Best Custom Water Cooling Kits?

[drdeathx]

Yup, it's definitely not a silent pump unless kept below 3500 rpm.



Right. Most DDCs do, while the D5s are known for flow.

Once a month my girlfriend is known for flow too.

 

[cdawall]

More head pressure than MCP655.

They are also known for being louder and hotter. I would take a variable MCP655 any day of a 35x.

 

[drdeathx]

They are also known for being louder and hotter. I would take a variable MCP655 any day of a 35x.

I run MCP655 on all my rigs.......

 

[MightyMission]

I understand the 655 works better under more restrictive setups too..

 

[radrok]

I understand the 655 works better under more restrictive setups too..

No, the Laing DDC 3.25 or MCP35X is better than the 655 on restrictive setups, you want pure head pressure on those kind of loops not pure flow which is what the 655/D5 is good at.

For example my couple of Koolance PMP-400 are pumping through a MO-RA3 9x120, two HTF4 140x3, two Heatkiller GPU blocks, a Swiftech Apogee HD and a Rampage IV fullcover block (2 parts) at medium-high settings without any issue.

You can get a good read about what kind of pump you need/want on Martinsliquidlab, the guy is a living resource

 

[MightyMission]

Yes I did a helluva lot of eye blurring reading up on pumps relatioons to rad/blocks and flow rates/head pressure and some other factor that I've long since forgot....

In the end I picked up a VPP655T,in all honesty it seems overkill as the pump doesn't seem to make more than a degree or 3 difference temperature wise wether it's on setting 2 or 5..

for what it's worth,the pump is driving a raystorm cpu block,original EK 680 block,240xt,120xt and magicool slim 180 rad,oh and several 90s/60s/and 30 elbows with wide throats..

I was tempted to grab one of those 9x120 rads from ebay recently but i'd have never squeezed it into the little prodigy case...

 

[radrok]

Yeah you'd barely notice much of a difference after 1GPM.

Almost all blocks are highflow nowadays, except Swiftech fullcover, they do are restrictive lol.

 

[T4C Fantasy]

I don't really have the comprehension to learn everything there is to know about full blown out water cooling, but you guys are listing pumps and loops and all that, give me a list of parts that would be absolutely great to have for a setup like

Loop:
Tubing:
Radiator:
Reservoir:
Fittings:
etc:

 

[MT Alex]

Are you planning on keeping your Phantom, and do you want everything inside? Also, is it an 820?

 

[radrok]

You should get an idea of what will fit into your case before planning a loop.

Are you going to use the Phantom? Is it the new 820?


Edit: Alex

 

[T4C Fantasy]

You should get an idea of what will fit into your case before planning a loop.

Are you going to use the Phantom? Is it the new 820?


Edit: Alex

yes, I plan on using the phantom, its the older one, pretty much anything will fit in it

 

[MT Alex]

Well, it actually takes quite a bit of modding to get anything more than a 240 rad in the top of an older Phantom. The new 820 is made for liquid, the older, not so much. Here's a couple of good links, one for putting a 360 up top, the other for adding a 240to the bottom.

http://www.overclockers.com/forums/showthread.php?t=674081
http://www.overclockers.com/forums/showthread.php?t=676098

 

[T4C Fantasy]

Well, it actually takes quite a bit of modding to get anything more than a 240 rad in the top of an older Phantom. The new 820 is made for liquid, the older, not so much. Here's a couple of good links, one for putting a 360 up top, the other for adding a 240to the bottom.

http://www.overclockers.com/forums/showthread.php?t=674081
http://www.overclockers.com/forums/showthread.php?t=676098

thanks for the links but all I want is a list of individual parts that would make one pretty kickass kit and if I have to do some metal cutting I will

 

[radrok]

Radiator: XSPC EX240 (or 360 but you'll probably lose a 3,5 bay) + EX140

GPU Block : Watercool Heatkiller or Swiftech Apogee HD Or Apogee Drive2.

Pump+Reservoir : Swiftech Maelstrom with one or two(overkill) MCP35X pre installed.

Tubing : Tygon R3400 10mm/13mm ( best tubing in my opinion and experience, it's black though), Durelene is good too.

Fittings : Koolance compressions or Swiftech Lok Seal or Monsoon 10mm/13mm (Monsoon are awesome with their fastening tool)

Fans : Swiftech Helix / Noctua NF-F12 PWM (best fans ever)/GentleTyphoon AP15 (1850rpm)

Coolant+AntiMicrobial : Distilled water + Monsoon silver bullet


This is all it comes out the top of my head, I may have forgotten something though.

Don't go over 10/13mm with tubing, it'll be a nightmare with such a small case to work with.

You get some research while I get some sleep, I'll help you more tomorrow (6AM here in EU)

 

[T4C Fantasy]

Radiator: XSPC EX240 (or 360 but you'll probably lose a 3,5 bay) + EX140

GPU Block : Watercool Heatkiller or Swiftech Apogee HD Or Apogee Drive2.

Pump+Reservoir : Swiftech Maelstrom with one or two(overkill) MCP35X pre installed.

Tubing : Tygon R3400 10mm/13mm ( best tubing in my opinion and experience, it's black though), Durelene is good too.

Fittings : Koolance compressions or Swiftech Lok Seal or Monsoon 10mm/13mm (Monsoon are awesome with their fastening tool)

Fans : Swiftech Helix / Noctua NF-F12 PWM (best fans ever)/GentleTyphoon AP15 (1850rpm)

Coolant+AntiMicrobial : Distilled water + Monsoon silver bullet


This is all it comes out the top of my head, I may have forgotten something though.

Don't go over 10/13mm with tubing, it'll be a nightmare with such a small case to work with.

You get some research while I get some sleep, I'll help you more tomorrow (6AM here in EU)

as soon as I saw the swiftech pump res I started drooling and said I want that, im getting that, lol im going to have to part it out, buy 1 at a time rofl

 

[MT Alex]

as soon as I saw the swiftech pump res I started drooling and said I want that, im getting that, lol im going to have to part it out, buy 1 at a time rofl

I just installed one of those in my rig, it brought the noise from my 35X substantially, and works great. A single pump would be enough for damn near anything I can think of. The coolant temp is pretty slick, but I wish it wasn't the amber color LED. I like the RX series of rads because I prefer quieter low speed fans.

 

[ALMOSTunseen]

The apogee Drive II is pretty good if you want to save space, the pump,a 35x is actually in the cpu waterblock.

 

[cdawall]

Radiator: XSPC EX240 (or 360 but you'll probably lose a 3,5 bay) + EX140

GPU Block : Watercool Heatkiller or Swiftech Apogee HD Or Apogee Drive2.

Pump+Reservoir : Swiftech Maelstrom with one or two(overkill) MCP35X pre installed.

Tubing : Tygon R3400 10mm/13mm ( best tubing in my opinion and experience, it's black though), Durelene is good too.

Fittings : Koolance compressions or Swiftech Lok Seal or Monsoon 10mm/13mm (Monsoon are awesome with their fastening tool)

Fans : Swiftech Helix / Noctua NF-F12 PWM (best fans ever)/GentleTyphoon AP15 (1850rpm)

Coolant+AntiMicrobial : Distilled water + Monsoon silver bullet


This is all it comes out the top of my head, I may have forgotten something though.

Don't go over 10/13mm with tubing, it'll be a nightmare with such a small case to work with.

You get some research while I get some sleep, I'll help you more tomorrow (6AM here in EU)

I wouldn't bother with the XSPC rads. If you want a thick rad get a good thick rad not a cheap one that is noisy and doesn't even outperform a cheaper swifty. I would also look at the higher RPM gentle typhoons with a fan controller for fans. That way if a need ever arises that more cooling is needed it is a flick of the switch away.

 

[ALMOSTunseen]

I wouldn't bother with the XSPC rads. If you want a thick rad get a good thick rad not a cheap one that is noisy and doesn't even outperform a cheaper swifty. I would also look at the higher RPM gentle typhoons with a fan controller for fans. That way if a need ever arises that more cooling is needed it is a flick of the switch away.

Screw the gentle typhoons, just get the scythe Slipstream 1900rpm. 110cfm at 37dba. Grab a fan controller, step them down, and your sweet.

 

[T4C Fantasy]

The apogee Drive II is pretty good if you want to save space, the pump,a 35x is actually in the cpu waterblock.

I was wondering if I should just get a reliable but cheap 1155 block because im going to be moving to haswell eventually and I want my kit to be cross platform interchangeable without a high premium.

 

[ALMOSTunseen]

I was wondering if I should just get a reliable but cheap 1155 block because im going to be moving to haswell eventually and I want my kit to be cross platform interchangeable without a high premium.

For most blocks, when haswell is released, they will make a replacement backplate/mount for it. I know some companies even send it to you for free.

 

[radrok]

I was wondering if I should just get a reliable but cheap 1155 block because im going to be moving to haswell eventually and I want my kit to be cross platform interchangeable without a high premium.

Get an Apogee HD, my Apogee HD Gold came with 1155/1156/1366 and 2011 socket mounts, Gabe is a genius when it comes to think about these things.

To the other guys:

I adviced an XSPC EX because I don't know if he can fit a thick rad into the old Phantom case, anyway the EX series are good, not the best but they are good.

According to Bundymania tests EX are better than RX series when paired with 1200+ RPM fans.

Fans:

Fans choice depends on what is his noise tolerance, I mean even the quiet Gentle Typhoon 1850 RPM are noisy for me at full speed, I keep them undervolted and they do work like a charm.
I now only buy Noctua fans because they are awesome, can't hear them at all and their static pressure can't be matched at such low noise.
They cost though, 20 Eur per fan here where I am.

Usually high RPM fans don't like to be undervolted and you'll probably still stay above 1800 RPM even at the starting voltage. Why have those noisy fans when you can have a silent watercooling rig?

 

[ALMOSTunseen]

I now only buy Noctua fans because they are awesome, can't hear them at all and their static pressure can't be matched at such low noise.
They cost though, 20 Eur per fan here where I am.

Yeah, noctua's here are very expensive in Australia too, I'm looking at about that same price. But they are amazing for their noise level.

 

[MT Alex]

Yup, too bad they are uglier than a sack of smashed a**holes.

If you really want fans that perform very well and are super quiet 38mm is the way to go. My Panflo L1s have a much lower octave than GTs and push a lot more air very quietly. I have been threatening to remount them, but I'll wait until I change a major component. Most people think Delta weed blower when anyone mentions fat fans, that's the othe end of the spectrum. They perform quietly just as well as they do noisily. Not Ultra Kaze fans, though. Those are junk.

 

[T4C Fantasy]

Yup, too bad they are uglier than a sack of smashed a**holes.

If you really want fans that perform very well and are super quiet 38mm is the way to go. My Panflo L1s have a much lower octave than GTs and push a lot more air very quietly. I have been threatening to remount them, but I'll wait until I change a major component. Most people think Delta weed blower when anyone mentions fat fans, that's the othe end of the spectrum. They perform quietly just as well as they do noisily. Not Ultra Kaze fans, though. Those are junk.

noise isn't really a problem for me, I wear headphones every second I use my pc and they make outside noise disappear, G35 Logitech headset, my pc does it all I now have a tv tuner so I watch cable on 1 monitor of my pc while I have another monitor to play games and anther to search gpu db and improve it ^^ I just want a high oc with my 3770k like 5.5ghz if that is possible with water