First water cooled build! Please advise

[Locla]

Hello,

Thanks in advance for taking the time to read this thread

My i5-2500k CPU has been a bit of a bottleneck for some time now, but instead of just replacing it I wanted to overclock it, seeing as that is what is was designed for. No doubt I will use the water cooling loop for a future processor anyway. I've had a read through a fair few of the sticky threads and various articles so I know some of the basics, but I've not done any sort of water cooling before. I don't want to get a new case, so my current one will probably be the most limiting factor. For the order in which I get the parts, I was thinking to start with radiators etc and end with pumps, as I gather that pump choice depends on loop restriction. I'm also thinking of expanding the loop or running a second one for the GPU, in the future.

My case won't allow for a push/pull fan configuration, so I think I'm looking for thin radiators, or perhaps medium thickness with fans that have a good static pressure rating. I've read conflicting advice on radiator/fan placement, and I'm aware that I should be trying to achieve a positive pressure within the case to prevent dust buildup. These are the case's fan possibilities:



With the way heat rises I would have expected to put a 280mm, preferably as bigger fans are less noisy, or 240mm radiator on the front. I have the large 200mm fan on the front currently, and I'd switch this up to the top (it is possible but for some reason not shown on the diagram). Then the cool air would be drawn over the radiator, and the hot air would be exhausted through the top and back fans.

The drawback to this is that hot air would be flowing over the rest of the components, and there would probably be a negative air pressure in the case. I could easily put another fan on the bottom to compensate though? Would it be a good start to buy a 280/240mm radiator and fans for the front as an intake? Spec list:

OS: Windows 7 64-bit
MOBO: Asus P8Z77-V LX
CPU: Intel i5-2500k @Stock
GPU: MSI GeForce GTX 970 GAMING 4G
PSU: Evga Supernova 750W B1
RAM: Kingston - HyperX Fury Blue 8GB (2 x 4GB) DDR3 @1600MHz
SSD: Samsung 850 EVO 500Gb
CASE: Phanteks Enthoo Pro
MNTR: Samsung S22D390HS 21.5 inch

Sorry for the longish post, any help is very much appreciated!

Locla

 

[bigtallanddopey]

If you are just looking to overclock the cpu I would recommend and AIO (all in one) cooler. These are pre built units that just slot into your case with no hassle and will provide good cooling.

If you are wanting to go the custom water cooling route that’s ok and is good fun. Just gets expensive ha. A 280mm in the front is more than enough for the cpu to be cooled, pair that with a d5 pump and a water block of your choosing and you are well on your way.

 

[Blaylock]

BigTallAndDopey is right. A 280mm is enough for the CPU alone, but if you're looking to cool the GPU also (in the future) than you will need a second radiator. Custom water is a fairly expensive investment, but as you have read since 99% of the components will carry over with minimal maintenance it is a viable option.

I have the Enthoo Luxe which is a nearly identical case to your pro and am cooling my i7-4790k (OC'd to 4.6GHz) and a pair of HD7970 using a 360mm rad up top and a 240mm at the bottom. My CPU temps never exceed 78°C under load and my GPU's rarely see a full load, just moderate gaming.

I can post up picks if you'd like and to OCF!

 

[Locla]

Thank you both for your responses

I'm gonna go with a custom loop as I will probably water cool my GPU next time I upgrade it. When that time comes I think I'll either add a second radiator, or maybe put it in a second loop. Thanks for confirming the 280mm front intake as viable.

Blaylock do you have both your rads as intakes, or just the bottom one?

I think I'm gonna go for the Alphacool NexXxoS ST30 Full Copper 280mm, if I can find one for cheaps, to go with one of Alphacool's cooper water blocks to keep everything the same metal. I know used parts aren't recommended but I'm a student... my budget is around £250.

Thanks!

 

[bigtallanddopey]

Thank you both for your responses

I'm gonna go with a custom loop as I will probably water cool my GPU next time I upgrade it. When that time comes I think I'll either add a second radiator, or maybe put it in a second loop. Thanks for confirming the 280mm front intake as viable.

Blaylock do you have both your rads as intakes, or just the bottom one?

I think I'm gonna go for the Alphacool NexXxoS ST30 Full Copper 280mm, if I can find one for cheaps, to go with one of Alphacool's cooper water blocks to keep everything the same metal. I know used parts aren't recommended but I'm a student... my budget is around £250.

Thanks!

You are probably fine getting used radiators and water blocks. You can always flush them out if they are dirty. Although you should give them a good clean anyway.

I wouldn’t really recommend getting a used pump, as it depends on the honesty of the seller as to how well looked after it’s been. You could easily buy something that has been run dry and will seize up on you.

Although I do have a bay reservoir and pump just sat about doing nothing if you’re interested. Not many people go for bay reservoirs now a days though. I know I haven’t.

 

[Blaylock]

My set up looks like this:

Front Intake - 200mm Fan
Bottom Intake - 240mm Rad
Top Exhaust - 360mm Rad
Rear Exhaust - 140mm fan

Although it may appear I should have negative case pressure it is actually positive as I have offset the slight difference with fan curves. I keep the fans ramped way down at idle when little air flow is necessary. Then ramp up to full speed as temps rise.

Used radiators are fine so long as they don't leak. In truth most of my gear was purchased from other OCF members as I pieced together my first custom loop. You will definitely want to clean out your water gear regardless of new or used. The rad dance is required regardless.

Alphacool rads are very good. I have no experience with their blocks though. When I researched mine a few years back the EKWB Supremacy EVO was the top dog and as that was the only new piece of hardware I was purchasing I splurged on it.

 

[Locla]

bigtallanddopey true about the pump, that was one of the only things I was considering maybe buying new, along with the tubing. However that does sound interesting; I was planning on going for a cylindrical pump/res combo but I have 2 spare drive bays, and it's a shame if your bay res and pump aren't doing anything. Let me know if we can set something up

Blaylock that fan set-up helped me a bit, it's ideal that you have such a similar case! I think I might just keep the front 200mm intake where it is and put the 30mm thick 280mm rad as an intake on the bottom, should just about fit with the fans added.

I'll deffo be making sure the rad doesn't leak before I put them anywhere near the components, hopefully it'll become evident during said rad dance.

I can't find a good deal on the EKWB Supremacy EVO, but there's a good one for Alphacool's NexXxoS XP3 Light. None of this has to be the best of the best, just respectable, as it'll be a big improvement on my Arctic Freezer 13...

 

[GTXJackBauer]

Don't forget the best rad fans tested are usually 120mm so 240mm isn't a bad option either and allows you to get what most use. 140mm equivalent rads aren't bad as you get a bit more heat surface but not sure on the push of the fans.

As far as future proofing, I would just recommend on adding a second rad to the existing loop for your GPU as you most likely won't have the room and or funds for dual loops. No one really does dual loops anymore unless if its for show even though most still configure one massive loop instead of two or you're looking for every bit of a degree.

 

[Blaylock]

+1

Picks of my loop.




Never mind the little bit of dust in there. It's been a year and is a reminder to me that I'm due for my drain and fill of the system. Lol

It's difficult to see the lower 240mm but you can see the fabricated pump mount I made for this set-up. Be sure to take measurements before purchasing. For a large case I was pretty surprised at how few options I had to work with for pump/res location. Still, this works great for my application.

 

[Locla]

Thank you all for helping me out!

You raise a good point GTXJackBauer; I checked Noctua's product page for the highest static pressure ratings that also have decent decibels, and it lists their 140mm NF-A14 PWM fan as 1500 rpm, 24,6 dB/A, 140,2 m3/h and 2,08 mmH2O. All well and good, but it goes on to list their 120mm NF-F12 PWM fan as 1500 rpm, 22,4 dB/A, 93,4 m3/h and 2,61 mmH2O. I find it odd that a bigger fan at the same rpm is nosier and has less static pressure than a smaller one, even if it does have greater airflow. I was almost decided on the 280mm, but now it looks like a 240mm might be a better option after all. Certainly would be easier to find parts.

Good to know about the second loop, I was under the impression that the GPUs caused so much heat that it didn't make sense to warm up the CPU by putting them in the same loop. I'm deffo down for just adding a second radiator to a single loop if it's viable.

Cheers for pics! I removed my PSU bracket in preparation, thinking it would obstruct airflow. No issues with that? I've attached the mounting bracket that came with the case to that horizontal bar you've got at the bottom of the res / top of the pump. I was planning to affix whatever pump/res combo I find onto that bracket, if it's compatible (or unless you're willing to sell me your bay res and pump, bigtallanddopey?). Looks like a pretty impressive set up to me and it's obvs keeping your temps down, regardless of dust

Really appreciate everyone's advice

 

[GTXJackBauer]

Yeah I'm not a engineer on why that happens but I have theories on why that is. I think a bigger fan with bigger blades needs more 'energy' to push air or create pressure than something smaller and the bigger blades have a more of a spread out air flow do to its size than a smaller blade that has it more compact helping create that pressure but idk, I'm probably wrong. lol

As for single vs dual loops, if you're not looking for every little .05 degree, the loop will reach an equilibrium regardless. Yes, some CPUs get warmer if you have the flow going to them from the hot GPU(s) instead of the other way around but it's not a deal breaker. The loop will reach an equilibrium and your deltas will depend on how much rad you have. The smaller the deltas, the more efficient the loop is running.

 

[Blaylock]

Jack nailed it with the single vs.dual loop. Can you gain a degree or two by using a dual loop configuration? Maybe but not likely.

The issue with 140 vs. 120 fans for radiators is a matter of fluid dynamics. While I'm not a fluid dynamics engineer there is a basic understanding that air and water flow the same with the main difference being that air is compressible while water is not. Most people get that so I won't go into that. Since we know fans require static pressure to force the available airflow through the radiator fins the only thing left to consider is why a smaller fan produces more pressure. The analogy I like to think of is the garden hose analogy. If we think of air flow in terms of water then gallons per minute would be our cfm. If we use a small 1/2" hose and push one gallon per minute through it we will have a set PSI pressure. In order to push the same one gallon per minute through a 2" hose would take far less pressure. This concept is easy to grasp because water does not compress but the same science goes into air.

As far as the PSU cover, I haven't tried without it since my temps are fine. I would venture to guess I could gain a 2-3° difference but for me I like the look better with the cover so it's not worth the gain. Plus my overclock is really at its max stability regardless of temps. To get that next 100mhz required over 1.5v and in not willing to go there for daily driving. Lol

 

[Locla]

Cheers for the tips, I've also done some further reading on fan sizes now and yea, I'll be going with the smaller form factor. Makes me wonder why they make 140mm equivalent rads! Also glad about not needing to make two loops, that makes life a bit easier.

The case does look nicer with the PSU cover in, I'll check temps when everything's up and running and leave it in depending.

Would anyone mind looking over some potential parts I've selected? Part number one is probably gonna be a used Alphacool NexXxoS ST30 Full Copper 240mm radiator. Also found a deal on an EK Supremacy EVO, so that could work out. Will source a couple of Noctua NF-F12 fans, as they seem to be the best of the bunch with regards to static pressure and noise. PVC tubing I'm gonna buy new; XSPC seems to be pretty reasonably priced - unless there are any particular recommendations on tube brands? I don't know what size ID/OD yet, tbh I'll probably wait for a fittings bundle deal and buy accordingly. I think I'm gonna go for a used D5 pump/res combo eventually, but it's the last thing I'm gonna buy as I want to be able to test it promptly after receiving, in case it's a dud. I was thinking I'd make my own coolant instead of buying a premix solution.

In short:

Alphacool NexXxoS ST30 Full Copper 240mm radiator,
EK Supremacy EVO,
Noctua NF-F12 x 2,
XSPC tubing (diameters unknown),
Fittings (also unknown),
D5 pump/res combo,
Coolant (maybe DIY).

Many thanks in advance!

 

[GTXJackBauer]

If you want to make your own fluid, go ahead since the parts you're grabbing probably don't have any warranties attached to them since you'll be purchasing them used.

Rad, block, pump are great choices. Just make sure colored fluids weren't used. I'd honestly grab a new pump out of all the things in a loop but that is up to you. Just make sure to inspect everything and rinse and drain the crap out of them with distilled water.

Tubing, I would recommend on grabbing some PrimoFlex Advanced LRT. Any other tubing could leach onto your stuff, let alone get clouded.

 

[Locla]

Ok sounds good, I've read one or two recipes but if they don't work out well, I can always buy a premix.

I'll double check with the vendors about the coloured fluids; thanks for the advice. The pump is the only thing (except tubing) I may buy new; I'm starting to lean that way to be honest.

When I googled what the best tubing was PrimoChill PrimoFlex is what came up. Unfortunately, it doesn't appear to be quite as readily available here in the UK as it is in the US. I really want clear tubing and that seems to be the hardest one to find here. I think I've found 2 meters left on one website, at 10/16mm // 3/8”-5/8”. If it really is a deal maker then I'll grab it tomorrow! I think tomorrow's gonna be my buying day.

 

[Blaylock]

As far as tubing goes definitely buy new. The Primochill is great just make sure it is the Advanced LRT. They had an older product that has been pulled from the market but every now and then it pops up from eBay. I can't remember the name now but I'm sure Jack knows. Another great product is EKWB soft tubing if you can't find the Advanced LRT. I just checked and they do make a clear. Size isn't all that important so long as the tubing doesn't kink when bent so see if you can find a deal on fittings. Speaking of fittings, most people here will tell you Bitspower is the top brand. I did have a bad batch of their 90° rotory fittings and used ENZOTECH. They are also very good quality.

 

[GTXJackBauer]

Check out Aquatuning for the EU. They're based in Germany iirc.

I've bought several stuff from them. I bought the Aquacomputer Clear DP Ultra premix fluid from them. Works great.

 

[Cnaydmancangt]

Baylock id put some rubber under the legs of that pump, i had the same pump for a few days testing it out and i noticed the legs are rubber around the theads where you can screw it into the case, but not on the bottom. So the brass leg tips still touch whatever you put on and they made alot of noise... Thats just me though lol

 

[Blaylock]

Baylock id put some rubber under the legs of that pump, i had the same pump for a few days testing it out and i noticed the legs are rubber around the theads where you can screw it into the case, but not on the bottom. So the brass leg tips still touch whatever you put on and they made alot of noise... Thats just me though lol

LOL This pump is so quiet I need to put my hand on it to feel if it's on.

 

[ATMINSIDE]

Thank you all for helping me out!

You raise a good point GTXJackBauer; I checked Noctua's product page for the highest static pressure ratings that also have decent decibels, and it lists their 140mm NF-A14 PWM fan as 1500 rpm, 24,6 dB/A, 140,2 m3/h and 2,08 mmH2O. All well and good, but it goes on to list their 120mm NF-F12 PWM fan as 1500 rpm, 22,4 dB/A, 93,4 m3/h and 2,61 mmH2O. I find it odd that a bigger fan at the same rpm is nosier and has less static pressure than a smaller one, even if it does have greater airflow. I was almost decided on the 280mm, but now it looks like a 240mm might be a better option after all. Certainly would be easier to find parts.

Good to know about the second loop, I was under the impression that the GPUs caused so much heat that it didn't make sense to warm up the CPU by putting them in the same loop. I'm deffo down for just adding a second radiator to a single loop if it's viable.

Cheers for pics! I removed my PSU bracket in preparation, thinking it would obstruct airflow. No issues with that? I've attached the mounting bracket that came with the case to that horizontal bar you've got at the bottom of the res / top of the pump. I was planning to affix whatever pump/res combo I find onto that bracket, if it's compatible (or unless you're willing to sell me your bay res and pump, bigtallanddopey?). Looks like a pretty impressive set up to me and it's obvs keeping your temps down, regardless of dust

Really appreciate everyone's advice

The reason for this is the fans are of two different series, but that can be difficult to ascertain from the Noctua site. Any of their "A" fans are meant for airflow, "F" fans are higher pressure, and "S" fans are lower noise.
By that same token, the industrialPPC PWM fans are very high pressure, still relatively quiet, and have a very wide range of control. I personally suggest those for use on radiators for water cooling.

For 120mm look at the NF-F12 iPPC-2000 PWM.
https://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16835608051

For 140mm look at the NF-A14 iPPC-2000 PWM.
https://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16835608047

While these may be louder at full speed than the standard NF-F12 or NF-A14, you can control them to run both slower and faster depending on the temperature your components are running at.

--- update ---

One of my favorite PWM pumps is the Swiftech MCP50X.
http://www.swiftech.com/MCP50X.aspx

You can control all your fans and your pump off the PWM splitter below as well, to make it easy.
http://www.swiftech.com/8-WayPWMsplitter-sata.aspx