Water Cooling options for 2nd, and eventually 3rd GPU

[eco_bach]

Currently have pc with an ekweb predator to cool cpu only and a Titan XP GPU, 1000w EVGA PSU. Case is Fractal Design Define S case. Complete parts list https://pcpartpicker.com/user/eco_bach/saved/d6Ff7P

I need to add 1 then eventually a 3rd GPU (total 3 GPUs) Thinking the new 1080 ti Machine is used exclusively for GPU rendering. Currently under load, I can keep my current Titan XP without WC under 60C by manually boosting fan speed. So many questions and options!

For the 2nd 1080ti I could

1 try running without additional WC,

2 get EKWEB water blocks and a 2nd radiator which I could front mount
https://www.ekwb.com/shop/ek-coolstream-xe-360-triple

3 get a all in one solution though not sure if it will fit!
https://www.amazon.ca/EVGA-GeForce-HYBRID-GAMING-Technology/dp/B0713XX64Y/ref=sr_1_1?s=electronics&ie=UTF8&qid=1505748945&sr=1-1&keywords=1080+ti+hybrid

Also once I install the 3rd GPU will probably upgrade my PSU to a 1600W model.

What would you do? Any advice or feedback appreciated!

 

[S_I_N]

looks like your mobo will support 3 gpu's but I dont think your case will as if you use that lower slot itll hit the psu. and no way to use the other one above it unless you water cool them and make them single slot.

 

[||Console||]

That PSU you have might be fine even with 3 gfx cards ( the cards depending ) right now you are (guess) only pulling 400-500w max .
As stated above unless you water cool you will have a hard time fitting them in .
As for a second rad I would make sure you mesure every thing I have that case and even though it says it can fit 2 3x120 rads it is a tight fit there isnt alot of room in the top right (of your pic) you can squeeze a bit more room if you mount the fans on the outside behind the front shroud . If you do put a rad I might suggest put the 3x120 in the front and a new 2x120 (or 240) on the top and look at a cross flow rad ( openings on both ends of the rads for easier tubing runs .

here is my build for reference

 

[eco_bach]

That PSU you have might be fine even with 3 gfx cards ( the cards depending ) right now you are (guess) only pulling 400-500w max .
As stated above unless you water cool you will have a hard time fitting them in .
As for a second rad I would make sure you mesure every thing I have that case and even though it says it can fit 2 3x120 rads it is a tight fit there isnt alot of room in the top right (of your pic) you can squeeze a bit more room if you mount the fans on the outside behind the front shroud . If you do put a rad I might suggest put the 3x120 in the front and a new 2x120 (or 240) on the top and look at a cross flow rad ( openings on both ends of the rads for easier tubing runs .

here is my build for reference
View attachment 193440

Thanks, great advice!
If I understand your setup, you are combining both rads in a closed loop to cool both cpu and gpu.
Is there any advantage to keeping cpu and gpu cooling separate?

 

[S_I_N]

None at all just makes it a lot easier to get it all in with Such a case. Closed loops are non serviceable loops. We call these custom loops to keep from getting the two confused.

 

[GTXJackBauer]

Agree with Console. Get a xflow rad for the top and the thickest (55-60m?) you can find for the front, while giving you some room to work with.

That's still going to be lots of load for a CPU + GPUs x3. You could still pull it off, just your temps will be higher than others, of course your room ambient will play a role as well as having enough rad to dissipate all that heat.

You shouldn't have to worry when gaming since your GPU's won't be the same for SLI for example but should if you'll be putting load on all of them during gaming, rendering, etc.

 

[eco_bach]

None at all just makes it a lot easier to get it all in with Such a case. Closed loops are non serviceable loops. We all these custom loops to keep from getting the two confused.

Could I ask is this your first build?
How did you know exactly which parts to buy?
and
Did you follow any sort of guide or tutorial to do the installation?

 

[||Console||]

Could I ask is this your first build?
How did you know exactly which parts to buy?
and
Did you follow any sort of guide or tutorial to do the installation?

Pretty sure SIN has been water cooling for a long time ( alot of us have I think Im @ 13-15 years)
Picking parts are pretty easy the manufacture lists what components it will work on .
Watch a few YouTube vids its not really any harder than putting on a after market hsf .

 

[S_I_N]

yup been water cooling way before it was cool. We used pond pumps and heater cores from cars we jb welded barbs into for rads. I just think the OP is shooting himself in the foot trying to make that case work for eventually 3 gpu's. If its a rendering rig as stated then I'd not bother buying 3 980ti's or using the titan xp with 2 908ti's. I'd **** can the lot and buy the best gpu i can for a single card setup that will render better than 3 mix matched gpus to start with. You can clearly see (or maybe not) that the second gpu will sit in slot right under the first gpu causing it to over heat as its now starved for air. the third gpu will have to go in the utter most bottom slot as the slot ablove will be blocked by the 2nd gpu. Now saying that the last slot does not have an extra pcie cover to accommodate a third gpu plus the mobos wires for front panel and usb are all in that slot as well. Now if he water cooled then and made then single slot cards then he'd be able to from the looks of it run a total of 4 gpus if needed. But he'd need a lot of raddage to cool 3 gpus and the cpu the old saying 1 plus 1 per component to be cooled imho is for (what did you say volume fans)(this is debatable due to many non disclosed factors thus far) loud systems. Done right he could easily add the second rad to the case and a single beastly rendering oriented card and retain his sanity from listening to mind blowing fans noise. If gaming is also to be preformed on this rig then as we all know sli is dead and sli over 2 cards is no longer supported (I feel this is why the 980ti's). I myself would not build a rig outside of a backup rig with any of last gens cards. There is jus to much of an improvement in todays NVIDIA offerings.

Now if this is truely solely for rendering please please please research AMD's current offerings from what I have seen so far ryzan or threadripper may be what you want with a VEGA card. yes folks dont fall over dead I'm recommending he research AMD lol.

 

[eco_bach]

yup been water cooling way before it was cool. We used pond pumps and heater cores from cars we jb welded barbs into for rads. I just think the OP is shooting himself in the foot trying to make that case work for eventually 3 gpu's. If its a rendering rig as stated then I'd not bother buying 3 980ti's or using the titan xp with 2 908ti's. I'd **** can the lot and buy the best gpu i can for a single card setup that will render better than 3 mix matched gpus to start with. You can clearly see (or maybe not) that the second gpu will sit in slot right under the first gpu causing it to over heat as its now starved for air. the third gpu will have to go in the utter most bottom slot as the slot ablove will be blocked by the 2nd gpu. Now saying that the last slot does not have an extra pcie cover to accommodate a third gpu plus the mobos wires for front panel and usb are all in that slot as well. Now if he water cooled then and made then single slot cards then he'd be able to from the looks of it run a total of 4 gpus if needed. But he'd need a lot of raddage to cool 3 gpus and the cpu the old saying 1 plus 1 per component to be cooled imho is for (what did you say volume fans)(this is debatable due to many non disclosed factors thus far) loud systems. Done right he could easily add the second rad to the case and a single beastly rendering oriented card and retain his sanity from listening to mind blowing fans noise. If gaming is also to be preformed on this rig then as we all know sli is dead and sli over 2 cards is no longer supported (I feel this is why the 980ti's). I myself would not build a rig outside of a backup rig with any of last gens cards. There is jus to much of an improvement in todays NVIDIA offerings.

Now if this is truely solely for rendering please please please research AMD's current offerings from what I have seen so far ryzan or threadripper may be what you want with a VEGA card. yes folks dont fall over dead I'm recommending he research AMD lol.

Thanks for your feedback! But unless I am mistaken, the 980ti DOES represent the BEST of Nvidia's current offerings in a consumer GPU.
And as a GPU renderer, I don't need SLI, Each additional GPU is treated like a totally separate device by the rendering software. 3 GPU's would mean 1/3 rendering time of a single GPU
The best deal in terms of rendering power per dollar, is currently the 1070.

 

[EarthDog]

Thanks for your feedback! But unless I am mistaken, the 980ti DOES represent the BEST of Nvidia's current offerings in a consumer GPU.

980Ti is 3 years old and a generation behind.

 

[eco_bach]

980Ti is 3 years old and a generation behind.

Thanks. So what specific card is most recent? And when you say a generation behind, are you referring to Volta technology which AFAIK, is not to be part of any consumer product for the forseeable future, or rather a non Nvidia product?

 

[EarthDog]

I speak of Pascal, the NVIDIA GTX 10xx series cards released well over a year ago...I mean you even mentioned the GTX 1070 (which is more or less equal to your 980Ti performance wise)...

 

[eco_bach]

Totally my mistake. Edited original post. I meant of course the 1080Ti

 

[S_I_N]

Lol