Creating a full aluminum loop, any suggestions for radiator/cpu block?

[oxynutz]

Switching over to a liquid chilled system, save for the GPU. I've done all my research and after years of drooling over everyone else's super sweet rigs, I'm ready.

Unfortunately I haven't been able to find good comparisons or recommendations or even a decent selection of aluminum parts.

Firstly, what is a good aluminum or nickel cpu block? There doesn't seem to be a huge selection of them, most are copper.
I would love for it to have an acrylic top so I can change the liquid's color via my case LEDs.

Secondly, as far as aluminum rads go; amazon seems to have the biggest, cheapest selection...
BUT contains almost no information about the manufacturers who I've never heard of and can't find any info on.

In case anyone is wondering why I want all aluminum it's because I got a nice deal on an EK-XRES pump/res combo and it contains aluminum parts.
I'm trying to keep the metals as consistent as possible.

 

[Alaric]

EKWB has you covered. https://www.newegg.com/Product/Prod...2261&cm_re=EK_A240-_-9SIAC8W5SB2261-_-Product

Koolance has a 360 rad http://www.performance-pcs.com/radi...m-vert-no-nozzles.html#Additional-Information

 

[batboy]

The reason you see so many copper blocks is because copper conducts heat better than aluminum. I think some blocks are plated with nickel (not sure a full nickel block is available, but I could be wrong).

 

[Alaric]

Copper isn't a whole lot better than aluminum. In the average loop most people will never know the difference if there even is one. Aluminum radiators have been used to good effect in many applications for a long time. They'll shed heat fast enough to keep a 1 liter motor making 175+ HP from melting in the Phoenix heat, they'll manage CPU temps ok.

 

[GTXJackBauer]

EK's Fluid Gaming series is the only aluminum kits on the market and they also sell them separately. Just make sure you're using those parts only or aluminum based but not much selection out there for that.

 

[oxynutz]

Copper isn't a whole lot better than aluminum. In the average loop most people will never know the difference if there even is one. Aluminum radiators have been used to good effect in many applications for a long time. They'll shed heat fast enough to keep a 1 liter motor making 175+ HP from melting in the Phoenix heat, they'll manage CPU temps ok.

I was hoping that building an aluminum loop would be more cost-efficient for this reason. Being that it's a lighter and less valuable metal.

I've now learned that the market is geared towards copper coolers... Resulting in the opposite.

Less aluminum CPU blocks = higher price point despite the metal being worth approx. 1/3 that of copper.

The search for a reasonably prices aluminum block continues!

 

[EarthDog]

Or, just get a 'normal' loop and not have to worry about things in the first place?

 

[Alaric]

I was hoping that building an aluminum loop would be more cost-efficient for this reason. Being that it's a lighter and less valuable metal.

I've now learned that the market is geared towards copper coolers... Resulting in the opposite.

Less aluminum CPU blocks = higher price point despite the metal being worth approx. 1/3 that of copper.

The search for a reasonably prices aluminum block continues!

EK

 

[maxfly]

are you sure the xres you bought has aluminum in it? they generally only include a pump either a ddc or d5 and a res which is plastic and delrin.

 

[batboy]

I was looking at the EK website for info on the EK xres. While I did not find out exactly what it's made from, there is a warning that in part says: "This product should NOT be installed with any aluminum Fluid Gaming parts!." That sort of suggests it doesn't have aluminum in the pump/res, maybe?

 

[GTXJackBauer]

That's correct. The ONLY products that contain aluminum is their more budget kits from the Fluid Gaming line.

 

[Blaylock]

You guys are awesome. I had just finished researching this as well only to find you guys are all on top of it already. LOL

Here are my results anyhow. Some is a repeat sorry.

So there is really no aluminum in the EK D5 X-Res pump/res combo. I have this pump and became concerned after reading the first post. so digging in this is what EK lists as their materials.



The 60mm diameter tube is made of a high-quality acrylic material, while the reservoir bottom/pump top is made of quality POM Acetal material.

Pump electrical and mechanical properties:
Materials: Stainless steel, PPS-GF40, EPDM O-rings, Aluminium oxide, hard coal

This product should NOT be installed with any aluminum Fluid Gaming parts!

So while aluminum oxide is listed as a component for the pump electrical properties it's safe to assume that this never comes into contact with the water.

 

[oxynutz]

You guys are awesome. I had just finished researching this as well only to find you guys are all on top of it already. LOL

Here are my results anyhow. Some is a repeat sorry.

So there is really no aluminum in the EK D5 X-Res pump/res combo. I have this pump and became concerned after reading the first post. so digging in this is what EK lists as their materials.



The 60mm diameter tube is made of a high-quality acrylic material, while the reservoir bottom/pump top is made of quality POM Acetal material.

Pump electrical and mechanical properties:
Materials: Stainless steel, PPS-GF40, EPDM O-rings, Aluminium oxide, hard coal

This product should NOT be installed with any aluminum Fluid Gaming parts!

So while aluminum oxide is listed as a component for the pump electrical properties it's safe to assume that this never comes into contact with the water.

Thanks for this informed response. From what I know aluminum oxide is the element that aluminum produces as a form of corrosion on the surfacewhen it comes in contact with water to protect itself from further corrosion, like a scab. So even if it did contact the water I can't imagine it having anything but a protective effect on the other aluminum parts (which will eventually form aluminum oxide anyway). I know stainless steel doesn't react with other metals, so thank you for this component breakdown, my confidence has been boosted.

I was looking at the EK website for info on the EK xres. While I did not find out exactly what it's made from, there is a warning that in part says: "This product should NOT be installed with any aluminum Fluid Gaming parts!." That sort of suggests it doesn't have aluminum in the pump/res, maybe?

My guess is that they say this for two reasons: one is liability when it comes to their copper components, so they just put it on everything that doesn't contain aluminum (can't say we didn't warn you!), the second is to promote their aluminum fluid kit line.

 

[Alaric]

Aluminum oxide is the grit on most sandpaper.

 

[Cnaydmancangt]

Copper isn't a whole lot better than aluminum. In the average loop most people will never know the difference if there even is one. Aluminum radiators have been used to good effect in many applications for a long time. They'll shed heat fast enough to keep a 1 liter motor making 175+ HP from melting in the Phoenix heat, they'll manage CPU temps ok.

Copper has 2-3x more heat dissipation that aluminum does sorry but youre wrong.. i have a a classic car and it came with an iron block 360 cubic inches and a copper/brass radiator. Copper cools much better, it leaked after 30 years re-seal job on it only worked for a year so i got an alum radiator. It cools fine but temps are much higher then with the copper radiator. Prior to the alum radiator my wagoneer always stayed on the blue line at 195-200f even in dead summer with the a.c on. With the alum radiator im always above the blue line in the grey area which isnt bad but with the a.c on i can reach 220f if im sitting there in traffic, where i never did before.. The reason they use alum is because its cheaper and weighs less.. Thats the only reason. Alum is "good" but copper is way way better. The aluminum in these blocks and radiators arent even pure aluminum either, pure alum is still nearly 2x less on thermal conductivity..


https://www.centurylife.org/thermal-properties-of-metals/

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_thermal_conductivities

My suggestion.. stick with copper if youre buying the parts seperetly.. Silver is better then copper, and back in the 2000s dangerden and other companies made silver waterblocks believe it or not lol. http://www.overclockers.com/danger-den-tdx-silver/. Id wager a block like this would cool better then any cpu block out today.. Id be curious to test it myself i could make a bracket to fit on current sockets and its big enough for the IHS it looks like

 

[Alaric]

The automotive industry as a whole seems to be making aluminum radiators work just fine, as millions of them out in the wild can attest to. I managed just fine with a four row aluminum radiator cooling a 600 HP 440 on the streets of South Florida. In a computer EX and Asetek don't seem to be having issues with aluminum, either. It may not be the absolute best, but it's adequate for a lot of uses. My aluminum AIO let's me run 4.7 GHz on my Skylake with zero heat issues.