First Watercooling loop......Recommendations ?

[helios2052]

Hey guys,

Well I am completely new to water cooling, but I've always wanted to give it a try. Now I have a little extra money and thought I would go for it.

I plan on Cooling my CPU (Q6600 @3.6Ghz), my northbridge (x38 soon to be X58) and my next graphics card (my 9800gx2 is too expensive to water cool).
I want to keep this for a few years so I want to have room to add things.




EDIT: REVISED LIST!

Here are the parts I am planning on buying:

PUMP - "DD12V-D5"

RADIATOR - Feser X-Changer Triple

WATERBLOCK CPU - Apogee GTZ (Apparently there is a mounting brackit coming out for x58!)

WATERBLOCK NORTHBRIDGE Built in on board.

RESERVOIR - Danger Den 5 1/2" bay reservoir

TUBING - 12-15 feet of Tygon 7/16" clear tubing.


Thanks for all your help guys and if there is any suggestions you still want to make, please do!

 

[Shadow703793]

Read this:
http://www.xtremesystems.org/forums/showthread.php?t=202394
=====
D5 pump looks good. For CPU WB I would go with the GTX. I don't think they would be compatible with X58 as it's a bigger socket.

 

[helios2052]

Wow, that is a great link and I'll definitely give it a read later tonight...thanks.

My biggest problem is truly the radiator, which one in your opinion is the best for medium speed fans?

 

[mrmez]

Get tygon tube. Seriously... i used a cheap tube and had nothing but leaks. The tygon doesnt leak even without clamps.
A triple rad should be fine (i use a single). Use fans in a 'pull' config.
Get a bay resivoir. Again, trust me on this.
Also add anti fungal/corrosive/conductive additives to the water.

 

[Conumdrum]

Rads:

If you want noise meaning jet takeoff fans buy the BIX series.

You want quiet and cooling power, buy Thermochill or Feser but be prepared to pay.

The GT block is old, and not as good as the newer GTZ and Fuzion V2.

The Swiftech MCR series are a good mix of rad designs, and cheap to boot.

Get a triple rad now. So when you do add a GPU to the loop you don't have to upgrade. Or get a quad rad for now, but it's not needed.

....................

My standard noob cut n paste:

I'll steer you to some more technical links, please spend a few days (DAYS) reading posts, searching, learning. Don't forget to look for your case with WC. Google your case and the word watercool or some combination of that. WC stuff is larger than you think, I know from experience. WC setups done right are awesome and almost silent.

Great place, not wayyy over the top with uber WC guys.
http://www.ocforums.com/index.php
Uber place, owned by one of the worlds winning OC guys in the world. Not a place to post or ask questions by noobs, but an awesome place to learn.
http://www.xtremesystems.org/forums/
Another good place to learn
http://www.overclock.net/water-cooling/
The GURU of independent testing, worshipped by many.
http://www.martinsliquidlab.com/
Great places to buy WC stuff
http://www.dangerden.com/index.php [...] e&Itemid=1
http://www.petrastechshop.com/
http://www.jab-tech.com/

Hope it helps, see ya in a few days, get edumacated!

 

[Shadow703793]

^+1 for the list again. +1 for Tygon tubing also. Recently switched from ClearFLEX to Tygon and I preffer the Tygon a lot better. It's a bit more expensive than other kinds of tubing but it's well worth it.

I use this:
http://www.jab-tech.com/Tygon-Silver-Antimicrobial-Tubing-1-2in.-ID-3-4in.-OD-numberAS600038-pr-4104.html

 

[Zecow]

+1 for the list.. but I would recommend:

PUMP - Swiftech MCP655

RADIATOR - Feser X-Changer Quad if you case can handle it - there's no such thing as an overkill - if you plan to upgrade in the future. I am using dual Swiftech Rads (1 tripple and 1 dual). I vote Feser over Thermochill as the barbs on the Feser are G1/4 which will allow you have headroom for furture upgrades. BIX requires High CFM fans which my cause alot of noise for a tripple rad. If you want to go with BIX, go with the Swiftech, doesnt require High CFM fans. Its good with low to med CFM.

WATERBLOCK: Don't expect any current block to be compatible with i7 yet. This depends on preferece actually. I'm using D-Tek Fuzion V.2

RESERVOIR - Swiftech MCRES High Flow Res <- best bang for the buck

TUBING - no point going for 1/2. Your flow is restricted by the barbs anyway. I suggest 7/16 works on 1/2 barbs with a tight fit. I recommend Tygon. Feser tubings are thin walled - it kinks easily. Plus if you going for 655, there's no point to restrict the pressure by using the pump outlet from 1/2 to 3/8.

 

[Silverion77]

Well if its a long loop, get the MCP 355 and a aftermarket top. It gives much higher flow than the D5.

As everyone said, Apogee GT is obsolete, get the GTZ. Its more suited to quad cores.

Feser isnt bad tubine, they actually make very nice UV reactive stuff so u dont need to contaminate ur loop with dye. I wouldnt bash it until i see some rly bad problems from it

 

[Shadow703793]

^Don't have experience with Feser tubing, how good is it?

 

[Silverion77]

From what i hear its very good....(i dont own it yet...).
Especially if u want colors cause u dont need dye.

My only complaint is that it doesnt have 7/16" for tight fits, only 1/2" so u need compression fittings or some clamps for leaks

 

[rubix_1011]

I use it; the UV blue...and I have been happy with it so far. Its some pretty thick-walled stuff, but that coupled with the flexibility allows it to make some great bends that don't flatten out. Like any tubing though, it does have its limits on the bends you can effectively make. The only thing I have seen (but haven't been able to get in years) is actual hospital tubing. I think Feser is a similar kind of tubing, but this stuff was so flexible, you could make side-by-side 180 degree bends with 1/2". Of course, it was some ugly shade of tan/orange and in no way clear.

I got some pretty tight bends with my Feser:

 

[Shadow703793]

^Hey, you could coat the hspital tubing with UV paint or any other color!

 

[helios2052]

Hey, Thanks for all your help guys! I have taken what i have learned and updated the parts in my original post.

Go have a look and if you guys have any other suggestions, I would love to hear them.....Thanks a lot.

 

[Silverion77]

If u arent going to get compression fittings i recommend getting 7/16" tubing instead of 1/2....they are basically the same, but on 1/2" barbs the smaller tubing makes a very tight fit = little leaks

 

[helios2052]

Alright, thanks.

Do I need anything else, such as clips, clamps, screws, sealants...etc?

 

[Shadow703793]

@OP: Are you sure there's a bracket for GTX for X58? Also mind listing full specs for the PC?

 

[helios2052]

@OP: Are you sure there's a bracket for GTX for X58? Also mind listing full specs for the PC?

I read in several places (although maybe just rumors) that the Apogee GTZ would have a bracket you could buy that would allow it to work with the Core i7 socket.

Also, after reading preliminary performance results of Core i7 for gaming, I am going to hold off on the move to X58 and just water cool my current PC.

My current specs:
-Q6600 (G0) @3.6Ghz 1.32V
-Zalman 9700
-Asus P5E X38 (Need to find a way to watercool north bridge)
-4 GB ddr2-1066
-EVGA 9800GX2 (will not water cool until my next video card....blocks for gx2 are very expensive!!!)
-Corsair 750W PSU


Anyway, Thanks to everyone for all of their advice. I think I have a good enough knowledge now to choose the correct parts.

 

[Silverion77]

U are correct the GTZ will have a i7 socket adapter

for the Nbridge on that motherboard, u will need to cool the northbridge and get coolers for the mosfets....or watercool those both too.
If u want bling get some compression fittings if u want to spend a little more. Get some 1/2" ID 3/4" OD and respective compressions. They look much nicer imo but its all bling no difference