First loop

[BlacknTan]

Well, I've got my first ever water loop installed, and I'm very happy with it!

Now, I'm aware it's a very simple loop, and most folks here would eat this loop for breakfast, but we all start somewhere, don't we?
Yes, some sections of tubing could probably be a wee bit shorter. That's a personal hangup! I'm deathly afraid of cutting things (I do the same with electrical wiring) too short for future needs, and one thing I learned in my trade is that one can always remove more material, but never put it back!

In any case, it's kindergarten stuff for most here, but I'm stoked, and glad I chose this over an AIO cooler.

BTW, that's XSPC 7/16 x 5/8 black tubing...Very nice.

 

[airdeano]

excellent install.

i see you chose to intake the roof air to cool the radiator. thats fine, but most
do exhaust, being at the top of the case.

another thing to look forward would be the reservoir filling task. longer hose on
the res to allow sliding the res outward to fill. if settled on whats going now, use
of a remote fill line to the res top would be next to consider..

excellent job!

airdeano

 

[SEBAR]

Looks good. I will second airdeano's suggestion of exhausting out of the roof.

Great job and the RayStorm looks nice on that board.

 

[airdeano]

yeah, i like that raystorm. ive got a Heatkiller NiBl and its fab for looks, but the
raystorm next to the Corsair Platties in a tickle to the nads..

dats noice

airdeano

 

[BlacknTan]

Thanks for the kind words, guys!

My intention is to try both intake and exhaust through the rad. I'm thinking I'll end up with exhaust, so that will preclude me having to change it twice... There is a method to my madness. :lol:

 

[FTR.4500MHz]

Very very nice for a first loop Bic Boiiiii !

I would also turn the fans around to make them exhaust , to not dump hot air over your MoBo .

 

[ruairi.C]

where's your graphics card? ?

 

[BlacknTan]

No graphics until the loop is well tested and fully functional. Even then, graphics will be a bit spartan. Probably a GT-640.

Now, another question, since you've all be so kind about answering. There are four fan headers on the MPower board, besides the CPU fan header, where the tach lead for the D5 pump will go. Can another system fan header run both radiator fans with a Y connector.. And is this advisable?
The only other fans, at the moment, are the front case fan, a 200mm Spectre Pro, which will be on it's own header, and the rear case fan, with another system fan header close by.

BTW, I went ahead and flipped the radiator fans as suggested. I intended to end up that way anyway, and if I wanted to test the fans blowing into the case, they probably should have been on top of the rad pushing, instead of pulling from below.

Thanks for all the help and encouragement!

 

[Master&Puppet]

I'd suggest that you run the fans off a 3-pin 7v molex splitter cable like this and not off the motherboard at all to be honest. Much easier and neater. In fact you'll be best replacing those stock XSPC fans with some decent ones at some point (I've used them and got shot after a while and saw a lot of improvement in both temps and noise).

As for push vs pull - pull is actually better below about 1400 rpm so for most people who don't run their fans flatout you are better off pulling. I'd also go for exhausting out of the roof - you are fighting physics a little bit at the moment!

That raystorm and tubing looks awesome on that board!

 

[PapaSmurf6768]

That's a 650D right? If so then yeah, having the top fans as exhaust would seem like the obvious option (I did the same thing too). However, the 650D airflow is weird in that there is only 1 intake at the front, which doesn't get a lot of air in because it's behind a dust filter. I actually just switched my fans around from push to pull, since I want to have positive air pressure in the case. We'll see if I end up keeping it like that, but I'm just saying you're not alone in setting them up the way you did the first time. Oh and setting them up to push air into the case was not an option for me, because the air noise created from the top hexagon mesh and the intake air was way too much for me, which. I went with push in the first place because it's quieter, but the pull through the rad isn't too bad either.

 

[BlacknTan]

You've got a sharp eye, Papa... A 650D indeed!

I had originally intended to forego using the 650D's fan controller, but if the two rad fans draw too much for one system fan header, I just may rethink that. But, there are two sys fan headers at the bottom of the board, and I could connect the rad fans there individually. That would give me some control and feedback of fan performance via the motherboard. But, I'm wondering if those radiator fans should just run flat out at all times anyway??

 

[Undertoker]

Looks good. I will second airdeano's suggestion of exhausting out of the roof.

Great job and the RayStorm looks nice on that board.

I'll third this suggestion bud, exhaust out the roof.
You've done a nice job though, well done.

 

[BlacknTan]

Well, my foray into water cooling has taken an interesting turn...

As you all know, I purchased the Raystorm EX240 kit with the 2 Bay reservoir and the D5 pump. The loop is filled and leak free with not a single drop of coolant where it should not be. Unfortunately, the D5 Vario pump would not change speeds, either up or down. The speed control shaft appeared to be stuck. As I was starting and stopping the pump to clear air pockets, the red speed stud was ejected out of the rear of the pump upon PSU start up. I will not venture a guess as to what happened at this point, but I purchased this pump, more than I really needed performance-wise, because I had heard it was the best.
The vendor has been pretty good about the issue, but their name is not on the pump, so the warranty falls to XSPC.
I bought a variable speed pump for the ability to experiment and change speeds until I achieved peak performance, so being stuck on a single speed is not useful to me...

We'll see how it all pans out. I'm not going to publicly drag anyone's good name through the mud, but I'm hoping for a fair resolution to this. If I'm forced to buy a new D5 pump, I suppose I'll just go away and quietly lick my wounds, but i'm hoping for better.

BTW, the system is awesome. Very pleasing to the eye, and quieter than I had hoped. I can only imagine how quiet it would be on a lower speed!

Stay tuned!

 

[B NEGATIVE]

This has been happening a few times recently,D5's losing the control knob..
Im surprised the vendor didnt take it back and get a new one out to you.
Where did you get it and did you remind them of the Sale of Goods act 1979?

 

[BlacknTan]

This has been happening a few times recently,D5's losing the control knob..
Im surprised the vendor didnt take it back and get a new one out to you.
Where did you get it and did you remind them of the Sale of Goods act 1979?

I'm surprised to read this! The vendor, who has been good thus far, claimed that this issue virtually never happens, and that the various marketers of the Laing D5 never provide replacements for this particular failure.
I'm in the U.S. I don't think we have any laws over here as in the U.K.
I'm depending on XSPC, who's name is on the pump, to step up and do the right thing. The kit was bought from Performance PC's in Florida.

But, as I said, I have no intention of using the forum as a tool to bring leverage to bear... I'm just hoping for fair restitution.

 

[B NEGATIVE]

I'm surprised to read this! The vendor, who has been good thus far, claimed that this issue virtually never happens, and that the various marketers of the Laing D5 never provide replacements for this particular failure.
I'm in the U.S. I don't think we have any laws over here as in the U.K.
I'm depending on XSPC, who's name is on the pump, to step up and do the right thing. The kit was bought from Performance PC's in Florida.

But, as I said, I have no intention of using the forum as a tool to bring leverage to bear... I'm just hoping for fair restitution.

A good attitude to have.
In the UK its the vendor that replaces on an item,anything upto a year after purchase.
Also...
http://forums.anandtech.com/showthread.php?t=2221024
they show how to change the speed with a driver if you are stuck

 

[Goldskis45]

I'm in the U.S. I don't think we have any laws over here as in the U.K.

I deal with things like this a lot here (I'm up in Spokompton, WA) there are laws in the states about faulty products, but to get anywhere with them it takes a lawsuit... so the way to deal with it is basically call them up and annoy them until they give in.

If they tell you to stop calling or they will take action (only happened to me once) remind them that they have sold you a faulty product and it is your right to have it replaced.

Ask for the person on the phone's boss, and if they don't help, ask for their boss. eventually you will hit someone on the food chain that just says F-it and gives you a new product... never had it fail, but depending on the company it can take a day or two to a month to get anywhere.

basically if you think its worth it persistence will get you a new one, but it may take time... never hurts to try tho.

 

[BlacknTan]

So, I removed the pump from the reservoir in hopes os something happening soon. It was very easy to drain the loop with the dual bay reservoir. I picked up a new turkey baster, and it removed all the water without spilling a drop.... Something to remember for future maintenance.
I did notice something a bit odd while looking over the pump. The back plate that covers the pc board is not seated completely. It is in one small area around the circumference, but the rest leaves a gap, as shown in the photos.
Now, I don't know what to make of this, if anything, but it seems odd to me that a high quality pump such as this would leave the factory in Hungary in this condition. I will not put anything in the gap in an attempt to pry it off, as this would be grounds to refuse the warranty, and my research has shown that I have a twelve month warranty...

What happens to equipment that is returned to a manufacturer? Is it refurbished and resold as new, or sold off as seconds?

In any case, here's the photos, and don't be shy with your thoughts.

 

[B NEGATIVE]

Its common,all 4 of the D5's i have had have that gap.

 

[BlacknTan]

Its common,all 4 of the D5's i have had have that gap.

Thanks for that, B NEG... I'm hoping to hear something today. This build has gone very slowly due to various factors, and I'm now anxious to get it up and running.
I'm very pleased with the Raystorm kit, and I'll be glad when this issue is behind me.