Passively watercooled SD31P **56k**

[youpla]

I got my Zalman reserator 1 plus yesterday and after worrying a little about the installation of the CPU block (the mobo of Shuttle xPC are no really standard) I was pretty happy to see that indeed I could install the block without the need of extra plate or bracket etc...

Everything you need is included in the package and you only need to have a cutter to cut the 775 bracket in 2 pieces to fit on the mobo!

So herre we go with the installation process that took me a couple of hours...

 

[youpla]

The Reserator 1 Plus arrived home:

Big box and well packaged, got everything you need to watercool your CPU and GPU. So I also bought separatly the Northbridge waterblock.

 

[youpla]

Due to the non standard mobo in the SD31P I had to cut the 775 socket that comes with the CPU block in order to fit it in on the mobo.

All you need is a cutter and a pair of pliers, the plastic can be cut and broke easily:

 

[youpla]

And here is the rig:

After removing the ICE system:

And mounting the 2 parts of the bracket on the mobo:

It fits pretty well, without touching anything...

 

[youpla]

Mounting the CPU block: ZM-WB3 Gold

As you can see the bottom of the block is absolutly perfect... a real mirror!!!

Placing and fixing the block on the CPU, no problem using the mounting set:

 

[youpla]

Next mounting the Northbridge waterblock:

Although not gold the surface of the of waterblock is still very well polish:

 

[youpla]

Next step the GPU waterblock.

First I had to strip down the Zalman Fatal1ty FS-V7 that I installed not so long ago!

The GPU block is pretty small and does not cover the memories so you have to put the little hitsink on the chips.

 

[youpla]

A quick view of the 3 blocks in place before adding the tubing!

 

[youpla]

Tubing...

Some closeups:

Final loop and adding th drive cage on top...

Everything was really smooth to install and although it was the first time for me to deal with watercooling, the installation is flawless!

Well that's all for today, tomorrow I will setup the external reserator and make another leaking test with everything mounted!

More to come...

 

[Tec]

Thanks for the pictures and a little review , i ll just wait till you finish everything and then comment

Edit : Very nicely done. I believe your cycles are GFX > C.P.U > Chipset > Reservoir. Waiting for the results

 

[WC Annihilus]

That's pretty slick right there. Talk about a lot of pictures I think you should make a review for OC3D

 

[youpla]

well I could try to write a more detailed review if interested. I will bring on some temperature comparison with my previous setup... I hope to get at least similar or even lower temp by few degrees... But hopefully it will be silent so I could ear a fly buzzing around

 

[Dav0s]

i think you should be more concerned over the word "cutted"

and it's passively

 

[youpla]

i think you should be more concerned over the word "cutted"

and it's passively

hehehe I was just editing after spell checking in word... damn Frenchie trying to speak Angliche

PS: I edited the title of my topic, but apparently it does not show up correctly, can a mod please check it... TIA

 

[bloodthirst]

woo nice man it really looks nice

 

[Eguy]

hehehe I was just editing after spell checking in word... damn Frenchie trying to speak Angliche

PS: I edited the title of my topic, but apparently it does not show up correctly, can a mod please check it... TIA

lol youpla its alrighte

looks fabulous! nice job man!

 

[youpla]

Thanks for the pictures and a little review , i ll just wait till you finish everything and then comment

Edit : Very nicely done. I believe your cycles are GFX > C.P.U > Chipset > Reservoir. Waiting for the results

Hi Tec,

Does it matters a lot? Indeed the initial setting recommand CPU>GPU>NB, but I didn't feel it was convenient for the tubing to go this way so I went for NB>CPU>GPU? I believe it would be the best to have the CPU first though. Anyway I can easily switch to GPU>CPU>NB cycle if better... just inverting the in and out on the reservoir?

added: ok I changed my tubing to have the cycle CPU>GPU>NB, it is not as clean and it is a bit more tight with the drive cage as before... but it may be better for the heat dissipation. Now testing for possible leak... will post more later if everything goes well

 

[youpla]

Okay so here is the end of the installation...

The tubes enter and exit from a PCI slote at the back of the PC, very clean:

Mounting the 2 extremities at the end of the tubes that will plug into the reservoir:

And inserting the visual flow indicator on the outgoing tube:

The in and out antileak plugs on the reservoir. Those plugs will prevent leaking unplugging the tubes:

The reservoir:

An inside view of the reservoir with the pump at the bottom:

 

[youpla]

As I said previsouly I finally changed my tubing to have a CPU>GPU>NB cycle and it became a bit more messy:

It was pretty tight to fit all the tubes behind the drive cage, but nothing that can't be done with a minimum of care:

it looks cleaner when viewed from the other side:

And finally after turning the Reserator ON... the flow goes on... left it runs for 2 hours without any leak! Everything alright, the PC is closed and ready for temperature benchmark.

I will leave it on overnight and see how the temps goes. After switching it on the temps were lower than the temp I got before I watercooled. The most striking difference is on the GPU though (45C before, 39C now), the CPU is apparently in the same range as before (42C before, 43C now), the NB chipset is a bit cooler (38C before, 36 now)... Pretty satisfied of the temps so far and wow it is freaking silent, you really don't ear the pump and if there was not the visual flow indicator you will probably not know if the pump is working or not!!! Amazing

 

[youpla]

And here is a final view of my system:

The reserator is little bit lower than the PC, which is not really recommanded but it is just temporary...