Project WaterFall -- A water cooling project log by Phenom

[MxPhenom 216]

Losing Phenoms Water Cooling Virginity Project Log

As many of you may know if you have check my What made you go Water Cooling? thread that I am going to make the switch to water cooling. I have chosen to Water cool just my GTX680 for now, as my 2500k doesn't break 50c in games at 4.5GHZ. My GTX680 at 1275mhz core hits 68 and even if it is a Evga Signature 2 with the dual fan cooler it gets a bit loud then I would like. And Id like the temps a bit lower to push it even further without it throttling from Nvidia's lame ass dynamic clocks.

So lets get too it. Below is my list of water cooling parts for this project.




I have recieved the pump already. Thanks to bmaverick for the awesome pricing of a DDC-1T pump.

And now for the loop plan. Sorry if some of the writing and drawing is hard to see. Just look closely





Stay tuned. Rest of the parts will be ordered either before the 25th or on the 25th. Thanks for checking it out. Im pretty stoked. Never done water before. Always wanted too, but funds were never available.

[erocker]

Where's the waterfall going to go?

[MxPhenom 216]

Originally Posted by erocker

Where's the waterfall going to go?

Use your imagination

[1Kurgan1]

I have to bring this up, since I am running WC in a mid tower. I don't think that top rad location will work, unless you plan to run the fans on the outside of the case. I was lucky enough to fit my rad up there with fans, but seems the HAF 922 has more room than the average mid tower, there doesn't look to be enough there to pull it off. That or could run fans inside and put the rad on the top outside.

[MxPhenom 216]

Originally Posted by 1Kurgan1

I have to bring this up, since I am running WC in a mid tower. I don't think that top rad location will work, unless you plan to run the fans on the outside of the case. I was lucky enough to fit my rad up there with fans, but seems the HAF 922 has more room than the average mid tower, there doesn't look to be enough there to pull it off. That or could run fans inside and put the rad on the top outside.

Erocker runs the same case with the same rad, but his isn't x-flow. The rad for my case as to be 25mm thick to fit up in the top compartment of the 500r. Trust me, ive looked into this quite a bit, as I want everything internal not external mounted rads.

[the54thvoid]

How you going to fill the res when the loop is built?

Just mentioning it because if your radiator to res tube is tight, you'll not have leeway to pull the dual bay res forward (if it fills from top). If it's got a front fill port you're fine.

Actually, it's still awkward as the water from the radiator will spill over the res when trying to fill, no?

I've never used a set up with a component higher than my fill point. So I may be missing the obvious.

[MxPhenom 216]

Originally Posted by the54thvoid

How you going to fill the res when the loop is built?

Just mentioning it because if your radiator to res tube is tight, you'll not have leeway to pull the dual bay res forward (if it fills from top). If it's got a front fill port you're fine.

Actually, it's still awkward as the water from the radiator will spill over the res when trying to fill, no?

I've never used a set up with a component higher than my fill point. So I may be missing the obvious.

I have looked into that too. Ill have enough slack in the tubing to be able to slide the res out an inch or 2 to fill.

[1Kurgan1]

Originally Posted by MxPhenom 216

Erocker runs the same case with the same rad, but his isn't x-flow. The rad for my case as to be 25mm thick to fit up in the top compartment of the 500r. Trust me, ive looked into this quite a bit, as I want everything internal not external mounted rads.

Yeah I was wondering how thick that plastic up top was. The joys of WCing a mid tower huh? I ended up buying all my stuff then thinking about it after, but somehow I fit my rad + 35mm thick fans up there... but I literally have 0 mm extra room.

[the54thvoid]

Cool.

It's also an idea to add a drain point. It allows for worry free loop maintenance. If you have a spare outlet from the reservoir, you can attach some tubing to that and run a length down in the bays (to keep it hidden). You can plug it with a barb and a 1/4 threaded plug.

[1Kurgan1]

Also for a fill point, I'm using the same Res as that, just Dual. Lower the Res down to your bottom 5.25" slots. Then pop out your DVD drive and keep a small piece of hose as a funnel. Thats how I fill mine, though it's a bit tight since I only gave myself 1 extra slot above the Res to fill, but it works like a charm.

[MxPhenom 216]

Originally Posted by 1Kurgan1

Yeah I was wondering how thick that plastic up top was. The joys of WCing a mid tower huh? I ended up buying all my stuff then thinking about it after, but somehow I fit my rad + 35mm thick fans up there... but I literally have 0 mm extra room.

Yeah, I like mid tower cases, and willing to make it work. Im goign to have to cut a hole in the top to be able to use the x flow rad too. Theres only holes on the back side for the inlet/outlet holes. I need one in the front too. I figured the x-flow would work better with the fat megahalem heatsink in the middle. Have the tubing go around.

Oh and ive decided to go with 7/16" ID 5/8" OD tubing.

[the54thvoid]

Originally Posted by 1Kurgan1

Also for a fill point, I'm using the same Res as that, just Dual. Lower the Res down to your bottom 5.25" slots. Then pop out your DVD drive and keep a small piece of hose as a funnel. Thats how I fill mine, though it's a bit tight since I only gave myself 1 extra slot above the Res to fill, but it works like a charm.

Yeah, good call.

[HammerON]

Sub'd. There are always complications that arise when building a water cooled rig. Your CPU heatsink is huge and may interfere with your fans from your rad...

Originally Posted by the54thvoid

Cool.

It's also an idea to add a drain point. It allows for worry free loop maintenance. If you have a spare outlet from the reservoir, you can attach some tubing to that and run a length down in the bays (to keep it hidden). You can plug it with a barb and a 1/4 threaded plug.

I am getting ready to do exactly what you describe in my 800D. I have never before (in the many water cooled rigs I have assembled) added a drain point. I always regret when I go to drain the loop that I didn't. I am going to be installing one this time

[1Kurgan1]

Yeah, same reason I WC'd mine. I'm not a huge fan of massive towers, plus everyone and their mother WC's full towers, because it's easy.

[MxPhenom 216]

Originally Posted by HammerON

Sub'd. There are always complications that arise when building a water cooled rig. Your CPU heatsink is huge and may interfere with your fans from your rad...



I am getting ready to do exactly what you describe in my 800D. I have never before (in the many water cooled rigs I have assembled) added a drain point. I always regret when I go to drain the loop that I didn't. I am going to be installing one this time

They don't I have had 2 fans up there and they do not get in the way.

[HammerON]

Excellent!!!
I am using the same fans in my new build as well. You have them hooked-up to a fan controller I take it?

[the54thvoid]

Originally Posted by 1Kurgan1

Yeah, same reason I WC'd mine. I'm not a huge fan of massive towers, plus everyone and their mother WC's full towers, because it's easy.

Heresy.

I use the Silverstone TJ07 because it allows you to be so creative with water. Even with the 480 rad in the base you still need to consider everything else. I had to run my gfx cards in parallel (due to a nightmare trying to link gfx 1 to gfx 2 because of small offset in ports).

This took some thought and planning!

[MxPhenom 216]

Originally Posted by HammerON

Excellent!!!
I am using the same fans in my new build as well. You have them hooked-up to a fan controller I take it?

yeah buddy. Lamptron FC-6

[HammerON]

I have never used a fan contoller before and purchased the Akasa six channel fan controller. Hopefully it works well/

[MxPhenom 216]

Originally Posted by HammerON

I have never used a fan contoller before and purchased the Akasa six channel fan controller.

How many watts are on each channel? Do you have a link.

[HammerON]

http://www.performance-pcs.com/catal...611d14041b3be4

I believe it is 20W per channel...

Looks like yours has 45W per channel

[MxPhenom 216]

Originally Posted by HammerON

http://www.performance-pcs.com/catal...611d14041b3be4

I believe it is 20W per channel...

Looks like yours has 45W per channel

Nope 20. Like yours.

http://www.techpowerup.com/forums/sh...13#post2747713

Buying this PSU for loop leak/bleed testing.

[MxPhenom 216]

What I have gotten so far!



And surprisingly my mom went to the store and got food, and a big gallon of distilled water!

[erocker]

Does the radiator have the fittings on one end or one on each end?

[MxPhenom 216]

Originally Posted by erocker

Does the radiator have the fittings on one end or one on each end?

one on each. its X-Flow

http://www.performance-pcs.com/catal...ducts_id=29208

Going to have to modify the case a tiny bit.