First Time Watercooler... have some questions

[phaeton]

Okay, so I'm making the jump to watercooling since the comp is moving to my room but I don't want to sleep with my loud fans...

I'm building part by part, I bought a L30 pump, Swiftech MCW5000 block, '86 Chevette HC, reservoir out of PVC piping...

I'm going to be putting the items in a wooden box that will sit under my case, its only about 16" to the CPU from where the pump will be.

Now, I'm using 4x 80mm fans just pushing air through, with a shroud just for air seal. Will this work better than 1x 120mm (the HC is 160mm by 160mm) and a shroud? They are silent so no worries about the noise.

I'm going for 1/2" ID tubing, no problems with that right?

Is it okay for my to have my reservoir, pump, radiator all on the same level? If I decide later to get a bayres, will that impede water velocity?

Also, what are the right way to aline things?

Pump -> Rad -> CPU -> Res -> Pump

Is this bad? If the res is up beside the CPU should I change anything? Also, if I decide to get a GPU block can I put it in the same loop?

Thanks a lot for any help!

*OOPS*

Can a mod move this to the right forum? My bad :/

 

[Silver]

I use dual 120's on my exterior box. Put them on a Sundeam 0-12v rheo. Try SVC.com . Building a dual rad box now on pretty much this setup. Will try 6 120 ys techs on it. Six might be a tad loud to sleep with though the rheo helps a bunch, might be able to sleep with them at 7v. The box makes a real difference when it comes to noise (if properly built). Take Care.

 

[phaeton]

but will these 80's be better since they cover every centimeter of the rad, so they will blow straight through every corner...

 

[Silver]

I am sucking through, i.e. the fans are on the back of the box. Given that the fans are about 6 to 7 inches off the rad and sucking air in, they are very quite. You can definately feel the air being sucked in and pressure is equalizes over the entire surface of the rad. They may not be very powerful as far as pressure goes however they are much closer to free spinning (read quiter) and they definately move a good deal of air (125cfm x 2 fans). Of course they are not moving 250 cfm however as I stated, it is a fair amount. I put a cheap 300w psu in the box in order to power the fans seperately from the computers cpu.

 

[vbbartlett]

but will these 80's be better since they cover every centimeter of the rad, so they will blow straight through every corner...

You should never place the fans directly on a any type of rad since there are dead spots directly under the fan. Second fans should always pull the air through rather than push. They are much more effective at pulling air through something rather than pushing it through...

 

[Silver]

You should never place the fans directly on a any type of rad since there are dead spots directly under the fan. Second fans should always pull the air through rather than push. They are much more effective at pulling air through something rather than pushing it through...

I was not too convinced of this but after looking around at other sites decided to give it a try. In a box (read seperate external (mine is 1/4" plywood) box) with some distance given between the fans and the rad, the fans are not under nearly as much back pressure and therefore are quiter (sp), not to mention that they are at the back of the box and are somewhat insulated noise wise. Believe me, at the front of the rad a regular piece of notebook paper is sucked to it rather handily with a loud snap and you can then hear the fans as they come under heavy load. What I like in particular is that the fan has equalized pressure across its' face. I did try placing a house fan in front of the rad while the rear fans were running and interestingly enough found temps to go UP! Ran this by Weapon and he too had tried this with his setup and found the same result. Conclusion, none (I would think that the house fan would effectively neutralize the pull and possibly the air being pulled across the fins but do not know). Interesting none the less. The fans are very effective in that if turned off (2.8c at 1.7v) the temps rise well into the 30c's in short order at idle while on the exit temps always stay at around 2c above ambient at exit. I want to increase the number of fans and place a second rad as I have a 320w tec on the way and am interested in temperature effect on this sort of setup. All items are on the way and box is about done.

On a different note, my wife found the bong (used with tecs) to be unacceptable in the living room. After a year or so, I relented and with the box painted as well as how quite it is, she finds it a very acceptable solution for my "projects".

 

[phaeton]

ah ****

you've gotta be ****ting me...

i just spent a while getting my getto push setup, now I'll have to rework it for pull... oh well take a look: http://s91259931.onlinehome.us/wc/

 

[RedViper]

You should never place the fans directly on a any type of rad since there are dead spots directly under the fan. Second fans should always pull the air through rather than push. They are much more effective at pulling air through something rather than pushing it through...

Actually, some rads designed for PC's have a plenum area that negates the need for shrouds. Setting up a matched set of fans in series makes shroudless rads perform even better.

 

[Silver]

ah ****

you've gotta be ****ting me...

i just spent a while getting my getto push setup, now I'll have to rework it for pull... oh well take a look: http://s91259931.onlinehome.us/wc/

How about cutting the box down so that there is about 6 to 8 inches between the rad and the end of the box and mount the fans in the opposing end. Fans one side of the box, rad other side. Fans pulling. Just a thought. No shroud of any sort on the rad as the box is the shroud so to speak. Fans are quiter as they have some free space to work with. Just a thought.

 

[phaeton]

well i already switched em around wasnt too much work, just gotta cut some holes in the other end for some exhaustness....

my reservoir and pump are going in that box too

 

[jaydog]

I'm new to water cooling(1 month) but isn't important to have at least one of those fans as exaust, especialy in a sealed unit.