Watercooling n00b Question

[Judderman]

Hi Folks

I am currently planning my new build and needed a little advice on watercooling.

I plan on a socket 2011 build with 2 way x-fire/SLI config, I plan on definately overclocking the CPU, and probably overclocking the GPU's.

I really wanted, if possible to keep to a single loop config, and wondered if either a 360mm Rad or a 480 mm Rad would be sufficient for this?

Many thanks for your help

 

[Vicey]

A single loop is possible yes. A 360 Radiator would allow you to run that fine. The temperatures would be lower than air but I wouldn't expect you to be able to overvolt your parts too much without hitting high temperatures. A 480 rad or a 360 + 120 would be optimum for overclocking with a single loop when using two graphics cards and a single CPU.

If you intended instead to go with just one GPU and one CPU then a 360 Rad or a 240 + 120 would be perfect.

 

[Judderman]

Many thanks,

As I am making my own case and still in the planning stages, I can cater for either a 360mm or a 480mm rad. I will only be using one gcard in it to start with but wanted to plan ahead and make sure that the case and watercooling would take another gcard at a later date

Your help is greatly appreciated

 

[Vicey]

Building your own case! - I'm totally jealous. Definitely stick a 480 in there!

 

[Judderman]

Well case is kind of the wrong term lol

I need a new desk and and a new PC, I could not find any desks for sale that fitted my needs and as my best freind has his own furniture workshop I decided to make the desk. Once I sized it up and we costed the materials it was going to cost about £200.

I kind of had my heart set on the TJ07 for my new build but as that is over £200, my new build had got to over £400 without any hardware lol

So I have decided to combine the 2 and make a puter desk case, I am going to make a topless acrylic box that will house the motherboard and resevoir, and then fit this inside a wooden drawer that will house the rad/pump/psu and cables, that will slid under the table.

I then plan to cut a window in the table that you can view the acrylic box and its contents through.

Complicated I know lol but thats the easiest way of explaining it. I will be creating a build log here, so keep your eyes out

Another quick question, what size resevoir would I be looking at to feed a 480 rad and the loop described above?

Many thanks again

 

[Vicey]

That desk/case combo sounds great. I've seen only a few of those made.

About your question, the reservoir's size isn't really important because as-long as it is high up and feeding straight in to the pump it doesn't make a difference. When filling the system with coolant you aren't expected to fill the entire res and be done with it. What you do is fill up to say 75% and turn the pump on let the liquid work its way through some of the system. Then turn the pump off, fill it again to 75% and after you've done this 2-3 times (or more depending on the loop size) the system will be full.

If the reservoir is too low when you take the cap off it to fill it the liquid may come back out of it. This is bad which is why you usually stick it very high in the case or at-least where the fill port on it is. Personally I use a 330ml reservoir just for looks more than anything. But you can happily use a 110ml reservoir in any sized loop really.

 

[magicc8ball]

W.e ever size radiator you decide to go with just make sure you can get a 60mm thick one in there.

 

[Judderman]

Ahh brilliant,

I have catered for a resevoir that has a capaciy of 285ml so hopefully that should be cool. I was liking the cylinder shaped resevoirs as I thought this was look best with the above build.

One last question as you have been really helpfull, what is the best type of pump to get for the above loop.

All your help has been grealy appreciated

 

[Vicey]

There are quite a few choices in the market. Personally I like the DCC+ by Laing and I fit an XSPC aftermarket top to mine. The other main pumps I see used in a lot of builds are the DC12 or DCP (it has a lot of names depending on which company you buy it from) and also the Laing D5.

Out of those three I'd say the D5 and the DCC are the most popular. Both made by Laing and very reliable. The nice thing about these pumps is all the aftermarket changes you can do them. Koolance, EK, XSPC are just a few companies that offer different parts for these pumps that can radically alter the appearance and performance of the pumps whilst providing much needed G1/4 standard threads for using standard fittings.

Hope this helped

 

[magicc8ball]

With my build I purchased a swifttech MCP655 later to find out that they were on backorder so I asked them to send me a Koolance pmp-450. Koolance makes 2 different 450's one is the 450s which means 450 strong and the other is just a 450. The PMP 450 is the exact same as a the MCP655 and other variances of the Laing D5, the only difference is that it has a cable that you can hook up to a display to show the rpm that the pump is running at. If you plan on getting a Laing D5 make sure you have the variable speed one and if you go with Koolance get the 450 not the 450s because the 450s will run a little rough as you go and change the speeds on the pump.

Also there are a ton of Reservoir's that can mount up to the pump, I went with a Danger Den Monsoon. I hope this has helped gl with your build and your decisions!