Need Help with Custom Water Cooling Build

T

TypeOne

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Jul 31, 2010
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Hey all, although I do not post a lot, I frequently come here looking for good posts/reviews.

I am building a Water Cooling Kit for myself to purchase and just want the thumbs up on what I am about to purchase and/or any suggestions. PLEASE ASSIST as I can not seem to get an answer on this anywhere I go for some reason.

Okay, let me start with my system specs:

Case: Cooler Master Cosmos Pure
CPU: Intel i7 930 2.9 GHz
Motherboard: Evga X58 SLI LE (757)
Ram: Corsair Dominator 6GB 1600 (3 x 2GB)
GPU: ATI Radeon HD 5870
PSU Corsair HX 850W (modular)
OS: Windows 7 Ultimate

I am very interested in bringing this build to water cooling. I plan on engaging in heavy gaming with light overclocking. My main goal is to have low temps, with the ability to run a bit faster as quiet as possible. I eventually want the entire system to be water cooled, but I want to start with the CPU for now, then work the GPU and motherboard into the loop. I do not want more than one reservoir either because I will not be heavily OCing and the water cooling will be for aesthetics as well. So I don't want to crowd the inside of the system. Unless, of course, something else is recommended.

Now that the situation is laid out (not talking about the Jersey Shore one, although I would like to see him that way), here is what I have put together on my own. Please let me know if it is good or if I should make any changes. Please keep in mind my goals etc...

I REALLY appreciate any help you all can give. Thanks again:

CustomWCK.png


I am going for the UV blue theme as the lights on my Razer Mamba, case and keyboard are all that color. I might add some green kink reduction for some different colors, but that will be my main theme.

Thanks again!
 
If you plan to add the rest of the system any time in the near future then go ahead and buy a radiator, pump, and reservoir that can handle your ultimate plan. You'll get exceptional cooling now, and it's really the blocks that make it expensive to build.

Get at least a 3x120 radiator if you'll eventually have both cpu & gpu on the loop, and personally I would want a bigger pump than fits in that single bay setup for a loop cooling more than 2 blocks.
 
I suggest you check out TilaTech's clearance page. They've got 120mm and 240mm XSPC radiators for a fantastic price. They've also got XSPC barbs for under a buck!

As for your integrated pump/res, if you want to add more things to the loop later that pump probably isn't going to cut it. I'd go with a D5 variant or DDC 3.2. If you want to do it on the cheap Performance PCs eBay store has the DD CPX-Pro for only $40. Get one now, and when you decide to expand your loop grab a second and but them in tandem. For a res, check out that clearance page on TilaTech again.

Personally, I wouldn't pay money for "coolant" since distilled water + PT Nuke will cool just as well if not better. If you're doing it for the coloring, get colored tubing instead. Dyes in the water will gunk up WC components.

Your waterblock looks ok and should do fine. If you want more performance grab an XSPC Rasa.
 
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Don't get the stacked or reservoir radiators, just get the plain kind. PS there's no way barbs should cost 8 bucks a piece, for that much money you might as well just get comp fittings.
 
For the pump/res you might look at something like this:
http://www.sidewindercomputers.com/xsacdu5refor.html
(Should be back in stock before too long)
And this pump:
http://www.sidewindercomputers.com/swiftechmcp355.html

I'm using that pump/res with several blocks (CPU/GPU/Chipset/Mosfets) and a quad radiator. It should be more powerful (and cheaper) than the Koolance RP-980.

There's also a double pump version of that reservoir if you think you may want to add a second pump/loop later on.
http://www.sidewindercomputers.com/dubayreforla.html

FaRKle0079 said:
Personally, I wouldn't pay money for "coolant" since distilled water + PT Nuke will cool just as well if not better.
Click to expand...
Agreed. It's best to stick with distilled water and a silver kill coil or a drop of something like PT Nuke (you can buy CuSO4 and mix some up yourself). There is colored/UV active tubing available.
 
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