New XSPC build

[Hilight]

New XSPC build

Hi everyone,
I'm considering moving to a water cooling rig for my AMD 8350. Although I've been building and clocking computers for many years and ran a vapochill rig for several years, this will be my first water cooled build. I've looked over the stickies here on OCForums and around the web for advice. For this first build, plan on cooling just the CPU. The rig will be running 24/7. My current air cooled setup gets me 4.7Ghz at 1.48v 24/7 and I'm looking to squeak a couple hundred more mhz out of it for everyday use and more stability for benching at high Ghz. It's reported the RS360 improves on high-end air by around 10c. My current heatsink performs within a few degrees of a D-14. Any advice you can give would be greatly appreciated. Following is the setup I'm considering. Thanks in advance.

Water cooling kit: XSPC Raystorm RS360 120.3
http://www.frozencpu.com/products/1...cluded_w_Free_Dead-Water.html?tl=g30c321s1310

I've chosen this kit over an RX360 over concern with having enough space at the top of the case for the push-pull fans as the RS360 radiator is not as thick as the RX360.


Case: Coolermaster HAF-X
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16811119225


I'm planning on setting it up with 2 200x25mm fans on top of the radiator and 3 120x25mm corsair fans underneath it.
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16835181027
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16835345031

The Corsair fans run at 2350rpm and are said to have high static pressure
here is a recent review recommending them
http://www.xbitlabs.com/articles/coolers/display/120mm-fan-roundup-4.html

The 200x25mm fans are said to push around 148 cfm @900rpm The case already comes with one 200x30 mm fan in the top which I'll replace with the aftermarket fans.

Here is a link to a review of the RS360
http://www.overclock3d.net/reviews/cases_cooling/xspc_rasa_750_rs360_watercooling_kit_review/1

 

[musicfan]

Hilight, I am having trouble getting your links to work. Would you please check them? Thanks.

 

[Conumdrum]

You could probably do better on fans, maybe. What about these?

http://www.performance-pcs.com/cata..._info&cPath=36_1130_49_1043&products_id=30013

Otherwise, your all set IMHO. Choice of liquid?

 

[Hilight]

Hilight, I am having trouble getting your links to work. Would you please check them? Thanks.

sorry---the links are fixed now

You could probably do better on fans, maybe. What about these?

http://www.performance-pcs.com/cata..._info&cPath=36_1130_49_1043&products_id=30013

Otherwise, your all set IMHO. Choice of liquid?

The Scythe fans come highly recommended, I know. Thanks for your suggestion.

as for the liquid, I'm planning to use straight distilled water with maybe a bit of anti-bacterial goop added...

 

[dtrunk]

are you just cooling the cpu? if not, then i'd say you need more radiator. since the RS is only 35mm thick, you don't really need 2350rpm fans, overkill. i personally went with RX360 and 120mmx20mm fans, and you can see the clearance i was left with if you look at my build pics. went with yate loon med speed, 1500rpm roughly, works fine as far as i can tell. you could always go rx360 and 120x20mm fans that are 1800-2000rpm? the haf X also fits a few other radiators; magicool 140mm is cheap, $30, and could add more cooling.

 

[Conumdrum]

His choice of 120.3 is more than enough for a CPU. The RS is pretty effective with 1500+ RPM fans, and great with 2000+ fannage.

 

[Hilight]

are you just cooling the cpu? if not, then i'd say you need more radiator. since the RS is only 35mm thick, you don't really need 2350rpm fans, overkill. i personally went with RX360 and 120mmx20mm fans, and you can see the clearance i was left with if you look at my build pics. went with yate loon med speed, 1500rpm roughly, works fine as far as i can tell. you could always go rx360 and 120x20mm fans that are 1800-2000rpm? the haf X also fits a few other radiators; magicool 140mm is cheap, $30, and could add more cooling.

I took a look at your rig pics--nicely done build btw After looking at the clearance you have between the fans and the motherboard, I think I'd rather stay with the thinner radiator and 120x25mm fans but thanks for the suggestions

His choice of 120.3 is more than enough for a CPU. The RS is pretty effective with 1500+ RPM fans, and great with 2000+ fannage.

I might reconsider the Corsair fans and go with the Scythe Gentle Typhoon-- but that would add a bit to my budget as I can get two Corsair for the price of one Typhoon.

Thanks you all for your advice I'm probably going to order the parts today as the case has $20 and a rebate too till just after the first of the year

I have two other quick questions ----after the system is completely setup and full of water, if I want to, say, change out the video card, will I have to leave the case setting upright or will I still be about to turn it on it's side? Also, should I put provisions for draining the loop such a plugged T connector? or is there another way that you drain a build using this sort of kit?

 

[Conumdrum]

Plugged T connector: Bingo! Used by sentient beings all over the universe.

You can put it's on it's side, just have to have the res fill port closed all the way.

 

[Hilight]

Plugged T connector: Bingo! Used by sentient beings all over the universe.

You can put it's on it's side, just have to have the res fill port closed all the way.

Thanks Conumdrum. I ordered my parts this evening. Happy new year dude

 

[Hilight]

Well it's been quite some time since I've posted in this thread, but to make a long story short, I finally got around to converting my rig to water cooling. I bought all the parts some time back but had to wait for school and work to wind down enough for me to have time to build it. I used a Cooler Master HAF-X case and a XSPC RS360 water cooling kit. The radiator has two 200mm fans on top of it and three Corsair SP120's under it.

My air cooler was a Zalman CNPS10X Performa a bit like the Zalman Optima Overclockers.com tested earlier this year. I had it in a push-pull setup and it performed pretty well but installing the RS360 shaved around 15-18C off my temps, so I'm pretty happy. Under air cooling I'd get around 65-68C while playing Civ V. With the RS-360 the highest temp I get on a warm Las Vegas evening is 51C. The rig is the AMD FX listed in my sig....
I'd recommend the RS360 to anyone looking for a good way to get into watercooling and who doesn't want to use a close-looped system such as an H100....

Her are a couple pics of the built rig--

]

 

[GTXJackBauer]

I would replace that tubing and grab better tubing. Do a breakdown and clean your H20 gear incase there's any buildup. That tubing color is a bad sign of plasticize etc.

 

[Hilight]

I would replace that tubing and grab better tubing. Do a breakdown and clean your H20 gear incase there's any buildup. That tubing color is a bad sign of plasticize etc.

Thanks for replying to my post GTXJack, but you must be mistaken about the color. I'm sure my tubing is fine--- this is a new build with new tubing and has been running for only around 10 days now....

 

[Conumdrum]

\If it's been running for 10 days and it has that brown color, it must be the camera, it has to be, it's funky.

How much effort did you do to clean the rad etc? Before building?

That is a scary brown for after 10 days.

Can you tell me your liquid choice and your biocide you used?

It worries me severely.

 

[GTXJackBauer]

Thanks for replying to my post GTXJack, but you must be mistaken about the color. I'm sure my tubing is fine--- this is a new build with new tubing and has been running for only around 10 days now....

No problem, anytime.

I would be of concern if my tubing was that color in 10 days or 2 years. Let us know what you're using as for liquids, additives and biocides.

It's possible the camera might be playing games with us.

 

[Hilight]

\If it's been running for 10 days and it has that brown color, it must be the camera, it has to be, it's funky.

How much effort did you do to clean the rad etc? Before building?

That is a scary brown for after 10 days.

Can you tell me your liquid choice and your biocide you used?

It worries me severely.

I cleaned all the components with distilled water before building
For coolant I ended up using XSPC EC6 premix.
I think it's more the glare from the camera than anything else because in the pic the top of the video card has a brown tint as well. I'll open the box back up in the daylight if when I have a minute and look again.

 

[Hilight]

Here is another pic in a different light---