DD D4 vs Eheim 1250

[IceWeasel]

Hey fellas! I was thinking about ordering my WC setup today/tomorrow, because of DangerDen's 15% sale for orders over $200... I've gotten everything picked out and it goes like this:

A64 TDX Block (brass top)
Maze4GPU Block
10' ft Clearflex tubing
Danger Den Single 5 1/4" Bay Reservoir
Double heatercore with fittings
Plastic Snap Tubing Clamps x 10

There are few things I am unsure about... the major thing is the difference in the two pumps mentioned in the title. I plan on overclocking quite a bit once I get this setup installed, so I want the maximum performance out of it. I also would like it to be run quiet and not require me to buy a new PSU (if possible)... Would running the Eheim 1250 instead of the D4 take a lot of load off my PSU?

Also, since this is my first watercooling setup, there are some smaller questions I don't have the answers to. Are those plastic clamps what I need to secure the tubing to everything? Is 10 feet of tubing way too much? Should I order a shroud from somewhere online or DIY?

Thanks for your help

Nick

 

[thewhiteguy]

10 feet really is too much. The stuff doesn't go bad, though, so having leftovers just makes it available for later modifications.

 

[Visable-assassin]

10 feet really is too much. The stuff doesn't go bad, though, so having leftovers just makes it available for later modifications.

Yeah 10 feet is alot but left overs is a good thing I ordered 10 feet for no real reason when I redid my loop and well since Ill be redoing it again once I add my DD 6800 block that extra is worth it

 

[MikeP]

I ordered 5 feet originally and came up short. the extra cash for 10 feet is money well spent. If the bay res in your list there is acrylic Id dump it for a poly or homemade one. Theres story after story of acrylic res's cracking/leaking all over these boards.

Plugging the Eheim into the wall instead of adding the pump to your PSUs load like the D4 will help your PSU out. But if your PSU is that close to its limit you may want to think about upgrading in the near future anyways.

 

[Toad21]

I would recommend getting another Radiator in place of the reservoir. The reservior and the Black ice pro radiator are about the same amount of money, and it will add cooling power to your rig.

I would put one radiator before each thing you use. For instance I have a Black Ice Extreme before the proc, and a black ice pro radiator before the gpu. What is the point of a reservoir when all you need is a T-line to fill water, and you can have an actively cooling reservoir (radiator) in its place for the same amount of money and room..

My 2 cents.

-Todd

Or just get rid of the reservoir and save some money. That double heater core will do 90% of the cooling anyway, you would really only see 10% increase with a 2nd smaller radiator.

 

[IceWeasel]

ah but 10% more performance is very desirable i don't know much about t-lines, how do they function differently than resevoirs? do i just have another piece of hose extending from the "t" and fill it from there, then clamp it?

are the clamps i have up there the right kind? and will 10 be enough?

if there is anything you see in the setup that could be changed for a better performing part, please let me know, as I have had some recent unforeseen bonuses that have left me with some extra cash

 

[wwparrish]

Are those plastic clamps what I need to secure the tubing to everything?

I recommend ordering the block with metal barbs and using the stainless steel heater hose clamps used on automobiles. Actually I recommend using them everywhere however you need to be able to "feel" when tight is tight enough or you could crush some plastic fittings. Snug + 1 full turn of the screw is usually good.

 

[IceWeasel]

still looking for some help about the functionality of a T-line! and whether 2 radiators in my system will provide a noticeable difference in water temps. i'm still not sure whether i want to go with a 12v pump or not, because i'd hate to overload my PSU or have to spend a lot of cash on a PC&C PSU... doesn't enermax have a realiable psu for a good price? (perhaps i'm thinking of OCZ?...)

i'm thinking that when i'm home for the summer, i'm going to run the loop into a mini-fridge that I have sitting around.

thanks for any answers/input guys!

 

[Doggonit]

I also recommend a t-line instead of a reservoir. A reservoir can have problem with leaks and getting air out of. A t-line offers an easy way to fill and I bled my system in less than an hour. Just put the "t" in the input line to your pump and run a line up to your fill plug. I recommend the Danger Den fill port. Drill a 1 in hole in the roof of your case to mount the fill port. After you have filled and bled your system, close the fill port and you are good to go.

 

[Captin Insano]

Actually 10 feet is fine. It was just about enough for me to do from my Danger den fill port to the resivour to the pump to the radiator to cpu to vidcard to chipset and back to the resivour. Better to have more then not enough. Also the clamps are fine but I belive that there are better methods. Such as with the automotive hose clamps or like i am doing with a ziptie gun and zip ties. The zip tie gun has the abillity to tighten down well past 50psi with zip ties and looks real clean. More then tight enough. Be cautious when using automotive hoes clamps as they can be overtightened and crush the fitting underneath, cut the hose or strip out. (Another name for such clamps are worm gear clamps.) Next is the resivour. Either use the one piece polproplyne resivour that Danger Den carries or do sominthing like one of the resivours from SnT Systems like the Aqua bay or the such. Bays that are not prone to or do not leak. If you do use one of the Snt bays it will need to be modded for the size of tubing that the US sytems use such as 1/2 inch. But thats no problem there either. Dan can help you with that at SnT Systems as well. Resivours dont have much function as far as performance. They do hold some xtra water but more water will not cool the system any better, Its what is done with the water that make it more efficent at cooling. Like going through a radiator. The number 1 thing that a resivour benifts you over a T system is air removal from the system. A T set up can take a long time to remove the air from it. Possibly hours. With a resivour based system it will take just minutes. Resivours can also add some asthetic apeal as well. The other thing is be sure to get the Tygon tubing and not silicon or clear flex or any other tube. Tygon is far supperior in all ways to any other tubing. I would also recomend the Danger Den D4 pump as well. 12v conects right in to your power supply. That way when you turn the machine on the pump comes on with it. No accidentally forgetting to plug in or turn on your pump and then saying "Wow whats that smoke I smell?" The D4 pump pulls minimal energy. Any mod that you could or would do to make the other pump turn on when you turn on the machine would cost you dollars that would make a really good power supply a better buy then the mod. Buy a OCZ or PC pwr and Cooling or another really good PSU. I would also recomend as LARGE of a radiator as possible. The larger the Radiator like the Thermochill or Black Ice will yeild lower temps. I run the Thermochill 120.3. Its about 16 inches long x 4.5 inches wide x 2 inches thick and is set up to hold 3 120 mm fans on both sides as a push pull set up. Also using higher CFM larger diameter fans on the radiator will help also.

The Captin

 

[MikeP]

. Any mod that you could or would do to make the other pump turn on when you turn on the machine would cost you dollars that would make a really good power supply a better buy then the mod.
The Captin

It is simple to add a switch to run any 112V pump. I used the switch from an ages old PSU I had lying around. Ran a few feet of wiring and now my pump switch is directly beside my power switch on the front of my comp. Total cost: a used switch you can find in any junk yard for free and 0.50 worth of wiring. Of the many many people who run pond pumps here I have never ever heard of anyone killing anything by forgetting to turn on the pump. You can also make ur own res that will never leak (unless you get a little trigger happy around the computer desk) for under $5.00 with parts from Home Depot.

Getting a new PSU, if yours isnt up to the task, is one of the most important things in ur system and often the most overlooked. Look at the Sticky in the PSU forum before buying.

 

[Captin Insano]

It is simple to add a switch to run any 112V pump. I used the switch from an ages old PSU I had lying around. Ran a few feet of wiring and now my pump switch is directly beside my power switch on the front of my comp. Total cost: a used switch you can find in any junk yard for free and 0.50 worth of wiring. Of the many many people who run pond pumps here I have never ever heard of anyone killing anything by forgetting to turn on the pump. You can also make ur own res that will never leak (unless you get a little trigger happy around the computer desk) for under $5.00 with parts from Home Depot.

Getting a new PSU, if yours isnt up to the task, is one of the most important things in ur system and often the most overlooked. Look at the Sticky in the PSU forum before buying.

Unfortunatly I have seen and heard about more then 1 time that a person turned on their computer and forgot to turn on the pump via switch and poof no more working computer. Also I would not be real comfortable about trusting my hard earned money spent on expensive computer parts to a cheap or used switch. I know all things can and do fail but anywhere I can add that xtra comfort zone is a plus.

Being that you want to overclock and run more power consuming parts I would highly recomend a upper end power supply. Larger watts and amps for your needs, as well as a better brand. Brands like PC power and Cooling, OCZ, Antec, ect are brands to look at.


Not sure what kind of resivour for 5 bucks at Home Depot will never leak? Anything can leak. As far as myself I prefer something more astheticly pleasing then a rubermaid tub as well as something more mobile. I do like to take my machine to lan partys and I can drain it to take it with me and fill it when i get there and it takes me no time and is no hassle. Its all in one package and one less thing to move as well as one less thing to knock over. From the sounds of your system and parts you are using spending a little xtra money on a good power supply and a higer quality resivour shouldnt be a big deal.

C.I.