Block broke.... Then turned from new water to a new build. Advice needed.

[Bloodkil]

Ok for starters I have been on water for about 3 years now, but just never got around to switching out to a better block that I knew I needed due to limitations on time from work and kid. Fast forward to two days ago and the acytel top of my block cracked and leaked water onto my gpu. I cleaned my gpu with contact cleaner, filled my res, and dropped a plastic bowl/towel around leak to make sure all was ok. After makeing sure I was aok I replaced towels with new and pulled the plug until I could get a new setup. (been researching since). This however was not good enough for the little woman in my life as I got home from work today to find her sitting on the couch and the first words out of her mouth was I think I broke your computer.... Things just got more expensive.

So anyway I'm rebuilding a med. build while I wait for ivy bridge to drop (which was.to be my next build)

Being that I want to keep it reasonable I am thinking about the maximus gene IV , but have never dealt with matx and do not know if it will meet the space requirements for the waterblock I am planning on getting.

Here is what my thoughts are. (Only thing I am keeping from old loop is a swiftech 120 rad and possibly a 120x3 but will have have to see if its worth saving)

Culex Kryos HF
Swiftech mpc655 (to replace the cheap thermaltake pump that may have been running dry)
Phyoba balancer 250
Some koolance qdc vl3n for the water block
Silver coil (IandH)
Copper sulfat (IandH)
Primochill tubing. 1/2" from pump to block. 3/8 from block to rad (this could change as I had only been running the 3/8 to match the fittings on my rads and on maximus extreme waterblock heatsink I had put on my rampage formula)
Need to get a new 120x3 rad as well as I took out a bit of rage on it after my little lady left...


So does anyone have experience with matx and available space? (specifically on that board)
Also I will be cooling some gpu in my future ivy build so any suggestions on parts I may change now to avoid future cost would be helpful.

I am reading up on all the latest info that I can, but as I'm down the whole rig now any advice that would speed up the process would be great. Thanks in advance guys.

 

[ssjwizard]

What case are you planing to use for this? Matx is no problem for WC but Matx cases can be stricter. Other than that the form factors are the same as it relates to cpu area clearances.

 

[Bloodkil]

I'll be stealing the kandalf lcs from my previous build so ill have even more room inside the case than before. And will also be stealing whatever else I can from the build in my Sig except CPU, mb, and RAM.


I also posted a thread in general section for.the rest of the build

 

[Conumdrum]

You sure you want that block?

http://skinneelabs.com/ac-kryos-hf/

The 120x3 rad might be worth saving. Which rad exactly? If it's a really oldd one just get a new one. You won't need to add the 120x1 to the loop. Might add it to help on GPU cooling, like your future plans. Unles you will be going really big, then the total of 120x4 might not be enough.

Some good guides up top, thimes have changed, take a bit of a read if you haven't.

 

[Bloodkil]

You sure you want that block?

http://skinneelabs.com/ac-kryos-hf/

The 120x3 rad might be worth saving. Which rad exactly? If it's a really oldd one just get a new one. You won't need to add the 120x1 to the loop. Might add it to help on GPU cooling, like your future plans. Unles you will be going really big, then the total of 120x4 might not be enough.

Some good guides up top, thimes have changed, take a bit of a read if you haven't.

LOL.. Actually it was that exact page along with the reviews of the ek supreme HF, and a few others from the 2011 review that I chose this block.

I guess I may have taken the good and changed some of his negitives to positives...

As far as cooling I was pretty much set between this and the ek, but as much as he complained about the mounting system it really seemed pretty perfect for taking out the guess work (or busting out a pair of calipers). And with it out preforming the other blocks in most of the thermal tests its worth a bit of thumb damage to do it right.

As in everything there is a but, you are right there is a pretty big pressure flow drop which is bad, but as I am only running proc right now its not a problem....

The question I do have on the immense pressure drop is how badly it would affect it in a gpu loop (that is of course if I don't just run a seperate loop, which I may do if the next generations chips keep getting hotter). He states its fine as long as your not running a bunch of other restrictive components. If I do run gpus in same loop I would be adding another 120x3 rad along with the one I will be getting now so would I just be better off at that point to add a second loop?

As far as the rad I just kept the stock as it preformed really well with what was available at the time, but I may be going with a black ice or something else.... Have not had enough time to do research yet, but the black ice was what I was looking at about a year ago when I cleaned my loop. Just ran out of time to fiddle with it.

 

[m0r7if3r]

If I do run gpus in same loop I would be adding another 120x3 rad along with the one I will be getting now so would I just be better off at that point to add a second loop?

Probably just going for a 2nd loop imo. Have you looked at the EK Supreme HF Full Cu?

 

[Conumdrum]

Black Ice GTX rad is a monster. High FPI, you want less rad space? Go for that rad and go big on fans.. You want quiet, look at the MCR rads, XSPC, Umm someone else. Low FPI works great with lower speed fans.

 

[Bloodkil]

Black Ice GTX rad is a monster. High FPI, you want less rad space? Go for that rad and go big on fans.. You want quiet, look at the MCR rads, XSPC, Umm someone else. Low FPI works great with lower speed fans.

Looked on skinneelabs and couldn't find the dimensions of the xspc. I see it in your Sig so if your on could you provide dimensions? I'll look elswhere in the meantime, but would trust the info of someone who has one over a sellers webpage as they are sometimes wrong.

The mcr is just a little wide @ 5" to fit where the previous rad had, but if the xspc is the same I may just tinker around to get the $30 cheaper mcr to fit as the thermals are close enough for what I want. I'll wait for my bigger build with water on the gpus to grab the black ice.

Spacing I have to fit in is a hair under 4-7/8"

 

[Conumdrum]

In the stickies is a nice link to dimensions, done by Bobby Bubblehead.

 

[Bloodkil]

I decided to go with the mcr after not finding any that will fit in the area. Called my SIS and had her order as typing on this EVO is a pain for going through multiple checkouts. A little bit of work will be required for a good fit, but she was able to use the 10 off new customer code and it only cost 48.98 so that is definately worth a bit of tinkering for that price.

Also got the maximus gene, 8gb of corsair vengance, and the 2500k from them with about an additional 50 dollars in savings from codes so yeah it was a good day to order when going for a cheap rebuild.

Ordered water parts from preformancepcs and am all set.

Thanks for your help.