First WC system - need feedback

[ohms]

My hardware:
Antec P182B
OCZ Powerstream 600 Watt
AMD X2 5400+ 2.8 GHz at 3.0 GHz stock voltage
Foxconn C51XEM2AA motherboard
2GB Corsair Twin XMS DDR2-800
Evga Geforce 8880 GTX KO Superclocked
SB X-Fi
74GB WD Raptor
500GB WD Caviar

Cooling:
Pump: Swiftech MCP350
Radiator: Swiftech MCR120QP 120mm
Reservoir: Swiftech MCRES Microres
CPU: Swiftech Apogee GT
Video card: AquagraFX 8800 GTX block

My idle temps according to the Nvidia control panel are:
CPU: 35 C
System: 34 C
Chipset: 39 C
Video: 56 C

I want to be able to lower the video cards temps even further and I can't seem to get it to. One of the things I have been contemplating was getting a Double QP120 Rad from Swiftech or Thermochill PA160 (but I don't know how the hell I would external mount it) to put another pass on my system for further cooling.

Right now its going from Pump > GPU > Rad > CPU > Reservoir - using 3/8 inch barbs and tubing with smart coils. Fluid is HydrX coolant that comes with the kit.

To help the heat problems with my video card, I attached an old AMD fan to the heat plate on the backside of the 8800 GTX KO, which seemed to help a bit and rigged another AMD fan about 1/2 inch away from the side of the reservoir.

Is 56 C idle/66 C full load safe temperature range for the 8880 GTX KO and do you think adding another pass would help to cool it down even more?

Also would the MCP350 pump with 15 Ft head pressure be sufficient enough to support the whole system after adding another Double QP120 or PA160?

Here are some pictures of my setup.

Radiator with Antec Tricool 120mm on both sides pulling air from outside into the case.

AquagraFX water block

Pump, Reservoir with my ghetto rig AMD fan to attempt to help cool the fluid in the reservoir

Close up of the AMD fan on the backside heatplate of the 8800 GTX KO.

 

[Gyrfalcon]

what is that little fan for?

 

[ohms]

Lol, I saw that one coming. It's to help cool down the fluid in the reservoir or attempting to. I also have one on the 8800 GTX KO's back heatplate.

 

[ikellensbro]

Your problem with you GPU temps (assuming the AquagraFX 8800GTX doesn't suck) are either a bad mounting or most likely your radiator.That MCR120 is just too small for the heat of an X2 and lightly OC'd GTX. Your DDC (MCP350) is plenty strong enough to add another radiator. For now, the fan you have blowing on your reservoir is doing absolutely nothing, and you should try and stick another fan on your radiator for a push-pull configuration. If you want to get the most out of what you have right now, have 2 fans (with shrouds) in push-pull, with the pull side blowing into your case. Have your current intake fans reversed to exhaust, and your radiator will have cooler air to work with, as well as better airflow. Primarily, you really need to get a bigger/another radiator. You can mount it externally by getting a Swiftech Radbox (or just use a gutted 120mm fan)) and stick the radiator with its barbs pointing toward your P182 if you can make the bends to get the tubing through the grommeted holes. That's what they're for

 

[Riddlinkidstoner]

Lol, I saw that one coming. It's to help cool down the fluid in the reservoir or attempting to. I also have one on the 8800 GTX KO's back heatplate.

Does that...work? Its acrylic...

 

[ohms]

Does that...work? Its acrylic...

Haha, I was kinda hoping it would help a little

@ Ikellensbro - Can I possibily mount a PA160 on the back of my Antec P182B case and hook it up to my current loop? And what do you mean about push/pull config? both fans are currently pulling into the system.

 

[Gyrfalcon]

the little fan in unnecessary, and you need more radiators if you plan on keeping it cool.

 

[ohms]

Alright, thanks for the feedback guys. I guess at this point I will get either a Swiftech MCR120QP Double or a Thermochill PA160.

But any suggestions as to how I would mount the PA160 on the back of my case? Will a Radbox work?

 

[Gyrfalcon]

get the shouds for it, you need them anyway, and just use that to hang it off the back.

 

[madmat]

Your problem with you GPU temps (assuming the AquagraFX 8800GTX doesn't suck) are either a bad mounting or most likely your radiator.That MCR120 is just too small for the heat of an X2 and lightly OC'd GTX. Your DDC (MCP350) is plenty strong enough to add another radiator. For now, the fan you have blowing on your reservoir is doing absolutely nothing, and you should try and stick another fan on your radiator for a push-pull configuration. If you want to get the most out of what you have right now, have 2 fans (with shrouds) in push-pull, with the pull side blowing into your case. Have your current intake fans reversed to exhaust, and your radiator will have cooler air to work with, as well as better airflow. Primarily, you really need to get a bigger/another radiator. You can mount it externally by getting a Swiftech Radbox (or just use a gutted 120mm fan)) and stick the radiator with its barbs pointing toward your P182 if you can make the bends to get the tubing through the grommeted holes. That's what they're for

He's already got two fans on that radiator, look at the back of it. The best he can do with it is put two high flow fans on it and that'd defeat the whole purpose of water cooling.

 

[ohms]

Ok, thanks.

 

[Gyrfalcon]

He's already got two fans on that radiator, look at the back of it. The best he can do with it is put two high flow fans on it and that'd defeat the whole purpose of water cooling.

Nah, I have a couple 113CFM Panaflo U1As around here somewhere I used for a while, they work great even if you can't here anything

 

[ohms]

Wait, so sandwiching the radiator between 2 fans is a bad idea?

Also would anyone have any insight as to what a safe limit of increasing my voltage on my CPU is so I can overclock further?

 

[madmat]

Wait, so sandwiching the radiator between 2 fans is a bad idea?

Also would anyone have any insight as to what a safe limit of increasing my voltage on my CPU is so I can overclock further?

No, running two fans in a push pull is fine. It increases the static pressure of the fans.

 

[Ranker]

Wait, so sandwiching the radiator between 2 fans is a bad idea?

Also would anyone have any insight as to what a safe limit of increasing my voltage on my CPU is so I can overclock further?

sandwiching fans between your radiator is a good idea if done correctly. You'll want the fans to push/pull in the same direction, not against each other.

I believe Intel's specs say that 1.7V is the limit, but most hardcore OC'ers won't go past the 1.6V line without phase. I personally wouldn't push past 1.55V.

 

[Arcygenical]

Wait, so sandwiching the radiator between 2 fans is a bad idea?

Also would anyone have any insight as to what a safe limit of increasing my voltage on my CPU is so I can overclock further?

Not a bad idea, but it has limited returns under most scenarios... If you're in for quiet computing, 2 yate loons at 5v will cool just as well as a single at 12v, and be a bit quieter.

Don't go over 1.55v without a TEC or phase.

 

[Pooky]

Video cards run hot these days. I wouldn't be too worried with 56° idle and 66° load.

Out of curiosity, where did you get your video card water block? I notice that it's an Aqua Computer one and AFAIK there are two different versions of that block with some pretty big differences. The first version has G1/8" (6mm) threads and somewhat small internal channels. The second version has G1/4" threads and wider (10mm x 6mm IIRC) internal channels.That version will cool better than the first and is a newer product for the US (and some specialty shops). It looks like the fittings are G1/4", but I can't tell from the pics (and my vision sucks, thx to getting stronger lenses on my good eye instead of leaving it alone).

 

[Ranker]

My hardware:
Antec P182B
OCZ Powerstream 600 Watt
AMD X2 5400+ 2.8 GHz at 3.0 GHz stock voltage
Foxconn C51XEM2AA motherboard
2GB Corsair Twin XMS DDR2-800
Evga Geforce 8880 GTX KO Superclocked
SB X-Fi
74GB WD Raptor
500GB WD Caviar

Cooling:
Pump: Swiftech MCP350
Radiator: Swiftech MCR120QP 120mm
Reservoir: Swiftech MCRES Microres
CPU: Swiftech Apogee GT
Video card: AquagraFX 8800 GTX block

My idle temps according to the Nvidia control panel are:
CPU: 35 C
System: 34 C
Chipset: 39 C
Video: 56 C

I want to be able to lower the video cards temps even further and I can't seem to get it to. One of the things I have been contemplating was getting a Double QP120 Rad from Swiftech or Thermochill PA160 (but I don't know how the hell I would external mount it) to put another pass on my system for further cooling.

You're putting out about say 275W to 350W worth of heat out right now and your Swiftech MCR120QP can only dissipate about 175-200W worth of heat. You could move your Swiftech MCR to the front where your pump/reservoir is sitting and add a Thermochill PA160 where your Swiftech used to sit. The PA160 would give you an extra 275W of heat dissipation power to your loop. So on the safe side, 175+275 = 450W of heat dissipation will be plenty for your CPU and GPU and giving you some headroom for some more OC.

Right now its going from Pump > GPU > Rad > CPU > Reservoir - using 3/8 inch barbs and tubing with smart coils. Fluid is HydrX coolant that comes with the kit.

To help the heat problems with my video card, I attached an old AMD fan to the heat plate on the backside of the 8800 GTX KO, which seemed to help a bit and rigged another AMD fan about 1/2 inch away from the side of the reservoir.

Is 56 C idle/66 C full load safe temperature range for the 8880 GTX KO and do you think adding another pass would help to cool it down even more?

Also would the MCP350 pump with 15 Ft head pressure be sufficient enough to support the whole system after adding another Double QP120 or PA160?

Besides a bad mount on your graphics cards, there are two other things you can do to drop your temps. Buying Petra's or Alphacool's modded top will give you a bit more head pressure (from 15 to 23ft of head). You'll have to switch your tubing to 1/2" ID.

After you've done all of that and your temps for your graphics card aren't that great, then I'd consider purchasing a different block say: EK FC or MCW60. I can't recommend the D-Tek GFX in a loop with the CPU in it.

My 8800GTX's idle at 33C and push no further than 39-40C on load. With EK FC's I was running about 37C idle and 42C load.

Your video card is running way too hot as is. Just after market air coolers alone could get similar if not better temps than that. Thermalright HR-03's can easily get the same if not beat those temps you have atm) People with the HR-03 passive air cooler are reporting 40C idle with 51C load with 25C ambient temps.

 

[ohms]

Well before I go and replace the GPU water block i'm going to buy another radiator like you said, but i'll be going with the MCR 120QP double. I don't think I am going to go with the PA160 because of the sheer cost.

Thank you for the recommendations though. I don't think I will buy another pump since most people seem to think the 15ft of head pressure will be enough.

 

[ohms]

Video cards run hot these days. I wouldn't be too worried with 56° idle and 66° load.

Out of curiosity, where did you get your video card water block? I notice that it's an Aqua Computer one and AFAIK there are two different versions of that block with some pretty big differences. The first version has G1/8" (6mm) threads and somewhat small internal channels. The second version has G1/4" threads and wider (10mm x 6mm IIRC) internal channels.That version will cool better than the first and is a newer product for the US (and some specialty shops). It looks like the fittings are G1/4", but I can't tell from the pics (and my vision sucks, thx to getting stronger lenses on my good eye instead of leaving it alone).

I got my GPU water block from sharka computers. It's 3/8" barbs on it, I think there is a possibility that maybe it is running hot becuase I didn't have enough thermal pads for the voltage regulators.

 

[Ranker]

Well before I go and replace the GPU water block i'm going to buy another radiator like you said, but i'll be going with the MCR 120QP double. I don't think I am going to go with the PA160 because of the sheer cost.

Thank you for the recommendations though. I don't think I will buy another pump since most people seem to think the 15ft of head pressure will be enough.

You won't have to purchase another pump. Petra's top or Alphacool's top are just a modification of your existing pump. Basically you just unscrew the top of your pump and screw the new top. This gives you more flow since the inlet at the top drives the pump more. You can purchase this mod for about $25:

Petra's top: http://www.petrastechshop.com/peddcudeddcp.html

Alphacool top: http://www.performance-pcs.com/catalog/index.php?main_page=product_info&products_id=4506

 

[ohms]

Yeah... but I don't want to replace all my barbs and tubing. I'm really trying to avoid that.

 

[madmat]

Put 3/8" barbs on the Petra's top. It'll still out perform your pump as it sits now.

 

[ohms]

Put 3/8" barbs on the Petra's top. It'll still out perform your pump as it sits now.

Ah ok I didn't think you could attach 3/8" barbs to it instead of the 1/2"

 

[ohms]

Actually I just decided to go with a Thermochill PA-160 with 2 shrouds and 2 Evercool Aluminum 83.4 cfm 120mm fans. I am just too lazy to build a box to hide the radiator since I cannot mount it internally due to the size limitations of the Antec 182B.

Any suggestions on where I should mount it?

I was thinking either on top by reversing the air flow on the 120mm Antec Tricool. Then attaching the shroud to that and then to the PA-160. I can also use my radbox that came with my Swiftech setup and attaching it to the back of my case behind my current radiator push/pull config, going with the same config as just mentioned but also moving my current position of my radiator to the front intake and moving my pump and reservoir else where.