Water cooling noobie

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thedocta45

[H]ard|Gawd
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Oct 10, 2007
Messages
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Hey, I'm interested in trying out a water cooling system, I don't really know very much about it at all.
For my first project I was just thinking of getting one of those koolance system things.
http://http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16835127007
A side from that I guess i need a CPU and GPU block also.
I was also looking at this CORSAIR Nautilus 500.
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16835181004
Which is significantly cheaper. I guess what I'm asking is what is a good starter kit for someone who is new to water cooling.
 
Don't buy a kit.

Get a Dtek Fuzion Cpu block
Get a MCR220 radiator (Get a 320 if you can fit it in your case).
Get an EK 8800 GTS fullcover water block if you want to cool the GPU with ease
Get some Yate loon fans and Masterkleer tubing
Get some Distilled water and a bottle or two of Pentosin.

All of this, and more, can be had at Jab-tech.com.

You'll get performance higher than any of those kits, for less than the price of the Koolance.
 
Ah cool tnx for the response, i just figured a kit would be simpler to start out with. Are there any advantages of having the radiator outside the case?
Also is there really a point in getting one of those Black Ice GT or GTX over the MCR220 or would a larger radiator be a better call?
What type of pump do I need to get to get a proper flow rate i read something about 1L per min. I'm considering the idea of jumping to SLI, and am entertaining the idea of HD cooling. (possibly ram also just for the hell of it.)
 
K here is what i have so far
Swiftech MCR-220 Radiator http://jab-tech.com/product.php?productid=3199
Swiftech MCP655™ 12 VDC Pumphttp://jab-tech.com/product.php?productid=2982
Swiftech Apogee GT universal water blockhttp://jab-tech.com/product.php?productid=3639 they didn't have the other one in stock.
EK Waterblocks EK-FC8800 GTS - Nickel-Platedhttp://jab-tech.com/product.php?productid=3924
ClearFLEX 60 Tubing 1/2" ID / 3/4" OD
YATE LOON 120mm Case Fan - D12SH-12http://jab-tech.com/YATE-LOON-120mm-Case-Fan-D12SH-12-High-Speed-pr-3771.html
I guess I was wondering what else do I need to get?
Whats good thermal paste btw.
 
thedocta45 said:
Ah cool tnx for the response, i just figured a kit would be simpler to start out with. Are there any advantages of having the radiator outside the case?
Also is there really a point in getting one of those Black Ice GT or GTX over the MCR220 or would a larger radiator be a better call?
What type of pump do I need to get to get a proper flow rate i read something about 1L per min. I'm considering the idea of jumping to SLI, and am entertaining the idea of HD cooling. (possibly ram also just for the hell of it.)
Click to expand...

No problem. Sorry it's short, I was in class.

Having the radiator outside of the case CAN produce better temperatures... But a properly planned airflow path in your case can negate this benefit completely. Make sure there are no hotspots and remove any side fans, that sort of thing.

A black ice PRO (not GT, GTX, GTS or BIX) or a Swiftech MCR radiator are the two top contenders in the low price arena. Both of these come in a 2x120mm and 3x120mm fan slot option, and the BIP comes in a single fan option as well.

For a single dual core conroe + 8800GTS you need at least a double radiator (of either MCR or BIP quality) A triple will help substantially... Especially if you're going SLI. You need a MINIMUM of a triple radiator for 8800GTX SLI... And even then I'd get a triple plus another single somewhere else.

As for the pump, the Swiftech MCP655 or the DangerDen D5 (same pump actually, different brands) gets my vote. While not the most powerful, it's the most RELIABLE. Pump performance doesn't *really* make that much of a difference, so it's better to have something that lasts.

Hds are better cooled with air, simply because most HD blocks are either expensive, or leak prone.

RAM cooling isn't needed. Like, at all. Just get some airflow around them.
 
thedocta45 said:
K here is what i have so far
Swiftech MCR-220 Radiator http://jab-tech.com/product.php?productid=3199
Swiftech MCP655™ 12 VDC Pumphttp://jab-tech.com/product.php?productid=2982
Swiftech Apogee GT universal water blockhttp://jab-tech.com/product.php?productid=3639 they didn't have the other one in stock.
EK Waterblocks EK-FC8800 GTS - Nickel-Platedhttp://jab-tech.com/product.php?productid=3924
ClearFLEX 60 Tubing 1/2" ID / 3/4" OD
YATE LOON 120mm Case Fan - D12SH-12http://jab-tech.com/YATE-LOON-120mm-Case-Fan-D12SH-12-High-Speed-pr-3771.html
I guess I was wondering what else do I need to get?
Whats good thermal paste btw.
Click to expand...


I'd get the medium speed fans instead... the D12SM-12s
Thermal paste: Arctic silver 5
Get masterkleer tubing instead of ClearFLEX (it's a bit smaller ID, helps prevent leaks)

That double radiator is fine if you *never* want to go SLI. I ran a C2D and an 8800GTS on a double black ice pro just fine. With medium fans you'll be great to go.

If noise is a big concern to you, 4 fans (2 on each side of the rad) at 6-8v in a push pull config will get you about the same performance as having 2 in 12v... but at a lower noise level.
 
Is this how the flow setup would go? For the best cooling in theory this is with two gpus.
the set up i would start with would only have one.
FLOW.jpg
 
Order of components doesn't really matter... Just do whatever uses the least amount of tubing :).
 
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