Another "How Stupid Is This Convoluted Loop Setup" question...

[C'DaleRider]

OK, I've got a "full tower" case with limited internal space inside....not the best laid out for W/C'ing at all....despite that, it's going to hold internally a full W/C'ing setup.

First, some hardware specifics:

I've got a Q6600 @ 3.6GHz @ 1.35V, NB @ 1.5V (on an Asus Maximus Formula MB), 4 x 2GB Mushkin DDR2-1000 Redline RAM, an ASUS HD4870 video card (and a second is coming next month for Crossfire), 2 x 500GB WD hd's, etc.

W/C'ing components include:

Swiftech GTZ cpu block

EK S-Max NB block

Pump #1: DDC 3.2 w/XSPC top

Pump #2: DDC 2 stock top

TFC 240 rads X 2

TC 120.1 rad

HD4870 full cover blocks.....brand undetermined right now, possibly EK, XSPC, whatever strikes me as best bang-for-buck when I buy them.

Swiftech MicroRes

3/8" X 5/8" Primochill LRT tubing

Barbs will be Bitspower/DD FatBoys and will use Bitspower 45 degree fittings as necessary



This is how I've come up with how to loop the entire shebang with one loop:

The TFC 240 on top is mounted in the case's top, the bottom TFC 240 is mounted on the floor of the case; the PA 120.1 is mounted on the rear 120mm fan exhaust area. Fans will be Scythe S-Flex "G" fans on the TFC 240 rads and a Zalman F3 on the PA 120.1....all speed controlled with a fan controller.

(FYI: The second pump will essentially be invisible as it'll be mounted above the TC 120.1 rad along the top corner of the case....won't be able to see it without laying down flat and looking up into the rear corner of the case.)


Horrible? Will certainly be much easier to loop as a single rather than trying to split it into two with two radiators...........

 

[thorilan]

if you can try and avoid having pumps near the top of the loop as thats a good place for air to build up.

 

[thorilan]

oh btw i just noticed you have 2 diferent models of pump. you dont want to do that either if you can avoid it. i would just get a second 3.2 for pump2 ( xscp top not needed for second pump) but i would change the loop to run xspc top pump>regular 3.2> rad and suspend everything with pantyhose =)

 

[Spawn-Inc]

oh btw i just noticed you have 2 diferent models of pump. you dont want to do that either if you can avoid it. i would just get a second 3.2 for pump2 ( xscp top not needed for second pump) but i would change the loop to run xspc top pump>regular 3.2> rad and suspend everything with pantyhose =)

really? i would have thought the pumps would be better if they both had the after mark top.

 

[thorilan]

the top will help the first one in the series more than the second one. if you have both tops great because you may want it later if you split loops but you will notice almost no measurableimprovement with the second pump having the top .

 

[Hipcrostino]

two pumps, three rads and four blocks will create a lot of resistance in the system. Just wondering if you would be better off setting two 3.2 pumps at the bottom hooked up in parrallel (a Y connected from the res to the pumps and then another Y before the first rad to join them together). According to this that would double the flow. otherwise your doubleing the head (how much water it can push up hill). You could experiment with both soultion, but reguardless having the pumps at opposite ends of the loop shouldn't give any advantage. Also i wouldn't both with the single 120.1 rad.

 

[Spawn-Inc]

i should have said it before but if your basically buying stuff for dual loops (need an extra res or tline, thats all) why not just use dual loops?

 

[C'DaleRider]

Well. two loops is sort of a last resort.....it'd require revamping the layout of what I've got set. The main part is already running......res > pump #1 > TFC240 > GTZ > TC 120.1 > NB block > res..........the second pump is in place but not hooked up and the second TFC240 is also in place, fans attached, but again, not hooked up.

I'm just waiting for my full cover block for my first 4870 video card (I've got the second video card slated for purchase towards the end of Feb., and it'll have another full cover block along with it.)

As for splitting into two loops, I suppose I'd do just the cpu and NB on one of the TFC240 rads with the DDC2 pump w/the XSPC top.....more head pressure to get the GTZ its best shot at working best.

And then I'd make the second loop the DDC 3.2, stock top, with the other TFC240 and TC120.1 somewhere in there.....kinda like: res > pump > TC120.1 > vid block > vid block > TFC240 > res.......I've been told the video cards don't really need high flow or pressure to cool well.

Sound better? And I'm not trying to be funny.......just got these parts and want to utilize them to their best advantage and I'm not too experienced at this........

 

[Spawn-Inc]

sounds good to me, though i would try, if you can, to move the gpu loop (if you go with 2 loops) to the bottom or so its not the highest point in the loop as thorilan said.

 

[C'DaleRider]

Well, I can relocate the pump to essentially the bottom of the case, just above the floor mounted TFC240, but the TC 120.1 rad is fixed in its spot and cannot be relocated anywhere else.....no other spot it'll fit, and I hate to waste its use.

 

[Spawn-Inc]

that sounds best. it's just for the pumps safety so there is no chance of it running dry.
the way i have mine setup my pump will never run dry even if the loop leaks so long as it doesn't leak at the pump itself.

 

[voigts]

You really do need to go with 2 loops here. The DDC2 and the DDC3.2 have different head pressure ratings. Running them in parallel won't work well either. As was suggested by Thor, having that one pump up so high isn't going to work well. I don't see how you will avoid running it dry at some point. These pumps really need to have a ready supply of water, hence the usual suggestion is to have some kind of ready supply from a res, or even a rad to the pump intake.

Without actual pics of your case, it is kind of hard to suggest actual placement of the parts, but there is always a way to get it done.

 

[rainless]

Well. two loops is sort of a last resort.....it'd require revamping the layout of what I've got set.

Riggggght... and that would require... a trip to Kenya right?

Maybe by boat?

How far away is your computer again?

If you've got everything for two loops... and you unquestionably do... then get over it and make two loops. (Especially considering your hardware.) I've gotten such great deals on pumps lately I'm considering THREE loops myself... I just don't have that much to cool...

 

[MoreGooder]

Honestly, I like what you're doing except I see no real benefit to the pa120.1 rad.
I run a single loop now with a pa120.2 and a pa120.3 with two pumps. The performance is fantastic. Both my CPU and GPU are heavily overclocked. The GPU max temp is 39C while gaming (room air temp 23C)., 33 idle. CPU runs cooler than that, but haven't checked it in a long while. I think it's 31/35C.

With high enough flow rate the order at which you position your rads is irrelevent. My tact was to arrange the components for the least amount of tubing, still allowing myself some nice lazy bends in the tubes to avoid kinks. Not only does that help with pressure loss a little bit, but it makes it look more organized and thought out.

MicroRes, pump1, pa120.3, cpu, nb, pump2, pa120.2, gpu, then back to res.

Details are in my sig below.

 

[MoreGooder]

Oh, and I agree with the Voights. Use two identical pumps for series loop, or one great pump with plenty of head pressure.

My thought is that if you can afford everything you have in your loop, you can likely afford two new pumps. Just spend the little bit of cash and have peace of mind.

One great benefit of a single loop with two pumps: If one pump dies, your second pump will be enough to keep your components alive while you wait for the replacement to arrive.