noob questions on WC'ing

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avatardjedi

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Feb 11, 2003
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Trying to educate myself enough so that I can put together a good performing, and good looking watercooled, overclocked rig. I was just going to buy a watercooling package, but it looks like from what i've read here that a DIY solution performs better, is cheaper, and will teach me more. I've poked around in the forums a bit, and have a few questions.

What's RBX stand for? I've seen it mentioned a few times, but didn't figure out what it stood for.

What are all the componenets that I'll need for the cooling system (water blocks, resevoirs, tubes, connecters, clamps, etc)? List all that i'd need please.

Currently, "if i were to buy one today", which processor/motherboard/ram would yield the most overclocking potential on a watercooled setup?

Thanks, once I have the list I can start reading up on each item and find out which parts/brands are good.
 
Originally posted by avatardjedi
...I was just going to buy a watercooling package, but it looks like from what i've read here that a DIY solution performs better, is cheaper, and will teach me more....
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You don't necessarily have to do it all yourself. The FlowMaster kit from DTek Customs has some pretty good parts, and will also allow you to modify it later, if you so choose.

What's RBX stand for? I've seen it mentioned a few times, but didn't figure out what it stood for.
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I have no idea what RBX stands for. Probably just a brand name, like Lucasfilm's "THX" standard for audio.

The RBX's design is strikingly similar to DTek's White Water block... Read into that what you will.

What are all the componenets that I'll need for the cooling system (water blocks, resevoirs, tubes, connecters, clamps, etc)? List all that i'd need please.
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The component list will depend on which design approach you take. There are two standard approaches, res and no-res. If you intend to take this rig to LANs, then you may consider no-res, as it will have less weight. The res approach will make filling/bleeding much easier.

You will need the following, should you decide to get wet:
1) A good pump. Hydor L30, Danner Mag 3 or Mag 5, Eheim 1250, Iwaki, Via Aqua, are names you'll hear mentioned pretty frequently. Don't skimp on this and try to buy something ultra-cheap! If your pump fails, you may well be f*cked.
2) A good waterblock. Do you want it to mount onto the socket, or through the mainboard? There are plenty of blocks out there. Google yourself some block comparisons.
3) A good reservoir. If you decide to go the res route, it's usually best to build your own. Much cheaper, and usually a helluva lot more durable than the corporate jobs, but not as pretty, usually.
4) A good heat exchanger. Here is where a lot of people spend money needlessly. Yes, the Black Ice Xtreme is custom-built to fit into computers, and yes, they do look pretty. But for (almost) half the price of one big BIX, you could buy an automotive heatercore from your local autoparts store, or the ProCore from DTek.
5) Tubing. 1/2" diameter and 3/8" diameters are the standard for DIY kits. 1/2" offers more flow, while 3/8" is a little easier to bend around inside your rig. Clearflex and Tygon are names commonly heard. 1/2" Clearflex is the stuff I use, and I swear by it.
6) Tubing clamps. I use the metal wormdrive clamps, which can be had at the local hardware store. One clamp for each barbed fitting.
7) Teflon tape / Plumber's Goop / JB Weld / RectorSeal. These are all used as sealant compounds. Some are quite permanent (JB Weld, and to some extent Plumber's Goop), while others are designed to be removable (Teflon Tape and RectorSeal). If you use PVC as the material for your (optional) reservoir, you should use some good quality PVC cement.
8) Coolants and additive: distilled water with XX.X% additive. It seems everyone has their own recipe. But suffice it to say, you should have some additive in your coolant that prevents corrosion and bacterial growth. Water Wetter is pretty commonly used, as is a diluted solution of antifreeze, for anti-corrosion. Antibacterial stuff usually takes the form of BetaDyne (or whatever that stuff was called that Mom's around the world use on kids with skinned knees).

That's about all the stuff I can think of. I'm sure I may have missed something.

Thanks, once I have the list I can start reading up on each item and find out which parts/brands are good.
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Be careful when reading up on any part. It's not uncommon for positive reviews to be "bought" by a company. I've listed some of the good brands that people rely on.

Here are links to some sources I (mostly) trust for good hardware:
DangerDen
DTek Customs
Directron
McMaster Carr (make sure you know what you're looking for, since it's easy to get lost in this one)
Switftech (although they have a spotty customer service reputation, their products are pretty good, in my experience)
 
It's already been answered, but this is RBX.......I always like to propose alternatives like thinking outside of the box...literally. Unless you are a frequent LANer or move around alot, exterior watercooling is a much more effecient method of cooling since it add no heat to the computer itself, has only two possible points of leakage and takes the limitations of size out of the equation...just something to think about :)
 
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