First custom W/C setup...Comments?

[Brolloks]

After using a Coolermaster Aquagate w/c kit for a year I gathered some courage (and money) to put together a dual 120 mm rad/fan w/c setup:

Parts:

Swiftech Apogee GT Extreme CPU block
Black Ice GT dual 120mm rad
Thermaltake aquabay M5 pump and res combo
Tygon 3/8 " tubing
Coolermaster blue coolant (had some left)
2 x 120 mm rad box (to mount rad and fans on top of case)
2 x 120 mm Evercool Aluminum fans

Performance:

E6400 @ 3.4 GHz (will go higher)
Ambient 20 C
Idle 23 C
Load 36 C (2 hours @ 2 x Prime 95)
Water temp 22 C (have a inline temp probe)
Fans run at 1500 rpm only (super quiet) - if run at max (2200 rpm) only gain 1 C drop,

Comments/Learnings:

GPU - I plan to add a Swiftech waterblock and some ram sinks to cool my 8800 GTS as this w/c setup is an overkill for just the CPU

Fans - I was very frustrated with mounting the two fans onto the rad as the fans are bigger than standard plastic fans, so I ended up bolting the one fan to the rad and the other is only bolted to the rad box and the rad just rests on top of the fan.

Tubing - wasted money on Primoflex, the stuff is so soft it kinks very easily. The Tygon (65 HRC) is better but also on the soft side, should have just bought plain PVC.

Quick connect fittings - worth while spending $20 on a set to connect the tubing to the rad, especially if you want to clean the rad, I suspect that it will get "fluffed up" over time

Rad - after reading I should have gone for the Swiftech MRC-220 or Thermochill 120.2

Overall - building this was very rewarding after I saw the low temps, my previous setup was running at 30 C idle and 56 c load, so huge improvement. Well worth the time and effort


Any comments....??

 

[JamesXP]

I don't like that pump. Its looks ugly

Nice though

-thumbs-

 

[Brolloks]

Ugly, as is beauty is in the eye of the beholder, I personally thinks a pump should look like a pump and this one does, does not bother me, as long as it works. Personal choice I guess

 

[Clockwork_Apple]

Very nice

Wierd pump/reservoir though.

 

[Brolloks]

Thanks,....I was lazy and went for the combo pump-res rather than buy it seperately, got a good deal at Frozencpu, the LCD panel that came with it is rubbish though, died after 1 hour.

 

[GigabyteME]

I like all of it, I like the rad setup the most. Very nice. 9/10

 

[Azetab]

really nice looking setup , although the picture quality is kinda bad

 

[Moto7451]

How much did you pay for the pump? If it was more than $40 I wouldn't have done it. You can get a lot more pump with better reliability from Via Aqua, for less, than you can from TT.

 

[Brolloks]

It is a kit which includes a 500 l/h pump, 350 cc reservoir, LCD bay panel, a level and temperature sensor...cost $79 at Frozencpu, thus far I'm completely satisfy with it.

 

[OCnewbee]

I once had a tt kit, pulled it out parted the kit and built a new loop runs much cooler then the tt got it to run, but later down the road i would swap the pump out for a better one. Other then that small simple and clean. good job.

 

[natewildes]

It is a kit which includes a 500 l/h pump, 350 cc reservoir, LCD bay panel, a level and temperature sensor...cost $79 at Frozencpu, thus far I'm completely satisfy with it.

RETURN IT!!

good god man, that's the biggest ripoff...not EVER, but darn close

A $45 Dtek dB-1 pump would do better than that, and for $79 you should've AT LEAST got a DDC(+). I'd return the TT if possible, and grab a DDC and a $2 t-line from Petra's Tech Shop and call it a day.

With a DDC you'd probably see temps drop 5c+, and the loss of that TT reservoir is hardly a loss at all

 

[Brolloks]

RETURN IT!!

good god man, that's the biggest ripoff...not EVER, but darn close

A $45 Dtek dB-1 pump would do better than that, and for $79 you should've AT LEAST got a DDC(+). I'd return the TT if possible, and grab a DDC and a $2 t-line from Petra's Tech Shop and call it a day.

With a DDC you'd probably see temps drop 5c+, and the loss of that TT reservoir is hardly a loss at all

Why would the Dtek dB-1 pump be better?? It is also a 500 l/hr pump.
Remember I got two sensors with it...not sure how much that is worth...a reservoir goes for around $15 so that does not leave much saving after I paid return postage

 

[treatmentx]

nice setup lol. Glad to see some people are as crazy as me.

I think people run when they see TT, but I dunno, I haven't been in the scene too long and I have seen decent TT stuff (Big Typhoon for example), if it's been good to you, I don't think it's too bad. The pump is a reservoir too, so if you add pump + reservoir, it would be $60ish anyways. I agree, a T-line is better, but some people like reservoirs.

HOWEVER, I would add a flow-meter... people have ran away from TT for low par performance and reliability. And if TT's the pump, I'd put in a flow meter... "just in case" kinda deal...

But as of now, you're fine dude, good job! =)

 

[Brolloks]

nice setup lol. Glad to see some people are as crazy as me.

I think people run when they see TT, but I dunno, I haven't been in the scene too long and I have seen decent TT stuff (Big Typhoon for example), if it's been good to you, I don't think it's too bad. The pump is a reservoir too, so if you add pump + reservoir, it would be $60ish anyways. I agree, a T-line is better, but some people like reservoirs.

HOWEVER, I would add a flow-meter... people have ran away from TT for low par performance and reliability. And if TT's the pump, I'd put in a flow meter... "just in case" kinda deal...

But as of now, you're fine dude, good job! =)

Thanks a lot for some constructive comments, appreciate it. Their seems to be a lot of criticism on w/c kits which I think is unjustified. You can spend a lot of money on parts as well. For instance I wasted lot of money on getting the right tubing and quick connect fittings, granted my fault. But hey as long as you get the performance and it's your money who's to judge...

 

[ahbroody]

RETURN IT!!

good god man, that's the biggest ripoff...not EVER, but darn close

A $45 Dtek dB-1 pump would do better than that, and for $79 you should've AT LEAST got a DDC(+). I'd return the TT if possible, and grab a DDC and a $2 t-line from Petra's Tech Shop and call it a day.

With a DDC you'd probably see temps drop 5c+, and the loss of that TT reservoir is hardly a loss at all

Can you prove this 5c+ drop. Can you post a link that shows this. I own a dtek db-1 pump and based on the specs it seems to preform identical to the TT pump listed. Also a resivior will run 20.00 so how can you say the loss is minimal. I am refering to aa swiftech mini or others. A similar read out attached to res will run even more. and require some custimization. So for 79.00 it is actually not bad when compared to trying to do the same with aa db-1.

Also the ddc is 74.00 at petras you seem to have left that part out. Also it flows at 454lph. Now I know it apparently does better with resistance but in a simple system you may not see this difference. He is only running the CPU. If he were going to run more, say a gpu, than I would think he would want to run D5. WIth just the CPU in the loop and maybe the NB buying a ddc wont see a real difference and wont give him the features he likes and wants.

I said it before and I will say it again. Some of you guys seem to just pull **** right out your rear with no factual basis. His temps are very acceptable provided they are true. Why you flamed is confusing. Are you saying he would really see 5 degrees lower with either pump u listed?? I highly doubt it based on temps I have seen posted

 

[Brolloks]

I said it before and I will say it again. Some of you guys seem to just pull **** right out your rear with no factual basis. His temps are very acceptable provided they are true. Why you flamed is confusing. Are you saying he would really see 5 degrees lower with either pump u listed?? I highly doubt it based on temps I have seen posted

Ditto...appreciate the support.