Planning phase:

[BellaCroix]

Planned build:

Cooling an Athlon 64 x2 4400+ on an Asus A8N32-SLI board w/ (initially) one 7800 (GT or GTX) which will eventually become 2 of the same. Rig will be mounted in a v2000 case.

Currently I'm planning a single loop using a 2.120 radiator.

I'm tossing around the idea of also cooling two sets of Mofsets, North and South Bridge from the A8N32. If I go that route I might also toss in the primary HDD (not too worried about the document drive since it'll have limited access).

Questions:

1) If I do all that I'm sure I'll need to build a second loop, right?
2) Will a 2.120 radiator be able to handle the CPU + 2 GPUs?
3) Would a 1.120 radiator be enough for Mofset, NB, SB, HDD?
4) Would a different arrangement be better? (i.e., Loop1: CPU, Mofset, NB; Loop 2: GPU, GPU, SB; which loop gets the 2.120?)
5) Should I just scrap the extra WC, use a good fan (or two) and stick with the stock, passive cooling on the extras?
6) Should I still go two loops and put the CPU on a seperate 1.120 loop with the GPUs on their own 2.120 loop?

Since I know it matters, I don't plan any HEAVY overclocking, maybe very mild but I'm really looking for quiet cooling more than screaming performance. Also (for the large bore crowd who care about such things) both loops will be bastard children of AC, Innova, and Alpha.

 

[Erasmus354]

Questions:

1) If I do all that I'm sure I'll need to build a second loop, right?
2) Will a 2.120 radiator be able to handle the CPU + 2 GPUs?
3) Would a 1.120 radiator be enough for Mofset, NB, SB, HDD?
4) Would a different arrangement be better? (i.e., Loop1: CPU, Mofset, NB; Loop 2: GPU, GPU, SB; which loop gets the 2.120?)
5) Should I just scrap the extra WC, use a good fan (or two) and stick with the stock, passive cooling on the extras?
6) Should I still go two loops and put the CPU on a seperate 1.120 loop with the GPUs on their own 2.120 loop?

1) It would be a good idea
2) Yes
3) Yes (both of these are assuming you have decent fans and not some 12cfm silenx)
4) I would do it the way you have it but that is because I would go with different tubing sizes for the different loops You could look at your case and see if you think there is a way that makes for a more logical distribution of heat (according to radiator) and cleaner routing of the tubing.
5) A fan is probably more than enough to cool the mosfets/chipset sink/hdd . The question is whether you really want to go all out and spend out the ass, or save a little scratch.
6) You can, it would be (marginally) higher performance, but one loop would work fine.

 

[BellaCroix]

Thanks very much... you pretty much got all the questions answered.

Anyone else have input?

My main concern is how effective the A8N32's passive heatpipe will be when mounted inverted. Wouldn't all the heat rise to the SB?

 

[Derrick70]

Thanks very much... you pretty much got all the questions answered.

Anyone else have input?

My main concern is how effective the A8N32's passive heatpipe will be when mounted inverted. Wouldn't all the heat rise to the SB?

from what i have heard its a big no no to the a8n32 in a v2000 or any case like it. from what i have picke dup is the heat pipe will not work righ and it makes a poping noise or some noise. you can water cool this m/b with ease im shure you have seen my set up. and i would say run 2 loops 1 for the cpu and video cards with a 120.3 or 120.2 and use a 120.1 for the m/b

 

[BellaCroix]

from what i have heard its a big no no to the a8n32 in a v2000 or any case like it. from what i have picke dup is the heat pipe will not work righ and it makes a poping noise or some noise. you can water cool this m/b with ease im shure you have seen my set up. and i would say run 2 loops 1 for the cpu and video cards with a 120.3 or 120.2 and use a 120.1 for the m/b

Post a link/pic please... I'm sure I've seen it but can't think of it off hand. What did you use? AC Mofset coolers? You cool Mofsets, NB, and SB?

I've already got (and modded in) a 2.120 radiator. I was thinking about a single 1.120 installed on the back for everything else. Sound good?

 

[Derrick70]

http://hardforum.com/showthread.php?p=1028982434#post1028982434

 

[Derrick70]

Post a link/pic please... I'm sure I've seen it but can't think of it off hand. What did you use? AC Mofset coolers? You cool Mofsets, NB, and SB?

I've already got (and modded in) a 2.120 radiator. I was thinking about a single 1.120 installed on the back for everything else. Sound good?

every thing i water cooled even the ram

im running a 160mm rad for the m/b loop a 120 should be fine for you

 

[BellaCroix]

Looks VERY nice. This sucks though... it's going to cost me another $200 or so just to cool the motherboard. Wonder if I can use some kind of passive cooling on the SB to save a couple bucks.

Did you use the special WB from AC for the NB? What about the SB?

Is that 3/8" hose? Would 8x10mm fit those barbs?

 

[boof]

I have to disagree with the statement that the heatpipe will not work upside down. The way they work is that the heat is evenly distributed throughout it. Wikipedia

 

[Derrick70]

Looks VERY nice. This sucks though... it's going to cost me another $200 or so just to cool the motherboard. Wonder if I can use some kind of passive cooling on the SB to save a couple bucks.

Did you use the special WB from AC for the NB? What about the SB?

Is that 3/8" hose? Would 8x10mm fit those barbs?

same water blocks nothing big and that is 3/8id 1/2 od

 

[DFI Daishi]

I have to disagree with the statement that the heatpipe will not work upside down. The way they work is that the heat is evenly distributed throughout it. Wikipedia

read the wiki that you just linked.

a heatpipe will not work upside down. the heat source has to be at the lowest point so that the liquid phase is in contact with the heat, turns into vapour, re-condenses in the cool fin area, and gravity can cary the liquid back down to the hot area.

if the cooler is upside down, the liquit phase is in the fins and there is nothing cooling the heat source but vapour......and we all know how well air cools an otherwise naked chip........

 

[BellaCroix]

Wow... I learned something new.

I thought heat pipes were just copper pipes running to a passive cooler thing.

Hmmm... so I'm guessing I really do have no choice but to watercool the board. Seems like such a friggin waste of money.

Okay... lets see:
The Mofsets get: Aqua Computer ASUS A8N Mosfet Water Block
The Northbridge: ?
The Southbridge: ?

Am I stuck with The Danger Den MAZE4 A8N Chipset Block for the Northbridge? I'd rather find an Innovatek / AC / Alphacool option since I intend to use 8x10 hose but the NB looks smaller than normal.

Looks like I may end up selling this Asus and getting a DFI or something.

 

[DFI Daishi]

you know.....passive sinks work awfully well for low heat components......and although i honestly don't know what's going on with asus or DFI boards, my own CPU 'FETs hardly get warm to the touch running naked.

now, i'll admit that the power draw from a venice is low, however even my old XP didn't get measurably more stable voltage regulation after cooling my 'FETs when it was running 1.9V.

i'm thinking that you'd do well to focus on effective cooling for CPU, GPUs, and NB, with passive cooling and low-noise case airflow for the rest.

i'm not into watercooling parts "because you can" though.

 

[BellaCroix]

That's exactly what I was thinking and how I feel. I'd really rather not blow $200+ if I don't need to.

Although I realize the heatpipe won't work correctly, why can't I use some high quality heat sinks? Even the SB looks like it wouldn't block the second PCIe slot with a HSU on it.

My only concern with that would be the odd shaped NB. Looks like it's some kind of half-sized chip.

Instead of dropping $200+ on a second loop (and taxing my PSU), why can't I use something like Swiftech's Northbridge HSU? HSU fan headers are on the board already...