Tempest under water

[Inioch]

So, the time has come to start my journey into the world of water cooling. This log will be a way for me to get help from the great community here, and also to keep track of what I've done.

I really want to keep the whole system inside the case, even if that'll raise the temps a little.

I've got a pump, gpu-block and barbs coming from MoonPig (thanks mate), and this is the shopping list I've thought of:

Btw, how much hose is enough for the loop? Any other ideas?

The idea was to remove the two hdd cages from the front and mount the MCR220 there in a push-pull config.
The Xtreme would go on to the top where Tempest has holes to mount it.
I don't know about the fans yet, maybe try with the og 140mm first.

I was thinking about the loop to be: res-pump-lower rad-cpu-upper rad-gpu-res
Any good?

 

[Th0rn0]

Sounds good to me. Looking forward to seeing how this one pans out. Out of interest, where you putting the HDDs? The only thing that put me off mounting the rad to the front was that I hae 4 HDDs there

 

[Inioch]

I only have one hdd at the moment, so I figured I'd put it to a 5.25" slot with the adapters that are first in the list.

 

[Inioch]

Allrighty,

I got the rest of my stuff in today Unfortunately I won't be installing before maybe sunday, since I still need to get the fluids and work a bit.

Enough talk, here are a few pictures:

All together:

Top: NexXxoS Xtreme II 240, Bottom: Swiftech MCR220 - QP Stack 240

Xilence Pro Fans, seem to push nice amounts of air and are nice and quiet.

Top: EK HD4870 Waterblock, Bottom: Watercool HK 775 3.0 LC

Dtek DB-1 pump, XSPC Bay res, Alphacool 1/2' ID tubing, Various Barbs

That's that.

Now I need some water. The impression I've got is that distilled water with pure silver is a good way to go.
Now the question is, is deionized (battery water) ok, or should I get distilled (non-deionized, pharmacy stuff) water the way to go?

Comments?

 

[MRCL]

Distilled water only without any addon fluids as I call it will not prevent algae growing. Trust me *cough* I believe aquatuning has some fluids that you can mix with distilled water.

 

[SummerDays]

Is that a 4870 waterblock for only $10 Euros?!

Btw, any bottled water from Pepsi or Coke will be distilled with 0 ppm minerals.

You don't need to buy the fancy stuff, just check the label.

 

[MRCL]

Is that a 4870 waterblock for only $10 Euros?!

No its only an adapter thing for non reference cards.

 

[t77snapshot]

That is going to be awesome! I am in the process of water cooling my Tempest as wellI will just be running a single cpu loop. How do you plan on fitting those two rads inside the case? What will your configuration be?

 

[Inioch]

The idea was to remove the two hdd cages from the front and mount the MCR220 there in a push-pull config.
The Xtreme would go on to the top where Tempest has holes to mount it.

i was thinking of trying the front in push-pull with the Xilence fans and the top with the 2x140mm in push, if I can fit fans there (which I don't think I can) then it'll be push-pull too.
I know this setup puts a lot of warm air in the case, but I'm quite sure it'll be blown out the back via positive air pressure.

I was thinking about the loop to be: res-pump-lower rad-cpu-upper rad-gpu-res

The order is a bit iffy at the moment. The tubes are quite thick walled and that might cause problems.

 

[Th0rn0]

Parts looking good

I'm planning on water cooling both my 5770s soon with a extra rad

 

[Inioch]

Parts looking good

I'm planning on water cooling both my 5770s soon with a extra rad

Were you planning on mounting the second rad outside?

The 5xxx cards seem to be cool so you shouldn't have any problems with them.
You were going to add them to the same loop right?

 

[johnnyfiive]

If you plan on using distilled water, use PT Nuke to help prevent algae and bacteria growth.

 

[Th0rn0]

Were you planning on mounting the second rad outside?

The 5xxx cards seem to be cool so you shouldn't have any problems with them.
You were going to add them to the same loop right?

Same loop just a second rad mounted at the front of my case on the inside. I have a pet hate for external rads unless they are done really well. But having 4 HDs is hard to re locate.

 

[Inioch]

But having 4 HDs is hard to re locate.

That's why I was asking. I'll have to see what I do with just my one HDD.
Since there are only 3 5,25" slots and that's where I intended to mount the HDD.
I currently have a DVD drive and a fan controller there.
The res is going to take one slot and the HDD would take one too.

I didn't realize there wasn't enough space for all thing when I chose the res
Maybe I'll get rid of the fan controller or just mount the HDD on the bottom somehow.

 

[Chicken Patty]

this should be fun Subscribed

 

[Inioch]

I didn't have the energy to do anything today. I've been working two nights in a row so today was a movies and sofa day. Tomorrow I'll be going to my parents for the xmas so the project will have to wait until around boxing day.

Next week I'll do some paint mockups of how I was thinking of the tubing to go.

 

[Inioch]

This is how I was planning on running the loop. This way both rads would get cool air and both cpu and vga get chilled water straight from rad. Comments?

I know the case temps will rise, but I don't think that'll be such a problem since important components are on water.

 

[Thrackan]

Let your rad fans blow up instead of down, because:
- Hot air rises, blowing up removes it from the case
- Blowing cold air through a rad heats the air up, so you're blowing slightly warmed air into your case

Next, I'd say put your VGA before the rad, so you can get rid of the VGA's heat as well. Otherwise you're warming up your loop a lot quicker. I'd do it like:

Pump, CPU, RAD, VGA, RAD, Res and back to pump

EDIT: pump, RAD, CPU, RAD, VGA, Res and back to pump wouldn't be bad, I just noticed you're putting the water through a rad before hitting any heated component

 

[Inioch]

Yep, I was thinking it's good to do it in that order, since the warm water shouln't matter in the res and pump?

I debated the top fans with myself, which is better, pushing cold air in to the rad, or going with the natural rising of heat? Maybe I'll just try both ways, and then determine which way I'll go.

 

[Chicken Patty]

Pushing has always worked Better for me, bur of course depending on configuration things can change.

 

[Thrackan]

Yep, I was thinking it's good to do it in that order, since the warm water shouln't matter in the res and pump?

I debated the top fans with myself, which is better, pushing cold air in to the rad, or going with the natural rising of heat? Maybe I'll just try both ways, and then determine which way I'll go.

Either way, 5 intake vs 1 outtake seems kind of unbalanced to me... 3 intake, 3 outtake would be my preference. My educated guess is top outtakes win.

But testing says more than theory obviously

 

[Inioch]

I currently have 5 in and 1 out and it gives me better temps. Right now it helps that the cpu gets cool air straight. Besides, if more air comes in than is sucked out, the rest finds a way out, for example through pci slots and other holes in the back (positive air pressure).

But as we both said, well see

 

[BUCK NASTY]

Following this thread to see if I can improve the WC in my Tempest. Currently have MCR220 mounted to inside top of case with 2-140mm pulling. have you mounted the rad in front of the HDD yet?

 

[Inioch]

No, all the stuff is ready, just waiting for me to have time to build the thing. Got distilled water and hose clamps today, so everything is set. Maybe I'll have time in the weekend.

I'm hoping the rad will fit straight to the front without any drilling, but we'll see.

 

[@RaXxaa@]

Why going distilled. last i remember distilled watter can cause heavy rusting or something, maybe iam wrong but again. i think you should go for a coolant that is non rusting and has no electrical conductivity, so if any leaks happen it wont damage any equipment