Jump to content

Kitting myself out with Koolance. First timer


ghostcorps

Recommended Posts

As promised here is some amateur unboxing porn :)

 

I have also built a quick test loop on a scale reference image.

 

The rotrary compression fittings are a godsend, I can imagine shattering the motherboard easily if I every tried to twist or pull on barbs.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

post-83502-0-06766100-1330132445_thumb.jpg

post-83502-0-86462800-1330132470_thumb.jpg

 

 

post-83502-0-01950100-1330132533_thumb.jpg

post-83502-0-26035900-1330132548_thumb.jpg

Edited by ghostcorps

Share this post


Link to post
Share on other sites

Scale picture.... that idea is genius.

 

SO is the pump working now?

 

Haha thanks :) Sometimes great ideas are born out of sheer impatience! I'll concede that laminating the picture was perhaps kinda smart.

 

And, yep the pump works like a dream. I just grabbed one of my discarded PSUs and spliced the green and black wires together and bam Robert is your mothers brother. It was never going to be used again anyway, this way it gets a second life running test loops.

Share this post


Link to post
Share on other sites

Haha thanks :) Sometimes great ideas are born out of sheer impatience! I'll concede that laminating the picture was perhaps kinda smart.

 

And, yep the pump works like a dream. I just grabbed one of my discarded PSUs and spliced the green and black wires together and bam Robert is your mothers brother. It was never going to be used again anyway, this way it gets a second life running test loops.

Ummmm next time just stick a paper clip between the pins on the connector, then power it up...

 

So how much longer now? What hardware are you waiting on?

Share this post


Link to post
Share on other sites

Ummmm next time just stick a paper clip between the pins on the connector, then power it up...

 

So how much longer now? What hardware are you waiting on?

 

I was going to use a paperclip, but all I had was pliers. As I said it was sitting next to the bin, so preservation was not a consideration :)

 

My next payday is two Tuesdays away.

 

Providing I don't get any nasty bills in the meantime, I can get the rest :)

 

Controller: Lamptron FC Touch Fan Controller

Fans: Scythe 120mm Gentle Typhoon 1150RPM Fan (x4)

GPU: Koolance VID-AR797 Full Coverage Water Block the ATi Radeon HD 7970

Sensor Bitspower G1/4 Silver Temperature Sensor

Radiator: Swiftech MCR320-QP

Share this post


Link to post
Share on other sites

Just placed the final order!

 

The last parts should be here in a couple days :D

 

 

Here is the final list:

 

 

CPU:	                Koolance CPU-370
MOBO:             	Koolance MB-ASSTX79 Full Coverage Waterblock for the ASUS Sabertooth X79
GPU:                	Koolance VID-AR797 Full Coverage Water Block the ATi Radeon HD 7970
Pump:               	Koolance PMP-450 12/24V Water Pump
Reservoir:          	XSPC Premium Acrylic Reservoir for Laing D5 Pumps
Radiator 3x120:   	xspc rx360
Radiator 1x120:  	Swiftech MCR120
Fans:         	        4x Nexus Real Silent 120mm Fans (The 1150RPM Gentle Typhoon are not available anywhere!)
Controller:          	Lamptron FC Touch Fan Controller
Sensor:             	Bitspower G1/4 Silver Temperature Sensor
Hose:                	2m Tygon 3400 Tubing 1/2 ID - Black
Drain:                	Koolance Drain Valve VLV-XTSPLB
Straight fitting:   	12x Bitspower G1/4 Matte Black 1/2 Fitting
Angle Fitting:     	5x Bitspower Matte Black Rotary 45 Degree 1/2 Fitting
Clamp:              	12x Koolance Hose Clamp for OD 19mm (3/4in)
Antibaterial:       	PrimoChill Antimicrobial Tube Coil Silver

 

 

I went with the XSPC RX360 for the large Rad because a) no one stocks the MCR320-QP anymore & Swiftech do not make it. b) Cos it is consistently the highest rated low-RPM rad I can find & c) As push/pull has very little gain in low RPM setups I didn't need it to be slim.

 

Also, this broke 1k... I'm not too phased as I did it over the course of a couple months, so the cost hasn't hit me much... but yeh, just saying this is not a cheap solution.

 

I could have saved a few hundred: Using my existing corsair fans would have saved $96, getting it all in one purchase not four would have saved about $100 + not getting an $80 controller, but I decided I didn't want to cut corners and regret it later. Going in with $700 budget and adding an extra $300 isn't worth crying over, I would have cried more if I held to the budget and built something that was more trouble than it was worth.

 

 

More unboxing porn to follow in the next couple days, followed by the build :D

Edited by ghostcorps

Share this post


Link to post
Share on other sites

Hello again,

 

I have finished the loop and am flushing it for 48 hours.

 

The gentle typhoon 1150s' are EOL, so I have settled on the Nexus Real Silent fans. As advised earlier, there is no point to having a controller as all the fans and the pump are at 100% and I can not hear a thing while sitting right next to it! :) Oh well, live and learn.

 

Here are some more shots.

 

post-83502-0-34782700-1331123085_thumb.jpg

post-83502-0-69325400-1331123100_thumb.jpg

post-83502-0-17858700-1331123192_thumb.jpg

post-83502-0-64446700-1331123223_thumb.jpg

 

 

And here is the final configuration. :) nb. the GPU plate is laying upside down cos it can't be stood up.

 

 

post-83502-0-23555900-1331123518_thumb.jpg

 

 

Next step, the install!

Edited by ghostcorps

Share this post


Link to post
Share on other sites

  • 2 weeks later...

Finally!

 

:)

 

It has worked like a charm! It is as good as silent while running all fans at 100%.

 

You will notice that the radiator was far too fat to fit in the box, so I decided it would be easier to mount a bracket rather than a shroud. It is not pretty, but it will be pretty well hidden.

 

I have not done any serious overclocking on it yet, 3DMark Vantage only gets 34,450 at the moment, but here are some numbers. :)

 

 

The CPU is clocked to 4.2Ghz and now idles at 39C, the GPU clocks down to 300 while idle it sits at 33C.

 

During the test with Prime95 the VRM plateaus at about 64C, the CPU core is at about 61C.

 

During 3DMark Vantage the GPU clocks up to 975 and sits on 39C while running 100%. Below is a graph of the 3DMark Vantage test:

 

 

post-83502-0-91483100-1331907747_thumb.png

The vertical scale is 1-100, either % or Centigrade.

Blue is the GPU usage, red is GPU temp, Green is CPU usage, Orange is CPU temp.

 

Some final photos:

 

The GPU block mounted:

 

post-83502-0-27215100-1331908630_thumb.jpg

 

The VRM, CPU & PCH blocks mounted:

 

post-83502-0-31908000-1331908649_thumb.jpg

 

 

Closeups:

 

post-83502-0-05920600-1331908670_thumb.jpg

post-83502-0-07875600-1331908705_thumb.jpg

post-83502-0-33942100-1331908725_thumb.jpg

post-83502-0-02140200-1331908745_thumb.jpg

post-83502-0-78182500-1331908767_thumb.jpg

post-83502-0-35737700-1331908795_thumb.jpg

post-83502-0-30604100-1331908816_thumb.jpg

 

Water temp goes no higer than 30C during the tests :D

 

post-83502-0-99178900-1331908850_thumb.jpg

 

 

 

Thanks again for all your help guys, it has been alot of fun. I want to do it again!

 

 

:thx:

 

Update: I have overclocked the HD7970 to a Core clock of 1200Mhz and the Memory clock is 1725Mhz. The voltage is maxed at 1.3V but the temp goes no higher than about 50C!! Tomorrow I'll try to add another update for the CPU overclock.

 

With these settings there are a few artifacts in 3DMark Vantage, but nothing distracting, in game is flawless. I currently get a score of 40,008.

Edited by ghostcorps

Share this post


Link to post
Share on other sites

So black :) nice

 

Awesome GPU OC can't wait to see what you get the CPU overclocked to.

 

I couldn't make it any blacker. :thumbsup:

 

I have managed to OC the CPU to 4.7Ghz at 1.4V before watercooling, but it ran way too hot and was still asking for more voltage. I haven't had a chance to work out the stable OC yet. I expect it will be around 4.5.

Edited by ghostcorps

Share this post


Link to post
Share on other sites

I have just completed a 24hr burn-in running the CPU at 4.6Ghz with 1.4V. Getting 70C on both the CPU and VRM.

 

3DMark Vantage score is 41,840.

 

It is done. :)

 

Thanks again for all your help.

Edited by ghostcorps

Share this post


Link to post
Share on other sites

Please sign in to comment

You will be able to leave a comment after signing in



Sign In Now
×
×
  • Create New...