First time WC build, advice please.
Posted: Wed Mar 25, 2009 2:54 pm
After reading the forum for a couple days and kind of getting hints of what I need here and there I decided it would be best to post and see what sort of response I could get.
I just built a new system with the following specs:
Antec Twelve Hundred Black Steel ATX Full Tower Computer Case
Intel Core 2 Quad Processor Q9650 3.0GHz 1333MHz 12MB LGA775 CPU
G.SKILL 8GB (4 x 2GB) 240-Pin DDR3 SDRAM DDR3 2000 (PC3 16000) Dual Channel Kit Desktop Memory
ASUS EAH4870X2/HTDI/2G/A Radeon HD 4870 X2 2GB 512-bit GDDR5 PCI Express 2.0 x16 HDCP Ready CrossFire Supported Video Card
ASUS Rampage Extreme LGA 775 Intel X48 ATX Intel Motherboard
SAMSUNG 22X DVD±R DVD Burner with LightScribe Black SATA Model SH-S223Q
4x Western Digital WD1001FALS 1TB SATA2 7200rpm 32MB Hard Drive (total 3.5 TB in Raid Array)
1x Western Digital VelociRaptor WD1500HLFS 150GB SATA2 10k rpm 16MB Hard Drive (For OS)
Tuniq Tower 120 Universal CPU Cooler 120mm LED Cooling Fan and Fan Controller/Heatsink
NZXT SEN-001LX Sentry LX Aluminum dual bay fan controller
Hiper Type-R II Ultra-Efficient 880W Power Supply - Blue
It currently runs at about 42 - 45 C at idle/minimal use and I have decided that I would prefer to keep it a little cooler and go for WC, plus all the fans in the thing keep sucking up my cats hair. Air cooled it is currently OC to 4.052 GHz.
With the new WC system I would like to cool my CPU, NB, and my GPU on one loop.
So far the products I am thinking of are:
CPU - D-TEK FuZion v2 CPU Block or Swiftec Apogee GTZ (I am leaning towards the GTZ unless someone can give me a convinving reason to go with the D-TEK)
GPU - EK-FC4870 X2 - CF Nickel
NB - Swiftech MCW-NBMAX or Bitspower Black Freezer AIX48NSE (Though I don't think I really need to cool the SB so I am leaning towards the swiftech again unless someone can convince me otherwise)
Radiator - Feser X-Changer Triple 360 mm Extreme Performance Radiator - (Rear external mount) + MCB-120 Radbox
Fans - 3x Scythe "S-FLEXâ„¢" S-FDB 120mm Quiet FAN SFF21G (1900 RPM 75.0 CFM)
Reservoir - EK-BAY SPIN Reservoir - Acetal (Not mounted in a bay, but kept external in a custom built enclosure)
Pump - MCP655 series 12 VDC Pump - Retail with variable speed, not the -b with no speed control
Tubing - Tygon Clear Tubing 1/2 ID or 7/16 OD or 3/8 ID
Coolant - PrimoChill Pure Performance Coolant - Invisible Blue
Both the Pump and the Reservior will be housed in a custome converted external enclosure. Noise is not so much an issue with this system as I am currently running about 7 fans at high speed in my case right now, so I am sure even pumped up the WC system will be quieter than it is now.
I was thinking of looping in the following order:
Res---> Pump ----> CPU ---> NB ---> GPU----> Rad--->
Now come the questions
1) Should I go with 1/2 ID, 7/16 OD, or 3/8 ID tubing, and why? I was thinking 1/2 ID though I am really not 100% positive and I was hoping someone would be able to enlighten me as to which would be best for this set up.
2) Will one radiator be enough or should a second smaller radiator be introduced into the system, possibly between the NB and GPU. If so which radiator. If not is the Feser X-Changer Triple 360 mm a good option for the rad in this system, and will it provide sufficient cooling.
If including a second radiator I am assuming the loop would look like:
Res--->Pump---->CPU--->NB--->Rad(120mm?)--->GPU---->Rad(360mm)--->
3) Due to the set up of the Antec 1200 case the two pre-drilled entrance holes for the Tubing are on the bottom of the case. I am assuming a rad cannot be mounted upside down (though I may be wrong) to allow the tubing direct access to the holes. If this is correct, is their a reliable and sufficiently powerful Rad which has bottom mounted input/output which I could use instead of the Feser, or should I just run the tubing down the outside of the case and into the holes?
4) If a second (smaller) radiator is necessary for the cooling of the case I am pretty positive due to the design of the Antec 1200 that I will be hard pressed to mount the smaller rad internally. Has anyone sucessfully mounted a smaller rad internally on the Antec 1200, and if so where?
5) If anyone has any other recommendations or suggestions which I did not address here feel free to post them up. As I said this is my first WC build so I am a little nervous about doing it wrong, and excited about gaining the knowledge and experience. Any alternative or additional equipment which you would suggest would be greatly appreciated, though will add more confusion to my planning !
6) Last thing, I was thinking of adding either an inline thermometer, or some sort of temp probe in the res/line. Does anyone have any suggestions for an efficient and easy to use inline preferably temp probe?
Thank you and I looked forward to your reponses!
I just built a new system with the following specs:
Antec Twelve Hundred Black Steel ATX Full Tower Computer Case
Intel Core 2 Quad Processor Q9650 3.0GHz 1333MHz 12MB LGA775 CPU
G.SKILL 8GB (4 x 2GB) 240-Pin DDR3 SDRAM DDR3 2000 (PC3 16000) Dual Channel Kit Desktop Memory
ASUS EAH4870X2/HTDI/2G/A Radeon HD 4870 X2 2GB 512-bit GDDR5 PCI Express 2.0 x16 HDCP Ready CrossFire Supported Video Card
ASUS Rampage Extreme LGA 775 Intel X48 ATX Intel Motherboard
SAMSUNG 22X DVD±R DVD Burner with LightScribe Black SATA Model SH-S223Q
4x Western Digital WD1001FALS 1TB SATA2 7200rpm 32MB Hard Drive (total 3.5 TB in Raid Array)
1x Western Digital VelociRaptor WD1500HLFS 150GB SATA2 10k rpm 16MB Hard Drive (For OS)
Tuniq Tower 120 Universal CPU Cooler 120mm LED Cooling Fan and Fan Controller/Heatsink
NZXT SEN-001LX Sentry LX Aluminum dual bay fan controller
Hiper Type-R II Ultra-Efficient 880W Power Supply - Blue
It currently runs at about 42 - 45 C at idle/minimal use and I have decided that I would prefer to keep it a little cooler and go for WC, plus all the fans in the thing keep sucking up my cats hair. Air cooled it is currently OC to 4.052 GHz.
With the new WC system I would like to cool my CPU, NB, and my GPU on one loop.
So far the products I am thinking of are:
CPU - D-TEK FuZion v2 CPU Block or Swiftec Apogee GTZ (I am leaning towards the GTZ unless someone can give me a convinving reason to go with the D-TEK)
GPU - EK-FC4870 X2 - CF Nickel
NB - Swiftech MCW-NBMAX or Bitspower Black Freezer AIX48NSE (Though I don't think I really need to cool the SB so I am leaning towards the swiftech again unless someone can convince me otherwise)
Radiator - Feser X-Changer Triple 360 mm Extreme Performance Radiator - (Rear external mount) + MCB-120 Radbox
Fans - 3x Scythe "S-FLEXâ„¢" S-FDB 120mm Quiet FAN SFF21G (1900 RPM 75.0 CFM)
Reservoir - EK-BAY SPIN Reservoir - Acetal (Not mounted in a bay, but kept external in a custom built enclosure)
Pump - MCP655 series 12 VDC Pump - Retail with variable speed, not the -b with no speed control
Tubing - Tygon Clear Tubing 1/2 ID or 7/16 OD or 3/8 ID
Coolant - PrimoChill Pure Performance Coolant - Invisible Blue
Both the Pump and the Reservior will be housed in a custome converted external enclosure. Noise is not so much an issue with this system as I am currently running about 7 fans at high speed in my case right now, so I am sure even pumped up the WC system will be quieter than it is now.
I was thinking of looping in the following order:
Res---> Pump ----> CPU ---> NB ---> GPU----> Rad--->
Now come the questions
1) Should I go with 1/2 ID, 7/16 OD, or 3/8 ID tubing, and why? I was thinking 1/2 ID though I am really not 100% positive and I was hoping someone would be able to enlighten me as to which would be best for this set up.
2) Will one radiator be enough or should a second smaller radiator be introduced into the system, possibly between the NB and GPU. If so which radiator. If not is the Feser X-Changer Triple 360 mm a good option for the rad in this system, and will it provide sufficient cooling.
If including a second radiator I am assuming the loop would look like:
Res--->Pump---->CPU--->NB--->Rad(120mm?)--->GPU---->Rad(360mm)--->
3) Due to the set up of the Antec 1200 case the two pre-drilled entrance holes for the Tubing are on the bottom of the case. I am assuming a rad cannot be mounted upside down (though I may be wrong) to allow the tubing direct access to the holes. If this is correct, is their a reliable and sufficiently powerful Rad which has bottom mounted input/output which I could use instead of the Feser, or should I just run the tubing down the outside of the case and into the holes?
4) If a second (smaller) radiator is necessary for the cooling of the case I am pretty positive due to the design of the Antec 1200 that I will be hard pressed to mount the smaller rad internally. Has anyone sucessfully mounted a smaller rad internally on the Antec 1200, and if so where?
5) If anyone has any other recommendations or suggestions which I did not address here feel free to post them up. As I said this is my first WC build so I am a little nervous about doing it wrong, and excited about gaining the knowledge and experience. Any alternative or additional equipment which you would suggest would be greatly appreciated, though will add more confusion to my planning !
6) Last thing, I was thinking of adding either an inline thermometer, or some sort of temp probe in the res/line. Does anyone have any suggestions for an efficient and easy to use inline preferably temp probe?
Thank you and I looked forward to your reponses!