A complete w/c system - questions

[Fahlar]

Hi guys! I have been searching through your forum, and a lot of other forums, and looked at a good few guides and videos about watercooling, but I still have some questions and I really hope you can help me.

I am building a mid-high end (with emphasis on high) system for gaming. I am not completely done with deciding which parts I am gonna get, but my system so far looks as this:

- an intel 2011 motherboard, as of now my choice is between ASUS P9X79 PRO or ASUS Sabertooth X79

- i7-3930K processor

- 8gb RAM

- One SSD around 120GB, plus my two HDD-one at 2TB and one at 500GB that I already have.

- Nvidia GTX680

- LG BH10LS30 - blueray reader/burner

- Some PSU that will make everything work.

I have a wife that doesn't like high constant loud noices, so my goal is to make this system as quiet as possible. First I thought just watercooling GPU and CPU (I have found no guides explaining watercooling system with more than CPU and GPU in it), and quiet fans for the rest in a case that dampen noices.

But then I am a guy that kinda likes to have a project and now I want to build a complete watercooling system whith as much as possible cooled by water. You know, with waterblocks on CPU, GPU, Chipset, RAM, Mosfet, and maybe PSU and my HDDs,... Just for the fun of it. Now I want a system that is cool and will make as little noice as possible. The only fans I want in there are the ones who comes with the case, and possibly the ones I need for my radiator(s). I will not overclock, at least I think I won't do it. As I said, I do this for the fun of it, not for the need of it

So now over to my questions. Oh, and by the way, this is my first time. I know a lot of you probably think I'm stupid that does this thing as a first-timer, but I do like my projects and one who never tries, never succeeds

And don't worry, I don't expect to make this in one day, probably gonna take me a few months to learn what I need and stuff...

- I guess this system will take some space, so I initially looked at big cases, and my choice fell on Fractal Design Define XL (the only big case that had noice reduction I found). But this case hasn't got the best reviews. It's not like it's a bad case, but not amongst the best. On the other hand is Corsair Obsidian 550D which has got quite good reviews, and the size isn't all that different, but it is a bit smaller. (And both of them are very pretty, I am gonna have the computer in our living-room so that also counts for something). Do you think I need the big case for this kind of system? I also want to be able to maybe upgrade things along the way, like putting in another GPU and stuff.

- Do you think it's a good idea to have 2 loops?

- I have been looking at passive radiators. I didn't quite understand if they were supposed to be inside or outside the case. My plan is to fit everything inside, but my logic tells me that a passive radiator won't be any good inside the case. Am I wrong? And for this kind of system, how big radiators do you you think I need, and how many? I was thinking 2, one for each loop. Or 2 in the same loop if I go for one loop.

- What kind of pump do I need for this kind of system? And is it possible to find a relatively silent pump for this?

- I looked at specialtech.co.uk, and they have "complete motherboard waterblock". Is that something different, or is it like chipset and mosfet put together?

- I have read a bit about HDD-temperatures, and it appear that a cold HDD is not necessarily a good thing. Should I leave this out and just let the case-fans take care of the heat from them?

- Also the PSU, is it worth to watercool it (or maybe buying a watercooled one), or does it generate too little heat to spend a lot of money extra for this?

- I got the impression that you shouldn't mix the material of the waterblocks in the same system (like all blocks should be in copper), is that correct?

Hope you guys can help me! Oh, and one last question: How many of you think I am stupid for starting with this kind of watercooling-system?

Thanks

 

[ruthless_villain]

watercooling your psu, memory, hard drives make you mental.

your going to want a laing ddc 18w minimum, dampen it properly it is silent.

if i was you buy a tj07 - 480MM + 240MM thick rads and your done.

buy some silent bitfenix spectres and be done with it.

 

[SieB]

Watercooling your RAM, HDD and PSU will result in a perma ban from OC3D

But seriously, don't bother, it's a waste of money. Save the money you would spend on doing that and put it towards a better SSD or something.

 

[Fahlar]

So, even considering I don't want more fans than the ones the case comes with and are gonna use this for gaming, cooling the RAM isn't needed? (I do understand HDD and PSU, it was more to watercool everything possible

)

 

[S_I_N]

your gonna need more fans than the case has mate no way around it properly. But you can get good fans and still be quiet. As others said forget about cooling the psu hdd's and psu will just make alot more work for you and the rads you choose. I'd get a switch 810 360 in roof and 240 in floor. spectre pro's are very quiet turned down with a fan controller, and provide great cooling. I have the 810 with a 420mm in roof and 280mm in floor running 12 fans in case and its silent with fans turned down. if it wasnt for the slight hmm from my pump and the leds on my fans I'd not know it was running.

they handle the temps fine and I'm overclocked as well so running stock you'll be fine even oc's you'lll be fine

 

[airdeano]

welcome to the forum,

what the hell, 3930k gamer is pretty high end with a chance to blow a wad of cash for

minimal punch. 3770k or 2700k would be a far better catch for just gaming. cash

saved from the 2011 platform to buy 256gb or better SSD. if 8gb is all you are gunna

get, why a x79? if its bench-chattin' ok, but i see a lotta horsepower capable, but some

how a MPG cam was installed. is this your first custom PC build?

airdeano

 

[Fahlar]

@ airdeano, I have read a lot of tests and almost everyone of them agrees that there is as of now no real point to push past 8gb RAM unless you are doing some heavy video-editing and such. However, if I buy a x79 I do have plenty of room to expand later on when it's starting to get useful. My reason for 3930K is the same. There is maybe no game that will really show what this is good for before in 2 years time, but then I have a processor that will last for a long time. If money were a very important factor, I probably would have chosen something with a bit more emphasis on mid-range, but I have the money, and I want to spend them on a computer that I can have for several years

(It is my third, but my first high-end one)

However, I made this post to get help with my watercooling, not my build

I repeat the questions I haven't got any answer on and hope someone will help me:

-I got the impression that you shouldn't mix the material of the waterblocks in the same system (like all blocks should be in copper), is that correct?

- I looked at specialtech.co.uk, and they have "complete motherboard waterblock". Is that something different, or is it like chipset and mosfet put together?

- Do you think I need the big case for this kind of system? I also want to be able to maybe upgrade things along the way, like putting in another GPU and stuff.

And thanks for all the answers so far

 

[S_I_N]

However, I made this post to get help with my watercooling, not my build

I repeat the questions I haven't got any answer on and hope someone will help me:

-I got the impression that you shouldn't mix the material of the waterblocks in the same system (like all blocks should be in copper), is that correct?

- I looked at specialtech.co.uk, and they have "complete motherboard waterblock". Is that something different, or is it like chipset and mosfet put together?

- Do you think I need the big case for this kind of system? I also want to be able to maybe upgrade things along the way, like putting in another GPU and stuff.

And thanks for all the answers so far

your right I missed a few basically you dont want to mix aluminum in with a block of copper or nickel but copper and nickel are ok together. As long as you use a corrosion inhibiter mixing metals is ok but not a good idea for any mix with aluminum.

complete mobo block kit is what ur looking for it'll cool the parts currently covered by heatsink on the board.

I think since your running mobo cpu and gpu you'll most likely want more rad surface to help cool it all. I currently run over clocked crossfired 6950's and an overclocked 2600k on a 420mm (3x140mm) and 280mm (2x140mm) rads with very decent temps. So if you get like a switch 810 you could do 360 (3x120mm) and 240mm (2x120mm) easily and keep your rig cool oc'd or not.