• Some users have recently had their accounts hijacked. It seems that the now defunct EVGA forums might have compromised your password there and seems many are using the same PW here. We would suggest you UPDATE YOUR PASSWORD and TURN ON 2FA for your account here to further secure it. None of the compromised accounts had 2FA turned on.
    Once you have enabled 2FA, your account will be updated soon to show a badge, letting other members know that you use 2FA to protect your account. This should be beneficial for everyone that uses FSFT.

Advice on new setup

G

Gaffydk

n00b
Joined
Jun 5, 2006
Messages
15
Hey guys,

Been lurking for a good long while - and have been dabbling in watercooling several years ago, without great success. But after I've put together my new system, I'm tempted to try again.

I'be been greatly inspired by Idef1x, and his 540 radiator in a SilverStone Ft02.

Not sure where to begin, but the system I'll be cooling is a i5 2500k @ 4.5gHz, and a 7970. Especially the 7970 is the source of my woe, because while preforming like a champ - it gets rather nosy :(

That brings me to my foremost goal with the watercooling setup: Silence, or as close to it as I can get.

The components I've been looking at are a silverstone FT02, and the magicool 540 radiator used in several builds, they seems to have been made for each other.

For the CPU and GPU, I'm looking at EK blocks - they seem to get good rep.

So far so good - my only real concerns are; which pump should I go for, and do I need a reservoir?

I have my eyes set on this pump:
http://www.ekwaterblocks.com/shop/ek-dcp-2-2-12v-dc-pump.html

As it seems to be really, REALLY quiet - but I don't know how much pressure/throughput is needed for a system like the one described above (540rad, 2 blocks, and perhaps a res) most likely going with 3/8 tubing btw.

Would love any input, or suggestions from you guys :)
 
Yes, you need a res. The quietest pump while maintaining performance and quality is likely the Laing D5 or one of its variants. The D5 has built-in 1/2" barbs, so you could either get reducers or go with a Laing DDC pump or one of its variants (they tend to be slightly noisier and run warmer, though).

Also, while EK products are very popular, that doesn't necessarily mean they have a good rep... They have had some very questionable PR issues, and my opinion of the company and its products is heavily weighted on those issues. So, I'll spare you my rhetoric and let you do some research or someone else chime in. ;)
 
Last edited:
Have just seen them used in alot of the newer builds - and so far it one of the only manufactures I've seen that make a block for the 7970.

Thanks for the input! :)
 
Heatkiller and Koolance have also made blocks for the 7970.

I would also advise against using EK. Most people buy EK for the aesthetics, since they do make nice looking blocks, but other companies can and do match their performance. If you want to know why EK has a bad rep among many watercoolers here, just google "EK nickel plating issues."
 
Nothing stopping you from making your own block if you have the parts/time/materials :)

Also, just as a thought, why not have your rad and such in a different box, instead of the tower like most others due??

There are plenty of really nice cases out there, and with the right parts list, there is nothing stopping you from using a nicer case, or even a lower cost one. Like I said it all boils down to what you want and such.

I have a Raven 3 and love it, there is ALOT of room for just about anything you want to do, if you take the time to do it, example, if you want the rad internal, there is lots of space on the bottom floor where the 2 fans would normally be, so, turn the bottom floor into a "false" floor and maybe make it stand a little higher off the ground, this will let you get lots of very cool air to the rad, and help keep it looking neat.

I suppose, its your build, I personally always wanted to see a liquid cooled system where the rad, pumps etc are nowhere to be seen, a very clean look if you will, the only thing that is "visible" would be the colling tubes, which can be made near invisible if you took the time.

Example in this, Raven 3 you have a nice right side panel, that is more or less for nothing, and the backwall, which again is more or less for nothing, in turn, can be easily modded for how you see fit :)

I am sure $ isnt much of a concern, so its just a thought. Have you seen the Corsair Carbide 500r, Akasa Venom, Obsidian 550D, Enermax Fulom/Fulmo GT, Rosewill Black Hawk Ultra, or that new NZXT source 810 I think it was called.

Am not trying to push you away from what you have decided, but there is truly alot of chassis out there that might work just as well if not better????

These lads also have a very large selection, may not be the best prices though http://www.frozencpu.com/cat/l1/g30/Liquid_Cooling.html?id=sGw2vvBs
 
Thanks for the advise all of you! I will take care to steer clear of the EK nickle blocks! Ill try and see if I can find others here in Denmark perhaps, but the selection is not quite as large as others might be used to :)

@dragonstongue: If am am going with watercooling I must say im pretty set on the FT02 - exactly BECAUSE it can house it all inside, with nothing to tell its there from the outside. And its a classy look, and sound-damped from the factory as well.
I'm very picky with the tower, but a few of the others from you'r list have caught my attention as well before I clamped down on the FT02


Regarding the pump: I see some of the other Lian pumps (the DCC line) seem to have a H/L much like the one I linked, but you guys reckon It won't be enough?

Thought those high performance pumps (800+ L/H) were mostly for for configuations with several high restriction blocks?
 
Edit: Nvm, reread your post and saw what you were going with.

Single MCP655 or 355 pump should be more than sufficient for you.
 
For the CPU and GPU, I'm looking at EK blocks - they seem to get good rep.
Click to expand...

I agree with what the others said about EK. I will not buy their stuff due to their owner acting like a crook and blaming customers. Also, they've had more QC issues than any other mfg I've seen.

I have my eyes set on this pump:
http://www.ekwaterblocks.com/shop/ek...v-dc-pump.html

As it seems to be really, REALLY quiet - but I don't know how much pressure/throughput is needed for a system like the one described above (540rad, 2 blocks, and perhaps a res) most likely going with 3/8 tubing btw.
Click to expand...

Don't get that pump. I had the larger version (the 800L/h model), and it vibrated like crazy! Also, the mounting system on those pumps is absolutely TERRIBLE. A single 10W DDC will be just fine for your loop, and an 18W one will be great if you decide to add a lot of quick disconnects. The D5 is also nice, but larger, which isn't that great in an FT02. Put some foam under the DDC and it'll be plenty quiet.

Regarding the pump: I see some of the other Lian pumps (the DCC line) seem to have a H/L much like the one I linked, but you guys reckon It won't be enough?

Thought those high performance pumps (800+ L/H) were mostly for for configuations with several high restriction blocks?
Click to expand...

The performance metric here isn't the flow rate, but rather the pressure. You can have a really high flow rate, but what good is it if your pump is unable to move water under restriction (similar to static pressure on fans - what good is high cfm if the fan can't push the air through the radiator?). The 10W DDC has a head pressure of 3.3m and a flow rate of 440L/H and the 18W DDC head pressure of 4.5m at 454L/H. Compare that to only 2.2m and 400L/H for the 6.5W DCP2.2 and 4m for the 18W 800L/H DCP4.0. The DDC pumps maintain higher flow rates over the DCP pumps per the same restriction.
 
Last edited:
dragonstongue said:
srry to poke, I just notice another one in my review searching today(for my clans gaming website) Cougar Evolution, apprently a wicked good case, with tons of room, just showing :p http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16811553002
Click to expand...

For a normal air-cooled system, yes, it probably would be roomy enough. With watercooling, there's no way in hell that case has enough room. There's barely any clearance between the motherboard and the top of the case, and there's hardly any room on the bottom to put a radiator either.
 
well, considering like you pointed out, you want to "hide" the rad in the case or something, I suppose you are right, we all have our own ideas. At some point, I may go the liquid route, but, I think I will just run longer lines, so I can have the rad in the window or something, or even hidden somewhere, this way here space becomes far less on an issue :)
 
Thanks all - I'll ponder on a bit - its still a big investment, so I'm not 100% sure I'll go through with it, but at least now I can make a better informed decision.
 
You won't be sorry, if you decide to watercool your FT02. To mod the harddrive-cage, so you can fit the radiator is not very difficult - just a matter of a few screws and rivets. I have seen people cut the cage a few sizes down, and reattach it after fitting the radiator, if you care for storage drives.

I'm considering borrowing a dremel, and cutting the floor of the case, so it fits exactly with the radiator, so I won't need the radiator brackets - plus it will give better airflow.

But all in all, it's quite easy to watercool the case - loads of possibilities and cooling performance. The cooling of a TJ11 in a mid tower case.
 
Thanks for posting Idef1x! Your build among a few others like it (the FT02 and 540 magicool combination) are just so slick.

I was really smitten with the case when it first came out, and the fit with this radiator just seems to good to be true :)

Would you care to give your subjective take on how quiet a system one could build.

You are using the stock fans for the FT02 right? What kind of temps do you see in your system?
 
I've learned with this hobby that you get what you pay for, and that some brands should be avoided for the quality issues, as well as terrible customer support history. If I was building a new loop today (and I will be when ivy comes out), it would be either an aquacomputer kyros HF or watercool heatkiller for the CPU, and the 7970 would definitely be a watercool heatkiller block, with Aqua second if the HK was unavailable for an extended period of time. You can't beat the look of that VRM channel bridge, and all copper / stainless, no cheap stickers.
 
Gaffydk said:
Would you care to give your subjective take on how quiet a system one could build.

You are using the stock fans for the FT02 right? What kind of temps do you see in your system?
Click to expand...

Well, if you already own the FT02, you know how loud the stock fans are - which is what I'm using. There aren't really that much competition on the 180mm fan market. I thought about getting the FM181 instead of the AP181. The FM181 uses ball bearings, and it doesn't have the spiral grill either, so it's a bit quieter. There is just one problem, and that is, you can only get them in white :p

If you don't already own an FT02, I can tell you, that I find the stock fans a bit loud on at 1200 rpm, but it has got a deep tone, so it could be much worse. At 700 rpm, the fans are quite silent, but ofc you get less cooling power. ( I guess it would manage your 2500k and 7970 just fine).

I get great temperatures with the setup.The graphics cards usually peak at the low 40's and my 3930k usually stays below 60c during stress testing at 4.7GHz, so I consider that quite good. I hope this was helpful to you. If you decide to go through with it, don't hesitate to throw me a PM. if there is anything about the build you have questions about.
 
I have the Raven 3 case, it has 2 ap181 in it, I find out of all the cases I have owned, this is honestly the quietest easiest to deal with case. Last one I have was coolermaster Centurion 590. I am using the exact same fans minus 1 of the scythe fans that I used on it, Im not going to say I do not notice it, but they do very much blend in with standard fans. Why not get thier other models of 181(I thought they had at least 2 different versions of the AP model) or attach to a rheostat or similar so you dont lose quite as much speed maybe it will help reduce its noise.

I have also heard of other quite literaly cutting the grille of the fans and they said it reduces the noise quite a bit which in thier opinion was at least a good chunk of it beung the air blocked by said grill.
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Back
Top