Help First Watercooling Fractal Design Define S

[Vess]

Hello Everyone!!!!

So few months I'm searching information on water-cooling, this is my time I decided I will did it this year. You can see below my configuration I would like to buy.

Intel Core i7-6700K (4.0 GHz)+ ASUS TURBO-GTX970-OC-4GD5 - GeForce GTX 970 4 Go+ ASUS Z170 PRO Gaming. I saw some video with the Tower "Fractal Design Define S Window Noir", seems to be a good tower for water-cooling with a lot of space and also that tower costs 100 euros. I prefer spend more money on my water-cooling than spend 250 in a tower.

You can see below a list of possible pieces of my water-cooling:

Pump: EK-XRES 140 Revo D5 PWM

Waterblock: EK-Supremacy EVO

GPU: EK-Thermosphere

Radiators: 2*Alphacool - Radiator NexXxoS UT60 Full Cuivre 360

Fitting?? Bitspower & EK???

Fans???

Rigid tube or Flexible ? Any difference about the performance?

I would like to do it this water-cooling with rigid tube, apparently it's very difficult for the first time, What do you think?
I saw 2 videos that's inspired me

My budget for this water-cooling is more or less 500 euros.

Why I want a water-cooling , Because I want silence and OC my system.

One thing that scared me is the maintenance, I saw normally I should change and clean the system every year? It's something complicated? How I can build my system in order to simplify this operation?

THanks a lot for your HELP

 

[Joe88]

from all the pictures I don't think you will be able to fit 2x 360 rads in the define s, they are usually a 360 rad on top and a 240 rad in the front

 

[Vess]

Okay in the description of the tower Watercooling comptability : Front : 360, 280, 240, 140 et 120 mm / Top : 420, 360, 280, 240, 140 et 120 mm. They said I can put until 420 mm at the top and 360 at the front . But okay if I can't I will put an 280 or 240 at the front. Or may be I can put a finer radiator at the front no ?
Thanks for your reply,

 

[Blaylock]

Vess it appears you can in fact fit a 360mm up front and a 360mm up top. Source.

And image. Edit: You may need to go with the slim rads on top. There is a great video on the fractal website that i linked that has the Mod Zoo guys reviewing this case. It's definitely worth a watch.

 

[Vess]

Vess it appears you can in fact fit a 360mm up front and a 360mm up top. Source.

And image.

View attachment 176119

Can I have the link of this watercooling project?

Thanks

 

[Blaylock]

This one was just a google image I found. The top doesn't have a rad (just fans) but I wanted to show it should be possible.

I also edited my original post with more info

- - - Updated - - -

Here's another that actually used 2x 360mm rads. beautiful build too.

http://www.overclock.net/t/1570312/...x99-980-sli-watercooled-lf-reaction-reservoir

View attachment 176120

 

[Vess]

Seems to be an amazing watercooling. I still have some questions:

1) For all components of a watercooling you can find a big range of price. What are watercooling items I need to spend more money in order to have a efficient system ?
Pump waterblock gpu tube ect...
2) The diamater of the tube is important ?

3) For the liquid I saw a lot of reviews, apparently colorant liquid are really annoying so I can just put demineralizez water?

4) Where I can put a tap water in order to simplify the maintenance? I saw some pople have issues when they want to drain out the water.

5) Rigid tube or Flexible ?

 

[Blaylock]

Seems to be an amazing watercooling. I still have some questions:

1) For all components of a watercooling you can find a big range of price. What are watercooling items I need to spend more money in order to have a efficient system ?
Pump waterblock gpu tube ect...
2) The diamater of the tube is important ?

3) For the liquid I saw a lot of reviews, apparently colorant liquid are really annoying so I can just put demineralizez water?

4) Where I can put a tap water in order to simplify the maintenance? I saw some pople have issues when they want to drain out the water.

5) Rigid tube or Flexible ?

Great questions Vess! I'll answer the best I can, I'm not an expert but have been water cooling for about a year and reading tons on it.

1. I would say the single most important piece (for reliability) is the pump. Make sure to get a very reliable D5 or DDC pump. Swiftech, EK, Laing etc. The one you listed I beleive is good though I've never used it. From there the CPU water block. The one you listed is great. It's what I have and IMO is tops. For radiators and fans you'll want to match these depending on what you're trying to achieve. You said your goal is silence so you'll want radiators with a lower FPI (Fins Per Inch) or how ever they measure them in Europe (?). For the fans you'll want to spend some money on these as you're looking for quiet but will still need enough static pressure to push the air through the rads. Look into NoiseBlocker eLoop, Noctua, or Corsair SP's.

2. The Diameter of the tube isn't very important but I would stick with a minimum of 6mm ID. Thinner flexible tubing does have a tendency to kink when bent to tightly though. I like 10-12mm ID personally.

3. We generally don't encourage colorants here as they tend to gum up you blocks over time. If you're building a show piece that's one thing, but for a daily use computer just stick with colored tubing or clear tubing and led lighting for bling.

4. You should only use tap water to do your initial cleaning and rinsing of the new components. Flush and fill with distilled water and add biocide and or a silver kill coil.

5. If you go flexible get the Primochill Advanced LRT. It's the best out there and you wont have any issues with plasticizers. I haven't gone the rigid route yet but from what I've read make you you have a way to fill and drain as they can be tricky.

Hope this helps. We have a great sticky at the top of the water cooling section that you really should read several times if you haven't already. Excellent stuff in there.

 

[kaesden]

Intel Core i7-6700K (4.0 GHz)+ ASUS TURBO-GTX970-OC-4GD5 - GeForce GTX 970 4 Go+ ASUS Z97-PRO GAMER

I hope there's a typo in there somewhere, you can't run a 6700k on a z97 motherboard...

 

[Witchdoctor]

not a typo , need a z170 board

 

[Vess]

Thanks you right I changed it.

 

[Vess]

Great questions Vess! I'll answer the best I can, I'm not an expert but have been water cooling for about a year and reading tons on it.

1. I would say the single most important piece (for reliability) is the pump. Make sure to get a very reliable D5 or DDC pump. Swiftech, EK, Laing etc. The one you listed I beleive is good though I've never used it. From there the CPU water block. The one you listed is great. It's what I have and IMO is tops. For radiators and fans you'll want to match these depending on what you're trying to achieve. You said your goal is silence so you'll want radiators with a lower FPI (Fins Per Inch) or how ever they measure them in Europe (?). For the fans you'll want to spend some money on these as you're looking for quiet but will still need enough static pressure to push the air through the rads. Look into NoiseBlocker eLoop, Noctua, or Corsair SP's.

2. The Diameter of the tube isn't very important but I would stick with a minimum of 6mm ID. Thinner flexible tubing does have a tendency to kink when bent to tightly though. I like 10-12mm ID personally.

3. We generally don't encourage colorants here as they tend to gum up you blocks over time. If you're building a show piece that's one thing, but for a daily use computer just stick with colored tubing or clear tubing and led lighting for bling.

4. You should only use tap water to do your initial cleaning and rinsing of the new components. Flush and fill with distilled water and add biocide and or a silver kill coil.

5. If you go flexible get the Primochill Advanced LRT. It's the best out there and you wont have any issues with plasticizers. I haven't gone the rigid route yet but from what I've read make you you have a way to fill and drain as they can be tricky.

Hope this helps. We have a great sticky at the top of the water cooling section that you really should read several times if you haven't already. Excellent stuff in there.

I saw you forum and I learnt a lot about how plasticizers can completely destroy the watercooling system. In this forum http://www.overclock.net/t/1380775/what-is-plasticizer/10, they did several tests and they speak about issues on the Primochill also.

What are the best Tube for this issue?

The liquid put inside the system can be related to this issue also what is the best liquid? I saw some people take car liquid .

One more question , A watercooling system can be relaible for an everyday use. I want to play everyday work ect??



Thanks =)

 

[Witchdoctor]

https://www.ekwb.com/shop/ek-tube-zmt-matte-black-16-10mm

 

[Vess]

It's cheap compare to other tube on the website(TUBE PrimoChill PrimoFlex™ Advanced LRT™ 15 € 23.34 ) This is the best tube ?


Thanks,

 

[Witchdoctor]

IMO yes,

They prety much detail the differences on their site



Details

EK ZMT (Zero Maintainance Tubing) is a high quality, zero maintainance industrial grade EPDM rubber tubing in stylish matte black.

This tubing is - just like Norprene - designed to withstand harsh conditions for a very long period of time, offering a truly exceptional lifespan even under UV, ozone and heat exposure for many years.

Unlike most PVC and PUR tubing this high quality EK made EPDM rubber tubing ensures long lasting operation and does not suffer from plasticizer leaching effect which can cause blockage (gunking) in your liquid cooling loop. This 10/16mm (ID/OD) tubing also allow for very small bend radius!

This may not be the tubing for everyone but it is guaranteed to be hassle-free even in the long run which is something other PVC/PUR tubing cannot offer!

This tubing is a perfect companion for EK-CSQ Fitting 10/16 series compression fttings.

just did a build using it , should give you an idea of how it will look

http://www.overclockers.com/forums/showthread.php/769391-Client-mITX-Gamer

 

[Vess]

Great config. I saw you use a kit from EK. What is better to buy a kit It's cheaper & no adaptation issues. I saw 3 type of kit on the EK website for radiator of 360.

Liquid 280e
Performance 344e
Extreme 366e

I'm a bit lost with this kit, What are the real difference between these kits?
Thanks

 

[Witchdoctor]

Yes there are three

the (L) is the one I used is the cheap one with a lower grade pump and CPU block still a PMW pump DDC MX 3.1 PWM & PE Rad

the (P) kits use their flagship CPU block with the the D5 variant & the PE rad

the (X) kits use their flagship CPU block & the EK-DDC 3.2 PWM Elite Edition pump & XE rad

 

[Vess]

Yes there are three

the (L) is the one I used is the cheap one with a lower grade pump and CPU block still a PMW pump DDC MX 3.1 PWM & PE Rad

the (P) kits use their flagship CPU block with the the D5 variant & the PE rad

the (X) kits use their flagship CPU block & the EK-DDC 3.2 PWM Elite Edition pump & XE rad

Okay but my questions is it's worth it with my configuration to spend 365 for the Extreme kit of EK or the liquid kit is good ?

Another question 600 W is enough of I need more W?

Thanks guys!!! I think I will start this project next week.

 

[Vess]

Hello Guy,


I need you =)

 

[Blaylock]

As far as which kit to get I can't answer. I don't have either of those kits. I can say the CPU block that is used for the P and X kits are excellent. I have one and it does a fantastic job. I can't speak for the pump or rads though. I've read good things about their pumps but literally know nothing of the rads.

I plugged in your specs into Outervisions PSU Calculator and made some assumptions on you system specs that weren't listed. It calculated you would need about a 630W PSU. A 600W would likely be to small and I would recommend 750-850W PSU. Also it would be a good idea to get a solid performing unit as well. Look at JonnyGuru.com and find a PSU that is recommended there.