Got my EXOS-AL

[Met-AL]

I got my Koolance EXOS-AL last week. Paired it up with the Koolance 300-H06 waterblock. I was going to purchase the Tt Aquarius based on the reviews I found on it...until I searched what was said around the HardForums...glad I heeded your guys advice on that one. So many shitty reveiwers out there gave that thing a positive review.

The EXOS-AL is one sweet piece of hardware. Totaly silent. It's allowed me to take my Mobile XP 2600 from it's stock clock of 2Ghz to 2.7Ghz. Before on air, I was only able to hit 2.6Ghz with an extreme amount of heat, so I ran it on a daily basis at 2.5Ghz.

Benching with Sandra, my CPU now hangs in there with an Opteron 150 which would be a A64 3700+ and in the CPU multimedia tests, it pretty much ties an Opteron 152 which would be a what? A FX-55?. I know Sandra is synthetic, but it's nice to see it compare with some of the best CPU's on the market. Not bad for a $92 CPU on a motherboard with 2+yr old technology.


These were done at 2665 Mhz.

Anyways, thanks for all the advice I read about this. This is my first venture into watercooling.

EDIT: Almost forgot the most important thing..the temps...After running under full load with United Device Agent for several days, 42C on the socket, 30C on the motherboard.

 

[Top Nurse]

Congratulations on your new H20 rig! Tell us more about your Koolance setup as you go along

 

[jagzzzzzz]

More details man. I am looking at buying one cuz I can't afford the exos-2. What were your temps and what are they now. Was it easy to setup. Just any info that you have that'll make my decision easier. Thanks man!

 

[Met-AL]

More details man. I am looking at buying one cuz I can't afford the exos-2. What were your temps and what are they now. Was it easy to setup. Just any info that you have that'll make my decision easier. Thanks man!

It was very easy to set up. I repeat, very easy. The hardest thing was mounting the waterblock. The clip is three peices and my big paws had a hard time since on my ASUS A7N8X-DLX, the CPU socket is right at the edge of the board and that in turns ends up directly under my PSU. Once I got it, it was easy. I took it off a day later to insert my wire into my socket for the higher than 12.5 multipliers and the block went on quick and easy since I already figured out just how to do it. Everyone says to do a 24hr test with it running outside the PC, the directions say nothing of that and I wasn't about to sit there waiting 24hrs to try it out, so I filled it up per the instructions, ran it with the jumper to get the air out...stared at it for a while and when it didn't leak, I butttoned it all up and was done.

The whole thing, the EXOS-AL, waterblock, and a tube of AS5 was $270 shipped from NewEgg.

The temps:
After running under full load with United Device Agent for several days, 42C on the socket, 30C on the motherboard.

I am looking for a way to light up the reservoir. The is a round window on the bottom of the EXOS from the previous version where the fill lid was..I am looking for some type of bright LED light to just simply put under there shining up thru it.

My opinion on it is that it is the only one to consider buying. The others such as the Corsair, while nice, just don't compare. And the Tt Aquarius, it is a POS. It is very evident if you find a photo of it with it's case off. There is nothing in there...just a small radiator/fan and a pump...the rest of it's empty. And it cools worse than an air cooler. Now this is just my rookie opinion. I did read about every peice of trash review I could find on them. The Koolance got high marks from everyone, including [H]ard|OCP, which means alot to myself. The Corsair one didnt fair as well with [H]ard|OCP. Myself, I couldn't see spending $270 on the EXOS 2 vs $180 for the EXOS-AL. It does look pretty plain in the pictures, but once you set it on your case, you realize how classy of a design it is. It looks professional.it doesnt have gawdy stripes and lights and crap, just a very high quality aluminum finish with the word Koolance etched in it.

 

[OPUS1]

It was very easy to set up. I repeat, very easy. The hardest thing was mounting the waterblock.
.

Agreed, The hardest part was putting on the block.
Real easy to setup and quiet. Took about an hour and I did what you shouldn't do...I tested it for leaks about 10 minutes and then couldn't wait and fired it up. Been runnin like a top. Real pleased, makes you think DIY setup is as easy
Just not sure how well temps would be by adding a graphics block !

 

[Met-AL]

More details man. I am looking at buying one cuz I can't afford the exos-2. What were your temps and what are they now. Was it easy to setup. Just any info that you have that'll make my decision easier. Thanks man!

Just notice you were looking for before and after temps.

Running at 2.5Ghz 1.65 volts
Air 48C
H20 38C

Running at 2.66Ghz with 1.775 volts is 42C

Note: These are full load temps after running for several hours if not days at full load. My PC is on 24/7 folding with UD in the background. And this is the EXOS on the 1st setting (Low Setting). The HSF used for air cooling is the Scythe Samauri cooler. A real nice quiet 80mm reverse air flow cooler. Link to HSF

 

[jagzzzzzz]

So you experienced those temp drops on the LOW setting? Have you seen what that puppy can do at the high settings? Is it load at high? Thanks for the input. I am looking at getting one of these VERY soon. Maybe tomrrow. Thanks

 

[Met-AL]

So you experienced those temp drops on the LOW setting? Have you seen what that puppy can do at the high settings? Is it load at high? Thanks for the input. I am looking at getting one of these VERY soon. Maybe tomrrow. Thanks

It will drop a couple more C at high, but it is pretty loud.

Here's the low down on how the modes work:

Notice how it says it will shut down your system if it gets too hot. There is a plug that goes to your motherboard header for the power switch. You then plut your case's powerbutton into the Koolances little card you put in one of the slots. The Aqaurius doesn't have this function. Also, the Koolance has a couple fan headers on the card so you can have it control some case fans if your want.

Right now my water temp is 32C/90F. The water temp is measured by a probe you put in a little slot on the waterblock. There is room on either side for the probe so you can put two probes on it. I have the probe from the readout on my case's LED on the other one.

 

[Met-AL]

I am thinking of adding the GPU block. I am debating wether or not too, since my card has a pretty nice heatsinkfan already, but it's getting old and noisy.

This is my card: Tyan Tachyon G9700-ProM

Thanks to Brent Justice at [H]ard|OCP for reviewing this card back in the day. Link (hosting these pics myself BTW...no bandwidth theivery going on here )


It has hardware monitoring. You can see the temps of the core and the RAM chips along with voltage and fan speed. Also, I wonder if the Koolance will cool it anybetter than that HSF since you put the VPU block after the CPU block and the water will be somewhat warm already.

Shot of the temps of the card on air. Typicaly in a game like BFV, it will climb to 59C.

I don't know, do you think water cooling would improve it's cooling?

Anyways, that's what I am debating right now.

Oh and by the way, the hose that comes with the EXOS is some pretty high quality hose. Nice stuff.

One more thing, here is the review that Steve at [H]ard|OCP did on the EXOS-AL Link This is what helped me make the final decision on getting the Koolance...hope it helps you make the same choice...you can't go wrong.

 

[jagzzzzzz]

Well I bi the bullet and ordered one. I got it through ebay and paid 207 for the system and 3 blocks- 1 cpu and 2 gpu. All brand new never been used and still in the package unopened. Hehehe, will post more in a couple weeks as I am moving and won't have time to install for a couple weeks, but for the price I had to jump!

 

[Met-AL]

You are gonna like it.

It's never been used....good. I was reading some threads on the Exos, and it seems that they have a problem with having water wetter in them. It deterorates ?spelling? the plastic parts. People say you should use the Koolance liquid in them only. If yours doesn't have a bladder of it, Frozen CPU sells them. I think they are $10.

http://www.frozencpu.com/koo-08.html?id=L5hVWRcH

 

[jagzzzzzz]

Just so you know, koolance has them cheaper. Didn't look at shipping and handling though.
http://www.koolance.com/shop/product_info.php?cPath=30&products_id=45