Water Cooling Questions?

[Dasa]

This will be my first time water cooling my system, I have pretty much picked out all the parts I would need but I can't seem to find a solid answer if the radiator I have chosen is going to be enough to do the job. Here is a list of the basic parts. I will be cooling two GTX470s as well.

2x DD-GTX470 Nickel Base with Smoke Acrylic Top
1x CrossSLI Danger Den Fittings

1x Monsoon - Black with Black Trim - Premium - D5 Dual Bay Reservoir
>> I am still unsure about this solution.

1x Black Ice GT Stealth 360 Radiator - Black
>> Is this enough to handle the whole system?

1x MC-TDX for Intel I7/Nehalem/1366
>> Is there a better cpu block?

1x MPC-X38/X48/X58
>> Is there a better NB block?

My case is an HAF X
Motherboard is an ASUS Rampage III Extreme
Processor is an I7950
Video Cards are two EVGA GTX470s

Any help, tips, advice would be greatly appreciated.

 

[EarthDog]

1. WELCOME!
2. Read the sticky threads in this section.
3. I would not expect that rad to cool a 950 and 2 470's well (as in better than air), no...unless you have annoyingly loud and fast fans attached to them and specially if you plan to overclock.

 

[Conumdrum]

This will be my first time water cooling my system, I have pretty much picked out all the parts I would need but I can't seem to find a solid answer if the radiator I have chosen is going to be enough to do the job. Here is a list of the basic parts. I will be cooling two GTX470s as well.

2x DD-GTX470 Nickel Base with Smoke Acrylic Top
1x CrossSLI Danger Den Fittings
Just fine

1x Monsoon - Black with Black Trim - Premium - D5 Dual Bay Reservoir
>> I am still unsure about this solution.
Good D5 res. get the VARIO Pump, not the B version

1x Black Ice GT Stealth 360 Radiator - Black
>> Is this enough to handle the whole system?
No. And it's a very old radiator. Poor air and liquid flow. It's so old there is no good scientific tests on it. Please use Skinneelabs.com to learn about radiators.

1x MC-TDX for Intel I7/Nehalem/1366
>> Is there a better cpu block? By far much better, that again is a VERY VERY old block, not able to handle the heat of chips. It's over 3 years old. Again, Skinnee has your needs covered.

1x MPC-X38/X48/X58
>> Is there a better NB block? You DON'T need NB cooling with modern CPU's.

My case is an HAF X
Motherboard is an ASUS Rampage III Extreme
Processor is an I7950
Video Cards are two EVGA GTX470s

Any help, tips, advice would be greatly appreciated.

Number one, your sorely underraded, you need at least a 120x2 added to a 120x3 rad you first chose.
Number two, please, please read the stickies up top. And there are MANY other stores to buy stuff from, also in the sticky. And another link full of new guides for new folks like yourself. Sit back, give it a week or two to all sink in before you buy one part and start asking lots of questions.


http://www.overclockers.com/forums/showpost.php?p=6489396&postcount=3

 

[Dasa]

I will be overclocking the processor for sure.
The video cards maybe down the road.

According to the information I have been able to find on my case the only radiators that are going to fit in the top space are 240mm,280mm,360mm.

I can also do one 120mm/140mm radiator at the back if necessary.

Anything else is going to require modifying the case and busting out the dremmel.

From searching around on the case this is what it can hold.

HAF will support a 240, 360, or 280mm radiator with no modification. Remove the top 200mm fan, and use the 8 holes to attach the radiator. Some extreme radiators over 60mm thick, or too heavy may run into some issues in support, although most 360mm radiators will be accommodated with no issues.

And I am on reading those sticky notes you suggested.

Thank you.

 

[EarthDog]

Anything else is going to require modifying the case and busting out the dremmel.

Then thats what you are going to have to do...

 

[Dasa]

Would splitting it into two loops help?
Video Cards on a 120x3
CPU on a 140x1 (Push/Pull)

 

[Conumdrum]

Nope, not enough on the CPU. Unless it had LOUD fans. Don't think thats one of your goals.

I see your spending LOTS of time reading the info............. CYA in a few days. Understand your heatload first.

 

[m0r7if3r]

I see your spending LOTS of time reading the info............. CYA in a few days. Understand your heatload first.

Lol +1

also, spend a bit less time on the DD website...they have some good stuff, but a mixed vendor loop is virtually guaranteed to outperform a single vendor loop (EK's rads suck, DD's cpu blocks suck...well...all of swiftech's stuff is pretty good actually......but still, not the point!)

 

[Dasa]

Thanks for the information much appreciated.

 

[Conumdrum]

I have met DD in RL and dealt with DD and company for quite a few years now. They are great people and make some great products. Great customer service too.

That said, their CPU blocks are wayyy outdated. All the rads, pumps, etc etc stuff is made by other companies. Their Monsoon res is designed in house and made by a great company in TX. I have one, given to me at the Jan XS party. Top notch quality. Great people.

You still need to see all the other stuff out there. So time researching and learning FIRST is well spent. Your not the first here by ohh, 10-20 so far this year. We kinda know how to guide new folks.

 

[Dasa]

Thats why I asked before I purchased.

Oh and is this the pump you were talking about?

Laing D5 Vario/Swiftech MCP655 Inline 12V DC Pump

 

[Conumdrum]

This one, your link you gave me is all wonky.

http://www.sidewindercomputers.com/swmc12vdcpu.html

This is another good pump. DDC3.2, DDC3.25, DDC35x

All real good WC pumps are made by Laing, they are the actual manufacturer.

It's also covered right here. Post #7. And the link is in the list of links I gave you.
http://www.clunk.org.uk/forums/water-cooling/33772-water-cooling-guide-beginners.html

 

[Conumdrum]

Your NOT ready to purchase Dasa, I'm sorry I'm being a bit harder on you than some. But it's your stuff. Once it's at the door it's up to you. We help because we want to. Sometimes we can get, umm tired of answering the same thing. Your not special at all. Some come in here got a great clue, ready to go. Some have no clue. We ask them to please learn a lot, then once the basics are out of the way we can finish guiding them.


It's your stuff. Seen massive mistakes, seen good rigs. Your choice.

 

[Dasa]

Your NOT ready to purchase Dasa, I'm sorry I'm being a bit harder on you than some. But it's your stuff. Once it's at the door it's up to you. We help because we want to. Sometimes we can get, umm tired of answering the same thing. Your not special at all. Some come in here got a great clue, ready to go. Some have no clue. We ask them to please learn a lot, then once the basics are out of the way we can finish guiding them.


It's your stuff. Seen massive mistakes, seen good rigs. Your choice.

I take no offense, I came here to ask questions and learn before I bought anything. I am looking up the links in the posts that have been given and reading up on them trying to understand as I go. The main reason I want to watercool is I am sick of my noisy 470s right in my ears. So give it to me straight like you are doing it is a good thing.

 

[Dasa]

Would something like this work well to mount a second radiator outside the case? Or is it just trash?

http://www.koolance.com/water-cooling/product_info.php?product_id=829

It looks like it would allow me to solve my problem of mounting a second radiator, my case already has pre cut holes for the tubing.

 

[Conumdrum]

I don't use a case to start with. Tech station all the way.

Yep, it works. So does cheap all thread, some bolts and good mounting. Saves you lots of money and is more solid. Guess you haven't looked at a lot of the WC build logs yet.

And the depth of the screws on the rad can mean failure, buying a new rad, or success. In watercooling, 1/10 of a mm can mean a lot.

Darnit, why are you posting crap instead of reading? Your channel surfing, watching infomercials instread of the Science Channel. Watercolling is science, and all you can do is go to the 'click n buy' places.

Grrrrrr.

I'm done here.

 

[Dasa]

Conumdrum, I understand the frustration. I work tech support, I have worked tech support over the phone for HP "Where is My Computer" 100 times a day hows that for frustrating. Reason I asked the question about that last part is I needed to determine if I was even going to be able to add a second radiator without cutting up my case. I have to work through one problem at a time. First one was as you said "Number one, your sorely underraded, you need at least a 120x2 added to a 120x3 rad you first chose.". That is out of the way now I can move on to reseaching. Just because I post a link to a part does not mean that is where I am going to purchase it from or that I am just looking at parts instead of listening. I just think visual aids help.

Again I appreciate the comments Conumdrum you have been very helpfull, your time, effort and knowledge is not wasted here. I am doing the reading, I just tend to ask alot of questions it drives all my friends and family nuts. So don't give up on me just yet.

 

[utnorris]

Technically, you could cool that entire setup with a beefy triple rad and push/pull fans and shrouds, but you would probably not enjoy it. The Koolance rad mount is nice, all metal and easy to use, so if you want a plug and play rad mount you cannot get better than that. If you wanted too, you could also use an external rad housing like this:

http://www.performance-pcs.com/cata...e=product_info&cPath=59_335&products_id=29721

And run the tubing from the outside into the case. You will notice that it will hold the rads, res and pump also. You could even use quick disconnects so that you could unplug it from the case if you wanted too. The case you have chosen is a little more difficult to do water in, but you can, it will just take some planning. As everyone has already pointed out, the stickies are good, there are some more here:

http://www.xtremesystems.org/forums/showthread.php?t=202394

The main thing is to familiarize yourself with the terminology and the basics, that way when you ask a question you can be a little more specific and in return get a more specific answer.

As far as brands go, thee are lots, but I usually suggest, EK, Koolance, Swiftech and XSPC for blocks. There are plenty of other brands out there and as long as you are not mixing metals you should be fine. Water cooling isn't something you jump into unless you have deep pockets and do not mind trial and error.

Main thing to remember is to have fun and learn something while doing it.