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Critique my first time WC setup

S

slidez

n00b
Joined
Dec 23, 2005
Messages
14
So I've been researching and researching and decided to delve into the world of watercooling. I wanted to post my parts/plan layout and see if I could get some criticism. I have a budget of about 400 that I'm willing to spend to get top quality parts so let me know if there's anything better than I chose.

I plan to cool an I7-920 that will hopefully be OC'd to 4ghz in a Corsair 800D case and GTX 285 GPU. I plan on doing a closed cpu loop for now and later expand to cooling the gpu.

Here is what I think I need:

Swiftech Apogee XT CPU Waterblock
Swiftech MCP655 12v DC Pump
Swiftech MCR320-QP Quiet Power 3X120mm
XSPC Acrylic Dual 5.25in. Reservoir for Two Laing DDC's
Tygon R3603 1/2in. ID 5/8in. OD Laboratory Tubing
Bitspower Matt Black 1/2in. Compression Fittings for 5/8in. OD Tubing

Now the part that is confusing me is in regards to the pumps and tops. If I were to purchase the 5.25 reservoir, would I need to buy another custom top for the pump itself? Or does reservoir essentially act as the new top? Also is it alright to run with only one pump for now?

Does anyone think I should get the MCP355 pump instead with a new top to accomodate 1/2 ID tubing?

What fan is generally considered the best bang for buck in noise and CFM for the rad?

Thanks for the help any other advice or suggestions would be nice.
 
Laing DDC = Swiftech MCP355
Laing D5 = Swiftech MCP655
The pump top is built into that reservoir but it is for a MCP355/DDC pump.

Best noise to CFM ratio is going to be Scythe Gentle Typhoon fans.
 
The reservoir acts as a pump top. However, like robot said, that is for the 355, and for two of them specifically. Using just one pump, you'll only be using once side of that reservoir. The single bay version does not act like a pump top. The 355 with a custom top is generally considered better then the 655.
Aside from that, looks very good.
 
Ah yes good catch, I was thinking the DDC's but wrote 655 :(

Another quick question, I'll be using 1/2 ID tubing, but Im unsure which OD to go with. 5/8 or 3/4. I know the 5/8 will probably give me more flexibility but Im concerned it might kink. What is the 'standard' for people using 1/2?

Thx
 
I always go with 3/4" tubing. I've tried 5/8" before but I always have problems with it kinking. You can wrap the 5/8" tubing with something to help prevent it from kinking, but I've always found 3/4" much easier to work with.
 
Standard "good" tubing would be tygon with 1/8" walls which would be 3/4" OD (because you have two walls in the measurement).
 
Primochill and Feser are the only tubing's worth using for watercooling. Unless you want the tygon to cloud after 2 months because it was never made for watercooling to begin with.
 
Well, I can only speak about my own experience, and those I've read about. As a matter of fact sok0 is absolutely right about Tygon's origins. It is, in fact, a medical and food grade tubing.
However, from what I understand, the majority of the cloudiness is due to plasticizer leeching. Plasticizer is a dispersant they put in some tubing (and a bunch of other products) to make it flexible. Over time osmotic pressure can causes it to "leak" out of the tubing, into the water and redepositing itself onto the inner bore of the tubing. As plasticizer gathers (like particles tend to stick together, plasticizer is no exception), it will refract light differently - essentially clouding the tubing.
Sometimes dyes will do the same thing. It's actually the same process of build up on the inner walls.
Tygon tubing is one of the few with no plasticizer in the inner bore. I think that's why it's popular. I myself have found my Tygon tubing to be exceptionally clear after a year. I've seen quite a few people recommend it, but again, I can't speak for anyone else's experience.
 
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