water cooling loop for MMPMM

[MadMarc]

I plan to watercool my MMPMM rig (Buildlog: http://forum.overclock3d.net/showthread.php?t=56879) but since this is my first water cooling loop, I'd like to hear your opinion/advice.

Here's my current rig:

I'm still running a 2500k on a P67 evo, so I was wondering whether I should also upgrade to Z170 now rather than waiting for the next Intel chipset to launch and having to redo the whole loop then.


Here's the shopping list I've come up with:

-Alphacool VPP655 D5 pump
-Alphacool NexXxos GPX GTX 980 M07
-EK Supremacy EVO
-XSPC Acrylic Tank for D5 (currently not in stock, what are alternatives?)
-Alphacool NexXxos UT60 360mm (would there be a big differance goining with a 45mm instead?)
-12 Monsoon Hardline 13/10mm fittings
-6 Monsoon stop fittings
-4x610mm Monsoon acrylic tubing
-Monsoon silicon bending insert
-2.5L Alphacool CKC Cape Kelvin Catcher fluid
-4 Monsoon 90° adapters
-drain system

-i5 6600k
-Asus Z170-A (or Z170-PRO if it's released soon)
-2x8 GB HyperX Fury DDR4-2400

EDIT: I currently have two NB BlackSilent Pro PL-PS fans, so I could just get a third one but I've also been looking at the Fractal Design Venturi, EK Vardar and Noctua NF-F12 PPC 2000, does anyone know how they compare when they're all running at the same speed/noise output?

Please let me know what you think about upgrading to Skylake and if you'd change anything about the watercooling parts

 

[tolagarf]

The Alphacool NexXxos GPX is a good waterblock, but not excellent. It has a lot of restriction in its waterflow and the VRAM/VRM are only passively cooled by the heatsink. It's of course a lot cheaper than say an EK block, also considering the Alhpacool includes a backplate.

Regarding the difference between radiator thickness I can't say how much there would be between a 60 and 45mm, however keep in mind that surface area is more important than thickness. But for your setup a 45mm rad is more than enough, even a 30mm could handle that.

Don't use acrylic tubing, use PETG as it's much more durable and doesn't crack (or at least it takes a lot more impact to do so). Also be careful using hard tubing and fittings from different manufacturers. It's best to buy from the same manufacturer to avoid problems. There can be tolerance issues. I would suggest EK, they offer some excellent products for that.

 

[MadMarc]

The Alphacool NexXxos GPX is a good waterblock, but not excellent. It has a lot of restriction in its waterflow and the VRAM/VRM are only passively cooled by the heatsink. It's of course a lot cheaper than say an EK block, also considering the Alhpacool includes a backplate.

Regarding the difference between radiator thickness I can't say how much there would be between a 60 and 45mm, however keep in mind that surface area is more important than thickness. But for your setup a 45mm rad is more than enough, even a 30mm could handle that.

Don't use acrylic tubing, use PETG as it's much more durable and doesn't crack (or at least it takes a lot more impact to do so). Also be careful using hard tubing and fittings from different manufacturers. It's best to buy from the same manufacturer to avoid problems. There can be tolerance issues. I would suggest EK, they offer some excellent products for that.

I'd love to use an EK gpu block, but they don't have one for the Gainward GTX980 Phantom.
Good to know that a 45mm thick rad should be fine.
Ok, I'll also see if I can get EK fittings, but I quite like the look of the Monsoon stuff, they also offer PETG tubing. Is there any downside using PETG?

 

[JR23]

Ok, I'll also see if I can get EK fittings, but I quite like the look of the Monsoon stuff, they also offer PETG tubing. Is there any downside using PETG?

PETG and Acrylic are roughly the same strength. PETG forms at a lower temperature. Acrylic is more stable when exposed to UV-light and typically clearer than PETG.

PETG may well stand up to the impact from a hammer better, but what kind of irrelevant test is that. Flexible tube will probably never break in a hammer test but that doesn't make it better at being rigid tube. When you observe the relevant material properties they are very similar, I would always chose acrylic.

There are loads of alternative reservoirs, i'm sure you would easily fit a short tube res with integrated pump in the case. Remember it doesn't necessarily have to be vertical, just as long as you can turn the rig so it is vertical while filling and bleeding. The same goes for a drain system. It's not like it's massive and impossible to move so keep that in mind.

JR

 

[MadMarc]

Back to acrylic then, I don't plan to have Jeremy Clarkson helping me with the build, so there won't be any hammers involved.

 

[Tolemac]

Like JR said there are plenty of pump res alternatives but if you like xspc their Photons look really nice IMHO I have the XSPC D5 bay/res which I want to change also it may be worth looking at the EK pump top/res

 

[MadMarc]

Like JR said there are plenty of pump res alternatives but if you like xspc their Photons look really nice IMHO I have the XSPC D5 bay/res which I want to change also it may be worth looking at the EK pump top/res

The Photon res looks great but it's too tall to use it vertical, and it would look weird positioned horizontally a the bottom imo. The EK x res looks also really nice, I just need to figure out if I can get the 140 version to fit.

 

[Tolemac]

The Photon res looks great but it's too tall to use it vertical, and it would look weird positioned horizontally a the bottom imo. The EK x res looks also really nice, I just need to figure out if I can get the 140 version to fit.

If it doesn't there is the 100
http://www.scan.co.uk/products/ek-d5-x-res-top-100-csq-acetal-for-laing-d5-series-water-pumps

 

[MadMarc]

Is there anything you'd add/change here?

What's your opinion on white tubing or coolant? As Tom had issues with his coolant, I'd rather stay away from it and use clear instead. With white tubing I'm not sure how it's going to react, when it's warmed up for bending.On the other hand it's hopefully designed to withstand the heat without changing colour.
Or do you think there would be already enough white with the new mainboard and the fitting? (In case I go with white tubing/cooland, I'd choose black fittings)

Thanks for your input!

 

[MadMarc]

Any thoughts?