Naturally Aspired PC WaterCooling Club

[HammerON]

If I was you I would go with the MCR-X20 Drive:
http://www.swiftech.com/mcr-x20-drive-rev3.aspx
and a Apogee HD:
http://www.swiftech.com/apogeehd.aspx
for a total of $235.00 (w/ out shipping).
Add fittings and tubing and the price is around $300.00 for a w/c system that you can upgrade
http://www.swiftech.org/images/HD-setup.jpg

 

[t_ski]

Not positive on the block, but I believe everything Swiftech makes has a copper base with either a stock acetal top or an optional copper top. The Swiftech rads are cheap but perform well. If you have a little more room in the budget you can go with a Hardware Labs Black Ice, XSPC, Fesser, Thermochill, etc:

http://www.sidewindercomputers.com/radiators.html

 

[MT Alex]

If I was you I would go with the MCR-X20 Drive:
http://www.swiftech.com/mcr-x20-drive-rev3.aspx
and a Apogee HD:
http://www.swiftech.com/apogeehd.aspx
for a total of $235.00 (w/ out shipping).
Add fittings and tubing and the price is around $300.00 for a w/c system that you can upgrade
http://www.swiftech.org/images/HD-setup.jpg

I'm not sure you've checked out the Apogee Drive II that he plans on getting. It's upgradeable, as well, in fact, it's everything you just linked to, minus the skinny Swifty rad.

 

[Delta6326]

Well after looking around I'm looking at getting the
Apogee Drive II
EK-Multioption RES X2 - 250 Advanced If it fits or 150.
EK-CoolStream RAD XTX (240) Or is their a much better one for same price?
Swiftech Lok-Seal fittings
EK-Ekoolant CLEAR
Also I'm still not for sure on the tubing is their a higher quality product out their? and whats a good size? 1/2"?

 

[razaron]

My pump and second rad arrived today. The pump is tiny. It's an Alphacool VPP655, which is basically a D5 Vario pump sans everything else. Now all I'm waiting on is the reservoir and some clamps.

Well after looking around I'm looking at getting the
Apogee Drive II
EK-Multioption RES X2 - 250 Advanced If it fits or 150.
EK-CoolStream RAD XTX (240) Or is their a much better one for same price?
Swiftech Lok-Seal fittings
EK-Ekoolant CLEAR
Also I'm still not for sure on the tubing is their a higher quality product out their? and whats a good size? 1/2"?

I'm using 7/16" with 1/2" barbs. Seems to work fine. Also, IMO, you should get distilled water with an anti-algaecide, instead of the EK coolant.

 

[MT Alex]

Here are a couple of alternatives to the EK rad. I have the XSPC and couldn't be happier. You will notice that the EK has 11 fins per inch, while the XSPC has <8, and the Coolgate has 7. Less fins per inch means they are quieter and geared for lower speed fans. Looking at the specs I honestly don't think the EK would perform any better than these, the extra $20 is probably for the EK name. I didn't hunt around for a Thermochill, they used to be the cats ass, but I think these three have caught up to them, and they were always damn expensive.

XSPC: http://www.performance-pcs.com/cata...t_info&cPath=59_457_667_671&products_id=25388

Coolgate: http://www.performance-pcs.com/cata...t_info&cPath=59_457_667_945&products_id=30002

EK: http://www.performance-pcs.com/cata...t_info&cPath=59_457_667_668&products_id=32495

EDIT: razaron is right, don't squander money away on coolant.

 

[Delta6326]

Ok I will keep looking around at some Rad's then. So far do you guys see any problems? such has mixed metals?

EDIT: t ski what temps do you get with your loop? and is this your rad?
http://www.frozencpu.com/products/5...treme_480_Radiator_-_Black.html?tl=g30c95s570 Do you think the 240 version would work good in my loop?

 

[razaron]

Why not get a separate pump and res? For example, an MCP355 and XSPC Rasa.
A comparison of rads, and, a comparison of cpu blocks.

 

[MT Alex]

The pump in the Apogee is a MCP35X, which outperforms the 355 by quite a margin, and is PWM controlled.

Also, the GTX rads have super tight fins, and are made for leaf blower fans. They work super well, but require hella fans. I have a Black Ice Xtreme III 360 and it works very well.

 

[Delta6326]

I have hardly any room with the ITX case. So I wanted to go with the Apogee Drive II .

EDIT: thanks for the info. I will go through those reviews. If you go to my original post it has the parts I want to get.
http://www.techpowerup.com/forums/showpost.php?p=2647334&postcount=1648

From the looks of the review the rad that would fit my needs the most is the XSPC RX240

My Idea

 

[razaron]

I have hardly any room with the ITX case. So I wanted to go with the Apogee Drive II .

My Idea
http://img.techpowerup.org/120606/Capture088.jpg

Wow. I didn't realize the case was that small.

 

[MT Alex]

With that setup, it looks like you could put a 45° fitting on the top of your res and add one of these fill ports up top. There looks to be enough room between the venting and the edge of the case. It would make it mountains easier in the long run.

Also, looking at that layout, you may want to choose a rad that has a fitting port on each side, they used to be fairly common, but not so much anymore. It's just a thought, but it would make things much more streamlined if your tubing when straight up from your Apogee to the side of the rad closest to it, and then came out on the side nearest your res.

EDIT: It actually looks like the EK rad you initially linked would give you that option by adding a 90° fitting.

 

[Delta6326]

My home internet broke was going to post that I could get theXSPC EX240 Crossflow and theEK-MultiOption RES X2 150 allows me to have top port facing the front case, and bottom port facing the back to the CPU block. I don't think the 250 will fit

My next question is what order should things be connected? Sense cpublock and pump are together.

Should it go pump/cpu to rad to res back to pump/cpu?

The general Idea.

 

[t_ski]

Ok I will keep looking around at some Rad's then. So far do you guys see any problems? such has mixed metals?

EDIT: t ski what temps do you get with your loop? and is this your rad?
http://www.frozencpu.com/products/5...treme_480_Radiator_-_Black.html?tl=g30c95s570 Do you think the 240 version would work good in my loop?

Yep, that's mine. CPU only in the loop right now, and water temps are around 22-23C while CPU idle temps are 28-36C.

You can save a few bucks on the coolant. Most of us use plain distilled water. If you want some kind of anti-fugal in the loop, a silver coil works for many. And tubing: the big brands are Fessor, Primochill and Tygon. Thicker-walled tubing (like 1/2" ID, 3/4" OD) will kink less, but be harder to bend. If you need small/tight bends you might get some thinner-walled tubing (like 1/2" ID, 5/8" OD) and some anti-kink coils.

I have Primochill 1/2" ID, 3/4" OD tubing that is blue. Look for my previous posts in this thread if you want some ideas...

 

[razaron]

Here's how I'm going to set up mine. The res can be slid all the way to the left, so I have quite a bit of leeway.

 

[radrok]

I think you'd be better of with a pump+reservoir combo, it's easier to manage the route with one part less unless you want to show a reservoir

 

[razaron]

I like having them separate. It looks nicer (to me).

 

[HammerON]

Not positive on the block, but I believe everything Swiftech makes has a copper base with either a stock acetal top or an optional copper top. The Swiftech rads are cheap but perform well. If you have a little more room in the budget you can go with a Hardware Labs Black Ice, XSPC, Fesser, Thermochill, etc:

http://www.sidewindercomputers.com/radiators.html

It is not a superior block by far but is adequate for moderate to high overclocks. I would personally choose either the EK Supreme HF or Koolance 370.

I'm not sure you've checked out the Apogee Drive II that he plans on getting. It's upgradeable, as well, in fact, it's everything you just linked to, minus the skinny Swifty rad.

It is upgradeable but does not include a res. I was trying to save space as the res (and pump) are incorporated into the MCR-X20.

 

[the54thvoid]

New GTX 670 EKWB out

Hey troops, the new EKWB GTX 670 block is out. It's a full cover and it's funny to look at. It'd make a pretty neat dinky sli loop with these things in.

http://www.ekwb.com/news/221/19/EK-introduces-EK-FC690-GTX-and-EK-FC670-GTX/

 

[20mmrain]

Question guys..... Should I get rid of the O Clamps around my barbs and keep them naked? Or should I go for compression fittings?
Also if I do the first..... as long as it is leak tested do I have any worries of springing a leak later?
I want to clean up my case now..... and give it a little more professional look.
Also would like to hear from the masses on whether I should keep the blue an white theme..... or go Green and white? Green UV fans.... Green Tubing..... Green Cabling... and so on.

 

[the54thvoid]

I've never used clamps*. I use 7/16 tubing over 1/2 inch barbs, that alone is enough to hold it on tight. I have never ever had a leak from a smaller diameter tube forced tight over a larger barb. Even when i made adjustments to my current loop, i had to use a knife blade to carefully cut the tubing off as i couldn't easily remove it by hand.

*I did once but when i removed the clamp the hose looked to be malformed from it. If I were removing clamps that had been on tight I'd also renew the tubing.

 

[20mmrain]

I've never used clamps*. I use 7/16 tubing over 1/2 inch barbs, that alone is enough to hold it on tight. I have never ever had a leak from a smaller diameter tube forced tight over a larger barb. Even when i made adjustments to my current loop, i had to use a knife blade to carefully cut the tubing off as i couldn't easily remove it by hand.

*I did once but when i removed the clamp the hose looked to be malformed from it. If I were removing clamps that had been on tight I'd also renew the tubing.

Thanks for the info ..... You and I use the same type of setup. I also use 7/16 tubing with 1/2 barbs. So you're saying that the 1/2 barb is enough to hold on the tubing on it's own. I always wondered that.....because even removing the tube normally is really tough.... it seems the over sized barb really holds on to that tubing.

Thanks for the info again.... I have always loved the look of no O clamp what so ever. It looks so clean.

Any opinions on color scheme?

 

[Cold Storm]

Yeah, if your using 7/16 over the bigger barb, then you shouldn't ever need clamps. That's the main reason to do it that way.. Me, I still had so many compressions that I did so.. But, even that didn't help... It's coming down to the factor that every company is doing it, and not every company is building the compression fittings the way they should be...

As for your color.. the mobo is the theme of any case.. It's not fully the case, it's the mobo that you need to look at when your thinking of the loop.. So, for me, if it's black and greem.. go with it.. Don't throw in a rainbow unless your wanting it that way... Me personally I'd go all black since that's the main color of the board... if you want compressions and want green... Monsoon sells it.. but still do the smaller tubing over big fitting... I will never trust compressions again...

 

[20mmrain]

Yeah, if your using 7/16 over the bigger barb, then you shouldn't ever need clamps. That's the main reason to do it that way.. Me, I still had so many compressions that I did so.. But, even that didn't help... It's coming down to the factor that every company is doing it, and not every company is building the compression fittings the way they should be...

As for your color.. the mobo is the theme of any case.. It's not fully the case, it's the mobo that you need to look at when your thinking of the loop.. So, for me, if it's black and greem.. go with it.. Don't throw in a rainbow unless your wanting it that way... Me personally I'd go all black since that's the main color of the board... if you want compressions and want green... Monsoon sells it.. but still do the smaller tubing over big fitting... I will never trust compressions again...

Yeah sorry I said Green and White but I meant Green and Black. You see my last MOB was Black and Blue that is how the color combo started.... but I don't like how it looks right now with the green MOB in there.

Thanks for the opinion.

 

[Delta6326]

Hey guys was just wondering, if I was to water cool that mini ITX computer could i use copper tubing? Would it help temps? as I think it looks really commercial grade.

Do you think i could still use Lok Seal Compression Fittings? you can get Copper piping in 3/8" 1/2"(<-I like this size most for piping), 1/2" 5/8"... It cost about $1 more per foot for Copper.

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