Help needed with watercooling. First time.

Grizzly

Grizzly

New member
Hello again everyone.

Christmas is fast approaching, and I am being lent some money to buy a present for myself.

I am planning on a CPU only loop. This will be in an NZXT Phantom and be cooling an 1156 i5 750 CPU.

Plans have and will change throughout the course of this thread, I will try to keep the below section as up to date as possible.

So far my idea is to use the 2 NZXT 120mms that I did have in the side panel, buy one extra identical fan, paired with a slim 360 RAD.

This will be coupled with an XSPC dual bay RES and pump combo.

All parts will be ordered from SpecialTech and I would quite like this setup to at least come close to NH-D14 performance, if it's possible beat it.

The main aim though is to get some experience in watercooling. Budget is between £300-£350.

Chosen parts so far in no particular order are:

  1. XSPC X20 750
  2. XSPC EX360 (Over max length for Phantom but fits without mods as seen in Xsessive by ShortAlien and it's slim)
  3. XSPC Raystorm (best available at the moment?)
  4. Primochill Primoflex 1/2" ID 3/4" OD tubing clear (I believe Mayhem's recommended tubing)
  5. 6X Bitspower compression fittings shiny silver 1/2" ID 3/4" OD (Will purchase angle fittings at a later date when I know which ones I need)
  6. Mayhem's Blue Berry Pastel coolant 1 litre
  7. IC Diamond 24 carat (best of the best and enough to use again)
  8. Heavy Duty Hose Cutters (don't have anything else suitable)
  9. Plastic Funnel (it's cheap and won't have been used for filling jerry cans with fuel)
  10. NZXT 120mm fan (to match the other 2 I already have)

This all comes to £290 plus any extra when I order angle fittings.

I am planning to order all of this early December, unless good reason is given to delay ordering i.e. superior parts are being released.

So what are your thoughts on these parts? Thanks in advance for any help given.
 
looks petty sweet to me.. cant see it beating the NH-D14 though, maybee just if you use some high rpm fan's in push pull.
 
8bit said:
looks petty sweet to me.. cant see it beating the NH-D14 though, maybee just if you use some high rpm fan's in push pull.
Click to expand...

Thank you, like I said this is primarily because I want to get some experience watercooling so beating the NH-D14 isn't a must.

I might buy some high RPM fans when I make the second order (for the angle fittings) if I'm in the mood but being higher RPM fans they're going to be louder as well.

And I'm not sure how quiet I'd be able to get them with the built in fan controller.
 
ruthless said:
you could drill two small holes and get a ex360 in there, if its a cpu only loop that pump is overkill

and i would just buy this: http://specialtech.c...-pid-14808.html
Click to expand...

Thought about modding the top panel but I'd probably run in to trouble with the front I/O if I wanted to mount the fans in between the top panel and the top cover.

Chose the pump based on the guide to watercooling Sieb has posted, it is the weaker DDC which is apparently suitable for small things like a CPU loop.

Using a drive bay RES would solve my problem of filling the loop, however I would quite like the aesthetics of having the RES on show if I put a window in the side panel.

The bay RES is deffinitely a consideration though, plus I think you can get a combo that includes the weaker DDC.
 
Grizzly said:
Thought about modding the top panel but I'd probably run in to trouble with the front I/O if I wanted to mount the fans in between the top panel and the top cover.

Chose the pump based on the guide to watercooling Sieb has posted, it is the weaker DDC which is apparently suitable for small things like a CPU loop.

Using a drive bay RES would solve my problem of filling the loop, however I would quite like the aesthetics of having the RES on show if I put a window in the side panel.

The bay RES is deffinitely a consideration though, plus I think you can get a combo that includes the weaker DDC.
Click to expand...

the price difference between the weaker ddc and the 18w is like £10 i think... so might aswell spend the extra bit

if you look at short aliens phantom he has a 360mm rad and has just mounted the fans to push through the rad, i think he lost a optical bay so you should have 4 left and since you dont need a fan controller you should be ok for space
 
ruthless said:
the price difference between the weaker ddc and the 18w is like £10 i think... so might aswell spend the extra bit

if you look at short aliens phantom he has a 360mm rad and has just mounted the fans to push through the rad, i think he lost a optical bay so you should have 4 left and since you dont need a fan controller you should be ok for space
Click to expand...

Have just taken a look at his build log, doesn't look like he even needed to drill any extra holes!

EX360 is now a possible but with that I would either have to buy an extra NZXT fan or buy 3 new fans.

That would bring the price up to £306, still well within reason.

In relation to the pump I have actually short listed a pump/RES combo.

It is an XSPC dual bay RES with a Laing DDC inside it.

There are 2 variants, with the 10W and 18W pumps.

Now in the guide Sieb posted it recommends the 10W for a CPU with 120 RAD and 18W for anything else.

But I have read on here before of somebody having pressure problems due to having a pump that is much too powerful.

So if I upgraded to the 18W DDC could it be too powerful? I'm not so concerned about using it with a 360 RAD but more the 240.

Late now so off to bed, will reply to anything tomorrow.
 
OK I've updated the first post for any new arrivals, as the price difference is minimal and it would improve both performance and tidiness/simplicity of the loop I have decided to get the XSPC dual bay RES and Laing DDC pump combo as well as the EX360 as it fits without any mods although it is bigger than the max recommended for the Phantom.

I'm still unsure as to whether I should be getting the 10W or 18W Laing DDC though.
 
Grizzly said:
Hello again everyone.

Christmas is fast approaching, and I am being lent some money to buy a present for myself.

I am planning on a CPU only loop. This will be in an NZXT Phantom and be cooling an 1156 i5 750 CPU.

Plans have and will change throughout the course of this thread, I will try to keep the below section as up to date as possible.

So far my idea is to use the 2 NZXT 120mms that I did have in the side panel, buy one extra identical fan, paired with a slim 360 RAD.

This will be coupled with an XSPC dual bay RES with a Laing DDC pump, not sure whether I should get the 10W or 18W pump

All parts will be ordered from SpecialTech and I would quite like this setup to at least come close to NH-D14 performance, if it's possible beat it.

The main aim though is to get some experience in watercooling. Budget is between £300-£350.

Chosen parts so far in no particular order are:

  1. XSPC Dual bay RES with Laing DDC pump (not sure if I should get the 10W or 18W)
  2. XSPC EX360 (Over max length for Phantom but fits without mods as seen in Xsessive by ShortAlien and it's slim)
  3. XSPC Raystorm (best available at the moment?)
  4. Primochill Primoflex 1/2" ID 3/4" OD tubing clear (I believe Mayhem's recommended tubing)
  5. 6X Bitspower compression fittings shiny silver 1/2" ID 3/4" OD (Will purchase angle fittings at a later date when I know which ones I need)
  6. Mayhem's Blue Berry Pastel coolant 1 litre
  7. IC Diamond 24 carat (best of the best and enough to use again)
  8. Heavy Duty Hose Cutters (don't have anything else suitable)
  9. Plastic Funnel (it's cheap and won't have been used for filling jerry cans with fuel)
  10. NZXT 120mm fan (to match the other 2 I already have)

This all comes to £290 plus any extra when I order angle fittings.

I am planning to order all of this early December, unless good reason is given to delay ordering i.e. superior parts are being released.

So what are your thoughts on these parts? Thanks in advance for any help given.
Click to expand...

im sure you can find a better rad then the XSPC one
 
Grizzly said:
Hello again everyone.

Christmas is fast approaching, and I am being lent some money to buy a present for myself.

I am planning on a CPU only loop. This will be in an NZXT Phantom and be cooling an 1156 i5 750 CPU.

Plans have and will change throughout the course of this thread, I will try to keep the below section as up to date as possible.

So far my idea is to use the 2 NZXT 120mms that I did have in the side panel, buy one extra identical fan, paired with a slim 360 RAD.

This will be coupled with an XSPC dual bay RES with a Laing DDC pump, not sure whether I should get the 10W or 18W pump

All parts will be ordered from SpecialTech and I would quite like this setup to at least come close to NH-D14 performance, if it's possible beat it.

The main aim though is to get some experience in watercooling. Budget is between £300-£350.

Chosen parts so far in no particular order are:

  1. XSPC Dual bay RES with Laing DDC pump (not sure if I should get the 10W or 18W)
  2. XSPC EX360 (Over max length for Phantom but fits without mods as seen in Xsessive by ShortAlien and it's slim)
  3. XSPC Raystorm (best available at the moment?)
  4. Primochill Primoflex 1/2" ID 3/4" OD tubing clear (I believe Mayhem's recommended tubing)
  5. 6X Bitspower compression fittings shiny silver 1/2" ID 3/4" OD (Will purchase angle fittings at a later date when I know which ones I need)
  6. Mayhem's Blue Berry Pastel coolant 1 litre
  7. IC Diamond 24 carat (best of the best and enough to use again)
  8. Heavy Duty Hose Cutters (don't have anything else suitable)
  9. Plastic Funnel (it's cheap and won't have been used for filling jerry cans with fuel)
  10. NZXT 120mm fan (to match the other 2 I already have)

This all comes to £290 plus any extra when I order angle fittings.

I am planning to order all of this early December, unless good reason is given to delay ordering i.e. superior parts are being released.

So what are your thoughts on these parts? Thanks in advance for any help given.
Click to expand...

may i ask whats on the loop CPU or CPU+GPU
 
Hey MIDNIGHTEYE. Click on the Multiquote button on the posts you want to reply to and then use the "Add Reply" button at the bottom of the page.
 
OK slight change, recalled the Assassin build that TTL did a while ago in which he used a pump/RES combo that came as part of a kit for a slim 360 RAD and a CPU block.

So, predictably the XSPC RES with the Laing has gone out the window as this other pump is half the price and should do the job adequately.

I'm hoping to buy all these parts week beginning 5th December , whatever is on the list then will be what I purchase.

I've also started a thread on SpecialTech for this, getting anxious if what I'm buying is right without lots of people telling me it is or isn't.
 
I bought the Xspc RS 360 kit and I can recommend it highly. As a first time water cooling kit I doubt it gets much easier just follow Tom's how to water cool vids and it really is a doodle. Only suggestion I would make is going for the rx kit with the thicker rad which should allow you to add a gpu OR mb block later on.

You really can't go wrong with the combined res pump for simplicity. Bleeding the system is the most time consuming process.
 
leejc73 said:
I bought the Xspc RS 360 kit and I can recommend it highly. As a first time water cooling kit I doubt it gets much easier just follow Tom's how to water cool vids and it really is a doodle. Only suggestion I would make is going for the rx kit with the thicker rad which should allow you to add a gpu OR mb block later on.

You really can't go wrong with the combined res pump for simplicity. Bleeding the system is the most time consuming process.
Click to expand...

I had looked at getting one of those kits, there is an EX360 kit (linked to by ruthless) which I was tempted by but I would've quite liked to have compression fittings, IC Diamond, my own choice of hose and so I could make use of parts I already have.

What are other people's opinions on this though, is buying my own parts worth it for the different fittings/paste etc. or would the kit be a better choice?
 
The Rasa block came with some non descript paste, but there was a tube of ceramic stuff in as well (from specialtech), I forget the branding. The raystorm i've just bought came with some XSPC K2 (CandCCentral) which seems to perform ok, although not as good as the ceramic stuff that came with the RASA.

The kit provided has 1/2" barbs and 7/16" inner diameter hose so it's a snug fit anyway, they do provide hose clamps though for extra security.

As with all things it depends what you're going for, if you want a cooling kit that's going to perform without too much consideration of aesthetics (the rasa block is by no means ugly) then you won't go wrong with this set up. If you think you want to do it so you've got exactly the connections/hose/fluid/rad/blocks you want then it's probably better going for individual items, then you can set the colour of your unions to fit with your general build scheme.

As a start point the RASA 750 kits are very good all in one custom solutions for the first time water cooler.
 
leejc73 said:
The Rasa block came with some non descript paste, but there was a tube of ceramic stuff in as well (from specialtech), I forget the branding. The raystorm i've just bought came with some XSPC K2 (CandCCentral) which seems to perform ok, although not as good as the ceramic stuff that came with the RASA.

The kit provided has 1/2" barbs and 7/16" inner diameter hose so it's a snug fit anyway, they do provide hose clamps though for extra security.

As with all things it depends what you're going for, if you want a cooling kit that's going to perform without too much consideration of aesthetics (the rasa block is by no means ugly) then you won't go wrong with this set up. If you think you want to do it so you've got exactly the connections/hose/fluid/rad/blocks you want then it's probably better going for individual items, then you can set the colour of your unions to fit with your general build scheme.

As a start point the RASA 750 kits are very good all in one custom solutions for the first time water cooler.
Click to expand...

Well the EX360 kit comes with the EX360, the raystorm and that RES, I'll decide when I'm buying how much the extra kit means to me.
 
Update from the SpecialTech forums, as the EX360 has a mid-high FPI I need some higher RPM / static pressure fans.

I have asked if Coolermaster SickleFlows, 2000 RPM 70 CFM, will do the job nicely but have not yet heard a response.

TBF I did only ask this morning but I thought I'd try and keep this thread as up to date as possible.
 
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