First Watercooled system build, few questions.

[SnoopDoug]

Ok so heres my thought, i have an intel e8400 OC'd to right at 4.0ghz, and an EVGA gtx 295 that i want to include in 1 loop. I want to use 2 120 radiators, in my antec 900, i have one secured to the outside of the case just behind the exhaust 120, i want to make a custom bracket to put another 120 rad./fan combo just under the 200MM fan blowing out the top of the case.

so heres my question, im thinkin to cool the hot gtx 295 and my cpu without passing heat from one to the other im gonna have to go from res. to gpu waterblock to rad. to cpu water block to rad then back to res. right?

and also i was considering buying one of the res./pump combos that fit in one 5.25" bay, are these usually adequate for the loop i want to build?
and if so what kind of pump and res. should i be looking for?

Thanx in advance,

 

[Spawn-Inc]

do you own any rads now?

i would grab a double 120mm minimum but spring for a triple since its not that much more. get a swiftech rad box to hang it off the back of the case.

of the combo pump/res's i've seen they aren't good.

grab a Swiftech MCP355 with XSPC res top. great pump.


loop order doesn't matter so long as the res is before the pump. if you get the above combo then no need to worry.

 

[Fx-53]

Typically, a loop will reach equilibrium on temps soon after startup. Typically having the CPU first is the BEST solution.


and that loop will not work. It must go res>pump. if the res is not immediately before the pump, it will not fill the system correctly.

The combos that fit in 5.25 bays are generally not good. For what you are doing, I would go with either:

DDC
and
XPSC res top

OR if you want a bay res, the same pump but

XPSC top
and
DD 5.25 bay res

You will hear a lot of negative opinions of bay res's, but I'm baffled how people break them. I have one I bought USED from this forum 4 years or so ago, that has been in 4 different cases now, and has never cracked or leaked. I either got the mother of all res's or some people need to not abuse there stuff so bad. I personally like the way a bay res looks, I think it's cool(and so do most lay people) to see the water flowing in the front of the case, but I'm a little strange. Also, don't cheap out and go with a d5, you're going to need the flow rate and head pressure, and the DDC is the better pump(i've owned both as well....)....

I will warn you of two things.
1.That fan in the top of the 900 is not going to work to circulate air through the radiator. It's going to need fans mounted to it to create pressure and push air through it to cool anywhere near capacity. I would remove the fan and use acrylic to fabricate a bracket where the fan was.
2. That STILL may not be enough radiator to cool that mess heavily overclocked. It's my understanding that's a quite hot card, and an OC'd processor. It may work I will leave that to someone who has worked
with that card.


**edit spawn posted while I was typing.

I have to agree with him, I would definitely bump it to a triple on the back, dual in the top, and be done with it.


** double edit- Note I'm nto ONLY endorsing petra's, you might find better prices etc. I knew they would have pics and what I wanted to show you, and it was the first place that popped in my mind.

 

[SnoopDoug]

cool thanx for the insite, as for the rad behind the 200 i want to add a 120 rad./fan combo just behind the 200 and just use the 200 to pull the heated air out of the case. I have a sinlge 120 on the back of the case and i only have room for 1 more 120 rad./fan combo without doing some customizing. And if i use a bigger rad on the back it will block my i/o panel. I do have another idea to put 1 tripple 120 rad on the back but it will be kinda bulky but if i need to i will. so will 2 120's keep my system cool?

 

[Fx-53]

swiftech rad box

hand the rad off the back with that, and you'll have clearance for your I/O panel.

and probably not. It might, but I doubt it.

 

[SnoopDoug]

i can use that rad box to mount a 3x120 rad?

 

[SnoopDoug]

oh and i looked at the xpsc res u recommended, can i use it with and pump?

Description:

Acrylic reservoir top for Laing DDC-3.2 and DDC-3.1 pumps. Comes complete with two LED holes, mounting screws, and one blue LED (4-pin tailed).


is that saying that its compatible with those pumps only?

 

[SnoopDoug]

and im using 1/2" hose fyi

 

[BobbyBubblehead]

easy... snoop
just saying WELCOME to the Forums.

Do the opposite to me and you carnt go far wrong is my advice #Chuckles#

 

[SnoopDoug]

thanx bobby, i havent posted on any forums b4 so im sorry if i dont follow some of the etiquette,

 

[Conumdrum]

oh and i looked at the xpsc res u recommended, can i use it with and pump?

Description:

Acrylic reservoir top for Laing DDC-3.2 and DDC-3.1 pumps. Comes complete with two LED holes, mounting screws, and one blue LED (4-pin tailed).


is that saying that its compatible with those pumps only?

Yes, it ONLY mounts on the DDC3.2 or 3.1 3.1 is the older model. These pumps are also known as the MCP355 and the older MCP 350.

It's a very sweet pump/res combo. And rated as pretty much the top one. Linkies for pump tests etc.
http://martin.skinneelabs.com/
http://www.skinneelabs.com/

 

[Conumdrum]

i can use that rad box to mount a 3x120 rad?

Yes. It is strong enough. Petras might have Ver 1, a metal radbox in stock, it's better. Alternately, you probably have spent at least an hour in the build log section looking at rigs I hope. Many just buy some sort of metal and make their own standoffs. Some nice setups out there.

Seen some nice 900 setups. Here is another linky for you, on build pics of many cases. Cudos the the guy who organized this.
http://www.xtremesystems.org/forums/showthread.php?t=223835

 

[Spawn-Inc]

oh and i looked at the xpsc res u recommended, can i use it with and pump?

Description:

Acrylic reservoir top for Laing DDC-3.2 and DDC-3.1 pumps. Comes complete with two LED holes, mounting screws, and one blue LED (4-pin tailed).


is that saying that its compatible with those pumps only?

yes it can only be used with the ddc 3.1/MCP350 or 3.2/MCP355

 

[BobbyBubblehead]

thanx bobby, i havent posted on any forums b4 so im sorry if i dont follow some of the etiquette,

My first go too

I think polite and friendly is relatively optional in the world today.
But for my pinch of information on tap you get piece goodwill and no belittling (Occasionally breached with Rum or Gin sessions) <--- not recommended.

My noob tip on forum going would be hang in if some Plonker & Dingbat starts a pie fight on your thread.... the refs will step in eventually, sad when people get scared off.

Heres to your super pimped future computers

enjoy!

 

[SnoopDoug]

ok so no go with the 2 120s?
and considering this block for the gtx 295

http://www.frozencpu.com/products/8...-FC295_GTX_-_Acetal.html?tl=g30c311s860#blank

yay/nay anyone?

 

[Spawn-Inc]

ok so no go with the 2 120s?
and considering this block for the gtx 295

http://www.frozencpu.com/products/8...-FC295_GTX_-_Acetal.html?tl=g30c311s860#blank

yay/nay anyone?

if 2 doubles is better for you then ya thats better so long as you get a good pump.

that block is a good choice, at least the maker is good.
here are other brands to look at as well,
Aqua Computer - aquagraFX for GTX 295
HEATKILLER® GPU-X² GTX295
EK Waterblocks EK-FC295

of the 3 i would lean to the heatkiller or ek one.

 

[Fx-53]

Isn't the EK a pretty restrictive block(if memory serves right, which it doesn't 98% of the time these days)?

If you're going to run 2x120.3 rads, be aware that you will be eating a lot of the flow from the pump up due to head pressure increases. With all you want to cool I'm still not sure you're going to have enough radiator. I would still get a 120.3 as my rear rad.

 

[SnoopDoug]

cool thanx for the advise on the gpu w/b, im not sure i understand exactly what head pressure is, and does the volume that the pump can circulate (lph) make a difference in temps?

thanx for everyone's help again, ill be posting a few pix soon hopefully tonight to bounce a few ideas off anyone who cares to help steer me in the right direction.

 

[BobbyBubblehead]

Head preassure is the amount of power the pump has to lift a column of water... relates to the raiting of the motors ability.

and offcourse the LPH is the how fast it flows, how fast the impeller spins (blades spin)

anything upwards from 500 LPH is a contender... my approximate worth looking at starting point.

Flow really wants to be as close as you can get to not quite pulling the hydrogen molecules out of the water... tiny bubbles can collect in un-wanted places e.g. inside your blocks and reduce performance.

Note. I wouldnt touch any pump thats not capable of pumping at least a 1.5 meter head (column)

 

[SnoopDoug]

ok i understand, im reading good things about the ddc3.2 and the xpsc res top, but im kinda fuzzy on if they screw together to pump directly from the res or if they're 2 individual units, sorry for the dumb questions but these units look different than what ive seen.