Good Setup?

[TeeJayHoward]

I might be looking at buying a WC setup. My damned A64 3000+ seems to like 65+ load temps at 2.7Ghz, and this might be an effective way to cool the sucker down.

Anyway, here's what I've got so far. Please, recommendations?

TDX Athlon64 & Opteron 754/939/940
Black Ice Micro2
PrimoFlex - Clear 10 Feet
Hydor L25
10 clamps
Typhoon Dual 5 1/4 Bay - Clear
Danger Den Black Aluminum Fillport
4 oz Water Wetter
Arctic Silver 5 3.5g Tube
Total: $193.25

I need to keep it under $200, and want a clean setup. (No ugly radiators) It will be going in a Cooler Master ATC-710 case. The prices listed are from Voyeurmods.com. Uhhh... Did I forget anything? (System specs are listed in Sig, the AV8 system would be the WC one)

 

[DFI Daishi]

you could get rid of the res, and use a T fitting from the hardware store instead to knock down the price somewhat. those DD fillports are really meant to work well with Ts, as far as i can see. a bigger rad would be a good idea if you ever want to add graphics cooling to the loop. zerex is less likely to fog up your tubes than water wetter. might want to get some good gear clamps from the hardware store, as opposed to those little plastic things that DD sells.

are you planning on putting that micro where the normal rear exahust fans are? does a nice job of mounting a large rad/heater core constitute "ugly" to you? do you ever plan to add graphics cooling to the loop?

 

[TeeJayHoward]

you could get rid of the res, and use a T fitting from the hardware store instead to knock down the price somewhat. those DD fillports are really meant to work well with Ts, as far as i can see.

Actually, I wanted the Innovatek Fass-O-Matic TIC Barrel Header Tank for a res, but I can't afford it. I'm planning on just hiding the res until I CAN afford it. I'm somewhat stuck on the idea of using a res instead of the T-fitting. Should I get rid of the fillport?

a bigger rad would be a good idea if you ever want to add graphics cooling to the loop.

I don't plan on adding any graphics cooling to the loop. Never had a problem with my card overheating.

zerex is less likely to fog up your tubes than water wetter. might want to get some good gear clamps from the hardware store, as opposed to those little plastic things that DD sells.

Thanks. I'll take note!

are you planning on putting that micro where the normal rear exahust fans are? does a nice job of mounting a large rad/heater core constitute "ugly" to you? do you ever plan to add graphics cooling to the loop?

The micro will go in front, in place of the two intake fans. I've no clue exactly what a "nice job of mounting" consists of, all I know is that the majority of rads are butt-ugly, and the DD micro2 isn't (in my mind). Once more, no graphics card to the loop. This will be just for the CPU.

 

[DFI Daishi]

hey, you CAN use the fill port in addition to the res. it won't hurt anything, i just dont see the point of it.

here is a fill port done right: http://www.dangerden.com/images/Cases/wood/rwood/side off.jpg it's on the DD site, obviously. see the T right before the pump, and then the hose going up to the top of the case?

and a "nicely" installed larger rad would be a cut out in the top of the case for the rad/fan to vent out of, with four case screws holding it in place.

even the black ice pro has more surface area than the micro II. the black ice pro II more still, but you might be able to get away with the normal pro for CPU cooling only.

it's a much bigger case, with a much bigger rad, but this kind of mounting is what i am talking about: http://www.hardforum.com/showthread.php?t=888732

as for no graphics cooling......i guess that part of the point of watercooling for me is eliminating all of those little fans.

the pelt cooling that i have done is because i just didn't want to take a performance hit as compared to my old SP-97 cooling.

 

[Erasmus354]

If you are planning on upgrading to a different resevoir later, and are on a budget now, there is no reason to buy a resevoir now. Just get a T-Line for now and get the resevoir when you can afford it, will save you a good bit of cash.

 

[TeeJayHoward]

So what kind of specs can I expect out of this? I'm hoping to drop my load temps. I currently idle at 46C and load at 65+C on the stock A64 HS/F.

If I switched to the DD Black Ice Pro II Radiator and got rid of the res, I could still be within budget, but I'd have to pick up 2x 120mm fans. (Don't have any now, my case is full of 80mm's.) This might be possible. Any recommendations on fans, and how much of a difference would this make?

I guess I'm really looking for load temps under 55C, but the lower I can get, the better. (Of course!)

As always, if I forgot to include some info you need (I always do), please tell me what!

 

[thewhiteguy]

Teh Bonneville is calling to yuo ...

 

[DFI Daishi]

Teh Bonneville is calling to yuo ...

he thinks that she is too ugly for him.

i say it very often, but once again: i like panaflo fans because they take punishment well as compared to other fans that i have gone through, and move good volume of air per noise. the new 3-bladed reasonably quiet delta fans look VERY promising as fans that would work well against the resistance of a rad, but i don't know anyone who has tried them as of yet.

both of those are typically expensive, though.

delta fans are durable, and although most of their past product has been loud, they have not been know to fudge their sound numbers.

unlike a certain other company that sells fans that are cheap and claim mysteriously low noise levels for the amount of air that they move..........*ahem* tt *ahem*

 

[thewhiteguy]

he thinks that she is too ugly for him.

It's OK, he's not worthy anyway.

 

[TeeJayHoward]

It's OK, he's not worthy anyway.

Bah! (Actually, got any comparisons between that and the Black Ice Pro II? For 5C, I could definatly forgive some ugliness.)

Anyway, since the only thing I'm cooling is the CPU, would it be wiser to get the RBX instead of the TDX? According to this page, it seems to be quite a bit better, and the same price.

 

[thewhiteguy]

Get a 2Fresh Boneville core and shroud, they look pretty good.

 

[DFI Daishi]

about the worst thing that i have heard about the RBX as compared to the TDX is that it is a bit harder to plumb properly with the extra outlets.

it doesn't seem like it should be a big deal to me, but i have not tried it so i don't know for sure.

 

[thewhiteguy]

See my thread for an example of the RBX being very easily plumbed. If you can do the plumbing elegantly then it's the way to go, otherwise the TDX is basically just as good.