Cooling Watercooling SLI - Help with flow path!

Hey guyz, I brought my watercooling setup a few weeks ago, but I havnt had chance to fit it yet. The time has come - and this weekend it will be going in. It is as follows:

1xDD TDX CPU Block
2xDD Maze 4 Acetal GPU blocks
BIX dual 120mm rad
Eheim 1250 pump
DD Bay res.

My PC is the following:

FX-55 (San diego = nice and cool, chip)
2x 6800 Ultras
DFI Lanparty SLI-DR

Now, i was gonna route it like this:

Rad---> CPU ----> GPU1---> GPU2---- Pump ----> Res----> rad

However, i dont think this is possible, as the bend in tubing required to go from one GPU to the other is extemely tight and would probably impede my flow rate. Therefore I just want some advice on which way around I should do this. I was thinking something like:
rad----> GPU1-----> CPU -----> GPU2 -----> Pump ----> rad which would avoid tubing issues, although it would most likely increase my CPU temps a bit.

Any ideas?

 

I don't see a problem with your proposed routing.
Alternatively, you could split the output from the TDX and feed each vid card independently, rejoining them either before or at the reservoir.

 

You need to put the res before the pump.

I'd personally go Res- pump - Rad - CPU, GPU, GPU - Res.

If you were planning to split then a RBX would have been the block to choose. As it is, keep it simple in series. I don't see any advantage in having one GPU a lot cooler than the other.

 

Yes, but as I said in my post, I dont think the tubing will bend nicely enough to allow GPU1---> GPU2 without a very sharp bend. It will be very hard to keep it from kinking. That is why im considering alternative routes.

 

It's that bend that he's worried about.
Maybe rightly so, I don't know.

Rez>pump>rad>GPU1>CPU>GPU2>rez solves the tube torque issue at the cost of extra tubing in the loop.
My original suggestion uses (potentially) less tubing, but adds two y-splitters (or just one if the reservoir has provision for two inlets), which creates more connections and restriction.

I would guess that the temp difference between either routing would be minimal anyway.

 

The path doesn't really matter, as long as the reservoir is feeding the pump. The temp increase will be very small, so any way that avoids kinks and tight bends will be fine.

What sort of tubing are you using? Maybe try another kind, or multiple kinds to find the bendiest? What size is the tubing? If it's 1/2" ID, you can safely drop it to 7/16" (stretch it over 1/2" barbs) and not lose any flow or performance.

 

The bay res has three ports afaics so you can save the second y- connector and run both back to the res. This will reduced the resistance of the GPU part of the loop and shout mean better CPU cooling than a series setup.

 

Sorry for missing that, however if you have a res it has to be before the pump or you're going to have problems.

 

As clocker says, you could do a GPU1 --> CPU --> GPU2 block sequence in a back-and-forth fashion. This sequence wouldn't really affect your temps and allow for wider bends = fewer kinks.

A picture of your case insides (with pump and rad location) would be helpful here. Can you post one?

 

hey nexxo, I can post the inside of my case, but it needs modding atm to make room for the radiator and pump. I already know exactly where its all gonna go, but its not actually in place yet. If its a help I will post one as it is now on air.

 

I'm with nexxo. Both of my GPUs are at identical temps, you would think the second one would be hotter since it comes right after the first. But with watercooling, the water doesn't heat up very much as it can hold over four times as much heat as air can (ie, if the heat would raise 1 cm^3 of air 4c, it would raise 1 cm^3 [1mL] of water 1c).
Or at least something to that extent.

In any case, I'd say res->pump->gpu1->cpu->gpu2->rad->res would be your best bet (or rad before the blocks if you prefer, I doubt it makes a real difference though), as you don't risk kinking and lower undue stress on the cards.

 

Thanks for the help guyz. Im gonna do as nexxo and Firehed suggest and see how it goes. Look out for pics early next week!