thinking about a custom loop

[kaitlin4599]

so im thinking about doing a custom loop with both 140mm and either a 240 280 or 360mm rads having never done this before only ever done an aio how easy is this for a newb

are custom loops easy to clean how often do i clean them etc.

 

[bigtallanddopey]

so im thinking about doing a custom loop with both 140mm and either a 240 280 or 360mm rads having never done this before only ever done an aio how easy is this for a newb

are custom loops easy to clean how often do i clean them etc.

How easy depends on what you are wanting to do.

If you just want to put a cpu block in there with a 240 rad, pump and some soft tubing it is fairly easy and quite similar to using an aio in some respects. Hardest part is often getting all the air bubbles out.

Things get more complicated when you want to cool the cpu and gpu with multiple rads as you have to think about routing in the case more carefully. Where to put a fill port and drain port etc.

Then you can make it a little more complicated by using hard tubing. A little skill is needed for bending and cutting the pipes to the right shape and lengths.

As for cleaning, they’re not as bad as some people make out. I change my fluid once a year. Flush the system with some deionised water and then put the new fluid in. There is one note to say with that. If you use the pastel colours or other “thicker” fluids. They sometimes can clog the system and that does require some serious cleaning.

 

[kaitlin4599]

How easy depends on what you are wanting to do.

If you just want to put a cpu block in there with a 240 rad, pump and some soft tubing it is fairly easy and quite similar to using an aio in some respects. Hardest part is often getting all the air bubbles out.

Things get more complicated when you want to cool the cpu and gpu with multiple rads as you have to think about routing in the case more carefully. Where to put a fill port and drain port etc.

Then you can make it a little more complicated by using hard tubing. A little skill is needed for bending and cutting the pipes to the right shape and lengths.

As for cleaning, they’re not as bad as some people make out. I change my fluid once a year. Flush the system with some deionised water and then put the new fluid in. There is one note to say with that. If you use the pastel colours or other “thicker” fluids. They sometimes can clog the system and that does require some serious cleaning.

i just wanna cool my cpu my gpu doesnt get to hot and my case has good airflow

 

[Blaylock]

It's not that challenging. Just be sure to you your due diligence and read up on it. When you're ready create a build log thread and post what you are planning and you'll get plenty of additional ideas and pointers. I would definitely stick with soft tubing for your first loop and avoid any of the fancy colored dyes to help eliminate any potential problems down the road.

 

[Janus67]

I guess how much of an improvement are you expecting over your existing AIO that is in your sig?

 

[EarthDog]

Read these a couple times over. That will answer a lot of basic questions that you may ask and get some knowledge under your belt.

https://www.overclockers.com/forums...Water-Cooling-Your-PC-***-READ-THIS-FIRST-***

https://www.overclockers.com/forums/showthread.php/628092-The-Ultimate-Water-Cooling-Thread


My question, like Janus, is what are you expecting to gain out of this with your current rig? You already have a good 360mm AIO! Anything gained temp wise, you are close to a 24/7 voltage limit already really so if you are lucky, you may see 100mhz more? Not worth it IMO.

Honestly, Kaitlin, as much as you do these little incremental upgrades, you could have had a much faster Ryzen system built by now. Maybe consider the forest through the trees before doing something like this at what it can yield for you (in this case, nearly nothing I would imagine).

 

[UltraTaco]

If you want more performance, this may be the end of the road for that xeon...

 

[Witchdoctor]

I agree, probably won't see a ton of performance benefit from a custom loop.

However you could see a little as stated, the thing about most that water cool is they just love it.

Not that is does not preform well, a well planned out system with proper components and dissipation area can provide great performance in the realm of ambient cooling

I have been running custom water since 1998ish and am a true believer that an air cooler has no place in any self respecting enthusiasts system ..........

I would try out a simple loop and see if you like it, then if so you can go all in

a cheap entry level system with everything you need could be a good start with out an over whelming investment. not to mention it has everything you need matched and ready to go

It will not give you earth shattering performance but will give you good performance with that custom ride feel with out breaking the bank

Then if you find you enjoy it you can explore some higher performance stuff

Here is a solid starter kit

https://www.ekwb.com/shop/ek-kit-s360

 

[Alaric]

the thing about most that water cool is they just love it.

It is fun telling non-enthusiasts "I have a radiator in my computer".

 

[UltraTaco]

Bahahaha, that's true, a few weeks ago one guy in church ele raving about his frnds pc and that its >>>WATER COOLED<<<<
I was chuckkign inside

 

[pgdeaner]

One thing to think about. 120mm fans generally have better static pressure than 140mm fans. Static pressure is important with certain types of radiators. Before you drop cash on radiators and fans make sure they are a good match.

 

[Mr.Scott]

On the positive side, if thought out properly, you can carry over your custom loop to your next build at almost no cost.

 

[pgdeaner]

^ This! My latest build used almost all used components. Many came from previous builds. I usually only need to buy fresh tubing.