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Watercooling Looking for advice on setting up my first loop

Discussion in 'Hardware' started by 7hr08ik, 3 Jul 2011.

  1. 7hr08ik

    7hr08ik Kill all Humans!

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    Hey,

    Right, im setting up my first watercooling loop. I have the main bulk of my hardware already;

    Case - Coolermaster HAF 932 (customized)
    Mobo - Biostar t-power i45
    CPU - Q6600 G0 stepping core (OC`d from 2.4 > 3.35GHz
    RAM - 8Gb Kingston PC6400 800MHz (not OC`d YET)
    GPU - nVidia GeForce GTX 275 (OC`d To Core: 726Mhz Shader: 1610Mhz Memory: 1312Mhz)
    HDD - 3 x 1TB Samsung Spinpoint F1, Samsung Spinpoint Ecogreen 1.5TB, + Hitatchi 300GB
    PSU - Enermax Galaxy 1000watt modular
    Radiator - Blackice GT 3x120mm + BlackIce GT Stealth 120mm
    Reservior - XSPC Dual slot langDCC model
    Pump - Laing DDC 12V DDC-1T Plus
    Waterblock CPU - Swiftech Apogee XT Extreme Performance
    Waterblock GPU - EK-FC275 GTX PCB - Acetal+Nickel

    Im just about to get the rest of what i need ordered, but i have 2 problems that i just cant figure out.

    1. OMG!!!!! How damn heavy is that GPU water block??? Now i know they get built and tested blah blah blah, but im not very happy with the idea of nearly 1Kg of nickel hanging from my GPU and held in place purely by the PCI socket.....does anyone know of a clamp or a stand or something that i can get to help hold the GPU in place? Im just dont feel that my GPU pcb will not break under the weight of the block and the water.

    2. My next issue is mopre of a logisticts issue. As you can see from my list above, i have got 2 radiators. I got a 3x120mm installed in the roof of my case, which will be in push/pull with the fans, im going to install the single radiator in the back of the case again in push/pull.

    My issuse is with the layout of my loop, i know i want to have CPU - rad - GPU - rad. Under air, the GPU runs at about 60-70 under load and the CPU about 50-60 under load. BUt i cant figure out which way to configure my loop?!?! Obviously once i get the water installed in gonna be OCing a bit more so the GPU is gonna get hotter, as is the CPU. So in the way, i think i should go GPU - 3xrad - cpu - 1xrad. But thats gonna get tricky with where everything is. Can anyone out there help me with setting this loop up?

    My thinking at this point is to have my loop setup as such;

    Pump > CPU > 3 x Rad > GPU > 1 x Rad > Reser

    But thats gonna be dam horrid inside the case, the proper way to do it would be:

    Pump > GPU > 1 x Rad > CPU > 3 x Rad > Reser

    This will look alot better and flow much more easily, but will the water be too warm after leaving the GPU at 70 - 80 the through a single rad?
     
  2. Blogins

    Blogins Panda have Guns

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    For the sake of simplicity drop the smaller radiator and see how it fares?
     
  3. Big Elf

    Big Elf Oh no! Not another f----ing elf!

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    Once the water reaches equilibrium the temperature throughout the loop will vary no more than a couple of degrees so it's not necessary to have a rad after each heat source. Your total heatload would be about 350W and that's only if you're fully loading the CPU and GPU at the same time. The triple rad should cope with that easily.

    Many people use 1 or more GPU blocks without problems so unless you regularly transport it the weight shouldn't cause problems. You could make a support strut maybe?
     
  4. 7hr08ik

    7hr08ik Kill all Humans!

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    Well for the sake of cash flow atm. Im thinking i might just leave the single rad out the loop. But im still not sure about having the hot water from th GPU flowing straight to the CPU.

    If i do go with a single loop, think im gonna go GPU > rad > CPU > reser

    So Nobody got any ideas as to keeping the GPU supported? Im sure that somewere i`ve seen a strut/clamp/stand/swing or something that was for this exact problem. Im just really not sure about the weight of this dam waterblock. i mean, DAM its heavy.
     
  5. Bloody_Pete

    Bloody_Pete Technophile

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    Use some fishing wire.

    Also look at my thread (in sig) :)

    And I go GPU>CPU>RAD and it makes no difference.
     
  6. 7hr08ik

    7hr08ik Kill all Humans!

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    Thanx for that,

    Just a couple of questions though,

    Fishing wire???.........Seriously......FISHING WIRE?!?!?!?!

    And been looking through your thread...nice to see someone else using the HAF. But im a bit confused about a few things......You mention that the tubing glows red/orange under UV and thats a problem but you dont seem to have any UV`s...so why is that bad?
    Also, im wondering how your airflow is inside that case? To me it looks very jumbled inside there, and thats the exact issue that im trying to avoid by asking about how to setup this loop of mine
     
  7. Bloody_Pete

    Bloody_Pete Technophile

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    Airflow is fine :) Had the rad at the top as an exhaust and CPU/GPU are 35C at idle :)

    I secreted UV cathodes around the edge, you can't see then they're that well hidden :)

    And fishing wire would work, as it's strong and practically invisable...
     
  8. ONUC

    ONUC What's a Dremel?

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    As long as your PUMP is immediately after your RES it doesn't make much difference. Your water temps will reach an equilibrium throughout your loop so the order doesn't matter so much. If your RAD is at the top of the case, you might want to consider your CPU next in line, as it is closest to the RAD, followed by the GPU and then the RES. So:

    CPU>GPU>RES>PUMP>RAD

    If you want the extra RAD at the back of the case you could try:

    CPU>RAD2>GPU>RES>PUMP>RAD1

    Really it is up to you what you think looks best and tidiest. Take a photo of the inside of your case with all the hardware (and blocks, rad, pump etc) installed and try drawing on the photo different combinations of tubing to see what you like best. I found that this helps a lot in planning where all the tubing will go.

    Good luck!
     
  9. 7hr08ik

    7hr08ik Kill all Humans!

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    Thanx man,

    Thats the advice i been looking for.

    Never thought of taking a photo.....lol

    I know i dont NEED the second rad, but i WANT it. I R GEEK and i must go overboard....lol. Plus it`ll help reduce temps a bit more.
     
  10. mrbungle

    mrbungle Undercooked chicken giver

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    Being honest here the kit you are usng is not going to dump that much heat, I really wouldn't worry.
     
  11. 7hr08ik

    7hr08ik Kill all Humans!

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    Oh I know its gonna be nothing to worry about. I just want to go a bit overboard now. Overboard now is just enough later on :p

    Im just trying to figure out the best way to optimize the loop. I am liking the photo idea, v.good.

    I'll be sorting out my project log soon enough so keep an eye out
     

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