first liquid build

[kagan21]

hey guys i have been reading through all the information on how to start on getting started on water cooling. i have everything thing in the cart i think i need just trying to figure out what size of radiator will fit in my case. i have the cooler master hafx and i seen a lot of configuration on the case when it comes to radiators, i am looking for a slim radiator because i don't have much room to work with and im planing on just using the two 200mm fans on top to pull the air off the radiator if that works at all because im doing a cpu+2 gpu build. here is a list i got so far:

reservoir: https://shop.ekwb.com/ek-dbay-d5-pwm-mx-plexi-incl-pump
cpu: https://shop.ekwb.com/ek-supremacy-evo-nickel
gpu: https://shop.ekwb.com/ek-thermosphere-nickel x2
gpu block: https://shop.ekwb.com/ek-fc-terminal-dual-parallel-3-slot-plexi
standard fittings
have not decided on tubing size yet

if you need anymore info just let me know

 

[tachi1247]

You're going to need some fans directly on the radiator. Those 200mm fans aren't going to cut it to remove all of that heat.

What CPU and gpu's do you have? An FX proc and two R9 390s are going to need more radiator than a skylake build with 970s.

Edit: I also don't think that interconnect you linked will work with the universal gpu blocks you selected.

 

[ATMINSIDE]

Please list your full system spec as seen in my sig.

 

[kagan21]

well here is a link to my build that list the parts if that helps:
http://pcpartpicker.com/p/9gXKqs

cpu: intel i5 3570k
motherboard: asus p8z77-v pro
cpu cooling: cooler master hyper 212 evo
video: 760 GTX 4gb dual cards
os drive: samsung 840 pro 125gb
storage drive: western digital blue 1tb
power: cooler master v850 850w
memory: g.skill ares series 8gb
case: cooler master hafx

 

[Llyndis]

To be honest... you probably do not need liquid cooling for that build. It's a nice feature and pleasing to the look but the money can be spent elsewhere until your ready for a custom loop. Maybe better processor and motherboard?

 

[caddi daddi]

this sounds like a stupid question but why do you want water cooling?
to keep it quiet?
got some monster clocks on the cpu?
and why I have water on almost all of my rigs.... bling factor? (yes, I even water cooled the dual core apu rig I built for my mother).
760's are sweetheart cards, I have 2 2gig cards and 2 4 gig cards that I run in sli and none need water to get all I can get out of them.

 

[kagan21]

i guess i was always curious about water cooling and something new to get into since my rig is upstairs where there is no heat or air cond. so as you can believe it gets hot and cold up there. but if you guys think that i don't need to water cool then i guess i just saved myself some money.

 

[OnceSaved]

Unless you are running a crazy oc or several gpus you never "need" water cooling. But will you see better performance potential out of your rig with it? 100% guaranteed. So the question we all had to ask our self and you do now. Is it worth it to you?

 

[ATMINSIDE]

What, roughly, do the ambient temps get to?
Are you having temp issues currently?

You'd be much better off with full cover blocks for your GPU's, but you may have a hard time finding one since it's a mid-range GPU on a custom PCB.

 

[caddi daddi]

and full cover blocks look better for gpu's.
for the cpu the ek blocks are about the best but the but the xspc rasa(intel) and raystorm(amd) look the best to me.

 

[kagan21]

in the summer time depending on the outside temp because this is a old house really no insulation the highest might be 85 degrees. right now i have a space heater in the room set at 75 degrees and my cpu temp is 26 C. and that is with it OC with the motherboard doing the OC. in the summer time i seen it get up to maybe 30 C. but like i said before i just like water cooling for the wow factor and something new to get into, and i also want to get into more overclocking because right now only thing i now is that i just let the motherboard do the overclocking.

 

[caddi daddi]

you can fit a 3x120 rad in the top of that case, they are also called a 360 rad.
you take the 200mm fans out of the top of the case and then install the rad from the inside, install 3 fans pushing up through the rad and three more fans on top of the rad pulling air through the rad and then reinstall the case top.

 

[Conumdrum]

you can fit a 3x120 rad in the top of that case, they are also called a 360 rad.
you take the 200mm fans out of the top of the case and then install the rad from the inside, install 3 fans pushing up through the rad and three more fans on top of the rad pulling air through the rad and then reinstall the case top.

Don't you mean:

Does he have the front fans push air into the case? Normal setup. The 120x3 aka 360 radiator should have three fans in PULL on top of the radiator and put the cover back on? Pull is considered better due to the fan dead spot in push setups.

Why would you suggest doing push into the case on the rad without mentioning the total case airflow? Is there something I'm missing here? You also didn't mention the usual 120mm fan on the back of the case. What should he do with that?

And why in heck does he need push/pull fans in a setup we have no idea what temp restrictions he has?

 

[GTXJackBauer]

Dam Con. Put the teachers ruler away and give Caddi a pass. Sheesh

 

[kagan21]

well i came to a conclusion that i will water cool because i just overclocked my gpu pretty good and my fans on my gpu have to run pretty hard to keep it where i want the temps to be at. if anybody is wondering it is running 80% power at 50c. so know i need help building up the parts for it, i was looking at that 360 rad and i was wondering do i have to mount it under the 200mm fans

 

[ATMINSIDE]

Have you read through the water cooling stickies yet?

 

[Witchdoctor]

Water cooling can be a fun hobby. I enjoy it
It does solve a few problems such as noise and is capable of lower temps than air cooling.
In your case I am not convinced you need a new platform, Ivy is a strong gaming platform to spite it being a bit dated.
The question for me is can the 760's carry the load of upcoming AAA titles. this would speak to the res you are playing at and preferred settings,
That being said from my perspective I would keep it simple the first time out. Just do a CPU loop and grab a GTX 980 ti new or used , just make sure it is reference or a PCB that is supported by EK or another manufacturer
this will kill two birds with one stone
1st create a situation for great success by limiting your exposure on your first loop
2nd get you a top flight card that can be water cooled at a later date

I just bought a kit I am pretty impressed with and takes all the guess work out of a cpu loop

here is the entry level kit I am currently working with on a client build

https://www.ekwb.com/shop/ek-kit-l240-1

If you would like a better kit they also make an extreme version

https://www.ekwb.com/shop/ek-kit-x240

both these kits are available in 120.1, 120.2 & 120.3

Here is the build I am doing with the kit I am talking about

http://www.overclockers.com/forums/showthread.php/769391-Client-mITX-Gamer


Try to educate yourself as much as possible, however don't forget to have fun with this, it is what it is all about

 

[arkan]

Just a couple small tips from someone who recently got back into watercooling after over a decade of just going with air cooling.

Tubing:
There's not much of any temp difference between most tubing sizes as the real restriction there is in the 1/4" NPT ports your fittings screw into.

Just bite the bullet and get Primochill LRT tubing. It doesn't contain plasticizer like most non-rigid tubing does and this keeps you from getting a build up of the chemicals as they leach out of the tubing. Plasticizer build up in a major pain to clean off of the inside of blocks and radiators. The downside is this particular tubing is expensive.

Ek offers a ZMT rubber tubing that also has no plasticizer but I've seen people run into issues with it if they use compression fittings since it can strech a bit when yanked on and pop out of the fitting. If you're going with barbs and clamps there seem not to be any issues of this sort.

Coolant:

Avoid Swiftech Hydrx! It contains a poor quality UV dye that seems to bind together in the loop and form a film of whitish gunk along the walls of the tubing.

Don't use a silver kill coil if you have nickle or black chrome plated items in your loop. You will get erosion of the nickle/BC items due to galvanic corosion.

 

[Conumdrum]

Just a couple small tips from someone who recently got back into watercooling after over a decade of just going with air cooling.

Tubing:
There's not much of any temp difference between most tubing sizes as the real restriction there is in the 1/4" NPT ports your fittings screw into.

UMmmmmm And UMMMM. Watercooling uses BSPP G1/4 threads. Dunno where that came from.

Just bite the bullet and get Primochill LRT tubing. It doesn't contain plasticizer like most non-rigid tubing does and this keeps you from getting a build up of the chemicals as they leach out of the tubing. Plasticizer build up in a major pain to clean off of the inside of blocks and radiators. The downside is this particular tubing is expensive.

It's a hobby, so pay and do it right.

Ek offers a ZMT rubber tubing that also has no plasticizer but I've seen people run into issues with it if they use compression fittings since it can strech a bit when yanked on and pop out of the fitting. If you're going with barbs and clamps there seem not to be any issues of this sort.

Coolant:

Avoid Swiftech Hydrx! It contains a poor quality UV dye that seems to bind together in the loop and form a film of whitish gunk along the walls of the tubing.

Hydrx is like 10+ years old. Use distilled water and a biocide. Dunno where that came from.

Don't use a silver kill coil if you have nickle or black chrome plated items in your loop. You will get erosion of the nickle/BC items due to galvanic corosion.

Dunno where this came from either....................

 

[arkan]

Dunno where this came from either....................

Sorry, I had NPT threading on the brain due to having worked with it all morning before posting that.

The Hydrx comment came from personal experience and having run into two people running it in their loops recently because it's dirt cheap and is UV reactive, not to mention sales sites sometimes still state Swiftech recommends Hydrx for use with their gear. Both those rigs that were using it had gunk build up after only a few weeks runtime so someone not aware of the issues with it could think it's a suitable coolant and end up with issues caused by it if they don't take advice about using DW and a biocide.