Fittings & Fans

[hokiealumnus]

Good morning OCF! I'm here to ask some fan & fitting advice. I'm not "new" to water cooling, but this is the first time I'll be trying to fit it all in my case. Here's the present (and dated) setup.

The new loop is going to consist of (in this order):

• Swiftech MCP-355 (aka Laing DDC)...
• ...with an XSPC Acrylic res top
• HW Labs Black Ice Pro II
• D-Tek Fuzion v.2 on the CPU
• Koolance VID-282 on the GPU
• ...back to the pump; all run with 7/16"ID tubing.

Now...I'm going to try to fit the res inside my case with fans and not mod it. There are fan holes up at the top that are perforated (as seen here). While this isn't ideal, I can always hack it up later if I want.

So, I need fittings and fans.

Fans: Ideally, I'd go with the same 120x38 Ultra High Speed Panaflos that I already have one of. However, space is tight and I may need to go with 120x25 fans. If that's the case, I was looking at these three blade deltas. I'd lose ~10CFM but gain 13mm; not much but every bit counts.

I welcome any input on those or, if you like other options, any other good fans for water cooling. I know some of you may say Yate Loon. Since funds are limited, I'm trying to stick with one shipping tab, plus the only shop I know that carries them (Petras) is out of stock on the high CFM models.

Fittings: Anybody have a preference for these? I'm not really experienced enough to know what's good and what's not. I was looking at either D-Tek or Bitspower. If it really makes no difference, the D-Tek's will save a few bucks and every penny counts. Comments?

Thanks for any input!

 

[axis01]

Man, you're a glutten for punishment for running 45+db fans. That would drive me absolutely nuts but to each his own. Jab-tech has the highspeed yates for $3.70 and would probably come out cheaper with shipping over that jet engine Delta. The latest fan test showed that the highspeed yates are the same design and same internal motor so it won't matter where you get them. You might consider grabbing a couple of them and a Sunbeam 4 channel controller to see if you could maintain similar temps with lower fanspeeds.

Fittings are just whatever you like. There's really not much difference other than length. From my personal experience, the shorter the better. Gives you more options. Since $$ is tight, get the cheapest ones you can find. Jab-tech also sells them so you can order from one place and save shipping. You'd save enough over that delta to pay for the fan controller.

On your case, you might have to move the USB cluster to get everyting to fit right. Shouldn't be a problem though. I've seen several builds that did this and they just used a face plate cover to move the USB's to the front.

Axis

 

[hokiealumnus]

Oh, haha...guess I should point out that I have a Sunbeam Rheobus Extreme to quiet those down when I'm not benching.

Hadn't looked at Jab-Tech. I knew there was a supplier I was overlooking but couldn't place the name. Thanks for that. They even beat Sidewinder by a little bit on some stuff.

So...add yate loons to the mix, the 88CFM models. On that note, why are they so cheap? The last cheap fans I got were two Scythe Ultra Kaze's. They both crapped out after a month of not-that-hard use and make an awful clacking noise above ~80% speed. I'm not trying to repeat that and just have to buy more, which is why I'm looking at the highest-end: Delta & Panaflo. Anyone had Yate Loons for a good bit of time? Do they last?

 

[Blazing fire]

Hadn't looked at Jab-Tech. I knew there was a supplier I was overlooking but couldn't place the name. Thanks for that. They even beat Sidewinder by a little bit on some stuff.

Yup, Jab-Tech is the place to go for low prices.

 

[gangaskan]

Fittings: Anybody have a preference for these? I'm not really experienced enough to know what's good and what's not. I was looking at either D-Tek or Bitspower. If it really makes no difference, the D-Tek's will save a few bucks and every penny counts. Comments?

Thanks for any input!

the d-tek's are nice, but i think the bitspower would give you a stronger seal at the nipple end?

 

[axis01]

the d-tek's are nice, but i think the bitspower would give you a stronger seal at the nipple end?

If you have a decent clamp, it makes no difference?

Axis

 

[gangaskan]

If you have a decent clamp, it makes no difference?

Axis

i would think if it had more surface area the seal would be greater

 

[Spawn-Inc]

for fittings i would go for Danger den fat boys.

i would not get that gpu block as it has aluminum in it. also it will be cheaper to get a core block only and use ram sinks, you can make your own from old chipset heatsinks or buy them. but it looks like you already have it so ohwell...

here is my 9800GTX about to be water cooled, it has all custom made heatsinks.

 

[JimOkc]

Howdy Hokie!

I had a good experience with Jab-Tech when I bought my fusion waterblock and a couple of Yate Loons (low speed fans). Ordered late. Sent out first thing in the AM.

Good luck with the setup.

Thanks for all your help when the abit forums were still around.

 

[95blackz26]

If you have a decent clamp, it makes no difference?

Axis

true.

there are some components even with a tight seal on the barb i still threw a clamp on. mainly the cpu.

 

[hokiealumnus]

Thanks for the tips everybody!

Howdy Hokie!

I had a good experience with Jab-Tech when I bought my fusion waterblock and a couple of Yate Loons (low speed fans). Ordered late. Sent out first thing in the AM.

Good luck with the setup.

Thanks for all your help when the abit forums were still around.

Glad to have been a small part of those venerable forums. Sad they are no more. Hate having to go to a different MB company...but hey, now I'm diversified and have learned my lesson. Be familiar with and use more than one brand...lest the one you're loyal to dies a painful death!

for fittings i would go for Danger den fat boys.

i would not get that gpu block as it has aluminum in it. also it will be cheaper to get a core block only and use ram sinks, you can make your own from old chipset heatsinks or buy them. but it looks like you already have it so ohwell...

here is my 9800GTX about to be water cooled, it has all custom made heatsinks.

Looks great! Yes, I already have the Koolance block, so no choice there. Thanks for the advice though.

 

[hokiealumnus]

*****Skip to the next set of *'s if you aren't interested in what the solutions to my questions ended up being.

Right...so I was being less than intelligent when making this post. Raymo (@TRP) kindly reminded me that I need to keep the rad out of my case so that I can dunk it in ice water when benching. So, that point is moot now; it'll be where it is right now, hanging off the back of the case. Unless I get ambitious and float it on top, which is a possibility but not until down the road when I have a lot more time on my hands.

So, back to other points...fittings I'm good with; most of the stuff I'm getting apparently has fittings, which is nice. The rest I believe are getting the bitspower fittings to match others that a buddy are sending.

Fans...since it's not going in the case, size isn't relevant any more, so quality gets the nod and Panaflo is top of the line.
*****
Now, there really IS a point to this, I promise...and here it is: I've got a NB block coming that I'd like to use but the Tpower has one of the heatpipe NB + MOSFET solutions. The MOSFET section is too wide for a generic water block to go there and there isn't one specially made for it.

So, what do you all think of these little deals? Will they cool the MOSFETs well? The last thing I want to do is pop a fet.

If they won't do the job at least as well as the stock solution, I'll leave well enough alone and let the NB be air cooled. The only reason I want it in the loop is, admittedly, because it would look nice. Thoughts?

 

[Spawn-Inc]

i've never used those mosfet heatsinks, i just make my own

but i do know lot of people use them and like them. just make sure to get some air over them.

 

[hokiealumnus]

Thanks for the input everybody. Spawn, you helped move me toward using the NB block. Ended up going with this as my order:

If all goes as planned (a rarity), it should be up and running this weekend...provided the blocks make it here on time.

 

[hokiealumnus]

Horray!

Now, if only I can find time to install it...

 

[Nebulous]

Sa-weet! Gotta luv new watercooling parts. Good luck with the setup

 

[hokiealumnus]

Thanks! One question though, as I've never done this with a NB block... CPU --> NB --> GPU or CPU --> GPU --> NB?

 

[95blackz26]

nice new watercooling parts are always fun.

i got my little shipment of fun last week
mcp320 qp res radiator
mcp655 pump
apoge gtz cpu block
1/2 id tube
3 med speed yate-loons

 

[axis01]

Thanks! One question though, as I've never done this with a NB block... CPU --> NB --> GPU or CPU --> GPU --> NB?

The ONLY real rule of thumb is to go reservior to pump. The rest is merely preference. I go by the thought that you want the coldest water going directly to the most temp sensitive chip. That being the CPU. The NB and GPU don't really care what temp they are as long as they're below a certain level. Usually 50C for the NB and 70C for the GPU. Those are load temps.

I'd run it: res>pump>rad>CPU>NB>GPU>res

This would make it easier to route tubing as well.

Axis

 

[dealmaster]

After a short time, the water temperatures will equalize, so loop order doesn't matter aside from reservoir being directly before the pump. Route your loop the way that gives you the shortest amount of tubing.