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Reserator Tips, Tricks, Advice?

Posted: Mon Jun 21, 2004 10:55 am
by acaurora
I'm about to get a Reserator to cool my computer. I've kinda had it with fans, finding which is quieter and what not. I am only scared about watercooling due to the fact of leaks, spills, shorts, etc etc. Reserator owners: anything I should be aware of? Tips? Tricks? Advice? Feel free to post :P

PS> How am I supposed to cut the tubes? Regular scissors? and how are they fastened? Would you describe the installation process easy for a beginner/novice?

Posted: Mon Jun 21, 2004 4:53 pm
by Copper
Tip one: The tubes kink very easily. Doesn't work to well with kinked lines.

Tip two: Assembly is a breeze. Slide the nut over the line, slide the line over the nipple, thread the nut onto the nipple. Silicon seals real easy so you shouldn't nead worry about leaks.

Tip three: The base of the Reserator needs to be very close to the same level as the CPU in your computer. A logistic that need to be considered. (that Reserator is tall!)

Tip four: My single Reserator is presently cooling both a 3.0C @ 1.4 Vcore and a 3.06 overclocked to 3.4 and undervolted to 1.5 Vcore. Both CPU's use Zalman's CPU water blocks. The Reserator cools very well.

Tip five: Invest both in a system with a fanless PSU and notebook hard drive. Wrap the drive in foam inside a Smart Drive and enjoy the silence of not one but two computers side by side.

Posted: Mon Jun 21, 2004 4:57 pm
by hwsboss
well, I had never water cooled until I go my reserator.

it was easy, not worries!

the water block was easier to fit then some heatsink/fan units!

cuting the tubes? I could not find a pair of scissors, so I used a small wire cutter, then used my teath to finish the job.

fastening? the sleeves supplied secure the pipes firmly, though it is best to chew the pipe end slightly to soften it, so it is easier to tighten.

so, just screw on the water block, cut the pipe, fasten the pipes on, put water in!

Re: Reserator Tips, Tricks, Advice?

Posted: Mon Jun 21, 2004 5:03 pm
by Bosk
acaurora wrote:I'm about to get a Reserator to cool my computer. I've kinda had it with fans, finding which is quieter and what not. I am only scared about watercooling due to the fact of leaks, spills, shorts, etc etc. Reserator owners: anything I should be aware of? Tips? Tricks? Advice? Feel free to post :P

If you setup the Reserator as per instructions then leaks shouldn't be an issue.
From what I've read the most common causes of leaks in watercooling systems are usually a faulty reservoir, pump or leaky radiator. The giant blue Reserator tower combines all 3 of these in one, and provided you connect the tubing properly it's almost completely leak-resistant. It's also anodized so it won't suffer from corrosion. Even if it did somehow managed to leak, the fact that it's outside the case is another safety net.

As for tips, it's best to try keeping the Reserator away from your case exhausts (hot air) or any other heat source.
Oh, and make sure the tubing is cut with sharp parallel cuts (not angled), otherwise it'll be difficult to connect it to the threaded fittings properly.

acaurora wrote:PS> How am I supposed to cut the tubes? Regular scissors? and how are they fastened? Would you describe the installation process easy for a beginner/novice?

You can buy purpose built Tube Cutters from hardware stores, but I just used a stanley knife.
They're fastened with threaded connections which are self tightening and don't require hose clamps.

Installation is probably easier than setting up an SP-94 heatsink for the first time. It's very hard to make a mistake if you follow the instructions properly.
The trickiest part is removing your existing CPU heatsink/fan and installing the waterblock - and really I think anyone who finds that too difficult shouldn't be playing around with watercooling in the first place :)

Posted: Mon Jun 21, 2004 6:52 pm
by acaurora
Ok. It seems pretty simple installing from what everyone here has said. As for cutting, I probably will use a utility knife/scissors. I'll let ya know how it goes! :P

Posted: Tue Jun 22, 2004 2:17 pm
by acaurora
Well I have finally installed my Reserator. It was surprisingly easy, I mean even a beginner could do it.

Tips For Prospective Reserator Owners:

- One thing I found to be useful was to use those circular rubber pads that you use to open cans. Helps a lot when tightening and fastening the tubes to the connectors.

- Cut STRAIGHT, and FLAT through the tubes, not at an angle. Doing so prevents you from getting 100% contact from the hose to the connectors. Also makes it very tough to connect them at all.

- As someone said earlier, turn the Reserator on and off several times to get rid of air bubbles


One thing I didn't see, though, was the flow indicator acting as if it was "possessed", as one reviewer put it. It wriggles around, yes, but doesn't go FLYING ALL OVER THE PLACE....


One thing that troubles me though is my temps -

CPU - 45
Case - 40

Usually its like 45 for CPU/40 for the Case... so it doesn't seem like any difference at all... except the being quiet deal. :P But then again, I may just have to wait until the Artic Silver 5 sets in? I also ordered a Nexus Real Silent 12cm Fan x 2 + Nexus 4090 400 W PSU. Hopefully with those, my system can be quieter and somewhat cooler, since the Artic Silver probably would have set in by then, and the 120mm fan from the PSU will help get cool air circulating around the waterblock.

What do you think? (See pics below) :P

Pics -

Image
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Posted: Tue Jun 22, 2004 9:44 pm
by HammerSandwich
acaurora wrote:Image
Dude, you should've upgraded your RAM first! :)

Posted: Wed Jun 23, 2004 12:42 am
by moparchris
man.. im so suprised about the ammount of people getting resorators around here, before i came here i didnt think anyone who even considered watercooling seriously would buy that sortof thing :? when i first saw it i laughed and i thought ohh not anotehr KIT ! you can do what you want but it offers nothing better than decent aircooling except its quiet, why have that when you could get yourself better parts to start with (also seen alot of people upgrading their resorator systems ohh i wonder why :roll: ) and have a better cooling system thats also quiet, the radiator case im planning will be silent when i want it to be, thouh it is a little big (well.. look at the resorator :shock: )

Posted: Wed Jun 23, 2004 5:07 am
by acaurora
HammerSandwich wrote:
acaurora wrote:Image
Dude, you should've upgraded your RAM first! :)
~.~ I get it. I took out my RAM because I didnt want to end up bumping against it while installing the waterblock. =[

Posted: Wed Jun 23, 2004 5:34 am
by Pjotor
moparchris wrote:man.. im so suprised about the ammount of people getting resorators around here, before i came here i didnt think anyone who even considered watercooling seriously would buy that sortof thing :? when i first saw it i laughed and i thought ohh not anotehr KIT ! you can do what you want but it offers nothing better than decent aircooling except its quiet, why have that when you could get yourself better parts to start with (also seen alot of people upgrading their resorator systems ohh i wonder why :roll: ) and have a better cooling system thats also quiet, the radiator case im planning will be silent when i want it to be, thouh it is a little big (well.. look at the resorator :shock: )
Speaking for a lot of people here -- the words "silent" and/or "quiet" is the key here. We're not looking for the best solution (in terms of temperatures). Not all of us have access to a shop nor are handy with tools or have a sh*tload of money to spend -- hence we look to other solutions. The Reserator fits our needs very well.

Most of us do not seek the highest performance, the lowest temperatures, or the most portable cooling systems around. The primary goal is silence. If the cooling is silent, and the rest of the performance is good enough, it's good enough for the majority of us here at SPCR. If you want the most badass cooling, go Prometeia/VapoChill and OC you heart out.

/rant over and out

Posted: Wed Jun 23, 2004 5:41 am
by Spod
Well, if the Reserator isn't good enough, how about the Innovatek HTCS? It's £200, just for the external passive radiator, and (according to the PR) cools as well as a dual 120mm fan cooled radiator.

Passive, external radiators are a great way to remove heat from a case, meaning the PSU fan may well be able to cool everything else without needing to spin up. There are compromises due to the reduced airflow over the fins - either it doesn't cool all that well (Reserator), or it's huge and very expensive (HTCS).

For silence enthusiasts, adequate cooling with almost no noise is a very big plus of the Reserator - even the pump is virtually noiseless. OTOH, a well designed fan powered cooling system can be very quiet and provide excellent cooling. Even air cooling can give better results than the Reserator, for not very much noise. It all boils down to how much money and effort you're willing to put into making your system even quieter.

Posted: Wed Jun 23, 2004 5:52 am
by acaurora
Well what are your guys' recommended mods? Remove the flow indicator? Get a bigger pump? Bigger tubes? I want it to remain quiet, just make the temps drop down a bit more, like, 5 C. Is that too much to ask? =[

Posted: Wed Jun 23, 2004 8:44 am
by Pjotor
acaurora, what are the temps in your setup, and do you use the Reserator to cool other components as well? As long as your load temps stay below 55 to 60 degrees C you shouldn't worry -- the XP line of processors should be fine up to (AFAIK) 85 degrees C.

If I buy the Reserator (oh, ye wet dreams and empty wallet) I plan to put it behind the case, where there is a 120mm fan spinning slowly. It should be enough to provide some extra cooling without increased noise -- maybe you could try it (unless you already have)?

Posted: Wed Jun 23, 2004 8:57 pm
by acaurora
Pjotor wrote: If I buy the Reserator (oh, ye wet dreams and empty wallet) I plan to put it behind the case, where there is a 120mm fan spinning slowly. It should be enough to provide some extra cooling without increased noise -- maybe you could try it (unless you already have)?
THe problem with that is that you will be having hot PSU exhaust air coming out as well as your case fans, such that it will be WARMING UP your Reserator, rather than cooling it. Currently it is just cooling my CPU. I am debating whether or not to A. buy the Zalman VGA waterblock cooler for my 9800 XT, B. Buy the BFG Tech 6800 Ultra w/waterblock, C. Get an X800XT, slap on the VGA Silencer rev 4 (due out in 6-7 weeks, according to an email I sent to them), or D. Get an X800XT, slap on the Zalman VGA waterblock cooler


EDIT: Case temp = 40 C. CPU temp = 45 C idle. Load temp not recorded/tested yet.
What are your thoughts? I also was thinking about getting the Zalman 2nd gen fanless vga cooler, the blue slim one. Since the CPU's heat would be carried away via the water, the case is cooler, and thus can accomodate for that heat. But then again I wouldn't want to risk it.

I also had this thought about cooling the Reserator better:

http://forums.silentpcreview.com/viewto ... 508#107508

Anywho, just post thoughts, questions, advice, etc etc ^.^

Re: Reserator Tips, Tricks, Advice?

Posted: Sat Jun 26, 2004 1:47 am
by WildMaN[DND]
acaurora wrote:I'm about to get a Reserator to cool my computer. I've kinda had it with fans, finding which is quieter and what not. I am only scared about watercooling due to the fact of leaks, spills, shorts, etc etc. Reserator owners: anything I should be aware of? Tips? Tricks? Advice? Feel free to post :P
Unscrew cap and bottom part with pumb, then carefuly wash the radiator itself with usual cleaning liquid. It is full of blue anodizing dust, that will cover all tubings, blocks and pump from inside. I've installed three Reserators so far, and even if you do not plan to use clear tubings, its still a good idea.

Posted: Sat Jun 26, 2004 10:48 pm
by WildMaN[DND]
Here what happened after 2 weeks to WB installed in new system filled with usual water. Its all covered with blue ooze:

http://images.people.overclockers.ru/7460.jpg

Posted: Sun Jun 27, 2004 3:36 am
by Bosk
WildMaN[DND] wrote:Here what happened after 2 weeks to WB installed in new system filled with usual water. Its all covered with blue ooze:

http://images.people.overclockers.ru/7460.jpg

Pardon my french but Jesus that's a mess!
So much for anodizing preventing corrosion I guess :(

I must admit I've also noticed some of that blue "dust" in the Reserator itself, and every time I've emptied the system after running it for more than a few days the water always has a slightly blue tinge.
I wasn't really concerned until now..

Just out of interest were you using tap water or distilled and/or any additives in that system?

Posted: Fri Jul 02, 2004 2:11 pm
by mpteach
So when i buy one of these things i should ?

1 Wash the reserator out with plenty of tapwater/dishsoap to remove the anodized dust and then drain.

2. Assesmble the sytem according to the reserator and vga cooler instructions.

3. Fill the reserator up with 3 liters of Distilled Water and use some algaecide.


Q's
Where do you get algaecide/mildewcide from?

The Zalman only comes with 3 meters of silicon tubing. Can i get 2 more meters somewhere?

The silicon seams easy to work with.My desk is long and the extra length would make it possible to move my pc out of the slot when i need too.

Posted: Fri Jul 02, 2004 8:54 pm
by Bosk
mpteach wrote:So when i buy one of these things i should ?

1 Wash the reserator out with plenty of tapwater/dishsoap to remove the anodized dust and then drain.

That doesn't sound like the greatest idea to me, maybe it would be better use the system normally and keep an eye on the level of "blue dust" by emptying & checking it every week or so.
If you notice anything drastic then it could be time to take action.

mpteach wrote:3. Fill the reserator up with 3 liters of Distilled Water and use some algaecide.

Zalman actually recommends not using any additives, but perhaps it depends on how much faith you have in the blue anodizing stuff doing it's job properly.
If you use distilled water in a clean Reserator system you should be able to go without using any anti-algae fluid because the system shouldn't provide enough material for organisms to use as food.

mpteach wrote: The Zalman only comes with 3 meters of silicon tubing. Can i get 2 more meters somewhere?

You could try using 3/8" Swiftech Tubing instead.
It will perform better than the blue silicon tubing and being see-through it'll let you ditch the Flow Indicator which will further lower your temps.

Posted: Sat Jul 03, 2004 1:44 pm
by mpteach
Bosh i will probably clean the manafacturing debris out the individual components first. Then i will attach them togethr and flush 10 liters of water through the sytem and into my bathtub. I think that will take care of any blue dust.

I think im going to use 2 meters of ClearFlex60. It's sold as pvc tubing at mcmasters and is inexpensive. Nearly as good as the really expensive lab grade pvc tubing(aka tygon). i'll get some sorbothane while im at it.

IMHO the zalman is perfect for NEWBIES to watercooling like me. In the future i might upgrade or add rads and pumps when i have more experience, but i think the reserator can easily handle all the hottest processors that will come out in the next year,