First watercooling setup advice

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HICKFARM

Gawd
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Jun 18, 2008
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So i have a custom case i am wanting to install watercooling in. This is my first watercooling endeaver after reading throught several threads. Here is the case and album link:
http://s119.photobucket.com/user/hickfarm/library/John Deere Case
2012-04-12_14-46-43_495.jpg


First off I need to take some measurements. But I was wanting to fit 360mm Radiator at the bottom of the case and put the case up on casters. But after looking a 360mm radiator is 15.7" long and going off of the ATX board being 9.6" wide I won't have enough room for it. I am open to mounting the reservoir on the back of the case and the let the radiator hookups extend out the back of the case and hook it up that way and use a PCI passthrough connector for the tubes to enter the PC.
Radiator i am looking at XSPC RX360.

I will be cooling an i7 2600k. I also have a 980TI i am still contemplating on cooling. Don't wanna drop 130$ on a waterblock though.

I am open to a 240mm on the front 2 fans as well if the 360mm rad won't work. I am open to ideas. I just wanna stay away from a reservoir using a 5.25 bay.

Are the reservoir/pump combos a good idea? I feel they would be since it is one less connection to worry about.
 
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if a 280 will fit in the front that should be enough for both cpu and gpu otherwise a rear external mount would work. yes a combo is a good idea. with a rad at the front you should still be able to fit you pump/res inbetween it and the mobo. you could also find a way to mount it horizontally at the top of the mobo in that big empty space under the psu. as far as the gpu go you could look at one of these: Alphacool NexXxoS GPX Nvidia Geforce GTX 980 that's about as cheap as I could find for a gpu solution.
 
I don't think a 280 will fit in the front of my case. Those are 2 120mm fans that are barely fitting horizontally. But that would be something worth considering for the bottom of the case as well. I need to get some measurements and that would make this whole thing easier.

I also like the idea of fitting it horizontally up in that free space, but I don't know how i would mount it there.
 
yup measure things up see what youre working with. mounting a rad just needs a couple custom steel brackets. you modded that case you should be able to handle that!
 
i thought that too at first but then looked through all his pics. his bays are completely full I think that's why he was trying to steer clear.
 
alxlwson said:
EK Bay-Res D5 PWM Combo
EK XE 240
EK Supremecy EVO CPU block

I know you wanna stay away from a bay res, but they are a great option when you're hard up for space.

Here is my res/pump combo, same as I linked.
Click to expand...

Ya all that looks really nice, but seems pricey. The main reason I am finally going watercooling is that I can buy cheaper used parts. I also want to keep the green and yellow theme going on the front of my case and I don't want to break out the green spray paint again.

What tubing size is that in your case? Believe the watercooling goodie box i am receiving is full of 1/2 ID and 3/4 OD fittings and tubing. Which seems a little big. Is it needed for just a CPU loop? Do I need a bigger pump for that big of tubing? Also what coolant are you using? I wanna use green coolant as well, you know since the rest of the case is green.

pendragon1 said:
i thought that too at first but then looked through all his pics. his bays are completely full I think that's why he was trying to steer clear.
Click to expand...

I could easily remove the CD drive and top little fan thing. But then i remembered the SSD is stored behind that fan as well. And I don't want to part with the fan controller or the USB port thing even though the temp gauges have never really been hooked up. Still looks cool though.
 
HICKFARM said:
Ya all that looks really nice, but seems pricey. The main reason I am finally going watercooling is that I can buy cheaper used parts. I also want to keep the green and yellow theme going on the front of my case and I don't want to break out the green spray paint again.

What tubing size is that in your case? Believe the watercooling goodie box i am receiving is full of 1/2 ID and 3/4 OD fittings and tubing. Which seems a little big. Is it needed for just a CPU loop? Do I need a bigger pump for that big of tubing? Also what coolant are you using? I wanna use green coolant as well, you know since the rest of the case is green.



I could easily remove the CD drive and top little fan thing. But then i remembered the SSD is stored behind that fan as well. And I don't want to part with the fan controller or the USB port thing even though the temp gauges have never really been hooked up. Still looks cool though.
Click to expand...

The tube is Primochill's Primoflex Advanced LRT 10mm/16mm.

You can step down the price to cost reduced variants. They perform fairly close to their pricier counterparts. The core components are usually the same, but the surrounding materials are less expensive to use. Please do not mistake that for "cheap".
So, for cost reduced variants:
Keep that same radiator.
Pump- EK-Day D5 MX
Block- EK Surpremecy MX

You do lose the PWM function on the pump with that unit. Honestly though, I'm not sure the price is worth it. I don't use the function at all. I just have the pump set to 100% duty cycle all the time. It makes no noise *shrug*

The D5 pump is the best pump to get for any situation. I'm running an XE 360mm rad, a PE 240mm rad, and the EK full-cover block for my Maximus VIII Hero with no issues. GPU block is incoming any day now, and there shouldn't be any issues with that either. However, that probably is the limit for a single pump system, but that is more to do with how I have my loop. I have entirely too much tubing :D
 
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