My Watercooling setup thread

[justler]

I am on a VW forum (vwvortex.com), and I have a build thread for my brother and I's 1983 Rabbit (http://forums.vwvortex.com/zerothread?id=3481149). I figured, why not a water cooling build thread?

I enjoy learning new things and starting new hobbies. Putting together all the pieces for water cooling was a lot of fun. It was not super challenging, I previously stayed away from water cooling because it was a lot more difficult, and parts were not as widespread as they are these days, and the forum provided me some great information.

Current specs:

Core 2 Duo e6700
Gigabyte PA-G33-S2
2GB Corsair XMS2 5400
eVGA 8800 GT SSC
Antec 400w PS
WD Raptor 74gb
WD 500gb
Misc fans, OEM cpu heatsink/fan.
Silverstone SG01

I will be replacing the processor with a Q6600 S0, or my brother's Q6600 B3 if he gets his new QX processor from the intel guy at his work. Replacing the Power supply with a Corsair 620HX. My current PS has a ton of cables coming out of it and I want to clean it up. I'd also like to get some memory with faster timings. I've been looking at Mushkin, Crucial and Corsair. Recommendations are appreciated. Right now, we have a lan party at my house once a month, and this computer will be a neat addition, and I think the people at the lan party will enjoy seeing it =).

Water cooling equipment I have purchased:

Swiftech MP665 (Thanks alphakry)
Thermochill 120.3 Radiator + Shroud
D-Tek Fuzion CPU block w/ nozzle kit
MCW60 for my 8800GT + MCW8800 vreg/ramsink kit
EK-Multioption RES 100 Rev 2 w/ anti-cyclon thingy
3/8" Tygon clear tubing + Koolance blue springs
6x Yate Loon 120mm low-speed fans w/ rubber mount anti-vib things
Sunbeam 4-knob rheobus (To control radiator fans)

I plan to mount the radiator and the resevoir externally, since I will be putting this stuff into a SFF case. I am planning on putting in a window, but I may end up waiting til I can kind of mock things up to see exactly where I want to put it. Why have all that neat stuff in there if you can't see it?

I also got some orange heat shrink to wrap cables,blue zip ties, and a few other misc accessories to accessorize. I thought some orange fluid or uv orange die in the tygon tubing w/ the orange shrink wrap and zip-tied w/ blue zip-ties would make for a need color choice with the blue gigabyte board.

Below is the loop I have decided on. If you can think of any good ideas, please let me know... I haven't started assembling anything yet, and am just finishing a few odds and ends.

You are looking at the case from the top, and the front of the case is towards the bottom. The power-supply is actually directly over top of the processor, which is why you can not see it. At this point, I am also not going to be cooling my North Bridge. Maybe that will come later.

So far, I think i'm into this for about $400.

 

[sd11]

I love EK stuff, but their res isn't all that. Get a mcres. Faster bleeding.

Also for just that, I'd drop to the mcr320 rad and cut some of the cost from the PA. Don't get me wrong the PA is a FAR better product, but the pricing is up there.

Both of those should save you some cash.

 

[justler]

I've started the assembly of my watercooling setup. I'm taking it slow and enjoying the process. So far, I have the pump mounted, resevoir mounts, blocks installed and most of the tubing done.

Any suggestions on what I should do for a window or something so you can see some of the neat stuff inside? Suggestions about anything else on the system are welcome as well. It's been a blast so far and i'm glad i've stretched this over a few days. It's been a lot of fun =).

I shrink tubed the case cables (front audio, usb, pw led etc). I removed the firewire front port cable because I never ever use firewire.

Some pics of my RAM, 4 gigs G.Skill PC2 8000 ($120 or so)

My brother is lending me his old Q6600 B3 for awhile (I'm waiting for 45nm)

Fuzion posts installed, CPU prep'd with Ceramique. My motherboard is currently a Gigabyte G33-S2 micro-atx.

Reservoir mounted!

Here is the CPU side of the motherboard all plumbed into the CPU block and outlet side of the pump. I had to use 90deg elbows because the tubing kinked with the power supply being right above the CPU. The MCP655 should be able to push through it ok. It's just a CPU/GPU loop.

Here is the Video card side of the loop and the MCP655-V. A couple ramsinks broke off from my pulling the card out and putting it back in not so carefully. I chopped up the original pump bracket and drilled a hole in the middle support of the case and attached the pump with a screw. I'm currently fabricating something to support the side of the pump by the HD cage.

and finally, here is a top view

 

[plot]

Wow, looks good, especially considering the size of the case!

For the ram sinks, I just dabbed on some super glue and they seem to stay fine now.

Have you filled the system yet? What are your temps? I have the same pump, same GPU block on the same graphic card, GPU and Proc run around 42C under load.