Suggestions for a water cooling kit

[Vitalix]

Hey guys and gals,

I'd like to try my hand at a water cooling system. I've never assemebled one, so I really don't know what parts to get, if it's better a la carte buying different parts from several vendors, or a prepackaged kit.

I'd like to get a DFI board, some vx memory, and see how high I can pump the HTT.

I don't have any components yet except an OCZ 420W powerstream (not sure if power is a factor for the water pumps). I'd like to incorporate this item too (why? Cuz it looks pretty. I like pretty.)

Thanks in advance as always!

[ripken204]

here we go, about time someone on this forum decides to have some real fun. you will want to pick every part out, packages suck. how much money can you spends and what case do you have? and what do you want to cool, cpu and vid card?

[Vitalix]

That's the thing, I really have no idea of what to get! I guess I can pick a case that will cater best to a water cooling system. I can't buy anything yet until I sell a couple extra rigs I have (wifey can only take so many).

The budget would depend on what I could get for the rigs (can I post them here? Is that against forum rules? One of them is a gaming rig which I think some people on the forum may appreciate).

I would like to try a DFI Lanparty SLI mobo (never used one), OCZ Vx memory (or a Winbond variant that uses the 3.5V that the DFI can provide), open on the video but very partial to the 7800GT's. The OCZ Powerstream 420W I have. Not sure if I will be able to swing SLI.

What would you recommend? From what I've read, it's best to use 1/2 inch tubing, but I'm not extremely versed in thermodynamics.

[ripken204]

rule 13:

13. No user shall by any means of the forum: sell, trade or give away hardware, software, or any other non consumer electronic related material. MSFN does not support any type of trade and shall not be held accountable.

well doesnt that just suck, lol. i will help you pick out what to get for your next computer and your watercooling. all i need is a budget and im set to help.

pm me the stats of the computer(s) that you want to sell and ill try to think up what you might be able to get for them

[Vitalix]

You know what, maybe I'll put my money where my mouth is. I have the following rig I use that's mine:

NZXT Lexa Case

OCZ Powerstream 420W

eVGA NF41 SLI mobo (NF4)

eVGA 7800GT

AMD Athlon 64 X2 3800+

1GB (2x512) OCZ Platinum EL Rev 2 (TCCD)

I still have the stock HSF on there b/c I wasn't sure which route I would go. The mobo won't OC above 250FSB safely (have to clear CMOS every time). Presently at 240HTT. Voltage doesn't seem to make much of a difference to X2 series. Memory has plentyof headroom. TCCD won't take more than 2.8V, but thaz OK since it will hold a high FSB. Right now, at stock, the CPU idles at about 25C, and at load (Prime95 for a while) it hops up to about 47C.

So mebbe I'll just sell my mobo and get the DFI Lanparty SLI board.

How much can I expect the temps to drop with water cooling? How much would I expect to spend for a good (not top end) WC system?

[ripken204]

lol, u got that evga combo deal. definetly upgrade to a powerstream 520. dfi nf4 mobos wont run on any less than 480watts anyways. with watercooling your temps wont rly matter anymore. expect the cpu to drop about 15C and the vid card to drop 20C.

[Vitalix]

Yup, jumped on it! for $360, couldn't beat it! The standard 7800GTs were going for $340 at the time.

The DFI won't run on an OCZ 420? I know the DFIs are power hungry, but I though the good PSUs powered them pretty good, even if under 500W. Is that a myth? Or a YMMV thing?

[ripken204]

well like i said before, you need at least 480watts. so the powerstream 520 is what you should be looking at.

[jcarle]

Personally, I would recommend the CoolerMaster AquaGate R-120.

[Vitalix]

For these WC systems, you can just piggyback heatsinks to the video and northbridge sets right? With that the case, wouldn't one think you would need to piggyback a second radiator (if such is possible) with 4 devices being cooled? Or is the one radiator and fan enough to cool 2 vid cards, northbridge, and cpu?

[ripken204]

piggback? do u mean just to connect to eachother with a tube? you do not want more that 1 radiator, its will restrict the flow of the water.

if you want to make sure that it cools good then get this:

http://www.sidewindercomputers.com/bliceproiiit.html

but if u cant find somewhere to put it then get this:

http://www.sidewindercomputers.com/blackiceproii.html

[Vitalix]

Nice, looks like it would take two 120mm fans. Where do these radiators typically go one the machine?

[ripken204]

the 1st one takes 3 fans, the 2nd one takes 2 fans

and the problem is finding where to put these, some like to cut fan holes in their case and then mod the case with screw holes and all that stuff. and some just put 2 holes in their case and have the radiator outside of the case with the tubing going outside to the radiator.