Just another "need some suggestions" thread

[mcoomer]

Yeah, I know you've never read a thread like this before.

I've read Hokie's "Beginner's Guide to Water Cooling" (took me two weeks but I got through it) and want to take the plunge. The main reason I'm thinking of doing this is not so I can push my chip any harder but rather to try to greatly reduce the amount of noise my computer is making. My sig shows what I'm running. The case fans are set to low flow and are actually very quiet. The CPU cooler isn't obnoxious but it does turn up the volume when it spins up to high gear. Can't really differentiate between that and the two fans on the GPU but I'm going to buy another 7950 in the very near future and I don't want to hear four fans running.

Out of the box, the Cosmos II has internal positions for three radiators. One mounts in the top, the second can be mounted in the bottom where the side mount fans and lower HDD cages are mounted, and the third mounts on the upper rear just behind the CPU. I found a build thread on another forum where that lower area was modded to fit two radiators and fans for a total of four internal radiators. Given that I'm doing this for noise reduction I'd like to maximize my radiator area/volume. I'm also not averse to using an external radiator so long as I can mount it so that it's not an eyesore.

So, I'd like some recommendations for radiators. The Cosmos II manual calls out 240X2 for the top and bottom and 120X1 for the upper rear. I'm wondering if I could use the 120 for the CPU and run each GPU with its own 240mm radiator. Does that even make sense? The cards are XFX HD7950-TDJC. I'd like to find full cover blocks for those and obviously I'll need a good CPU block. Finally, I'd like to use compression fittings. Personally, I cringe every time I look at a photo of automotive style clamps inside a case. I know it will be more expensive to use compression fittings but I want a clean look and I like the ease of installation they provide.

Please let me know if I need to provide more info.

Thanks,
Mike

 

[musicfan]

Keep reading the stickies especially Conumdrum's on delta T. It will be important for you to get a low air-water delta T so you can use low rpm fans for quiet.

I would start with trying to determine my heat load of my system. Your 3770k is stock 77W. The 7950 is about 200W each. Not sure if you are going to OC but you may be generating close to 500 Watts at load.

Some of that will escape to air rather than be captured by the water-blocks but that gives you a start. As you say, you will need relative more radiator surface area and fans that will get silent with a fan controller (GT AP-15's come to mind).

Also look around for builds on the Cosmos II (it's a popular case) and see what others have done so you get ideas. What sort of dimensions of radiators do you need for the Cosmos II? In other words, what will fit? Martinm210 has done recent radiator testing as has Bundymania. Skinnee Labs is also a good source of information. Good luck.

 

[mcoomer]

Well, the chip is clocked at 4.5GHz right now. I've run it at 4.7 but found that temps were higher than I liked, causing the CPU cooler fan to spin like mad, make quite a bit of noise, hence the desire to water cool. The GPU is at stock clock and I don't envision the need to change that. I have one now but will add a second pretty soon. Bad new is that I don't believe there is a full water block made for this board (XFX FX-795A-TDJC). That's really going to bum me out if I can't get rid of those fans.

 

[MGF Derp]

I believe your videocards use reference pcbs since they have the A in there part number FX-795A-TDJC so you should be able to use any 7950 full cover block that says it works with reference cards. You'll want to do some research on radiator optimized for low rpm fans. Try skinnee labsor martins liquid lab and reading the radiator reviews keeping focus on low rpm 1000> fan performance. As for a cpu block you can look to Strens 2012 Cpu Water Block Roundup

 

[EarthDog]

I believe your videocards use reference pcbs since they have the A in there part number FX-795A-TDJC so you should be able to use any 7950 full cover block that says it works with reference cards.

Is that true? I had no idea...OP needs this to be true(or not) before he purchases. Is that just for that brand of GPU?

For example, THIS CARD appears to be reference (has stock cooler and clocks at least, no idea on the PCB though), with no "A" in it.

EDIT: Looks like an XFX thing and in checking in newegg, looks like you are right. At least two of the cards with the "A" in it have the same PCB vs the one that does not.

 

[mcoomer]

So, it would appear that I need to shoot a few emails to confirm that the board is a reference PCB. The reason I'm sweating is neither EK or Swiftech make a full block for the board. In the case of Swiftech, five XFX 7950 boards are listed and this TDJC is the only one that isn't supported.

Edit: email to XFX is away asking them to confirm my board is a reference design and asking for any info on vendors that support this board with full cover water blocks.

Mike

 

[DoGMaN]

Check coolingconfigurator.com it can help determine the right block for your card.

 

[MGF Derp]

Is that true? I had no idea...OP needs this to be true(or not) before he purchases. Is that just for that brand of GPU?

For example, THIS CARD appears to be reference (has stock cooler and clocks at least, no idea on the PCB though), with no "A" in it.

EDIT: Looks like an XFX thing and in checking in newegg, looks like you are right. At least two of the cards with the "A" in it have the same PCB vs the one that does not.

Yeah its only a XFX thing. Should have said that.

 

[mcoomer]

This doesn't sound too promising. Got this back from XFX support:

I`m trying to find a compatible full cover water block for my card (FX-795A-TDJC). Can you confirm whether the PCB is or isn`t a reference design? Can you provide me with any info on vendors that support this card with full cover water blocks? Thank you , Mike

Hello our 7k series cards are on our custom pcb`s so it is possible there aren`t many vendors out there who have water blocks that will fit them. We do not communicate with water block vendors so we have no list of them, we do allow our customers to install 3rd party cooling and water blocks on their cards (at their own risk) as long as you can find someone who makes one which fits.

 

[EarthDog]

Perhaps go MCW80 and ram/vrmsinks?

 

[mcoomer]

If I can't find a vendor that makes a quality water block for this board I may simply move up to a 7970 that is supported. Of all the XFX boards in the 7000 series, mine appears to the be the only one not supported by Swiftech. Haven't run all the part numbers through EK's configurator but I suspect I'll find similar results. Looks like it's just my bad luck to have bought a card that isn't widely supported in this manner. As for a processor block and individual VRM heatsinks, I'd rather avoid that route. Seems like it would be more expensive, more difficult to setup, and more likely to fail. I was watching a video on YouTube of a guy describing a time when a stickon VRM sink came undone, falling onto the card below and shorting the board. Don't want that kind of drama. May even decide to keep the GPU's on air and simply cool the CPU.

Mike

 

[EarthDog]

Pricing is a little cheaper......($95 vs $155)

I understand your concern... but do the job right, like you have to do when installing a waterblock, and all will be well. Not to mention, I dont recall you wanting to go CrossfireX anyway (but I could easily be mistaking).

 

[mcoomer]

Yeah, don't need to go Crossfire for what I do but when were our PCs ever really about what we needed vs what we wanted. I'm sure my wife won't mind...

What do you think of the XFX Black Edition cards. HD 7950 with a factory 900MHz OC for $315 at NewEgg. Funny thing, I plugged that part number in at EK Water Blocks and it says it's a reference design and they offer several different full water blocks for it. Since XFX just told me today that all the boards are custom I thought that a little odd. Anyway, EK and Swiftech both offer full cover blocks for this card.

Mike

 

[bassnut]

I have a Cosmos II water cooled. Bellow is a link, check it out and I home you can find a bit that will help you in your build. My goal was cool temps and although it isn't exactly quiet it is not loud either. My old H100 is louder. The biggest problem I ran into was a push pull on my top rad as it was too thick, the mosfett coolingon my motherboard made things difficult.

http://www.overclockers.com/forums/showthread.php?t=715371&highlight=tamer