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Storm-Chaser
n00b
- Joined
- Jul 18, 2020
- Messages
- 41
This build started life with a 120mm air cooler made by MSI, the Core Frozr XL, which has two 120mm fans in push/pull configuration. I was able to get 5.0Ghz out of the chip, but it was noisy under sustained heavy load so I wanted to switch gears here and move to a custom loop, partly for aesthetics but also for performance as well. Also out of curiosity. I want to explore the possibility of using just one 120mm radiator to make this upgrade slightly more challenging. So that is the only self imposed restriction, if you will. Everything else is on the table. In point of fact, I could actually fit a 360 mm radiator in this case, but that would be boring and easy. Set it and forget it, which gives me no satisfaction whatsoever.
I am essentially trying to build a high performance liquid cooling system with a 120mm radiator at the core. Target is 5.0GHz with a six core Intel 9600KF CPU. My goal is a 1 hour torture test with the case buttoned up completely. The Alphacool NexXxoS Monsta 120 Radiator is around 80 mm in thickness, so it will make fitment within the case challenging, especially with two fans in a push/pull configuration on either side of it. Matter of fact, I may eventually put the "pulling" fan on the outside of the case if I need more interior room in the case for other components.
*I originally used the MSI Core Frozr XL air cooler with this build. This particular cooler has eight heat pipes and two 120 mm fans in push/pull. I was able to hold 5.0GHz no problem, however, the fan profile had to be set rather aggressively and under heavy load the rig would get pretty loud. However, I was not able to shut the case up tight due to thermals. To help correct that problem, I've upgraded the video card from an RX 580 to an MSI Radeon RX 5700 XT. The MSI Gaming X 5700 XT GPU has a great cooling system from the factory, and the GPU stays very cool under nearly all conditions including heavy gaming, giving the rest of my system a little more thermal headroom to work with when its needed most. The RX 580 offered excellent performance, but it was a very hot running card and would simply overwhelm the airflow limits of my case. Consequently, I have also cut a 120 x 120 mm square in the side panel directly above the memory and waterblock. I will be using a 120mm high performance Noctua fan for active cooling to that area including the water block, VRMs and memory. Last step is adding a magnetic mesh filter on cover, so the case will have a nice fit and finish once completed. The fan is PWM and can go up to 3000 rpm. I will also have another Noctua 120mm at the front of the case, in the lower front, to draw in fresh air for the GPU. So in total, that's two four 120 mm fans. Two on the rad, on in the lower right front of the case and one on the side cover, above where the waterblock, VRMs and memory sit.
MSI Cooling Core Frozr XL (old, original cooler)
*The case is nearly silent with cladding and sound deadening material on nearly every surface within the case, further decreasing my thermal margins, which will make extracting heat from the rig more of a challenge, which is exactly what I want.
*As a challenge to see just how much I can get out of a relatively difficult to cool case with a relatively hot running six core CPU at 5GHz. I've calculated the TDP of the 9600KF to be around 175 watts at 5.0GHz.
Case in question is the Coolermaster Sileo 500. I'm well aware that it's generally a love / hate relationship. Some people like the minimalist, brushed aluminum look while others hate it. I am also using this case for sentimental reasons because it was the last computer I built with my father before he passed away in 2013.
Side with internal view, note 120mm fan at the back. That's where the radiator's gonna go.
Radiator Selection
Alphacool 14180 NexXxoS Monsta 120mm Radiator Water Cooling Radiator
WaterBlock:
Watercool HEATKILLER IV PRO CPU Water Block, Intel CPU, Pure Copper
Pump:
800L/H 8W 7V Water Cooling Pump Tank with 4 Meters Pump Head & LED Power Indicator G1/4 Thread Fast Heat Dissipation CPU
Temp Sensor:Bitspower G1/4" Temperature Sensor Stop Fitting, Matte Black
Soft Tubing: PrimoFlex Advanced LRT 3/8in. ID x 1/2in. OD Tubing Bundle (10ft Pack) - Crystal Clear
G1/4" fttings: XSPC G1/4" 5mm Male to Male Fitting, Chrome, 4-Pack
Single front 120mm case fan: Noctua NF-F12 PWM chromax.Black.swap, Premium Quiet Fan, 4-Pin (120mm, Black)
Dual 120mm radiator fans: Noctua NF-A12x25 PWM, Premium Quiet Fan, 4-Pin (120mm, Brown)
EKWB EK-Quantum Torque STC-10/13 Compression Fitting for Soft Tubing, 10/13mm (3/8" ID, 1/2" OD), Nickel, 4-Pack
Water Cooling Copper Filter 2 G1/4" Ports for Liquid Cooling System Loop (Silver)
SDTC Tech 6 Pack G1/4" Plug Fitting with O-Ring for PC Water Cooling Systems, Silver
EK-AF Classic Angled 90° - Black Nickel 2 Pack
EKWB EK-Quantum Torque STC-10/13 Compression Fitting for Soft Tubing, 10/13mm (3/8" ID, 1/2" OD), Nickel
EKWB EK-CryoFuel Concentrate Coolant, 100mL, Navy Blue
2nd Reservoir: (Yes, I will have two reservoirs in the same loop) This is actually much more than a reservoir to monitor levels. You can attach up to two D5 pumps down the road that mount to the back. Essentially, I am building redundancy into the system. If the first pump fails or is flat out just a bad performer, or I just don't like it, I can always shift a few lines and convert to a pump/res combo.
What do you think? Any recommendations on other parts or ideas are welcome. Only restriction, which is self imposed, is the 120 mm radiator. I've worked with AIO solutions quite a bit but not so much with custom loops. So this will be my first custom loop, definitely excited for the challenge. I'm about 90% confident I can hit the mark and pass a one hour torture test.
I am essentially trying to build a high performance liquid cooling system with a 120mm radiator at the core. Target is 5.0GHz with a six core Intel 9600KF CPU. My goal is a 1 hour torture test with the case buttoned up completely. The Alphacool NexXxoS Monsta 120 Radiator is around 80 mm in thickness, so it will make fitment within the case challenging, especially with two fans in a push/pull configuration on either side of it. Matter of fact, I may eventually put the "pulling" fan on the outside of the case if I need more interior room in the case for other components.
*I originally used the MSI Core Frozr XL air cooler with this build. This particular cooler has eight heat pipes and two 120 mm fans in push/pull. I was able to hold 5.0GHz no problem, however, the fan profile had to be set rather aggressively and under heavy load the rig would get pretty loud. However, I was not able to shut the case up tight due to thermals. To help correct that problem, I've upgraded the video card from an RX 580 to an MSI Radeon RX 5700 XT. The MSI Gaming X 5700 XT GPU has a great cooling system from the factory, and the GPU stays very cool under nearly all conditions including heavy gaming, giving the rest of my system a little more thermal headroom to work with when its needed most. The RX 580 offered excellent performance, but it was a very hot running card and would simply overwhelm the airflow limits of my case. Consequently, I have also cut a 120 x 120 mm square in the side panel directly above the memory and waterblock. I will be using a 120mm high performance Noctua fan for active cooling to that area including the water block, VRMs and memory. Last step is adding a magnetic mesh filter on cover, so the case will have a nice fit and finish once completed. The fan is PWM and can go up to 3000 rpm. I will also have another Noctua 120mm at the front of the case, in the lower front, to draw in fresh air for the GPU. So in total, that's two four 120 mm fans. Two on the rad, on in the lower right front of the case and one on the side cover, above where the waterblock, VRMs and memory sit.
MSI Cooling Core Frozr XL (old, original cooler)
*The case is nearly silent with cladding and sound deadening material on nearly every surface within the case, further decreasing my thermal margins, which will make extracting heat from the rig more of a challenge, which is exactly what I want.
*As a challenge to see just how much I can get out of a relatively difficult to cool case with a relatively hot running six core CPU at 5GHz. I've calculated the TDP of the 9600KF to be around 175 watts at 5.0GHz.
Case in question is the Coolermaster Sileo 500. I'm well aware that it's generally a love / hate relationship. Some people like the minimalist, brushed aluminum look while others hate it. I am also using this case for sentimental reasons because it was the last computer I built with my father before he passed away in 2013.
Side with internal view, note 120mm fan at the back. That's where the radiator's gonna go.
Radiator Selection
Alphacool 14180 NexXxoS Monsta 120mm Radiator Water Cooling Radiator
WaterBlock:
Watercool HEATKILLER IV PRO CPU Water Block, Intel CPU, Pure Copper
Pump:
800L/H 8W 7V Water Cooling Pump Tank with 4 Meters Pump Head & LED Power Indicator G1/4 Thread Fast Heat Dissipation CPU
Temp Sensor:Bitspower G1/4" Temperature Sensor Stop Fitting, Matte Black
Soft Tubing: PrimoFlex Advanced LRT 3/8in. ID x 1/2in. OD Tubing Bundle (10ft Pack) - Crystal Clear
G1/4" fttings: XSPC G1/4" 5mm Male to Male Fitting, Chrome, 4-Pack
Single front 120mm case fan: Noctua NF-F12 PWM chromax.Black.swap, Premium Quiet Fan, 4-Pin (120mm, Black)
Dual 120mm radiator fans: Noctua NF-A12x25 PWM, Premium Quiet Fan, 4-Pin (120mm, Brown)
EKWB EK-Quantum Torque STC-10/13 Compression Fitting for Soft Tubing, 10/13mm (3/8" ID, 1/2" OD), Nickel, 4-Pack
Water Cooling Copper Filter 2 G1/4" Ports for Liquid Cooling System Loop (Silver)
SDTC Tech 6 Pack G1/4" Plug Fitting with O-Ring for PC Water Cooling Systems, Silver
EK-AF Classic Angled 90° - Black Nickel 2 Pack
EKWB EK-Quantum Torque STC-10/13 Compression Fitting for Soft Tubing, 10/13mm (3/8" ID, 1/2" OD), Nickel
EKWB EK-CryoFuel Concentrate Coolant, 100mL, Navy Blue
2nd Reservoir: (Yes, I will have two reservoirs in the same loop) This is actually much more than a reservoir to monitor levels. You can attach up to two D5 pumps down the road that mount to the back. Essentially, I am building redundancy into the system. If the first pump fails or is flat out just a bad performer, or I just don't like it, I can always shift a few lines and convert to a pump/res combo. 
What do you think? Any recommendations on other parts or ideas are welcome. Only restriction, which is self imposed, is the 120 mm radiator. I've worked with AIO solutions quite a bit but not so much with custom loops. So this will be my first custom loop, definitely excited for the challenge. I'm about 90% confident I can hit the mark and pass a one hour torture test.
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