Watercooling How much would a water cooling setup cost?

As the title says, I may be lucky enough to get hold of the parts thanks to my awesome girlfriend

For the system in my sig. Would like to cool the CPU and GPU.

 

http://www.scan.co.uk/products/ek-kit-h3o-360-ltx-water-cooling-kit

And then you're looking at £75 or so for the GPU block..

So say £250 all in? But you can get a better pump/res if you wanted, but that's a basic thing.

EDIT

http://www.overclockers.co.uk/showproduct.php?prodid=WC-157-XS&groupid=962&catid=1532&subcat= would also work and end up about the same cost..

 

Triple rad would be too big for my case without modding. But it seems Scan have a lovely 240mm rad kit. Would that be okay with my setup

Edit, would this be an alright block?

http://www.scan.co.uk/products/ek-fc580-gtx-directgpu-acetal

 

if u want to do a cpu and gpu on the loop, you will need more rad space imo, so if a 360mm rad is too big, how about a 240mm + 120mm or even 2 x 240mm rads on the loop.
thats if your sig rig is overclocked, if its at stock speed, then a 240mm rad should be enough.
like this one http://www.overclockers.co.uk/showproduct.php?prodid=WC-158-XS&groupid=962&catid=1532&subcat=
afaik the 'fatter' rads are better performers then the 'skinny' rads

Personally i would do your homework first, then either buy a kit, or seperate bits or even buy used parts of the forum

 

Right. I've got this, all I need is fittings, pump and res right?

Are all the bits I've chosen good? And is there anywhere I can save?

Also, are them Dual 5.25" bay pump/res combos any good?


As you can see I'm a complete moron at watercooling.

 

Just make sure that GTX 580 Twin Frozr II uses a reference PCB else you can forget watercooling that card.

 

Make sure your GPU is a reference card. Otherwise you will struggle to find a waterblock that fits.

Whatever you budget for watercooling..... Add some more to the budget cos it rarely goes to plan

 

The Bay res pump combos can be good - but they can also be a pain to isolate from vibrations. I've had one that takes two DDC pumps that was quiet as hell, but I had another with a single DDC that was a frikkin PITA to stop from rattling/vibrating.

Given what you have chosen and what you have still to buy, would you be better with this kit...

http://www.scan.co.uk/products/ek-kit-h3o-240-ltx-water-cooling-kit

...then add a 120 rad, GPU block (assuming it fits your card) and a few more fittings?

Bear in mind that kit is 3/8" ID and not 1/2" - not that it makes a great difference.

That kit, the extra 120 rad, GPU block, 4 more fittings and another fan will come in at around £260-£265

Check the cooling configurator for the appropriate block for your card (EK blocks only, of course)
http://www.coolingconfigurator.com/

 

If Scan allow me to customise some things in that kit such as the colour of the liquid and tubing then that will do just fine. Thanks

And according to EK's cooling configurator thing my GPU is reference.

 

dont forget a tube cutter

 

Will some really sharp scissors not do?

 

Is this the noisy 580GTX?

Could just buy a 670 and it will run cool and be nice and quiet and much faster for the same amount of money

 

Yes, or a sharp hobby knife. I've been watercooling for years and I've never used a tube cutter.

 

Instead of shopping for water cooling stuff at Scan, I recommend a dedicated webstore like SpecialTech or AquaTuning.

 

Me neither - as long as you get a nice straight end it'll still look fine, and unless you're using compression fittings it doesn't really matter if it's a bit rough.

 

I always use compression fittings nowadays but, I agree with you, and you'd have to make a real pigs ear of a cut for it to be unsuitable for a comp fitting.

+1 recommendation for Aquatuning. Have used them plenty of times, and they have customer service that's easily a good as Scan. I've bought plenty of WC gear from Scan, but Aquatuning have a wider range.

 

I like having a nice end in a comp fitting for piece of mind - at least with a barb (and in my case jubilee clips as well) you can see how well held everything is.

 

I hate compression fittings, solid tubes and all these right angle fittings with a burning passion.

Water cooling was fun when it was actually vaguely challenging. #grumpy.

 

umm, okay - Good to know

Actually, are you frikkin kidding me? I don't miss barbs and jubilee clips for one second, and it's nice to see the WC industry expand and innovate. I'd argue the case for using barbs with undersized tubing and no clips, purely for aesthetic effect, but that's all.

Kill them with fire!

So, you want it to remain ultra-niche with no real investment into new Rads, pumps, CPU and GPU block designs?

 

I think compressions are a waste of material, and for using 1/2" ID tubing, HUGE, which is in turn ugly. You don't have to use jubilee's, there are other ideas. Oh yes, and they are extortionately expensive. You see loops where the barbs and fittings are costing more than the blocks..

Slightly.. its just everyone does the exact same things these days.. even though there are more products around.. Its become incredibly easy to put loops together thanks to all the multi-ported radiators and res's etc which took out part of the fun of me building my loops.. they were a challenge to do, and when they finally went together and didn't leak, there was a sense of accomplishing something hard.

I'd honestly have my loop from 2006, with no right angles or compressions, over a modern one.



Rant/derail over.