Apogee GT? Price? It's a pretty dated CPU block. I don't think the aftermarket top for your D5 will help you much since you are only putting one water block on the loop. The quality of the fans are going to determine their longevity and how quiet they run. Just make sure that you are pulling air from outside the case (cold) through the rad.

Click to expand...

i went with the GT, because sadly, its the best cpu waterblock that my local shop will bring in for me. if i find that temperatures arent quite what im hoping for, i'll be getting myself a prepaid credit card, and ordering a better one for myself online.
and the only reason i was thinking about an aftermarket top for the D5 is because i was planning on getting myself a 4890(hopefully a second one too in the future, currently only $219 for the XFX one at my local shop!), a full coverage block for it, and then possibly the primochill typhoon 3(which may cancel out the ability to use the aftermarket top i think?), and a second rad, to make two loops out of it.
and with the pulling air from outside the case to go through the rad, since im gonna be mounting my rad at the top of my 932 HAF, will that not mess up the whole internal airflow, since it currently pushes air out the top of the case? the fans that i have in the case right now, and plan on mounting to the rad, are the Yate Loon 45CFM, 24DB fans

hokiealumnus said:

I doubt you’ll need anti-kink coils in a HAF. I’ve got some relatively tight bends in my RC690 and have no kinks. If the tubing is good (and Primochill LRT is excellent), you shouldn’t have to worry about it. Unless you want the extra color of course.

For liquid, water is non-conductive. It’s minerals in water that are conductive. Get distilled and it will be as non-conductive as any consumer-grade liquid you can buy. There are truly non-conductive fluids that are not just marketing gimmicks, but the average person cannot afford them.

In my (and many others’) humble opinion, use distilled water + PT Nuke or a silver kill coil. You can get PT Nuke at any number of online dealers (Sidewinder, Petra’s, Jab-Tech, etc); you can also get a Paypal account without a credit card AFAIK, you just need a bank account.

Here’s a D5 pump top shootout to help guide you if you choose to go with an aftermarket top.

Click to expand...

thanks for the link on the D5 tops

i always wondered about that

The typhoon 3 is an aftermarket top (and a darn good one at that), so no need to worry about one now if you're getting that later.

hokiealumnus said:

The typhoon 3 is an aftermarket top (and a darn good one at that), so no need to worry about one now if you're getting that later.

Click to expand...

kk, thats what i thought it looked like.
and im hoping to get one of those later, they look cool, the dual loop thing seems like a good idea for when i later wanna watercool the future gfx card.
how much performance will i lose by having the air sucked from inside my case, out through the rad, versus having cool air from outside my case blown into the case through the rad?

i think im reading the data wrong but it looks like the stock one is doing the middle of the road on the other pumps and jsut as good as the T3

ricflairw000 said:

i think im reading the data wrong but it looks like the stock one is doing the middle of the road on the other pumps and jsut as good as the T3

Click to expand...

Well, you're reading part of it right.

The first part of your sentence is correct, the stock top fits in the middle of the pack. Were I to get an aftermarket top, it would be the Detroit Thermo or the EK top outlet.

For the second part of your sentence, you're definitely reading the data wrong. The TIII is designed to run two loops. Even with uneven restriction in the loops, both of the TIII's individual outlets ran at higher flow rates than the regular tops with the same loops run in series. In short, it trounced other tops when considering loops with a lot of equipment in them.

Ironically, the closest competitor in the series loops was a DDC w/ an XSPC top. Love that little pump!

hokiealumnus said:

Well, you're reading part of it right.

The first part of your sentence is correct, the stock top fits in the middle of the pack. Were I to get an aftermarket top, it would be the Detroit Thermo or the EK top outlet.

For the second part of your sentence, you're definitely reading the data wrong. The TIII is designed to run two loops. Even with uneven restriction in the loops, both of the TIII's individual outlets ran at higher flow rates than the regular tops with the same loops run in series. In short, it trounced other tops when considering loops with a lot of equipment in them.

Ironically, the closest competitor in the series loops was a DDC w/ an XSPC top. Love that little pump!

Click to expand...

Thanks for the help!!!

yeah thats the worst situation
being partly right haha


OK i thought i would be flowing 2-3 GPM



so looking at this i was thinking its only a marginal difference

Looking at that, you're correct...but that's not what it is designed for. Set up a series loop like this: (Res > Pump > Rad > CPU > Rad > GPU x2 > Res), then compare that to two loops off of the TIII ((TIII > Rad > CPU > TIII) + (TIII > Rad > GPU x2 > TIII)) and the TIII will rule the day.

hokiealumnus said:

Looking at that, you're correct...but that's not what it is designed for. Set up a series loop like this: (Res > Pump > Rad > CPU > Rad > GPU x2 > Res), then compare that to two loops off of the TIII ((TIII > Rad > CPU > TIII) + (TIII > Rad > GPU x2 > TIII)) and the TIII will rule the day.

Click to expand...

OH OK now all the pins lined up and im getting it. wow two loops off one pump that would save $$$ and space! that would be great!

kk, got it all hooked up and leak testing atm.
to get all the air bubbles out of the system, im gonna have to make the res the highest point in the loop, correct?
will my d5 pump be ok running with the inlet pointing up, and the outlet horizontal?

It doesn't have to be the highest point in the system, no. The bubbles will naturally bleed out as the water cycles through. You'll be rid of the majority within a couple hours. A few stragglers will stick around for a day or two. Nothing to worry about.

Spawn (I think?) runs his D5s like that and they're fine.

i've had mine leak testing for the past two hours now, and due to the black tubing, the only place i can see the coolant is in the res, and its still milky white with air bubbles.
however, i have needed to top it up a couple times, and seeing as how there has been no leaking yet, this tells me that it must just be air working its way out of the system, correct?
also, will the air bleed out easier if i have the pump speed turned down, as it is currently at speed 5, and sorta looks like its probably just recirculating a whole bunch of the air

That's correct, it's air working its way out of the system. I'm not sure about bleeding with a D5, never had one so I don't know if changing speeds would help. I do know the MCP355 has only one speed - super fast. I'm spoiled with the XSPC res top though...it bleeds at lightening speed. One thing you can do is tap the side of your rad with a screwdriver. Give it a few good licks (not enough to dent it of course)...it'll help get the stragglers out of there.

My system bled 90% of the way there in a few minutes. I started with the D5 on 1 and bumped it a few times, and turned the speed up bit by bit. I was surprised how quick it was actually, given what I had read!

Also, helps to tilt your case side to side gently. That freed up a few big bubbles for me.

kk, i turned the pump speed down to one, and now the coolant in my reservoir only has a few barely noticeable bubbles floating around in it.
just turned the pump speed back up, and the water is still coming through the res almost crystal clear.
gonna leave it for a little while longer for leak testing, then tomorrow, i'll go buy some compressed air, give it a good dusting, and take pictures!

dyckah said:

kk, got it all hooked up and leak testing atm.
to get all the air bubbles out of the system, im gonna have to make the res the highest point in the loop, correct?
will my d5 pump be ok running with the inlet pointing up, and the outlet horizontal?

Click to expand...

i called up swifttech they said as long as the inlet is not pointing down you are fine

hokiealumnus said:

That's correct, it's air working its way out of the system. I'm not sure about bleeding with a D5, never had one so I don't know if changing speeds would help. I do know the MCP355 has only one speed - super fast. I'm spoiled with the XSPC res top though...it bleeds at lightening speed. One thing you can do is tap the side of your rad with a screwdriver. Give it a few good licks (not enough to dent it of course)...it'll help get the stragglers out of there.

Click to expand...

i have 1, it does bleed very fast i got most of the bubbles out in the first few minutes, there were a few small stuborn ones, but they are gone now

i read a tip some where , of putting somthing U shaped between the intake and output of the res/pump. to cause turbulance in the res, to stop the bubbles getting sucked back in, i tried it using a straw, that was cut and it did work very well (remove it after bleeding lol)