Help needed with watercooling. First time.

[Grizzly]

If you don't mind non LED fans Specialtech have a sale on and they have the Scythe GTs 1850rpm for £12.99 with 25% off. The GTs are some of the best fans there is for rads, high static pressure, CFM and noise to performance ratio.

http://www.specialte...-pid-10974.html

Type MADNESS into the coupon code box in your basket to get 25% off.

That is perfect! But my parents are away for the week and I don't have enough money to buy even one right now.

But even with 25% off they would cost almost twice as much as the SickleFlows and, on paper at least, are worse in almost every way.

I know they're supposed to be good, I've heard them mentioned before, but at that price what is it that makes them better than the SickleFlows?

EDIT: Have read what reviews I could find on the 2 fans, both from x-bit labs, suggests what is written on the spec sheet for the sickleflows is far from truth, they are a good 5-6dBA louder than the gentle typhoons when running at same speeds and performs worse. When the sickleflow runs at 1910 performance is similar but sickleflow is 7dBA louder

 

[SieB]

I didn't realize the Sickleflows were that cheap to be honest, just had a look at the specs as well and they do seem to be better than the GTs with 2.93 mm h20 static pressure, 70 CFM and only 17db

Seems to good to be true, but they don't look like bad fans, I don't know how they will perform running them at a lower speed because some fans performance drops right off if you lower the speed with a fan controller that's why I originally mentioned the GTs because they perform well even at a low speed.

I say go for the Sickleflows, even if they turn out not to be as good as they say they are it's not much money wasted, and if they are as good as they say they are then they're a bargain.

EDIT: Just saw your edit, I thought there was something fishy about them

 

[| raVen |]

Thats true about stickleflows, that there are a bit loud at the full speed.Curently I using 4 of them(2x floor, and 2 on rad pulling), but will change them in my next upgrade(before need to have over 1500£ for this small upgrade).Silverstone AirPenetrators are really good fans, but they are expensive.

 

[Grizzly]

Thats true about stickleflows, that there are a bit loud at the full speed.Curently I using 4 of them(2x floor, and 2 on rad pulling), but will change them in my next upgrade(before need to have over 1500£ for this small upgrade).Silverstone AirPenetrators are really good fans, but they are expensive.

I've heard a bit about air penetrators, they provide good directional airflow.

But as the fans are going to be mounted exhausting air from the case through the RAD I don't think directional airflow would be a good thing.

Unless anybody knows different?

 

[Grizzly]

OK last weekend before I start ordering kit.

This is the list so far

1. XSPC X20 750
2. XSPC EX360
3. XSPC Raystorm
4. 2X Primochill Primoflex 1/2" ID 3/4" OD tubing clear
5. 6X Bitspower compression fittings shiny silver 1/2" ID 3/4" OD (Will purchase angle fittings at a later date)
6. 2X Mayhem's Blue Berry Pastel coolant 1 litre
7. IC Diamond (whatever size is available before last order date)
8. Heavy Duty Hose Cutters
9. Plastic Funnel
10. 3X Scythe GT 1850 or 3X Silverstone AP

Last couple of questions before I do this.

Do I need 2 litres of coolant?

Do I need 2 meters of tubing?

Do I need fans with directional airflow like the APs or standard airflow fans like the GTs?

Thanks for everybody's help so far!

 

[leejc73]

Yes 2 litres of coolant, one will see you about an inch short of full on the res which is very close to the pump impeller. 2 metres of tubing will give you plenty of options for routing, I e changed the location of my res about 5 times now. As for fans it seems that static pressure is the important number as they are hard up against the rad they need to be able to push and flow against a fair resistance.

 

[Grizzly]

Yes 2 litres of coolant, one will see you about an inch short of full on the res which is very close to the pump impeller. 2 metres of tubing will give you plenty of options for routing, I e changed the location of my res about 5 times now. As for fans it seems that static pressure is the important number as they are hard up against the rad they need to be able to push and flow against a fair resistance.

OK then I'll stick with 2 bottle of coolant and 2 meters of tubing.

Thanks for the info.

With the fans, the APs perform worse CFM wise than the GTs.

But the APs will shoot air straight up whereas the GTs will exhaust air at an even spread.

IDK whether the APs exhausting straight would benefit the radiator or not though.

Will be buying the GTs most likely if I don't find an answer to that question.

 

[SieB]

Not 100% sure about this but there has been temp tests done on rads using shrouds which basically cut off the dead spots of where the fans blow and directs the air flow strait through the rad. The results with a shroud/s show they give much better temps than without them, so the APs may be good, but as I said, i'm not 100% sure.

http://martinsliquid...ing-Review.html

 

[Grizzly]

Not 100% sure about this but there has been temp tests done on rads using shrouds which basically cut off the dead spots of where the fans blow and directs the air flow strait through the rad. The results with a shroud/s show they give much better temps than without them, so the APs may be good, but as I said, i'm not 100% sure.

http://martinsliquid...ing-Review.html

Took a bit of effort to find some review/comparisons on google, had to try and word my search in lots of different ways.

Somebody on overclock.net did a comparison of the AP vs the 1500 GT, although these tests weren't done on a RAD his own conclusion is the APs are not best for RADs.

AFAIK this is because the extra fins on the fan restrict airflow, add to that the restriction from the RAD and they aren't that good.

This is despite the fact they apparently give out freezing cold air compared to the GTs, that was another members observation in the thread.

The Scythe GTs kick the APs butt especially with the extra available CFM at 12V, and they are fairly quiet at the same time.

The 1850 GTs will be louder but I shouldn't have to run them at 12V to get similar performance.

 

[SieB]

That rules the APs out, GTs all the way

 

[malarky13]

Just for the CPU I would get a RS 360 kit some fans and whatever angled fittings you require. Just my pounds worth

I have a HAF X and 1 litre is enough coolant best to get them in twos though. I used less than two metres in my case but always get extra, In case you make a mistake trust me it happens. I have blue sickle flow fans which are very noisy on 12v. So I run mine @ 7 (much improved noise levels) Didnt have much impact on temps either. Mine were only 5.99 form specialtech so quite cheap too

 

[leejc73]

Malarky13 is right for the RS kit you can get away with a litre, but the RS rad carries a lot less water than your spec'd one.

 

[Grizzly]

Okay parts have been ordered, the IC Diamond was out of stock and they only had 1 meter of tubing left so they will be ordered with the fittings.

Kit won't be arriving till mid December as XSPC Raystorm and EX360 were pre-orders.

Between now and when it arrives I'm going to plan some brackets to give the bigger radiator some more support than the 4 screws standard with the Phantom.