Help, i've caught the watercooling bug!
Posted: Thu May 20, 2004 7:43 pm
Heya guys, this is my first post on SPCR but i've lurked here for over a year now, and have put many of its great low-noise PC ideas to use in my own system with reasonable success (thanks SPCR!)
I've been tinkering with computers for years but have only become serious about low-noise/modding/overlocking during the past 2 years.
I've always relied 100% on air cooling... until less than a week ago.
During a nightly clickathon spending spree, i impulse bought a Zalman Reserator for my main rig, mainly because i've never had the balls to go watercooling before - too worried about leaks and confusing terminology - and the zalman sounded impossibly easy to setup and dead quiet.
So anyway i've managed to install it no worries, and the noise level is pretty damn impressive - its really just the pump noise and even that's about as quiet as a low speed 80mm panaflow, maybe less.
I get the feeling that i won't be returning to pure air cooling now that i've "taken the plunge"
BUT
I bought it with the optional VGA block, so im using the reserator to cool both my 2.8C (stock speed) and my 9800 Pro.
Problem is it doesn't seem to be able to cope with both at once and my CPU temps have reached 53 Celcius under load - though my IC7-G board is famous for reporting high temps - but in any case i would like more cooling power partly for peace of mind.
WHICH BRINGS ME TO MY WATERCOOLING QUESTIONS FOR THE SPCR EXPERTS:
- I would like to add a chipset block to the system but i'm not sure what hoze size is compatible, could anyone shed light on this please, and maybe even recommend a good block that'll mount on my IC7-G?
- I'm also considering adding a radiator and would like to know which kinds are compatible with the tubing size for this system and the pump that the reserator uses. Also, can most radiators be cooled with a single 80mm low speed panaflow or is something that pushes more air generally required?
- I have no idea what sized hoses the reserator requires (it says either 13x10mm or 12x8mm but is that 1/5" or 3/8" or 1/4"?) , does anyone know because I would like to replace the supplied blue hose with something of the see-through variety. Also, do the more expensive hoses like Tygon really make much of a difference compared to the generic stuff and if so how please?
Thanks for reading all of that, and please help me out with some of the questions since i am really out of my depth(heh) when it comes to watercooling
I've been tinkering with computers for years but have only become serious about low-noise/modding/overlocking during the past 2 years.
I've always relied 100% on air cooling... until less than a week ago.
During a nightly clickathon spending spree, i impulse bought a Zalman Reserator for my main rig, mainly because i've never had the balls to go watercooling before - too worried about leaks and confusing terminology - and the zalman sounded impossibly easy to setup and dead quiet.
So anyway i've managed to install it no worries, and the noise level is pretty damn impressive - its really just the pump noise and even that's about as quiet as a low speed 80mm panaflow, maybe less.
I get the feeling that i won't be returning to pure air cooling now that i've "taken the plunge"
BUT
I bought it with the optional VGA block, so im using the reserator to cool both my 2.8C (stock speed) and my 9800 Pro.
Problem is it doesn't seem to be able to cope with both at once and my CPU temps have reached 53 Celcius under load - though my IC7-G board is famous for reporting high temps - but in any case i would like more cooling power partly for peace of mind.
WHICH BRINGS ME TO MY WATERCOOLING QUESTIONS FOR THE SPCR EXPERTS:
- I would like to add a chipset block to the system but i'm not sure what hoze size is compatible, could anyone shed light on this please, and maybe even recommend a good block that'll mount on my IC7-G?
- I'm also considering adding a radiator and would like to know which kinds are compatible with the tubing size for this system and the pump that the reserator uses. Also, can most radiators be cooled with a single 80mm low speed panaflow or is something that pushes more air generally required?
- I have no idea what sized hoses the reserator requires (it says either 13x10mm or 12x8mm but is that 1/5" or 3/8" or 1/4"?) , does anyone know because I would like to replace the supplied blue hose with something of the see-through variety. Also, do the more expensive hoses like Tygon really make much of a difference compared to the generic stuff and if so how please?
Thanks for reading all of that, and please help me out with some of the questions since i am really out of my depth(heh) when it comes to watercooling