Thinking About doing Water Cooling

[Exile_Chavez]

So I was running SIW on my computer, and noticed that my vid card is running hot, about 55^C not in a game just desktop stuff. And my CPU is running a little hotter than I would like, I would like around 30^C, but I only get to 34^C without load, and no more than 43^C under 100% load. And I would like to lower those temps. I am completely new to the Water Cooling world, as the most cooling upgrades I have done haves simply been my Xigmatec Dark Knight and a 120mm fan in the back.

And so here I am thinking about upgrading to water cooling for my vid card and CPU, and would like some general advice on what to get, what works best, is there really a difference in air vs water, stuff like that. Also if water cooling will increase the life time of my stuff.

PS I do not plan to make it UV reactive, however I have a blue theme in my case and would like to keep it.

PSS: I would prefer to keep this no more than 100 dollars, 150 at the top. And this probably won't be a really recent upgrade, but maybe this fall sometime.

 

[JrRacinFan]

When you mention cpu temps, any overclock involved? Also do you plan on overclocking?

Regarding video card temps, is that a stock fan profile and dynamic spin up?

 

[Exile_Chavez]

When you mention cpu temps, any overclock involved? Also do you plan on overclocking?

Regarding video card temps, is that a stock fan profile and dynamic spin up?

When I say CPU temps, there is no overclocking involved, other than the stock 3.2 clock speed. And I may overclock, if and only if I know that as long as it is kept cool that the life of CPU is not effected.

With the video card temps, it is the stock fan profile, and if by dynamic spin up you mean the funny looking spinny looking fan sort, then yes. The card I own is here:XFX HD-577A-ZNFC Radeon HD 5770 (Juniper XT) 1GB 1...

 

[JrRacinFan]

Dynamic spin up, do you have stock fan locked at a certain percentage all the time or letting the video card's bios control it. That's what I meant y it, but you answered that.

Regarding cpu, even if you do overclock you shouldn't worry about the life of the cpu. By the time it degrades and breaks down, I can assure that you would be ready to upgrade anyways. Just as long when your overclocking by keeping the core temperatures of the cpu under 50C and core voltage @ 1.5v or under the cpu will be fine for 24.7 usage.



EDIT:

http://www.performance-pcs.com/cata...e=product_info&cPath=59_201&products_id=25706

http://www.performance-pcs.com/cata...oduct_info&cPath=59_498_492&products_id=22690

http://www.performance-pcs.com/cata...t_info&cPath=59_457_667_673&products_id=22886

http://www.performance-pcs.com/cata...roduct_info&cPath=59_413_418&products_id=3181

Get all 3/8" fittings and about 10' of tubing(enough to redo the loop if needed). That's your basic loop. Let me see if I can find you a all in one kit.

 

[Exile_Chavez]

I really figured it to be more expensive, but $105, thats not bad at all I assume.

Now a question I would have, would be how much could I expect the temp to drop? I have a Xigmatec Dark Knight atm, and it keeps my temps pretty low, no matter what I am doing I never go over 43^C, even with Prime95 for 30mins. Will it drop it dramatically? Btw, ambient temp is around 72-76^F. so I assume that will become the temp of the water.

 

[Exile_Chavez]

Would this be a good full system? I would add a GPU into the loop, if its not to difficult, and from what I have read on that, it should handle an extra fine.

Here is what I found, looks pretty good: http://www.performance-pcs.com/cata...oduct_info&cPath=59_202_605&products_id=22443

 

[JrRacinFan]

Add in a dual 120 for like $45 and put it before the gpu and it would work fine. Also that kit is based off 3/8" tubing.

 

[ZenZimZaliben]

Those temps do not warrant watercooling.

Watercooling will only lower your temps, in a perfect situation, to ambient of the room the PC is stored in. However in a good loop you can expect temps to be 5 - 10C above ambient.

Unless you plan on doing much more in the overclocking arena, or are tired of fan noise and want to move to a passive silent watercooling setup, I see no point in you moving to watercooling.

 

[CJCerny]

Those temps do not warrant watercooling.

Watercooling will only lower your temps, in a perfect situation, to ambient of the room the PC is stored in. However in a good loop you can expect temps to be 5 - 10C above ambient.

Unless you plan on doing much more in the overclocking arena, or are tired of fan noise and want to move to a passive silent watercooling setup, I see no point in you moving to watercooling.

I agree. Total waste of cash. Those temps are all normal and nothing to be concerned about. Stay on air unless you want to seriously overclock--WC is not worth the hassle otherwise.

 

[Exile_Chavez]

My fans don't make much noise, but if getting over 50^C is bad, and I am only 7^C under that, that really doesnt seem that far, which is what worries me.

 

[starams5]

You have a rough budget of liquid cooling. The Bigwater 760i was my first kit. It's okay for the CPU and that's about it, you'll need an empty drive bay above and below for it to half-way cool, I wouldn't recommend it unless you have plenty of space (full tower) and good air flow. Trying to stay in sync with your budget.........another option would be to not to mount the Bigwater internally, leave it outside the case for better cooling.