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building a new loop

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ecthellion

Member
Joined
Jan 26, 2017
im building a new watercooling loop, im going to be using a heat killer iv pro the copper version. for the radiator im going to be using an alphacool nexxos xt45 v.2. i was wondering what would be a good pump to pair with these as well as fans. im trying to stay away from thermaltake stuff. any thoughts would be grealtly apreciated.thx
 
Any D5 or DDC would be fine. My personal favorite is the D5 vario: https://www.performance-pcs.com/wat...motor-12v-dc-pump-motor-ek-d5-bare-motor.html. I don't believe PWM control of the pump (adjusting flow based on thermals) is effective as once you pass 1-1.5 GPH you're really not going to see much improvement. I value the ability to vary the D5 pump speed without having a PWM controller or my main computer powered, because when filling the loop I can run it slowly, and then when working bubbles out I can run it at max speed, and vary the speed while holding the case in different orientations. All of this I can do with the system unpowered in case of a leak or spill.

If you want an integrated flow meter, temp sensor and fan controller all in one slick device with its own LCD control then the D5 NEXT is the pump to have https://www.performance-pcs.com/aquacomputer-d5-next-rgb-aq-41118.html?nosto=nosto-page-category1. While it is expensive compared to D5 pumps, the cost is generally below the sum of its features if you were to do all that with other parts.

DDC pumps usually have a louder whine, but perform well. So if noise is a concern then generally avoid them.

Most people use a pump top that is integrated into the reservoir, as this makes for easy loop setup. It may be more difficult however to find a "vario" model this way, as they are usually paired with PWM pumps. Most of the brands are all simply putting their own badge on the same pump from the same OEM (Laing) so actual brand doesn't really matter. I like the EK pumps because the come sleeved (although any pump ordered from PPCS can be sleeved by them). I also prefer pumps that take power directly from the PSU but have the ability to report RPM to the motherboard through a header (although most motherboards are able to power a pump, it comes back to running the pump with the system unpowered).
 
the problem i have with the d5 pump im using for my current heatkiller cpu waterblock is that is has a really bad vibration problem. it keeps accumalating gunk in it. where the gunk came from i have no idea, im using pt nuke and distilled water. the vibrations are so loud sometimes that it bothers my left ear. i took the waterblock apart yesterday (my current one) and cleaned it out and theres still a really bad vibration humming/buzzing coming off the pump. it only happens to the pump i have hooked up to my cpu waterblock, the pump im using for my vga card is fine. no vibrations whatsoever. would and eheim pump be a better pump for the new heatkiller? really tryin to get rid of this pump vibration problem.
 
the gunk is coming from probably your radiator not being cleaned properly. Especially alphacool rads are known for being amazing products, but also needing a lot of cleaning. If not that then possibly you're leeching plasticizer from your tubing if you're not using a newer tubing meant for water cooling.

The vibration may have to do with the gunk, or the impeller being worn or damaged, or just bad luck. I would not get the eheim pump, the flow rates are substantially lower. For that price get the D5 NEXT. 300 l/h is yes over 1GPM but that is before you account for the restrictions in the loop.
 
my current radiator is an ek coolstream ex, the alphacool is still in its box. im using promoflex clear tubing atm. i cleaned the radiator out with vinegar (white distilled) then with soap and water but that was pbrly about 6 months to a year ago. im not gona go with the eheim pump, im going to try a different d5 and hope that will solve the problem. also going to try to get all copper fittings and a copper heatkiller. my fittings right know are chrom and the waterblock is the nickel one. not sure how much that would affect things but i really want to go back to all copper.
 
its teh clear stuff, it says it contains 1.65 benzalkonium chloride, i have had this particular bottle for a long time tho. not sure if that would do anything to its effectiveness.

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is the blue stuff better to use for copper loops? because if so i had no idea
 
should i replace my current heatkiller iv pro? its the nickel one or would cleanning it really well do the trick? im not sure whether i should keep it in my loop or get another one.
 
Hrm it could just be growth then. Can you post pictures of this stuff?

The nickel one should be fine.
 
i need to get some more thermal paste before i post any pics. i dont have any atm to reseat my cpu waterblock. are there any fans that you could recommend for a alphacool nexxxos xt45 v.2?
 
Sure here's nice review but it doesn't include some newer models. https://www.overclockers.com/pwm-fan-roundup-twenty-four-120-mm-case-fans-tested/generally The Gentle Typhoons are considered the best noise to static pressure fans. https://www.amazon.com/Nidec-Gentle-Typhoon-D1225C12B5AP-Silent/dp/B017UX9DRA?th=1

I use EK rad fans, they work pretty well and you'll notice that they look pretty similar to the scythe. Sometimes you can find them on sale as well. If you want different colors or RGB they are solid but will cost ya. https://www.ekwb.com/shop/radiators-fans/fans/120mm

And this is Noctua's radiator fan: https://www.amazon.com/dp/B07C5VG64V

The corsair ML120s are also well liked, for an RGB option.
 
i think ill go with the gentle typhons you suggested. i got most of my parts today, im going to wash everything out with distilled white vinegar and soap and water. the tubing i got is primochill primoflex tubing and it comes with some cleaner that you are suppose run in your loop for 24 hours, does anyone know how well this stuff works? do i need to run it in my loop after cleaning everything out? i also wanted to put a drain port on my new pump res combo. i was watching this video
how exactly would you run the loop like that? im stumped atm on how that particular loop is set up. the guy at modmymods said i need to do a t line for the drain port but that doesnt make sense, in the video i posted the drainport is directly on the res/combo pump. the way im thinking he has his loop set up is that he comes out from the pump goes into the waterblock or radiator not quite sure how he has that, then comes out then back into the resrovoir and the drain port is a third port that is just used for an out. im going to be putting the resorvoir pump combo on the lowest part of the loop. is this the proper way to sett it up? i dont see a reason for a t line if i can set the loop up like this.

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https://www.overclockers.com/pwm-fan...sted/generally this link didnt work for me :(
 
hrm lets try it this way https://bit.ly/2XLzb8f

I'm not sure what comes with your tubing, I only used distilled water to clean my loop. I cleaned all the parts with distilled water (I used hot water and shaking for the rads) and then I ran the loop with distilled water for 24 hrs which doubled as a leak test. Then I drained that and refilled. That's it.

The drain port depends on your reservoir, if it has multiple outlets then all you need to do is install a ball valve on one of them as seen in the video. It's important to note that most reservoirs have one or more fill ports on the top, however they are intended for the inlet to be at the bottom of the res. So the drain port would be a third port.
 
unfortneatly i got the aqulis d5 100 ml, i think the part number is 34080 and it only has two ports in the front one for the in and one for the out, maybe i should exchange it for a 3 port version.
 
so im guessing i will have to use a t line unfornately. i cant seem to find any resorvoirs with that nanocoated glass that have three ports on them
 
if i use the t-line can i do it the end of the loop where all the water is goin back into the res?
 
Best bet is to do it at the lowest point in the loop. Of course you can turn your computer to make any part the lowest if desired. If the reservoir has a tube on the inlet to send the water up before coming down and out then placing the drain on the inlet side will prevent you from draining below that point, but your's doesn't appear to be made that way. I can't tell for sure without seeing one in person. If not then it should be fine, the pump won't care / impact the draining when it's not running.
 
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