El-Cheapo Watercooling... Worth It?

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Megadeth_Guy01

2[H]4U
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Nov 29, 2003
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I'm poor and too young to work and stuff, if I did decide to save up $100 to buy something would it be worth it to buy this http://www.xoxide.com/theraqiipreo.html ? I've been wanting to watercool for awhile but my budget doesn't agree with a $250 kit. And I don't want something external because I have alot of animals that climb on things and tend to well... break stuff. Would that be better than my craptastic stock AMD heatsink? I could always upgrade the waterblock, pump, or radiator later on right? Thanks, all input needed.
 
thermaltake is CRAP.

you're better off getting a Zalman CU-7000 or thermalrite XP-90.
 
For the cooling , the amount of money you're talking about would be better off spent for air cooling. But if you want water cooling just for the heck of it ( which was my reason) , go for it.....always gives you something to mess around and tweak with.
 
I was really just wanting to know if it would give me better cooling than air could. Guess not, could someone name a really nice expensive heatpipe cooler? Money really wouldn't be a limitation on a heatsink.
 
skip the whole kit idea and build your kit from scratch.

Get like a CSP-750 Mark II ($37, Dtek should get them in shortly; supposedly they have been shipped to them), dtek TC-4 ($25), some masterkleer tubing from mcmaster.com page 82 and some double snap grip clamps while you're at it.

Of course a heatercore and fans, but that depends on how much room you have (dtek and 2fresh sell rads, but you can buy a car heater core if you want to do a little modding or take ti to a radiator shop).

That'll probably beat teh shit out of that themal take crap. You may also want to try 7/16" tuding: http://forums.procooling.com/vbb/showthread.php?t=10627 .
 
Maybe if someone would be really nice to me :) they could make a list of watercooling parts I'd need to start WCing my rig. It would have to be in the $150-160 range if that's even possible. Anyways, take a whack at making me a little setup that would cool my 2200 better than air if you're bored. I know pretty much next to nothing about watercooling so I'd be scared to configure my own setup, leave something out, and fry my CPU.

P.S. - If someone could reccomend a huge honkin' heatpipe that'd be cool too, I've kinda been eyeing something huge like a AeroCool HT-101 or Spire CoolGate SP450B0.
 
I just built my first watercooled setup...here are the parts/prices...

pondmaster 250gph pump - $35 bucks at petsmart
dangerden maze 4 - $35 bucks(spend the extra 15 bucks and get the rbx)
77 bonneville core - $20 at autozone 5 bucks to make the shroud
2 - 120mm fans - $30
1/2"id tubing/fittings/clamps for 15-20 bucks at home depot

i also threw in a relay/wiring block for 20 bucks...since the pump is 120VAC

thats pretty much it though...

edit:...my VGA block is in the mail..throw in some more bling if you want that as well...I dont over clock my card though...I just want to help keep my case temps down since it seems to be the hottest thing in my case...
 
Would that actually cool better than air? If it did that's slightly within my budget, $175 is kinda pushing it though. I wouldn't throw in the bling for a GPU block tho. Would I have to get any adapters for that Pondmaster, and if so what size?

P.S. - What is a shroud, and is it neccesary?

Edit: Also, what is a relay/wiring block (jeez I feel like a n00b)?
 
I personally would go with the second kit... the reason being is that the 120mm radiator would give you better cooling with less noise... if that is what you are after, this aspect is subjective from user to user. besides that the 120mm kit would displace more heat :D
 
The second kit but look closely..it doesnt include any waterblocks in that 178 buck price tag. The CPU block is seperate priced. I think you can do much better by buying the parts yourself than in a kit and keep the total price under 175.

Sample setup:

42.00 - MCW6002 swiftech CPU block
20.00 - 1977 bonneville heatercore -from any major auto parts chain
30.00 - 2X120mm fans for heatercore. Lots to choose from.
17.95 - MCRES swiftech poly bay res with 1/2" barbs
7.00-10.00 -Clearflex 1/2" hose at a buck a foot
5.00 - Misc clamps, fittings, all available at Home depot or Lowes
35.00 -CSP-750 Mk II 12V Pump
10.00 - Zerex or other water treatment

170.00 total not including any possible freight or taxes.

The pump is a tossup. I included the csp-750 because, out of the lower priced pumps, it is 12V and has decent performance and reliability reputation. There are a lot of other low priced pumps to choose from. The other items in the kit have equivalently priced competition from Dangerden, D-tek, polarflo to name a few if you look around. Prices above are all either Manufacturers suggested retail or rough prices Ive seen at various websites.

The above setup is a very solid performing choice that will kick the crap out of any Aquarius POS. This setup also has the ability to add a GPU cooler at a later date without any mods to what is already there.

P.S. go to Overclockers.com and read their "watercooling for beginners" and "watercooling myths exposed' articles. Very well written stuff for anyone interested in Wcing.
 
the relay/wiring block is used to turn the pump on and off when my computer turns on and off. Im sure you can go to radio shack and by it for cheap. You dont have to have one but it would be a pain in the butt to plug/unplug the pump every time you turn your computer on and off. ill show you a picture when i get off work tonight..whenever that may be :(
 
MikeP said:
The second kit but look closely..it doesnt include any waterblocks in that 178 buck price tag. The CPU block is seperate priced. I think you can do much better by buying the parts yourself than in a kit and keep the total price under 175.

Sample setup:

42.00 - MCW6002 swiftech CPU block
20.00 - 1977 bonneville heatercore -from any major auto parts chain
30.00 - 2X120mm fans for heatercore. Lots to choose from.
17.95 - MCRES swiftech poly bay res with 1/2" barbs
7.00-10.00 -Clearflex 1/2" hose at a buck a foot
5.00 - Misc clamps, fittings, all available at Home depot or Lowes
35.00 -CSP-750 Mk II 12V Pump
10.00 - Zerex or other water treatment

170.00 total not including any possible freight or taxes.
Click to expand...

you're paying too much for fans, they shouldn't run more than 10 bucks each. you can also go with a chevelle heatercore and go with just 1 fan.

so your price less:
10 bucks on fans
10 bucks for water treatment (not really necessary)
17 bucks for res (go with inline)

brings you in under 135, 125 if you go with a single fan.
 
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