First time watercooler setting up custom loop. Have any tips or suggestions?

[scylendrey]

First Post! Wooooooooooooo

Anyway, I want to set up custom watercooling in this rig, as I plan on adding a second 290x soon(They will both be reference PCB.). Anyone have some general tips or recommendations for parts? I don't have a set budget in mind, but I want to keep a decent price to performance ratio here. It doesn't need to look pretty, I dont have a window.

 

[GTXJackBauer]

to OCFs.

First question I have is, did you build this rig already?

Second question is, have you read our water cooling stickies?

 

[scylendrey]

Yep, I've built it just as listed. I've read the stickies as well, I was looking for more specific advice, for my rig. Like what kind of waterblocks are good for the 290x?

 

[Melsy]

I used to watercool gpus a long long time ago. But they are so efficient now a days that i haven't bothered. Even over clocked as far as i could i rarely see temps above 62 on air on my 970. 290x runs a little hotter but not to much. Now if you want to watercool just because that's ok. go to here and start looking around. I wouldn't go with a 700 watt PS. With running a standalone pump and to have some head room for crossfire i would get an 800 and never have to worry about it. Also you will NEED a duel 120 radiator and probably push/pull fans to diffuse the heat generated by the VC and CPU. running sli on my old 9800's got my water pretty hot. 1/2" tubing is what ive always used for the CPU and i manifold adapted it to 1/4" for the GPUs to slow the water down a bit.
I have used this pump for about 6 years only tightening up the lock ring once a couple years ago.

this is a good cpu water block they are a reputable company. mount the offset hole at the bottom as a return to help with getting the air out of the system
I have never owned a radeon before buthere is a list of water blocks. just make sure to get full cover.

frozencpu has a bunch of different reservoirs you can get and then you'll need fittings fans tubing clamps... i recommend the highest cfm 120mm fans you can get. yes they are loud but you can set them up so when temps are low they are only barely running with speedfan. and don't forget filters on any intake fan.

 

[GTXJackBauer]

Yep, I've built it just as listed. I've read the stickies as well, I was looking for more specific advice, for my rig. Like what kind of waterblocks are good for the 290x?

Well than, for GPU WBs you could take a look here and see what they have for you.

As for CPU WB, best bang for your buck you could look at a XSPC Raystorm or a Swiftech XL.

Up to you if you want this to be silent or loud. If you're going for silence, you need some nice low-mid speed rad fans with low FPI rads or go with high FPI/high RPM rad fans with less rad.

Frozencpu and performance-pcs is a great place to start for custom H20.