SPCR

In my previous posts I have detailed the build of my air cooled Phenom 965 C2 in a Coolermaster 690-II Advanced case.

I have now gone down the route of semi passive watercooling.

I bought a Zalman Reserator 1 V2 and rigged it up to work with my kit (Phenom and a 4870). I stood the Reserator on a small square of Akasa Paxmate to isolate it from the desk and reduce pump noise.

Temps were OK but not great. The main thing was silence (apart from a very slight hard drive spin noise).

I had already thought up a backup plan of running a radiator in the case with either one or two slow speed fans attached.

I therefore bought an XSPC RX240 120.2 radiator and attached two Scythe Gentle Typhoons, with an S-Flex as an exhaust fan at the rear of the case. This vastly improved the temps, although the noise signature of the system changed.

It wasn't the level of noise from the Gentle Typhoons, more the type of noise. A slight hum which I was hoping was only there when they were mounted vertically. In any event, out they came to be replaced with 2 SFlexs. Much better, no hum and hardly any noise at all.

After running Prime95 for an extended period of time I noticed that the motherboard temps were getting high, nothing major, but enough to concern me.

I therefore added my last two S-Flexs to the roof of the case as exhaust fans. I have these two, along with the rear fan connected to the CPU Fan socket on the motherboard on a 4 way fan splitter (leaving me a spare connector should I need anymore fans at any time). I am controlling them using SpeedFan rather than my Kaze Server (which I am contemplating selling). I also control the two fans on the radiator with SpeedFan but run from the other PWM socket on the board. All fans are running at 630rpm. They are set to increase if things get nasty, but so far no change at all, even after 12 hour Prime runs.

When I added these roof fans, I did notice a nice air bubble make it's way down the tubing, so this also helped my new temps, but I was amazed with the results!

I am currently idling at about 25c with an 18-19c ambient and maxing out at 50c, usual working temps with Internet / Office apps / iTunes or MediaMonkey is late 20s. This is with no overclock and a CPU voltage of 1.35v.

I have just purchased the GPU RAM cooler to go along with the rest of the kit to cool the RAM chips (currently passively cooled with Zalman heatsinks).

I have also swapped out my 7200.11 1TBs for Samsung EcoGreen HD103SI drives - not massively quieter, but a noticeable difference, and I haven't noticed a speed difference for what I use them for. The biggest speed difference was when I swapped to an SSD for a boot drive! Wow

So now to some pics, I will take more once the RAM cooler arrives and is added (the pics show the GTs on the rad rather than the S-Flexs):

Looking good. I wonder if the Reserator actually reduces the temps, though. The radiator probably does most of the cooling.

To be true, it probably does, the difference in the feel of warmth from the external tubing when the reserator was on there alone to when the extra rad was added is huge. To a point where the tubing is hardly warm at all.

It is a pretty much silent pump though and does look good on the desk

I will probably go for a full internal setup at some point, but just wanted to try out the resorator as it has been on my mind since I first built the pc.

What blocks do you have in your setup? Because mixing copper and alu (reserator alu pump/heatsink combo) isnt good. It creates corrosion.

The standard Zalman blocks.

The resorator comes with anti-corrosion coolant (ZM-G200) to prevent that happening.

Bought the Asus EAH5770, it arrived today

OK a couple of images showing the card fitting - not very clear I am afraid as it's quite tight in my case with the resorator tubing, and I didn't want to drain and distmantle.

Old Gigabyte 4870 card reassembled, and new Assus EAH5770:


Zalman RAMsinks fitted and a small blob of AS5:


Fitted in the case:


Think thats enough tinkering for a while now!


Now some temp info - this was a very quick Furmark test:

4870 + Resorator: 30c
4870 + Stock Cooler: 58c

5770 + Stock Cooler: 77c
5770 + Resorator: 44c

So the 5770 runs a bit hotter than the 4870 (or I am guessing the temp sensor on the 4870 was faulty, as idle temps were sometimes the same as ambient!)

I'm just a little surprised you aren't using the watercooling cutouts from the case.

I'd also put the 2x 120 rad between the CPU and GPU in the loop.

Just me though, i'm not much for water cooling, PITA to move around, as my computer does travel at times.

The resorator's pump isn't very strong and they reccomend that you use the PCI bracket at the lowest point, the cut outs in the case are at the top.

As for the rad, I was going to do that to begin with, but it was easier to mount where it is, and to be honest, it works perfectly there.

CPU idles now at 23c and maxes at 50c and GPU idles about 30c and maxes at 50c.

Gaming I get not much more than about 40c for both too - so plenty cool enough to even allow a mild overclock, but the PC runs quick enough as it is

bonestonne wrote:I'm just a little surprised you aren't using the watercooling cutouts from the case.

I'd also put the 2x 120 rad between the CPU and GPU in the loop.

Just me though, i'm not much for water cooling, PITA to move around, as my computer does travel at times.

Second point. Water temp doesnt differ a lot between components (it has been proven many times on some more enthousiast WC communities). The only important thing is to have your reservor at the most high part of your case (if you want to bleed your system it takes lesser time). And have your pump sucking water out of your reservoir.

Third point: Go for all internal watercooling and compressin fittings Then its not a problem anymore If you want to watercool

BlackWhizz wrote:

bonestonne wrote:I'm just a little surprised you aren't using the watercooling cutouts from the case.

I'd also put the 2x 120 rad between the CPU and GPU in the loop.

Just me though, i'm not much for water cooling, PITA to move around, as my computer does travel at times.

Second point. Water temp doesnt differ a lot between components (it has been proven many times on some more enthousiast WC communities). The only important thing is to have your reservor at the most high part of your case (if you want to bleed your system it takes lesser time). And have your pump sucking water out of your reservoir.

Third point: Go for all internal watercooling and compressin fittings Then its not a problem anymore If you want to watercool

Am confused, you do realise the reservoir is in the huge 2 foot tower? Also the pump is weak so Zalman advise you to have it on the same level as the PC.

As for compression fittings and full internal kit - why?

This works perfectly well as shown by the temps, and the fact it is virtually silent.

gcwebbyuk wrote:

BlackWhizz wrote:

bonestonne wrote:I'm just a little surprised you aren't using the watercooling cutouts from the case.

I'd also put the 2x 120 rad between the CPU and GPU in the loop.

Just me though, i'm not much for water cooling, PITA to move around, as my computer does travel at times.

Second point. Water temp doesnt differ a lot between components (it has been proven many times on some more enthousiast WC communities). The only important thing is to have your reservor at the most high part of your case (if you want to bleed your system it takes lesser time). And have your pump sucking water out of your reservoir.

Third point: Go for all internal watercooling and compressin fittings Then its not a problem anymore If you want to watercool

Am confused, you do realise the reservoir is in the huge 2 foot tower? Also the pump is weak so Zalman advise you to have it on the same level as the PC.

As for compression fittings and full internal kit - why?

This works perfectly well as shown by the temps, and the fact it is virtually silent.

Sorry if your offended. It was really not my intention But i was replying to Bonnestone. Your system is perfectly fine

No offense taken was just confused

As for an full internal kit, thats my next project, got to make some money first though....

How loud is the Zalman reserator? Is it completely inaudible or can you faintly hear the pump?

Looks great though!

gcwebbyuk wrote:No offense taken was just confused

As for an full internal kit, thats my next project, got to make some money first though....

Cewl! I like all internal WC system soo much! What are you planning?? I guess with another thick 120mm rad you have enough heat disappation.

Strid wrote:How loud is the Zalman reserator? Is it completely inaudible or can you faintly hear the pump?

Looks great though!

It is audible (only just) if you put your ear right next to it.

I have since reduced all of the fans down to 40% in speed fan (about 450rpm), and temps have hardly taken a hit. I have set speed fan to increase if the core temp or motherboard temp go above 50c, which only happens after hours of stress testing, so should never happen during usual use