Cooling Watercooling Setup, Some advice

I am planning on putting together a watercooling setup for my PC.
Specs:

E6600
Asus Striker Extreme
2x 8800GTS SLI

I have chosen the following components (prices are in Australian Dollars):
Swiftech Apogee GTX Waterblock $109.00
Swiftech MCP655-B 12V Pump $139.00
Hardware Labs Black Ice GT Stealth 360 $125.00 Barb Size: 3/8
Swiftech MCRES-MICRO Hi-Flo Reservoir $35.00

Sub-Total: $408.00

I will add a pair of GPU blocks as soon as I can source them (seem hard to find in Australia). Please don't suggest different parts unless you know where i can get them within Australia, I do not wish to order from overseas.

However I have some questions:

1) I wish to use 3/8" tubing, is that going to work with this setup (the MCP655 has 1/2" fittings AFAIK)?

2) Can threaded be inserted through the radiator, I intend to mout the Rad above the top of the case (or out of the back) using threaded rods?

Finally if anyone have any advice or general tips i would much appreciate hearing them.

Thanks in advance.

 

1. you will need a reducer

2. what ???

 

1) I'd very much recommend using 1/2" tubing rather than the 3/8; results in a less restricting loop and better performance. Most/all waterblocks/rads are threaded to accept either 3/8 or 1/2 barbs; only the pump has integrated barbs.

2) You can't run all-thread all the way through the RAD; but you can thread screws/all-thread into the holes on either side.

 

Is there alot of difference? I was planning to run 1/2" between res and pump to reduce flow, but was worried it would be difficult to route tubing if i used 1/2" ID especially when fitting the GPU blocks to the lower card (there is about 5mm between the default HSF and the bottom of the case - antec p180).

The swiftech kit with the same pump used 7/16" ID tubing and that fits over the pump, so maybe i could use that.

 

The difference bewteen using larger tubing and smaller ID tubing is minimal: Thread by Cathar over at XS forums

I would try and source a Thermochill rad if you can over there or if not a Swiftech one rather than a Black Ice as you will then be able to use lower CFM fans and achieve similar cooling quieter. Regarding sourcing them over in Oz i would post on the OCAU forums as everyone there will know the best places to source watercooling stuff where you live. Linky


Hope that is helpful.

 

According to this, there does not appear to be a huge difference in performance between the swiftech and the BI GT
http://forums.bit-tech.net/showpost.php?p=1510015&postcount=10.

Re the thermochill rads. They are available in AUS but at very high prices. I can get a 120.1 for a bit more than the 120.3 Black ICE. AFAIK even with very low CFM fans the BI would be better.

eg. here http://www.gammods.com.au/store/index.php?main_page=index&cPath=1_2 (I got this site from atomicpc forums) and Google shows no lower prices.

The biggest question I have is how / if it is possible to use 3/8" tubing with the MCP655.

Thanks

 

Thermochill PA's are the best low air-flow rads out there, still. Shame they're expensive.

There isn't much difference at all between 1/2" and 3/8" anymore - I'd just use 3/8" and buy 1/2" barbs for extra security, 3/8" tubing creates a really nice, tight fit on 1/2" barbs.

For rad mounting it's difficult to say if the bolts will go through the rad - they might do, or they might not - if there's a min-tube thingy in the way (forget the proper name) then it's best not to try.