Hey guys, after reading info all over the web, I decided I had the balls to finally WC my rig fully. I ordered all the parts but left the reservoir till last as I have not been able to find anything online that says how to work out the best size reservoir for the amount of cooling that you want to do. So far I have: Plates- HDD 2x WD Cav Blacks GPU GTX 580 CPU I was told by someone on the phone that I should just buy the biggest one that will fit in my case (I am intending to have a bay res) but I thought being serious, that could mean I could ahve about 2 or even 3 bay reservoirs and that is just way OTT. If anyone has an idea or even a link that I can have a look at, I would be really grateful as I can't wait to get the WC show on the road! Thanks in advance, Dan
I'm using an Antec 1200. Not sure on the pump just yet as I am aware of the combos that can be bought so I'm waiting to see what info I can get. I haven't thought about where I would mount a pump in the case 100% yet either, I have a few ideas but as yet I haven't made a final decision.
Its not really necessary to have a massive reservoir. Just get a Dual 5.25" bay one and that will be fine. If you are using a Laing DDC or D5 (and I hope you are), then some bay reservoirs allow you to mount the pump within them - which makes building your loop very easy.
Awesome, I will have a look for a dual reservoir with those capabilities then! I am going for a very clean install as I spent a lot of time organising the cables so they are as perfect and in line with each other as can be! (OCD alert) I will get some pictures up when I get it all sorted and installed, thanks guys +1 to each of you.
In truth you don't *need* a reservoir at all, they make easier filling and bleeding, but it is perfectly possible (and straight forwards) to have a loop without one, using a simple T-line, which can be as long or short as you want.
One of these and one of these is what I have. Make sure you get a molex to 4pin (PWM/Motherboard) adaptor cable so your pump doesn't run at full speed all the time.
I like the idea of having the reservoir due to it looking smart on the front of the case too though so I will skip the idea of just having the loop on its own. Is there a way to control the pump using all the wiring and a control panel or is it too much hassle and should I just have it at 4-pin speed?
The 35X is the only DDC which is 4pin PWM controllable. I believe AquaComputer have a PWM pump too. Direct voltage control works a bit, though you must be careful not to go too low and stall your pump as this will damage the pump and possibly the hardware you're cooling.
I've got an Alphacool AP700, and it's practically silent from outside the case, so personally I don't see speed control as being massively important. Of course, if you have bubbles trapped in your loop, then the pump might be noisy, and this is why you need a reservoir, it makes the whole system a lot easier to fill.
My D5 is silent, and its way more powerful. Only when it first starts is there any noise due to bubbles that form in it over night...