Need second opinion on WC loop

[Jojimbo]

I've been reading various forums over the last couple months and have come to a decent understanding on WC loops (I hope). Just want someone to check components/layout and see if anyone has different ideas on how to do this.

PC:
i5 3570k
Z77 Sabertooth
2x HD 7950 (Asus DC2T)
Xigmatek Elysium
Corsair AX850

Currently thinking of getting these for the loop:

XSPC Raystorm
2x Swiftech Komodo HD7900
Alphacool Nexxxos Monsta 360
Alphacool UT60 360 or 420mm*
Alphacool ST30 120**
Alphacool VPP655 D5 Pump + Alphacool HF Top
Liquid Fusion V 400mm Res (UV Green Helix, already own)
Scythe GT AP-15 for 120mm Rads, Akasa Apache for 140mm
XSPC UV Green 16/10mm Tubing

Fittings are a bit more up in the air atm, I want matt black fittings and the Alphacool stuff looked awesome but it's out of stock a lot places. I can still find the 45 degree versions but the 90's are out of stock and straight 16/10mm matt black fitting don't seem to exist anymore (they don't even appear on the website) although I found another one that would be suitable for straights I'm still missing a 16/10 matt black 90 degree that doesn't look like shit.

*Undecided on top rad, case has 15mm fan spacing potentially making 420mm a pita to fit plus I can't find the fan spacing for a ut60 420mm anywhere.

**Cooling would probably be unnecessary, mostly putting it in there for looks and so I can run tubing to the back of the case. Will be using an AP-14 on this rad as well

Put together some loop ideas in paint, bit messy on pipes but general idea is right. Red = Rads, Blue = Fans, Orange = Pump/Res, Yellow = Blocks 1a, 1b, 2

1a vs 1b just depends on the side the input for block is on (was considering EK Supremacy or Swiftech Drive II + 480mm in front and both blocks have inputs on the left side), 2 is if I can't fit in the 120mm in back (have no idea what size the head tank is on the st30 but it could be a tight fit unless I turn it upside down). Both setups include GPUs in parallel, I was hoping to get solid matt black SLI fittings but I'm not sure on the distance between them, so I was just going to get some black tubing and make my own (price would end up similar if not less)

Want some opinions on fan direction as well, front and top both have air-filters. I was originally going to have front intake, top/back out like normal but that'll create slight negative pressure and my room is very very dusty although as there won't be any heatsinks in the case I might be able to get away with it. I also considered having top and front intake, but I'm not sure if the large positive pressure will dramatically decrease the fan performance. Third option if I go with 420mm fan is to have top intake, rear/front out as 140mm fans should have higher airflow. I will be modding the side panel to be completely acrylic so no more fan there, was going to turn the MB side panel fan out and both MB assist fans in as that seems to be how Asus set it up (currently have filtered mb panel in, rear assist fan out and mb assist fan in).

Also you'll notice no space for HDDs, my current plan is to tuck it under the PSU cables right next to the PSU itself. PSU is fan down leaving some room under them, I have checked and it will fit there. I'll put it in a silicone case and then velcro it in place however I'm also covering PSU + Cables with sheet of card to hide it all and I have no idea if being sat right next to the PSU or having 0 airflow + silicone case will cause problems. SSD will be tucked away behind MB tray or something.

So thoughts on this, and any suggestions for components? I believe everything is sufficient but would like another opinion.

 

[NastyFighter]

If theres one thing Ive learned from watercooling, it is make it look tidy! Atleast thats what TTL shouted at me, lol. So go with 1a for sure, no hose running right through the case, but I'dd ditch the 120 rad. Makes it more easy and I think more tidy too.

Go with bitspower matt black fittings. Ive got them too and they look very nice. And should be in stock almost everywhere (over here atleast).

Since youre doing it mostly for looks, I'dd go with blocks from the same company. It will look better when its all in the same style.

And as far as for SLI fittings, get a bridge. I think that looks beastly. Im not a watercooling pro, but recently did my own build. But I like the Ek waterblocks very much. It just looks super slick. Shouldnt be that hard to find out the spacing? Atleast with EK blocks theres always 1 card every 2 slots. Due to the 90 degree block you can put on it and which is needed for a bridge.

As far as intake and outlet goes, Idd go with front and back intake and then top outlet. You can buy 120mm fan dust filters so you wont suck dust in from behind.

Now mind you, like I said I'm not a pro so I might be all wrong but this is just how I think about it.

 

[jamesriley94]

I think you're going a bit overkill on rads. Lose the 120mm. a 60mm and an 80mm thick 360mm rad will easily cater for a 3570k and 2 7970s

 

[Mummy]

*Undecided on top rad, case has 15mm fan spacing potentially making 420mm a pita to fit plus I can't find the fan spacing for a ut60 420mm anywhere.

case homepage says "360/420mm water cooling radiator possible." But i wouldent be so sure, as i think i read from TTL.s rewiec coments that atleast one hade problems with endtanks hitting the baytower. So go with 360 those fit(i have them) and you have more fans to choce for.

 

[Jojimbo]

The 120mm wasn't for the cooling as much has just for having something there, not even 100% it'll fit though so might have to lose it. I did consider bitspower fittings, but they are 2-3 times the price of everything else and have no 16/10 90 degree anyway. I would rather go 13/10 and have 45+90 alphacool fittings than spend £15 per 45 and 90 bitspower fitting.

As for SLI Bridge there isn't one for komodo which covers my PCI-E layout, I have two empty slots between them and on swiftech site they recommend using adjustable CF fittings for that situation. I'll rather not use EK CSQ stuff either, especially on GPU as the stock HD 7900 design isn't full cover in the way the komodo or lightning/680 blocks are.

Matching blocks would mean using Drive II as well, it's the only swiftech cpu block with the same design as the komodo's. I did consider using it + 480mm but was unsure about it due to not having a res high enough to feed it.

Issue with 420mm is that the fan spacing is 15mm on this case whereas most 420s use 16 or 20 spacing. I properly will go with a 360mm though, makes things easier. Where did you mount your pump mummy? Just on the floor where the empty space from lack of HPTX MB is. Oh and what end do you have the fittings on the 480, top or bottom?

 

[airdeano]

drop the 120 rad, adds restriction, more tubing and fittings with no real gain.

use the bitspower crystal link tubes for X-fire situation.. comes with single, dual
and triple slot tubes...

the 360 would be easier... but how hot will the overclock on the CPU and GPU be?
if going the max, look for another 240 to mount somewhere. the 360 will hold a
hot CPU and nominal GPU overclock for just the 360, but when adding more of
both you need some headroom and adding another 240 will do that.

the AP-15 is a good fan, but why spend top money and undervolt the piss out of it
the alphacool is suggesting 1200rpm or less.. no fan controller needed.
800-1000rpm would be a target.. and cheaper to spend for, more to spend in other
areas.

airdeano

 

[Jojimbo]

I'll be using 2 360mm not just one, and if everyone is saying so I'll drop the 120mm as well. Where do they suggest 1200rpm or less? I see them mentioning 1200rpm, but in reviews cooling still increases by a similar amount to every other rad when going higher (some even show them losing to other rads below 1000)

For the crystal link tubes, is it possible to get them in a solid black colour? For the price of them I could just buy everything separately, is there any reason not to other than difficulty in cutting it to the right length?

 

[airdeano]

ahhh dual 360.. i missed that somewhere..

dunna know what color choices are.. only seen the clear sku (show off coolant)
i hadnt had to cut any and use them for other transfer ideas than just SLI/X-fire...

airdeano

 

[Jojimbo]

I meant just buying 1m of black tubing and cutting it length myself rather than using the crystal tubing. I'll be using clear coolant and relying on coloured tubing, a dyed coolant would ruin the res.

Oh and one thing I wasn't sure on, when looking for SLI fittings what is the spacing measuring? Is it the gap between them or the number of slots between counting from the top. In my case I have GPU Empty Empty GPU so is that 2 or 3 slot?

 

[airdeano]

depends on motheboard slot spacing.. some have a x1 in between the slots
on the sabertooth itd be a triple.. because of the 1x jammed in between the
GPU slots..
no matter... hose or links would work well..

airdeano

 

[Mummy]

Issue with 420mm is that the fan spacing is 15mm on this case whereas most 420s use 16 or 20 spacing. I properly will go with a 360mm though, makes things easier. Where did you mount your pump mummy? Just on the floor where the empty space from lack of HPTX MB is. Oh and what end do you have the fittings on the 480, top or bottom

Hmm, i would think normaly they would but those fans touching each other, to get more air presure througth rad.

I have 2 pumps in one loop at the moment one are bitwean UT60 and GPU. Secend one is betwean monsta (on front baytower) and motherboard 24pin. ATX connector.

Those fittings are on top now, but when i get my home server/secendry pc watercooling/moding project done. It may change(or not) as floor rad(UT60) is moving up on roof (again) and so on.

 

[Jojimbo]

I've given it some thought and came with another layout which uses a Swiftech Apogee Drive II to match the Komodo GPU blocks, enables me to use a front 480mm rad which in turn fixes any negative pressure issues. New layout also hides a tube which I wasn't too keen on anyway but adds more fittings.

New layout

Bit more accurate than last but the placement/thickness of the rads is still off somewhat. This has the top radiator output travelling round the back between the fans on MB tray, there is a groove at the top which should provide enough room even with a 420mm there (I'll be using a 360mm). I'll have to dremel out the top PSU 'support' thing to get the tubing to the rear 120mm which I brought back to make things look neater, although I suppose I could drop it again and try to fit in a small res like the Cape Corp. Uses 6 90 degree fittings, might be able to replace a couple with 45's though.

Question though, should I get a second MCP35X and place it between the big res and the front rad? Do I need a second pump or will the single MCP35X on the Apogee Drive II work, with the 90 degree fittings/rads I'm thinking I might but tbh I'm not sure on what the max a single pump could push. I could easily hide it by raising the floor so looks isn't an issue here, I'm going to be making something to hide the PSU/wires and could extent it + raise it by 5cm or so.