Help with loop hardware

[JustJeff]

I'm getting back into watercooling after years away. The last time I overclocked and watercooled was with Intel 805 cpu. I'm quite sure a lot has changed since then.

I have a D4 pump with molex 4pin connector and a MicroRes. I have a very old i5 3570k and EVGA 1060 FTW.

I've been waivering between:

1) getting a radiator and CPU block and get watercooling up and running while learning watercooling and overclocking again. After 3060ti or 3070 is readily available then I'd build a new computer.

2) build a new computer with watercooling and overclocking but take my time in doing so. I've also started a new woodworking hobby and would like to build an open, wall-hung art piece. I'd take my time building the new computer. Get the motherboard and cpu right away. But then measure the motherboard for my wall hung setup. Use a router (woodworking, not networking ) to rig up a base with hidden cables, etc.

End goal for watercooling and overclocking aren't radical. Just some mild clocking to eek out a little more oomph. I'd like it to be visually pleasing and leave open the freedom to clock more aggressively down the road. I use the PC mostly for the gaming I have time for and as a media center. I have a pretty nice surround sound setup in my study. So end goals are pretty tame: games, media center and a wall hung modern art water cooled PC.

I've narrowed my new computer to i5 11600k or KF and a suitable mobo in the $200-300 range. Once stock and prices come back to normal I'll get a 3060ti or 3070.

Watercooling parts I'm considering are an EK 360 radiator either PE or XE and most all of the EK blocks are pleasing to look at. If I'm only mildly clocking do I really need the thickest 360 radiator I can get? Does the CPU block really matter all that much so long as I get a reputable brand and it has a good flow rate? Are a couple degrees hotter going to matter if I'm not pushing the envelope, living on the edge, etc etc? Can I pretty much just get a block from a good company which creates the design/look I decide to go with?

I have a $15 off at Newegg through PayPal coupon which expires 6/12. If I spend just over $100 and use my PayPal account I get a $15 coupon. I'll probably get something this weekend. Whether that is PC hardware or watercooling hardware I have not decided.

All thoughts are welcomed. Effective and good looking block advice is appreciated. Advice on how crazy I need to get on radiator thickness is appreciated. Advice on a quality mobo in the $200-300 range is appreciated. Also on my D4 pump can I simply splice on a 2 pin harness and draw power from my motherboard rather than get a molex connector adapater? I need to look on my existing motherboard to see what it's pin setup is.

 

[JustJeff]

Admins please delete this post: I never bought anything using the coupon...I misread the email and it expired at 4am PST

 

[Zerileous]

Do you want the whole thread deleted or just the reply? I'm sure you could find a block for the 3570k, but I'm not sure if it would work with the newest stuff. It seems like a waste to cool the old system if you're planning to build a new one soon, unless the blocks are compatible then go for it.

If I'm only mildly clocking do I really need the thickest 360 radiator I can get? Nope surface area is more important than thickness. Estimate 120mm/140mm of area per 100w produced by the components. 360 of any thickness is more than enough for an 11600KF, if you're adding in a GPU probably not. An 11600KF is pushing 200W at 5.0 GHZ https://www.tomshardware.com/reviews/intel-core-i9-11900k-and-i5-11600k-review/4 so should preferably have 240mm worth of radiator. The 3060/70 will pull down 200W-250W on it's own, so the combination really should have 4x120 (or 480mm) worth of rad. You could push it with a thick 360mm, but you'll have to run higher fan speeds.

Does the CPU block really matter all that much so long as I get a reputable brand and it has a good flow rate? Are a couple degrees hotter going to matter if I'm not pushing the envelope, living on the edge, etc etc? Can I pretty much just get a block from a good company which creates the design/look I decide to go with? No, No, Yes. Just get what you like, as long as it's not from ali express (even those seem to be not that bad, but I wouldn't use one personally). Any major brand, EK, Watercool, Swiftech, Alphacool should all be fine.

Advice on a quality mobo in the $200-300 range is appreciated. Most mid range z590 should be capable of driving a 6 core CPU. Look for features you want (what kind of onboard audio, USB ports, internal USB headers, etc) and find a board you like the look of. It's much easier for you to find a board you like and say, "hey is this board okay for an 11600kf?" than it is to list the majority of boards that will work.

Also on my D4 pump can I simply splice on a 2 pin harness and draw power from my motherboard rather than get a molex connector adapater? I assume a D4 is similar to a D5. I know these pumps can last for a long time, but consider newer pumps have features like variable speed and PWM. I would also disassemble the pump and check it out, to make sure the impeller and bearing are still in good shape. I would suggest powering it from the PSU. Most motherboard headers are rated 1A I believe, so it would be a matter of checking the pump's power draw vs that of the board, but usually the molex is preferred.

 

[JustJeff]

Thank you for the reply. I thought it best to delete the whole post because I did narrow down my choices and figured the very similar but more detailed post was better and made this one redundant.

I am planning on testing the D4 with a PSU before I put it in a loop. I do plan on it being temporary but thought it'd be good for me to get back into watercooling with my soon to be replaced PC. To that end, an Intel block would be compatible with my 3570k and also with an 11600k.

Thank you for the info on the radiator. With me building a wall mounted setup I can always add more radiators, could even do separate loops for the CPU and GPU.

If you think this thread has worthwhile info for others you can leave it if you'd like. I just didnt' want to bog down your forums with similar threads.

 

[RollingThunder]

Jeff,

I think we should leave your thread visible, there is some information that may be helpful to others. You could also post any progress you make here for whatever you buy.