Need watercooling insight

[Michigan Tech]

Quick question...

I have a mini itx build and want some advice on how my loop should go. As of right now I have it like this:

Rad->cpu->pump->gpu->rad

I have a 60mm thick 240 rad with a push pull setup.

What do you think? Should I have water hit the cpu first of gpu first?

Thanks!

 

[weberdarren97]

It doesn't matter whether it goes to the CPU first or the GPU first.

You have rad listed twice... Are there two rads or is that to symbolize the loop starting over?

Do you have the room in your case for a 280mm or 360mm rad? Having a larger rad means you can run the fans slower, resulting in a quieter machine.

What CPU do you have? Are you going to cool only the CPU or are you going to include motherboard VRMs and chipset in the loop as well?

Are you going to cool only the GPU or are you going to include the rest of the card in the loop as well?

Push-pull? Why? Performance benefit is nominal compared to a push configuration.

 

[Michigan Tech]

It doesn't matter whether it goes to the CPU first or the GPU first.

1.) You have rad listed twice... Are there two rads or is that to symbolize the loop starting over?

2.) Do you have the room in your case for a 280mm or 360mm rad? Having a larger rad means you can run the fans slower, resulting in a quieter machine.

3.) What CPU do you have? Are you going to cool only the CPU or are you going to include motherboard VRMs and chipset in the loop as well?

4.) Are you going to cool only the GPU or are you going to include the rest of the card in the loop as well?

5.) Push-pull? Why? Performance benefit is nominal compared to a push configuration.

1: Only one radiator, wanted to symbolize that the loop is starting over.

2: I can barely fit a 240 radiator, but have a lot of room thickness wise.

3: Just the CPU (6600k @ 4.4)

4: Just the gpu (my card doesn't have a full cover and will be using ram heatsinks to cool the vram vrm and mosfets, and have a fan blowing directly over them as well

5: I believe I once heard that push pull is extremely effective in thick radiators like mine. I may be wrong, and you are definitely not wrong as far as regular radiators go. Correct me if I am wrong.

 

[weberdarren97]

1) Okay

2) Okay

3) Does your motherboard have an available monoblock on EKWB? If so, water cooling the VRMs will yield a massive increase in OC headroom because voltage delivery at high load will be more stable.

4) Make sure you have plenty of airflow over your card if you're using individual heatsinks on the rest of the card.

5) For a 60mm thick radiator, you're going to be taking up a lot of space by putting fans on each side. Just imagine how thick it will be once there's fans on both sides. Are you sure you have enough clearance to do this?

 

[PsyKhiqZero]

The order itself won't really matter as long the pump isn't super slow. Its more about style. How do you want the tubing displayed? Can you link the case? Where will the pump, rad and res go?

 

[Michigan Tech]

1) Okay

2) Okay

3) Does your motherboard have an available monoblock on EKWB? If so, water cooling the VRMs will yield a massive increase in OC headroom because voltage delivery at high load will be more stable.

4) Make sure you have plenty of airflow over your card if you're using individual heatsinks on the rest of the card.

5) For a 60mm thick radiator, you're going to be taking up a lot of space by putting fans on each side. Just imagine how thick it will be once there's fans on both sides. Are you sure you have enough clearance to do this?

No mono block on EKWB. I have the Asus Z170i Pro Gaming

They also don't have my gpu block like I said... I have the Gigabyte 1070 Mini OC

There is a notcua 120mm fan not even 20mm away from the card, so there is plently of airflow. And the way the case is designed, some of that air will be blowing over the motherboard too.

 

[weberdarren97]

1) Okay

2) Okay

3) Does your motherboard have an available monoblock on EKWB? If so, water cooling the VRMs will yield a massive increase in OC headroom because voltage delivery at high load will be more stable.

4) Make sure you have plenty of airflow over your card if you're using individual heatsinks on the rest of the card.

5) For a 60mm thick radiator, you're going to be taking up a lot of space by putting fans on each side. Just imagine how thick it will be once there's fans on both sides. Are you sure you have enough clearance to do this?

No mono block on EKWB. I have the Asus Z170i Pro Gaming

They also don't have my gpu block like I said... I have the Gigabyte 1070 Mini OC

There is a notcua 120mm fan not even 20mm away from the card, so there is plently of airflow. And the way the case is designed, some of that air will be blowing over the motherboard too.

Well then it sounds like your GPU and CPU blocks are the only way to go, in your case.

I still think that a well optimized SP fan like the Fractal Design Venturi HP12 would be good for just push or pull, but wouldn't need to be push-pull for a 60mm rad.

 

[Michigan Tech]

1) Okay

2) Okay

3) Does your motherboard have an available monoblock on EKWB? If so, water cooling the VRMs will yield a massive increase in OC headroom because voltage delivery at high load will be more stable.

4) Make sure you have plenty of airflow over your card if you're using individual heatsinks on the rest of the card.

5) For a 60mm thick radiator, you're going to be taking up a lot of space by putting fans on each side. Just imagine how thick it will be once there's fans on both sides. Are you sure you have enough clearance to do this?

No mono block on EKWB. I have the Asus Z170i Pro Gaming

They also don't have my gpu block like I said... I have the Gigabyte 1070 Mini OC

There is a notcua 120mm fan not even 20mm away from the card, so there is plently of airflow. And the way the case is designed, some of that air will be blowing over the motherboard too.

Well then it sounds like your GPU and CPU blocks are the only way to go, in your case.

I still think that a well optimized SP fan like the Fractal Design Venturi HP12 would be good for just push or pull, but wouldn't need to be push-pull for a 60mm rad.

I was goint to go with Noctua's 120mm fan. Is that just as good?

 

[weberdarren97]

Which Noctua 120mm fan?

 

[Michigan Tech]

Which Noctua 120mm fan?

http://noctua.at/en/products/fan/nf-f12-pwm

 

[weberdarren97]

http://noctua.at/en/products/fan/nf-f12-pwm

That is an airflow fan, not optimized for radiators.

I recommend this model.

It has a three-phase motor, and I can explain the importance of that in this Noctua article.

Having a fan that spins at a more constant speed will reduce dust buildup in your radiator.

Having a static pressure fan instead of an airflow fan greatly improves airflow through radiator, because there is limited space between the fins.