Opinions welcome on watercooling setup!

[Shadow_Foxx]

I am planning on wetercooling my system sometime soon. I have picked out all teh components but I would welcome suggestions from the pros!

 

Hardware:

Case - Cooler Master Storm Scout

Motherboard - MSI 790XT-G45

CPU - Phenom II X4 955 BE (3.8) (Corsair H50)

RAM - 4GB Gskill DDR2 800

HD - 60GB Vertex II, Caviar Black 750 GB and another 1TB,

PSU - Corsair 650TX

GPU - XFX Radeon 6950 (Flashed to 6970)

Fans - Six Enermax Magma 1500 RPM

 

Potential Watercooling Components:

 

Radiator - Black Ice GT Stealth XFLOW - $64.95

CPU Block - EK Supreme HF High Flow (Nickel/Acetal) - $79.95

Pump - Koolance PMP-450 High Flow - $76.99

Reservoir - Koolance RP-450X2 Dual 5.25" for 1-2 PMP-450 Pumps - $115.00

GPU Block - EK-FC6970 Nickel/Acetal - $109.95

Tubing - Feser Tube 2.5 (8 feet)3/8" ID (1/2"OD) - UV Red - $24.95

Coolant - Feser One F1 Cooling Fluid - UV Red - 1 Liter - $19.95

Fittings - Bitspower

 

Thanks for helping a noob out!

Edited March 23, 2011 by Shadow_Foxx

[Water_Hazard]

Whatever you do, do not get that Black Ice GT Stealth radiator unless you are going with very high pressure fans and plan to leave them full blast 24/7. I would go with something like this or this with some low noise fans.

 

Also, dont use cooling fluid, it will leave nasty residue in your loop. Just use distilled water and PT Nuke and maybe a silver coil.

[wevsspot]

Shadow, the only thing I would def change out is the pump. I'd dump the Koolance and opt for the Swiftech MCP655 (Dangerden D5 / Liang D5)

 

And since I'm recommending the 655/D5 over the Koolance (and I get the feeling you'd like a res/pump combo) you could look at the XSPC Dual 5.25 that allows you to mount the 655/D5 inside the res

 

A couple links for you;

 

http://www.jab-tech.com/Swiftech-MCP655-12-VDC-Pump-pr-2982.html

 

http://www.jab-tech.com/XSPC-Acrylic-Dual-5.25-Reservoir-for-Laing-D5-pr-4666.html

 

As soon as El_Capitan swings by here I'm sure he'll agree

Edited March 23, 2011 by wevsspot

[Water_Hazard]

Isn't the Koolance 450 just a re-branded version of the 655? http://www.koolance.com/water-cooling/product_info.php?product_id=858

[Waco]

Isn't the Koolance 450 just a re-branded version of the 655? http://www.koolance.com/water-cooling/product_info.php?product_id=858

Yep. It's a D5 (not sure if it's a Vario, but I think it is) and it will fit in the 450X2 regardless of brand. I actually wish I'd gotten the 450X2 over the 452X2 - bleeding mine with the pump running full blast is a PAIN IN THE butt.

[wevsspot]

Isn't the Koolance 450 just a re-branded version of the 655? http://www.koolance.com/water-cooling/product_info.php?product_id=858

Sure looks the same to me. Guess I should have checked............... I thought the 450 was a rebranded 355.

 

I rescind all previous suggestions

[Shadow_Foxx]

Whatever you do, do not get that Black Ice GT Stealth radiator unless you are going with very high pressure fans and plan to leave them full blast 24/7. I would go with something like this or this with some low noise fans.

 

Also, dont use cooling fluid, it will leave nasty residue in your loop. Just use distilled water and PT Nuke and maybe a silver coil.

 

Well the new fans I just got are about 70CFM or whatever. I would plan to have them on full blast while doing gaming, maybe folding in the future. I was also thinking about having them in push pull on the radiator to aid in cooling. The main reason I am getting that radiator besides the FPI is the xflow design, so I can go from the pump/res to the radiator and then it will take it across to the other side of my case and right to the cpu. I think that will look better. However, if, in the name of performance, I must change it, then so be it! Have you had experience with either or the radiators you recommended?

 

I will for sure consider the distilled water route, its just that I am a sucker for being able to see the UV red glow in my resevoir in the dark

 

Yep. It's a D5 (not sure if it's a Vario, but I think it is) and it will fit in the 450X2 regardless of brand. I actually wish I'd gotten the 450X2 over the 452X2 - bleeding mine with the pump running full blast is a PAIN IN THE butt.

 

If it is just a rebranded versions of the D5, is there any difference between the 655 and the koolance? Or am i safe to go ahead with the Koolance rez/pump duo?

 

 

Also any thoughts on 1/2 vs 3/8th tubing? Thanks for the help guys!

[Water_Hazard]

Well the new fans I just got are about 70CFM or whatever. I would plan to have them on full blast while doing gaming, maybe folding in the future. I was also thinking about having them in push pull on the radiator to aid in cooling. The main reason I am getting that radiator besides the FPI is the xflow design, so I can go from the pump/res to the radiator and then it will take it across to the other side of my case and right to the cpu. I think that will look better. However, if, in the name of performance, I must change it, then so be it! Have you had experience with either or the radiators you recommended?

 

I will for sure consider the distilled water route, its just that I am a sucker for being able to see the UV red glow in my resevoir in the dark

 

 

 

If it is just a rebranded versions of the D5, is there any difference between the 655 and the koolance? Or am i safe to go ahead with the Koolance rez/pump duo?

 

 

Also any thoughts on 1/2 vs 3/8th tubing? Thanks for the help guys!

 

I have one of the black Ice gt stealth that you were thinking of buying and unless I put my Scythe Kama kaze 133cfm fans on it and leave them full blast the rad would get hot to the touch. The rads I am using now are the XSPC rads that I suggested, they have been great even with my fans around 1200-1400rpm's.

 

I would go with a water dye before I went with one of the cooling fluids. I still wouldn't recommend it though.

 

The koolance 450 pump should perform the exact same as the 655. I have read great things about the koolance res over at http://skinneelabs.com/ also a great place for water cooling parts reviews and help

 

I would recommend either 1/2 inch tubing or 7/16 tubing over 1/2 inch barbs if you want a tighter fit, but I have never used 3/8 inch tubing so it may be just as good.

[Shadow_Foxx]

I have one of the black Ice gt stealth that you were thinking of buying and unless I put my Scythe Kama kaze 133cfm fans on it and leave them full blast the rad would get hot to the touch. The rads I am using now are the XSPC rads that I suggested, they have been great even with my fans around 1200-1400rpm's.

 

So the reason it would get so hot is due to the 30 FPI causing air resistance? What is the FPI i should be looking for for my 70CFM enermax magmas? I would like it if the radiator wasnt double thick, as I dont have too much room at the top of my case and it would make it really hard to fit fans on the top and bottom of the rad for push pull.

Would This Black Ice or This EK or This Swiftech do the trick?

 

Seriously, thanks for the help

Edited March 23, 2011 by Shadow_Foxx

[Water_Hazard]

So the reason it would get so hot is due to the 30 FPI causing air resistance? What is the FPI i should be looking for for my 70CFM enermax magmas? I would like it if the radiator wasnt double thick, as I dont have too much room at the top of my case and it would make it really hard to fit fans on the top and bottom of the rad for push pull.

Would This Black Ice or This EK or This Swiftech do the trick?

 

Seriously, thanks for the help

 

yeah, 30fpi is just a little too dense. Your links seem to be broken, but swiftech makes great rads for medium speed fans and any of the black ice rads other than the stealth line are good rads.

 

if this is the swiftech radiator you are talking about then it is great for medium speed fans but the black ice would do a little better at low speed from what I have read. Both are great rads though, you cant go wrong with either.

[Waco]

So the reason it would get so hot is due to the 30 FPI causing air resistance?

Yep. I have a Black Ice Pro II that simply won't dissipate heat without extremely high speed fans.

 

I would suggest the MCR-320QP from Swiftech for a cheap, low FPI, 2-pass rad. It won't be a crossflow like you wanted but they are dirt cheap and perform GREAT.

[wevsspot]

Guess I'm odd man out again

 

I'm using the Black Ice GT Stealth 240 on top of my K62 case (with the oem 140mm fans blowing up, out and through the rad on top) and the performance is almost on par with the Swiftech MCR220 that I was using and had externally mounted).

 

 

 

Of course mine isn't the xFlow version - but the standard version is working well in my situation. Radiator width was a prime consideration in this particular application so I didn't have much of a choice, but certainly wasn't disappointed in the results either.

 

Coolant - Personally I've been using the Primochill PC Ice in a 50/50 mix with distilled water for the last couple of years and it has been great. No build up whatsover. I've never had to clean the loop because of gunk or buildup.