My Watercooling Setup

[Heldelance]

Hi all,

So I'm looking to jump into watercooling and have just put together a bunch of parts. I'm located in Australia so I don't really have access to as many products.

I've got an AMD Phenom 2 X4 and the GPU is a Gigabyte GTX570.

The parts I've come up with are below. (I'll probably use car coolant + distilled water in a 1:3 ratio for the coolant)

GPU - EK Full Cover VGA Block EK-FC570 GTX SE Acetal+EN Nickel = $69
CPU - Koolance CPU-380A CPU Water Block for AMD = $75
Pump - XSPC X2O 750 Dual Bay Reservoir and Pump V4 = $65
Tubes - 1/2" ID 3/4" OD tubes, just plain clear tubes // Koolance Hose Clamp for OD 19mm (3/4in)
Fittings - XSPC G1/4 Chrome 1/2 Barb Fitting
Radiator - XSPC RX480 Radiator =$120 / OR / XSPC RX360 Radiator = $84
Other - XSPC LCD Temperature Sensor Blue = $6
- Bitspower UV Reactive O-Rings UV Blue = $4.50 (best to have spares)

If anyone knows of any good stores in Australia (for W/C parts), please do tell.

[drdeathx]

2 rads? 1 x 120.3 rad is plenty for your CPU and 2 GPU's. Just get the RX360 and your set. The RX360 is plenty to dissapate the heat on your system. the RX480 is overkill.

[MxPhenom 216]

Look at XSPC block or EK block like these....

http://www.performance-pcs.com/catal...ducts_id=32332

http://www.performance-pcs.com/catal...ducts_id=36010

Should be a bit better. Less restrictive and better temps. Along with being cheaper.

[Delta6326]

DO NOT USE CAR COOLANT.

Just distilled will work with a silver coil, or a premixed coolant. RX series work great.

[Heldelance]

What's the problem with car coolant? I had someone mention not to use pure coolant but that diluted, it works quite well?

Also, is the CPU waterblock I chose that much worse than the other two you mentioned?

The way I'm going to be setting this up was to have 2 separate tubes for the GPU and CPU.

From the Radiator, 1 tube to the CPU and 1 to the GPU. The 'exhaust' from both would link together and feed back into the reservoir.

[MT Alex]

You might want to draw your loop out on paper so you get a better handle on things. What you have invisioned isn't possible. First, water cannot flow OUT of both fittings on a rad. Secondly, you need to get water back to the rad, as well.

[Outback Bronze]

Ive been using 100% car coolant for 10 years no issues.

[Heldelance]

Oh, what I meant with the loop is that I'd have a splitter coming out of the rad into 2 separate tubes feeding into the CPU and GPU. After that, the outlets from both GPU and CPU are brought back together into a single tube to the reservoir.

[DJCyclone]

Originally Posted by Heldelance

Oh, what I meant with the loop is that I'd have a splitter coming out of the rad into 2 separate tubes feeding into the CPU and GPU.

You don'y need a splitter. Just go from the Rad to the CPU then to GPU then back to Rad.
CPU is more temp sensitive so needs the coolest water. After the CPU has dumped some heat to the water it will still be cool enough for the GPU.

[cdawall]

Originally Posted by MxPhenom 216

Look at XSPC block or EK block like these....

http://www.performance-pcs.com/catal...ducts_id=32332

http://www.performance-pcs.com/catal...ducts_id=36010

Should be a bit better. Less restrictive and better temps. Along with being cheaper.

Actually the koolance block is the least restrictive best performing block sold right now.

Originally Posted by Delta6326

DO NOT USE CAR COOLANT.

Just distilled will work with a silver coil, or a premixed coolant. RX series work great.

Why not? Several people here run it instead of all those silver coil and terrible pc coolant that gum blocks up. I wouldn't run 100% because water has better cooling properties as well as being thinner. Hence why I said in the other thread 25% coolant and the rest deionized water.

Originally Posted by drdeathx

2 rads? 1 x 120.3 rad is plenty for your CPU and 2 GPU's. Just get the RX360 and your set. The RX360 is plenty to dissapate the heat on your system. the RX480 is overkill.

That only gives each part a 120mm radiator surface it would hardly be worth the cost at that point. A single 480 would allow lower speed fans and give better overall temps.

[drdeathx]

Originally Posted by cdawall

Actually the koolance block is the least restrictive best performing block sold right now.



Why not? Several people here run it instead of all those silver coil and terrible pc coolant that gum blocks up. I wouldn't run 100% because water has better cooling properties as well as being thinner. Hence why I said in the other thread 25% coolant and the rest deionized water.



That only gives each part a 120mm radiator surface it would hardly be worth the cost at that point. A single 480 would allow lower speed fans and give better overall temps.

There would be little difference with the system he has.

[Delta6326]

Well i have heard some people that used it and it messed up the pump, but I'm not for sure what ratio they used.

[cdawall]

Originally Posted by drdeathx

There would be little difference with the system he has.

How so the 480 can dissipate roughly 200 watts more, would allow a lower tdelta and allows the use of quieter lower speed fans for a minor price difference. If anything the 360 is a minor change in price for negative performance. He is on AMD and they Mem to be pushing out higher and higher watt cpu's it makes sense to overbuild the loop so he is not rebuilding the loop for the next upgrade.

[Jack1n]

The 420 rad is kind of an overkill for that system,you would usually only go for a 420 with 3 gpus,but if he can afford it and has room in his case then why not?

[drdeathx]

Originally Posted by jack1n

the 420 rad is kind of an overkill for that system,you would usually only go for a 420 with 3 gpus,but if he can afford it and has room in his case then why not?

+1

[drdeathx]

Originally Posted by cdawall

How so the 480 can dissipate roughly 200 watts more, would allow a lower tdelta and allows the use of quieter lower speed fans for a minor price difference. If anything the 360 is a minor change in price for negative performance. He is on AMD and they Mem to be pushing out higher and higher watt cpu's it makes sense to overbuild the loop so he is not rebuilding the loop for the next upgrade.

its simple. The 360 is large enough to dissapate. I ran one on a multiple Phenom setup and ran mid 50's at 1.62 volts with 2 x 5870's and the GPU's barely touched 60 overclocked and overvolted...... a 480 ain't gonna cool any better. The 480 is overkill and much more difficult to manuever inside a case.

[cdawall]

Originally Posted by drdeathx

its simple. The 360 is large enough to dissapate. I ran one on a multiple Phenom setup and ran mid 50's at 1.62 volts with 2 x 5870's and the GPU's barely touched 60 overclocked and overvolted...... a 480 ain't gonna cool any better. The 480 is overkill and much more difficult to manuever inside a case.

Mid 50's sucks on water thats higher than my aircooled one runs at 4.2ghz 1.65v. A 480 rad will lower the tdelta. No if, ands or buts.

[drdeathx]

Originally Posted by cdawall

Mid 50's sucks on water thats higher than my aircooled one runs at 4.2ghz 1.65v. A 480 rad will lower the tdelta. No if, ands or buts.

Bullshit 1.65 volts mid 50's on air on a Phenom II quad core? What are you smoking? I wish you would quit trying to prove you have testosterone. I reviewed air coolers on Phenom II's and also the actual chips in the past..... You high CD. BTW this is under load. I thought you would figure that out.

[cdawall]

Originally Posted by drdeathx

Bullshit 1.65 volts mid 50's on air on a Phenom II quad core? What are you smoking? I wish you would quit trying to prove you have testosterone. I reviewed air coolers on Phenom II's and also the actual chips in the past..... You high CD. BTW this is under load. I thought you would figure that out.

My air cooling may or may not be considered air cooling by most. CM V10 with a 96W TEC and 90+ CFM high static pressure fans installed

[drdeathx]

Originally Posted by cdawall

My air cooling may or may not be considered air cooling by most. CM V10 with a 96W TEC and 90+ CFM high static pressure fans installed

thats not air cooling

[cdawall]

Originally Posted by drdeathx

thats not air cooling

But but it's still an air cooler!

[Heldelance]

Just to clarify, does the radiator actually need to be on the case?

I was going to make a "cage" for it so I could put it on the window and thus have the hot air blowing out of my room. (At the moment my air cooled PC makes the room rather warm after a few hours)

Thanks for the responses people, this really clears up a lot for me.

---

My AMD is currently on stock (first AMD in a while, don't really know how to o/c it properly. Only done Intels up to now) and has an OCZ HS, that huge tower one. I've got a Scythe Kama (I think?) fan on it.

[cdawall]

The radiator can be external no issues with that. Just make sure you have a good pump.

[drdeathx]

Originally Posted by cdawall

But but it's still an air cooler!

uggh.

[drdeathx]

Originally Posted by Heldelance

Just to clarify, does the radiator actually need to be on the case?

I was going to make a "cage" for it so I could put it on the window and thus have the hot air blowing out of my room. (At the moment my air cooled PC makes the room rather warm after a few hours)

Thanks for the responses people, this really clears up a lot for me.

---

My AMD is currently on stock (first AMD in a while, don't really know how to o/c it properly. Only done Intels up to now) and has an OCZ HS, that huge tower one. I've got a Scythe Kama (I think?) fan on it.

I use mine external. It makes things easier if you tinker with your system a lot. I actually migrated to a tec station.

I think u mean ultra kaze?