Watercooling. Need some sound advice.

[Bernster]

Hello everyone. OK, i'm looking to overclock (well overclock more than I have atm) both my CPU and GPU and guess water-cooling is the way forward. My current setup is as follows:

Case
Lian LI - PC-7 (http://www.lian-li.com/product.php?action=viewPD&prdid=776)
Case has 2x80mm fans on the front as intakes blowing over my HDD. 1x80mm on the back as exhaust aswell as the PSU fan.

MSI K7N2-Delta
AMD athlonXP2400 @ 2000mhz (stock)
Crucial 512mb DDR 333MHz PC2700

Gainward GoldenSample 6800GT 256mb running enhanced settings 400/1100

The CPU has stock HSF and the GT has gainwards cooling solution, which although fairly cool (idles at 50c and maxes 70c on hl2) is very loud!

Ok. Whats the best water cooling solution? Price is not really a worry, well saying that I dont want to spend over £150-200. I've been looking at the Zalman reserator. Any people actually used this? And is it good for o/c.

I also have to watercool my GPU so is this anygood for this purpose or are there better options?

thanks


:t

[stealth17]

Originally posted by Bernster
Hello everyone. OK, i'm looking to overclock (well overclock more than I have atm) both my CPU and GPU and guess water-cooling is the way forward. My current setup is as follows:

Case
Lian LI - PC-7 (http://www.lian-li.com/product.php?action=viewPD&prdid=776)
Case has 2x80mm fans on the front as intakes blowing over my HDD. 1x80mm on the back as exhaust aswell as the PSU fan.

MSI K7N2-Delta
AMD athlonXP2400 @ 2000mhz (stock)
Crucial 512mb DDR 333MHz PC2700

Gainward GoldenSample 6800GT 256mb running enhanced settings 400/1100

The CPU has stock HSF and the GT has gainwards cooling solution, which although fairly cool (idles at 50c and maxes 70c on hl2) is very loud!

Ok. Whats the best water cooling solution? Price is not really a worry, well saying that I dont want to spend over £150-200. I've been looking at the Zalman reserator. Any people actually used this? And is it good for o/c.

I also have to watercool my GPU so is this anygood for this purpose or are there better options?

thanks


:t


I advise NEVER buy a kit! heres your homework for tonight... read this http://forums.extremeoverclocking.com/showthread.php?t=71321

[Bernster]

Thanks for the link stealth, much appreciated. ;)

Ok, it seems my best bet is to go down the custom setup route. I'll do a little more research into brands and prices and post back with a possible setup.

....What was I thinking, spending £170 on a kit? :confused: :p

[stealth17]

Originally posted by Bernster
Thanks for the link stealth, much appreciated. ;)

Ok, it seems my best bet is to go down the custom setup route. I'll do a little more research into brands and prices and post back with a possible setup.

....What was I thinking, spending £170 on a kit? :confused: :p

thataboy! i have a cutsom deal too. get yourself a Mag 3 pump, Swiftech MCW-6002 block, Heater Core, and depending on the setup for a res. My res is a Rubbermade Tote with the pump submersed in it. Submersed is better flow, little more heat (not noticable amount), and dont worry about leaking. Id never buy a kit ;)

i have my rad up in my attic so since its winter now i get really good temps. then ran the tubing down the wall and into the back of my computer. but i am running a 2500 mobile at 2700mhz :p

[Bernster]

hehe I like the idea of keeping the rad in the attic, from what i've been reading the rad is the noisy bit but unfortunately i'm gonna be taking mine to lans so it all needs to be internal. I've done a little research (well thats a lie, about 4 hours so far! :D ) and come up with this:

Waterblock/CPU
Swiftech MCW6002-A AMD K7 Waterblock 1/2 inch fittings - £33 inc.VAT from www.overclock.co.uk (http://www.overclock.co.uk/customer/product.php?productid=17716)
According to procooling.com this is the best block apart from the LR storm G4/G5. How I wish I could afford the G5! :P Thanks for the tip ;)

Waterblock/GPU
Swiftech MCW50-03 VGA Water Block with NV4045 nVidia 6800 adapter kit, also from the same store. Together these two cost £38. If you know of another VGA block that is better (but not too expensive) i'd like to know. I've been thinking of the DD NV68 but this is about £60! Is it worth the extra?

Reservior
Danger Den Dual 3 1/2 Floppy Bay res. £20 from (not bad i guess adn should look cool when full of coloured coolant!)

Pump
C-Systems CSP750 -£35
Neat little pump, and no need for a relay! One quick question... is this powerful enough for CPU and GPU? Its just that on some sites it gives advice on doubling these units up.

Another pump i've been thinking about is the Hydor Seltz L30. This one is slightly cheaper at £28 but i'd need to get a relay. Can you shed any light o how i'd go about making one. Is it easy. I'd rather have the hydor as its got much more power.

Radiator
HWLabs Black Ice Pro 2 £37- apparently this won the radiator test shootout on procooling.com and is one of the smallest high performing options out there. Its not too pricey and should fit in my box. One thing though... this test was done a while ago (2001 i think), are there better rads out there now for the price? Any suggestions, I want to keep it all internal!

Fans, tubing, coolant

Tygon Tubing - i've been reading all over the place that this is the stuff to get. The best price i've seen is £13.50 per meter for 1/2". Is this about right? There was another tygon size on offer that said equivalent 10mm internal. Would the 10mm tubing be restrictive? Its only £5.50 per meter so i'd rather get this stuff!
2 x 120mm fans. Any suggestions on powerful but quiet fans?
Distilled/ionized water and water-wetter. 90/10.

ok.. I think thats about it. What do you think? Can you offer any opinions as to the pump and rad, this is where i'm really stuck. These bits are extremely important in the setup so i'm eager to makesure I choose wisely! Thanks for your help so far ;)

:t

[Bernster]

ok, it seems I rushed the last part of my research. I've had a better look around for tubing and can get it for £2.69 per foot. That'll teach me to rush things! Is 5ft going to be enough?

[stealth17]

alright ill try to cover most everything here....

good choice on cpu waterblock ;)

gpu i havent done any research on any of them.

Resy, I HIGHLY recammend this (http://www.dangerdenstore.com/product.php?productid=51&cat=27&page=1) resy. Its the best bay on the market, although doesnt look the coolest :(

Pump, for the money, for good performance, reliablilty, head pressure, and such, get a Mag 3 and run it inline. Its not too big, will fit in your case. its a good idea to run some silicon around the o-ring to ensure it doesnt leak. c-systems is good, but bad heat pressure. hydor isnt bad but i would still go mag 3. if ya need a site to get a mag 3, let me know :)

rad, yes for pc resys the black ice is the best. but selected heater cores are cheaper and perform better. this (http://forums.extremeoverclocking.com/attachment.php?attachmentid=34565) has a list of all the heater cores, one arranged by length, and one by width. For the car references, one is arranged by core number, and the other by model name. Will need slightly modded though, so if you cant mod it, buy the black ice.

tygon definatly.... 1/2" id get proly 7 or 8 ft since your doing gpu too...

can suggest anything other than 120mm fans. when buying, look at noise level. Delta makes the best fans IMO. I have 4 delta 130cfm fans....all together sounds like a hair dryer lol :x

distilled is better, dont need deionized. you wount have any aluminum in your system, but water wetter wouldnt hurt to add alil

hope this helps :p

[Bernster]

Stealth you've been extremely helpful in my search for water-cooling answers so I thank you very much indeed, it's greatly appreciated ;)

....and having spent hours researching websites, looking at graphs of max flow, block resistance and radiator performances i've come to my final setup.

mcw6000
fusion HL GPU block
mcp350 pump. Best pump out there atm for its size.
Black Ice Pro
MCRES-525 <-- made by swiftech but looks identical to the DD res you suggested, hmm, myabe its from the same manufacturer?
2x panflo 120mm's. only 35dB noise level but 100cfm. Lots of people have mentioned the panflo's as being the best.
Tygon tubing.

Atm i'm going for 3/8" but i'm also going to buy connectors/converters and extra tubing and try 1/2" when I have some more cash ;)

Like I said, thanks for the help, without it i'd have had no idea where to start!

;)

[stealth17]

Originally posted by Bernster
Stealth you've been extremely helpful in my search for water-cooling answers so I thank you very much indeed, it's greatly appreciated ;)

....and having spent hours researching websites, looking at graphs of max flow, block resistance and radiator performances i've come to my final setup.

mcw6000
fusion HL GPU block
mcp350 pump. Best pump out there atm for its size.
Black Ice Pro
MCRES-525 <-- made by swiftech but looks identical to the DD res you suggested, hmm, myabe its from the same manufacturer?
2x panflo 120mm's. only 35dB noise level but 100cfm. Lots of people have mentioned the panflo's as being the best.
Tygon tubing.

Atm i'm going for 3/8" but i'm also going to buy connectors/converters and extra tubing and try 1/2" when I have some more cash ;)

Like I said, thanks for the help, without it i'd have had no idea where to start!

;)

looks good

i would really rethink the 3/8" though. it will be worth it in such a low folw systems to wait a week or so untill you have the cash to get everything 1/2". get the 6002 so you have half inch. its much better to do it right the first time. trust me. probly is the same manufaturer on that resy. never really looked into a mcp350 but of course space wasnt a factor in my project. good choice on the fans. Panaflows are right up there with deltas. made by panasonic, very good, happen to have a 92mm myself and very pleased with it!

once again i cant stress the 1/2" enough....

LMK!

[Happy Joe]

I vote for the 1/2" tubing also... It can be the differance between an inadequate system or one that barely works and one that will surpass your needs.
Enjoy!

[Bernster]

I've actually ordered all my kit and took your advice and went for an all 1/2" setup. For those interested this was the final decision.

Swiftech MCW6002-A CPU Block
Silverprop Cyclone Fusion HL V1.02 GPU Block
Swiftech MCP650 Pump
Swiftech MCRES-525 5.25 in. Bay Reservoir
2 x 3/8in. NPT thread to 1/2in. barb fitting
Black Ice Pro 120mm Radiator - Black, 1/2" ID barbs
2 x Panaflo 120x38mm Medium Speed
Tygon 1/2in. ID 5/8in. OD Laboratory Tubing #R3603 @ 7ft.

All of this (inc. $38 insured global p&p) was under £170! Gotta love how far the pound goes these days. :D



:t

[stealth17]

Originally posted by Bernster
I've actually ordered all my kit and took your advice and went for an all 1/2" setup. For those interested this was the final decision.

Swiftech MCW6002-A CPU Block
Silverprop Cyclone Fusion HL V1.02 GPU Block
Swiftech MCP650 Pump
Swiftech MCRES-525 5.25 in. Bay Reservoir
2 x 3/8in. NPT thread to 1/2in. barb fitting
Black Ice Pro 120mm Radiator - Black, 1/2" ID barbs
2 x Panaflo 120x38mm Medium Speed
Tygon 1/2in. ID 5/8in. OD Laboratory Tubing #R3603 @ 7ft.

All of this (inc. $38 insured global p&p) was under £170! Gotta love how far the pound goes these days.




NICE! you will LOVE it!!! Im soooo glad for you that you went 1/2"! this setup will beat ANY kit ANY day! yes that resy is the same as the dangerden as you thought it may have bee :)

GL and LUK!!! :) :) :)

If ya need help, im here or icq 137334218 ;)

[Bernster]

Cheers Stealth you been a big help with all of this. I've kept a note of your ICQ incase i'm ever in any bother!

Thanks again ;)