A little help with getting started

[Spion]

Well i'm looking to possibly get a water cooling system for my main rig.

* List why you want to watercool. Is it noise, preformance, abit of both, or to be the only guy in the retirement home with a watercooled A64.
Basically i want to try water cooling because my room is always hot. winter or summer and i know that it is limiting my over clocking potential. not only that it just seems like my case screams for water cooling.

* List your budget. From small to large, watercooling parts can be selected to fit your budget.
I don't really have any parts picked out yet but i'm looking to spend somewhere around $200 for the basics.

* List what tools you have or have access and how profficient you are with them.
I have a 120mm hole saw, drill and all your basic shop tools except for a dremel.

* List what kind of encloser (case) you have. And whether you are willing to cut it up.
Cheiftec Dragon. All Steel. And yes i will cut it up (i was planning on it )

* List what computer parts you have (basics like CPU, motherboard) or will be getting for your watercooled monster.
to start out all i want cooled is the cpu. Then after i get some more money and get more confortable with watercooling i want to cool my gpu.

Now for the questions.

I'm going to need a setup that won't need a lot of maintenance. Basically i want to flush it out once every 6-12 months or less. I also need to be able to transport it without fear of air bubbles/leaking. i wanted to ask the experts for the best method of doing this before i started looking.

For the radiator i was thinking a dual 120mm mounted on the inside of the case on the top. Would this be a good spot or is there a better space?

The reservoir. Can i get a relatively small one so that i don't add a lot of extra weight onto my case?

The block. Umm just one that'll perform good and doesn't cost an awful lot. as long as i stay around $200 total i'll be good.

Any other newbie advice that someone wants to throw out there is welcome as well.

Thanks!

 

[QuietIce]

D-Tek Fuzion water block ($60)
MCP655 pump ($75)
MCR220 rad ($55)
copper 1/2x1/2x3/4" T (hardware store)
Delrin fill cap (to seal the T-line)
7-8' MasterKleer tubing for the main loop
2' 3/4" tubing for the "T"
6 screw clamps for the T-line & pump
4 extra clamps for the rad & block if you don't want to use the ones included

1' of 3/4" tubing on your T-line will hold half as much water as a MicroRes. If your T is on the bottom with the pump you should have ~1.25' of 3/4" tubing or about 60% of a MicroRes but with a cleaner mounting solution and less prone to vibration problems (for transporting).


Edit: Just looked at your sig. If you can afford it (maybe from the FS section?) get a Storm and de-lid that 165 - your machine will thank you for it. BTW - I'm running 3 rigs that way, great temps ...!

 

[Spion]

Thanks for the help. I'm looking into specific pricing right now but it looks like it'll be around the budget i was looking for.

is a 30% antifreeze/70% distilled water a good mixture for the loop?

 

[WonderingSoul]

* List why you want to watercool. Is it noise, preformance, abit of both, or to be the only guy in the retirement home with a watercooled A64.
I watercooled for silence. I then got into overclocking so I used it for that as well.

* List your budget. From small to large, watercooling parts can be selected to fit your budget.
I have gone through two watercooling set ups, ranging from $350- $250.

* List what tools you have or have access and how profficient you are with them.
A hole saw and a dremel is everything I used.

* List what kind of encloser (case) you have. And whether you are willing to cut it up.
I used a Lian-Li PC65B, and yes I did cut up a Lian-Li!!

* List what computer parts you have (basics like CPU, motherboard) or will be getting for your watercooled monster.
First WCing build was just CPU and NB, then next was just CPU and GPU. CPU loops for me only now since you can get ultra high end GPU coolers.


Most set ups do not require a lot of maitenace, as long as you leak test and have a properly mixed coolant, 90/10 of distilled water and anitfreeze is the norm. No one likes algae!

Since you're just cooling a CPU, a dual 120 radiator would be plenty.

Swiftech makes a great small res; here

I'd check out the classifieds for this stuff. There is usually a good deal of watercooling stuff there for cheap.

As for advice, RESEARCH, RESEARCH, RESEARCH before you buy!

 

[QuietIce]

Thanks for the help. I'm looking into specific pricing right now but it looks like it'll be around the budget i was looking for.

is a 30% antifreeze/70% distilled water a good mixture for the loop?

Best thing I've seen for coolant is 99% distilled water, iodine, and algaecide. You can add a little Water Wetter or anti-freeze if you like but not more than 5%. Anti-freeze isn't nearly as good at cooling (heat transfer) as plain H2O and the iodine and algaecide will take care of any possible organic issues.


Another option is 100% distilled water and Tygon Silver tubing ...

 

[Spion]

lol, well i wouldn't be too worried about price if i could afford that kinda tubing. I'll just add a little iodine and algaecide once i get that far. Sounds better than the antifreeze/water mixture.

Right now i'm browsing around at some parts but it shouldn't be too long before i start ordering


well apparently someone in the classies is selling a bonneville heatcore. would this be as good as the MCR220 at cooling the water? if so i think i know what i'm gonna have to get

 

[Moto7451]

It will work just as well but requires fans with more pressure which in turn are louder than what you'd need for the MCR. They don't need to be 60dBA monsters but at the same time, the Yate Loons and undervolted Sanyo Denkis you can use on an MCR won't work as well on a Bonneville HC. I like my Bonneville heater core however and could recommend one to anybody.

 

[QuietIce]

I didn't list the heater core because of the fans needed for it, which most people don't like. But I've never used anything else except a single BIP I put on an old 2100+ to make it quiet ...

 

[Spion]

well i might be getting a MCR220 and a MCP600 from the classifieds.

If i decide to keep the lid on the opti, what block would be a better choice the fuzion or the storm? also what kind of temp drops will i be looking at by taking the IHS off and getting a storm? 5-10c or so?

 

[QuietIce]

If you don't want to de-lid then my original suggestion still stands.


IMO - it's not a matter of temp drop, it's a matter of OC'ing but, yeah, 5-10°C at load is a good guess. For me that translates into ~100 MHz on the OC ...

 

[Spion]

i can only seem to find 7/16" ID masterkleer tubing. will that work or do i need to get 1/2" ID (my pump, rad and block will all be 1/2"). also, the tubing for the T line is 3/4" ID correct?

 

[mkirby]

i can only seem to find 7/16" ID masterkleer tubing. will that work or do i need to get 1/2" ID (my pump, rad and block will all be 1/2"). also, the tubing for the T line is 3/4" ID correct?

7/16" id is just slightly smaller than 1/2" id, you need to heat the tubing up in hot water to get it over the 1/2 barbs

 

[QuietIce]

i can only seem to find 7/16" ID masterkleer tubing. will that work or do i need to get 1/2" ID (my pump, rad and block will all be 1/2"). also, the tubing for the T line is 3/4" ID correct?

If you use 7/16" tubing you may need to add very short lengths of 1/2" copper pipe to the T. IDK if 7/16" will stretch enough to go around the outside of the 1/2" T sides - I have to heat the 1/2" tubing to get it on there.

Yes, IMO, the T filler side should be 3/4" - better bleeding & more room for water ...

 

[Spion]

good, that means i got the right T today will i have to get the 3/4" ID tubing from the hardware store or is there a site somewhere i can buy from? i can't seem to find it on jab-tech or sidewinder. also, i'm having trouble finding a filler cap for the T. Where's a place i can find a cap?

sorry for all the Q's but i just wanna make sure i'm getting the right things the first time.

 

[QuietIce]

DD has one in stock - I got mine from Petra's but they're OOS.
http://www.dangerden.com/store/product.php?productid=244&cat=35&page=1

You'll have to use a small piece of 1/2" tubing inside the 3/4" tubing or buy a 3/4" barb for the fillport - I use 1/2" tubing as an adapter ...

 

[Spion]

thanks for all the help QuietIce. i hope to have everything ready to go next week. All i need to do is buy a couple more things and i'm set for a leak test