First CPU Watercooling setup

[blucube]

Along with my Rapmage/Maximus II Formula board thread. I am also really wanting to ditch the Tuniq Tower to begin with and switch over to a SwiftTech Apogee GTZ. Which is the only component it seems that I'm sure of at the moment. I did a lot of research on them about a month ago but seems like I've forgotten most everything else. I think I planned on going with 1/2" tubes. I run a thermal take armor full case, which is gigantic. I'm really wanting to create some sort of nostalgia in my case. Which means cord management and everything else. Which means I'm definitely going to have to rearrange where my PSU, HD, etc is in the case so my poor cables aren't so tightly wound from point a to point b. Through a couple other water cooling components in the mix and I have a fairly decent project.

Problem is between the Apogee GTZ and the 1/2" (unless recommended otherwize) I'm not so sure what else to do/need. I know off the top of my head I should be looking for a pump, reservoir, and radiator. With my case and the remaining components, along with nights on end of browsing pages and benching graphs, I can't seem to remember. I think I was choosing a a radiator with 3x120mm fans Swiftech, the pump... maybe swiftech too but possible Danger Den... I can't really remember...

Recommendations? Am I taking this in the right direction for a solid project?

 

[aspire]

Heres a good list of things to consider getting.

Swiftech MCR320 or the XSPC 360mm rad from Petras.

Swiftech Laing DDC MCP355 with an XSPC Res-top from petras.

Swiftech GTZ

For tubing make sure you get 1/2" ID and 3/4" OD

Run pure distilled water with some Petras PT-Nuke PHN additive.

 

[Pinscher]

I just recently changed my old crappy tubing to some nice 3/4" OD tubing (whatever that good brand is, cant remember atm) and I had to use a drill to widen the holes on my TT armor. Hopefully you know somebody with a nice drill or something. Just because of this, don't get anything other than 3/4" OD tubing though. Everything else kinks way too easy

 

[blucube]

Heres a good list of things to consider getting.

Swiftech MCR320 or the XSPC 360mm rad from Petras.

Swiftech Laing DDC MCP355 with an XSPC Res-top from petras.

Swiftech GTZ

For tubing make sure you get 1/2" ID and 3/4" OD

Run pure distilled water with some Petras PT-Nuke PHN additive.

Thanks for your info... I've been looking into this off and on and quite honestly it's been tough to figure out what a reputable site to purchase this is from. I'm guessing you're a fan of Petra, in which I found their PTS site. Also if it's not too much to ask, I was curious about the tubing, I looked those up... but I was curious if you could provide a couple links for the ID and OD, it would be much appreciated! Also, what's the advantages and disadvantages to 3x120mm vs. 3x360mm? Price to performance?

I just recently changed my old crappy tubing to some nice 3/4" OD tubing (whatever that good brand is, cant remember atm) and I had to use a drill to widen the holes on my TT armor. Hopefully you know somebody with a nice drill or something. Just because of this, don't get anything other than 3/4" OD tubing though. Everything else kinks way too easy

I've spent sometime looking in my case trying to figure out how exactly to set everything up, with cord manage ment... with the TT armor I've got plenty of room, if not too much... I've seen some pictures with the RAD outside the case, and others with it in the case, or simply laying on the bottom of it... do you have any opinions on all of that? maybe even pictures of yours if I may so humbly ask?

 

[blucube]

Some other things came to my attention today as I was kind of doing some more research about WC'ing and some of the components you listed.

1. The XSPC Res-top, which unit are you speaking of?
A. Petra's Tech Shop
B. Petra's Tech Shop

This is actually the first time I've seen something like that, and the term "top" in water cooling. Though, what exactly is the difference between the two? A. definitely looks like a reservoir, though I'm not certain what B. exactly is or does?

2. I found the Swiftech RAD, that was actually one that I was looking at earlier. However, I could not find the XPSC RAD, the one I found also looked to be 120mm (that is unless, by 360mm you mean 3x120mm, which would make sense... thought he Swiftech is also 3x120mm)

And if that's the case, is there really a big enough difference between the two to pay $30 more for the 360mm?

3. Another interesting thing I was reading about was about Reservoir's, and someone had suggested to use oversized fittings, such as a 5/8 fitting for a 1/2 fit system. Would you suggest that? Along with that, they more or less suggested having the pump/res be the highest elevated component on the loop, I've seen plenty of setups where it looks like the pump/res was actually on the bottom of the loop. Pump>Rad>Waterblock>Res

4. They say when you first buy a Rad/waterblock that you should flush the crap out of it, seems pretty costly to do it in the suggested fasion. Though if it's true, I guess you do what you have to do.

5. Lastly, the clamps... I noticed there are several different types of clamps... though it looks like the worm drive clamps were the most effective however they suggested one use locktite so the screw doesn't losen over time, which also sounds like a pretty big pain at first

 

[aspire]

1. The idea of a top is simply a bolt on replacement part for the standard top cover of the Laing DDC pump. If you look at the pump, note the two side barbs that are built into it. A top replaces that cover, enhances performance, and allows the use of standard water cooling barbs.


2. This is the XSPC rad Petra's Tech Shop
It's a dual pass radiator meaning if you split the thickness of the rad in half, water travels up one half and down the other. A single pass radiator water travels up half the width and down the other half. A dual pass radiator allows the water to be cooled more.

3. They do not make 5/8" fittings. A commonly used style is running 3/8" ID tubing on 1/2" barbs, however provided you use clamps this is just a hassle.

Also loop order really does not make any difference.

4. To flush the radiator, simply go buy a jug of distilled water, shouldn' cost more than a buck. Pour water in, shake it up and repeat a couple times. Allow a significant amount of air to remain in whatever you are cleaning.

5. I have no idea where you read to use locktite... I use worm drive clamps and have for the entire time I've been running water cooling. The only incident I would even consider to be a sort of leak was when I recently put my system back together, the barb itself was not tightened enough and had a drip of water come out, I immediately drained the loop and tightened the fitting, everything was fine.

Reps?

 

[blucube]

Sure,

Thanks for filling me in on that, I gained most of that info off another forums thread that came up while googling around. Though now that you cleared up the top.. I noticed you didn't recommend a reservoir, is that mainly because there isn't really a performance variance between the bunch... and it's kind of whatever I want? Or is it not necessary...

 

[aspire]

Well that XSPC res-top takes the place of a reservoir.

Personally, I'm partial to a t-line. Its cheaper, takes up less space, and it's just what I've always used.

Though it does take significantly longer to bleed air from the loop compared to a reservoir.

 

[blucube]

Yeah I read a little bit about a T-line.. however if you went with this unit
Petra's Tech Shop it's pretty much your top you're recommending as well as the reservoir where as Petra's Tech Shop is just the top... once again if I'm understanding that right, and not sure of the T-line setup as of yet...

Though I was curious when you say takes the place of the reservoir... if you mean that it kinda serves as one, or... you can't really use one with it...

 

[Ethan_Kaizer]

Though I was curious when you say takes the place of the reservoir... if you mean that it kinda serves as one, or... you can't really use one with it...

Looking at it, I'm pretty sure it serves as a small reservoir.