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Questions on watercooling

E

Englander

n00b
Joined
Jan 6, 2010
Messages
3
I've been speccing a CPU only loop largely using information from old Hexus threads and other corners of the internet. The objective is to keep it as cheap as possible (I'm aware that this may at first seem a contradiction with watercooling) This is what I've come up with so far:

Pump:
£51.08 Laing DDC 18w Pump / Swiftech MCP355
http://www.chilledpc.co.uk/shop/product_info.php?cPath=40_101&products_id=181

CPU block:
£33.71 EK Supreme plexi
http://specialtech.co.uk/spshop/customer/product.php?productid=8224
+
£2.36 Backplate
http://www.specialtech.co.uk/spshop/customer/product.php?productid=5863&cat=546&page=1
Fulfils the requirement of being compatible with both socket 775 and socket 1366, should I decide to upgrade in the future. On closer inspection, this has a plexi top. Apparently the other options are acetal and copper - is there any difference other than price and aesthetics?

Radiator:
£30.43 XSPC Dual Radiator Black - RS Series : RS240
http://www.scan.co.uk/Products/XSPC-RS240-Radiator-Black-(G1-4-Threaded-Ports)
+
£8.16 2x YATE LOON 120mm - D12SL-12
http://www.chilledpc.co.uk/shop/product_info.php?cPath=75_89&products_id=48

Tubing:
£4.10 XSPC 7/16" ID - 5/8" OD High Flex Tubing : Clear / UV Blue
http://specialtech.co.uk/spshop/customer/product.php?productid=6750

Will one metre suffice or would two metres be a safer bet? I chose blue because I like blue and it happens to be the same price as clear :D

Barbs:
£6.13 (6 barbs) 1/4" Thread Barb Fitting for 1/2" ID Tubing Copper Plated
http://specialtech.co.uk/spshop/customer/product.php?productid=9264
+
£2.55 12-19mm Hoseclips Pack of 10
http://www.chilledpc.co.uk/shop/product_info.php?cPath=72_165&products_id=117

I read that 7/16" ID tubing goes very well with 1/2" barbs and doesn't require clamps. If they are required, I read that zip ties will do. Does that sound alright?

Reservoir

As for the reservoir, I've read that one can get away with using a "T-line". Can anyone shed a bit more light on this? The reason it sounds good to me is that it doesn't require space in the sense that a res does (I don't have the most capacious case but it is full ATX) and it is also cheaper.

I will go for a T-line

£1.50 1/2" T piece
http://www.chilledpc.co.uk/shop/pro...d=113&osCsid=9fd5c1da3827708cff9286fa13fb2083

£18.38 XSPC Laing DDC Top with Reservoir
http://www.chilledpc.co.uk/shop/product_info.php?cPath=40_102&products_id=515


Coolant

Distilled water and

£3.59 PT PHN Nuke Concentrated Biocide 10ml
http://specialtech.co.uk/spshop/customer/product.php?productid=9643&cat=0&page=1

_________________________________________________________________________

Regarding compatibility, is that all ok? Apparently you shouldn't use more than one type of metal in a loop... What could be better, without pushing up the price a lot? The ASUS P5N-T Deluxe is covered in a network of heat pipes so NB/MOSFET/all the other little blocks you can get won't be required, I reckon. My 8800GT has one of those Arctic Cooler Accelero with 2 fans on it. I'm very pleased with the noise level/temperature of this so I don't want to spend £50-£60 on a graphics card block. The other thing with graphics card blocks is that I'm not sure how "future proof" they are should I upgrade my 8800GT in the future.

I'm aware fans need to be supplied as well, I have one Noctua on my CPU cooler and could get another to make a pair. Incidentally, is a 120.2 radiator necessary for just a CPU? What would be the effect of dropping down to 120.1?

The barbs I linked to, are they sold singly or in pairs? I've worked out that I'd need six barbs (2 for the pump, rad and CPU block) plus potentially two more depending on the outcome of my question about T lines.

Where are radiators typically mounted in a case?

I was thinking pump -> CPU block -> rad. Does it matter which way around the water block and the rad go?

For the coolant, I would just use distilled water + some sort of biocide.

Lots of questions, I know, sorry!
Thanks,
Michael
 
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What CPU will you be using? Any overclocking?

The one suggestion I have to say is to get rid of that radiator. It is junk, especially at that price (it should be $25USD max honestly).

The 360mm version did worse than the Swiftech MCR320. Link
 
Sorry I should have mentioned, it's a Q6600 and I do intend to overclock.

So the rad is a bit useless, what would you recommend, then, for roughly the same price?
 
Posted this on another forum, too, which has given me quite a lot of feedback already. Original post has been upgraded to most current spec. To clarify, the stuff about the T line is now redundant.

EDIT: thread redundant now.
 
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