Added radiators (PA120.2 & PA160) to loop, need suggestions

[ranker]

After purchasing a PA160, I decided to purchase a PA120.2 as well to replace my MCR220QP. Might as well go with an all "Thermochill" radiator setup right?

So now I have 3 radiators mounted within U2-UFO but I'm unsure of how to rout it. I was thinking of routing it like how I have it in my sig with my GPU's on the 120.3 and my CPU/NB/SB through the PA120.2/PA160. Would this be the most optimal?

Also will a DDC-2 w/ Petra's revised top be strong enough to pump through both of those rad's on the CPU loop without a performance hit?

[septim]

optimal and effecient cause as we know GPUs run hotter than CPUs
routing, whichever shortess you could manage...

[IanY]

I'm glad you chose to buy a PA120.2 as well.

It would seem logical to me to isolate the cpu by itself. I woudl generally not lump the NB and SB together with the cpu. Contrary to misplaced popular belief, the NB and SB on a 68-i mobo do not run cool, and in fact the SB runs very hot. I would dedicate maximal pumping power to teh cpu, even if you were to use a D-Tek FuZion.

The gpus do run hot as well. However, cooling is important but not as critically important as the cpu. After all, you can't overclock the gpus to the extent of the cpu.

If you do not want to go to three independent loops, then I would have teh gpus and NB/SB in their own loop.

I would personally keep the cpu on the PA120.3 and the rest on the combo of the 120.2 and the 160. Some people would argue that a 120.2 is enough for the cpu. I don't want to argue about that. Its all your choice.

[sonofander]

I'm glad you chose to buy a PA120.2 as well.

It would seem logical to me to isolate the cpu by itself. I woudl generally not lump the NB and SB together with the cpu. Contrary to misplaced popular belief, the NB and SB on a 68-i mobo do not run cool, and in fact the SB runs very hot. I would dedicate maximal pumping power to teh cpu, even if you were to use a D-Tek FuZion.

The gpus do run hot as well. However, cooling is important but not as critically important as the cpu. After all, you can't overclock the gpus to the extent of the cpu.

If you do not want to go to three independent loops, then I would have teh gpus and NB/SB in their own loop.

I would personally keep the cpu on the PA120.3 and the rest on the combo of the 120.2 and the 160. Some people would argue that a 120.2 is enough for the cpu. I don't want to argue about that. Its all your choice.

I'm with Ian on this one... I have my CPU alone on a 120.3 for optimal CPU temps and overclocking. My GPUs are on a MCR220 and the temps are fine. Even if they were a few degrees cooler, it wouldn't change my video card oc/performance, but my CPU overclock has never been better!!!

you really should toss the proc on the 120.3 and everything else on the smaller rads

[[XC] leviathan18]

I'm glad you chose to buy a PA120.2 as well.

It would seem logical to me to isolate the cpu by itself. I woudl generally not lump the NB and SB together with the cpu. Contrary to misplaced popular belief, the NB and SB on a 68-i mobo do not run cool, and in fact the SB runs very hot. I would dedicate maximal pumping power to teh cpu, even if you were to use a D-Tek FuZion.

The gpus do run hot as well. However, cooling is important but not as critically important as the cpu. After all, you can't overclock the gpus to the extent of the cpu.

If you do not want to go to three independent loops, then I would have teh gpus and NB/SB in their own loop.

I would personally keep the cpu on the PA120.3 and the rest on the combo of the 120.2 and the 160. Some people would argue that a 120.2 is enough for the cpu. I don't want to argue about that. Its all your choice.


2 8800gtx pumps more heat than 1 dual core and if you oc the 2 gpus you are going to have even more heat so i would go pa120.2 for the cpu and 160 for the sb nb and if he wants to keep it 2 loops 120.3 + 160 and 120.2 alone for the cpu

[ranker]

Wow, three very different opinions and I appreciate them all!

Iany, yeah I decided to heed your advice and ditch the MCR220QP and swap it for me PA120.2 I can only hope that the mounting will be strong enough with just one fan. I do have 4 hard drives mounted on the brackets that will be attached to it. Anyone know if that will be too much weight with only one fan in support? I'll probably use that as an excuse to get started on WC'ing my lady's rig somewhere down the line (WC'ing has been an addiction. I've already done my parent's rig without them even requesting it :p: )

Three loops would be a bit too excessive for me as that would require me to purchase a 3rd pump and res. If you look at my sig, I have trouble enough finding room for everything as is.

Unless I hear more support otherwise, I think I'm going to go with cpu/nb/sb on the PA120.2/PA160 combo and 8800gtx sli on the PA120.3. According to various anecdotes, I haven't seen anyone really taxing a PA120.2 unless they were running a quad core instead of a dual core. I figure that the extra PA160 will take care of the heat dump that comes from the 680i chipset blocks. 2nd of all, it would make routing easier.

Tossing anything with the GPU's would appear to be inefficient as the GPU's run so much hotter. I don't think I'll toss the NB/SB in the GPU loop, even if I were to keep that cooled with both the PA160 and PA120.3.

I would like to know if the DDC-2 w/ petra's new top will be sufficient in terms of pumping power. I'm not sure if I have too much restriction with two rads and the Danger Den 680i block in the loop (I know I don't have to worry about the FuZion and MCW30 being restrictive).

[IanY]

Wow, three very different opinions and I appreciate them all!

Iany, yeah I decided to heed your advice and ditch the MCR220QP and swap it for me PA120.2 I can only hope that the mounting will be strong enough with just one fan. I do have 4 hard drives mounted on the brackets that will be attached to it. Anyone know if that will be too much weight with only one fan in support? I'll probably use that as an excuse to get started on WC'ing my lady's rig somewhere down the line (WC'ing has been an addiction. I've already done my parent's rig without them even requesting it :p: )


I have six WD Raptors hanging onto the PA120.2, which is mounted off the top fan hole. I don't have any issues of note. The case is not warping or anything like that.

[IanY]

Once again, you don't have to listen to me, but I would remove anything and everything from the cpu loop, regardless of which radiator you use. Mixing the NB/SB with the cpu is not a good idea.

[serialk11r]

You planning on throwing them all in the same loop? Parallel rads...:D PA120.2 and PA160 are approximately the same in terms of performance and restriction, so you shouldn't have any issues.

[ranker]

You planning on throwing them all in the same loop? Parallel rads...:D PA120.2 and PA160 are approximately the same in terms of performance and restriction, so you shouldn't have any issues.

What's the benefit of doing parallel rads? Also, my brain is sort of confused on how the tubing would be routed.

[Ambro]

This has brought up some good points as I'm also contemplating what to do with the exact same setup (although i don't have a PA120.3 in my loop)

Anyway my logic says that if you want to OC your CPU to get good bench resulst then add the best rad to the CPU.

If you want to OC you GPUs for the awaited release of Crysis then put the best rad on the GPUs.

GPU OCs are always going to provide better gaming results than a OCed CPU. :fact:

Have I got the logic right ppls ? - once again it depends on what you want to do.

PS - can't wait to show off my rig in another couple weeks (I hope - thats when Eddy reckons my SB/NB/Mosfet blocks will arrive ...... good things come to those blah bla ....)

[septim]

hey IanY do you have picture of those Raptors hanging by your 120mm?
not the one posted on page 75 of case galleries is it...

[ranker]

I think I need help. is there a Water Cooler's Anonymous? I just took Iany's advice and broke out dough for a 3rd loop. I just talked to Quoc and placed my order for a 3rd DDC-2 w/ Petra's top and a Swiftech MCRES-micro for my 3rd loop. He even thought I was nuts LOL.

Anyhow, I took the mobo chipset blocks off the CPU and put them on the PA160, DDC-2, Swiftie res.

I might have to purchase another miniNG to handle my 3rd pump since my first miniNG are handling 2 max already.

[IanY]

Hey.. there's an empty 120 mm fan hole above your mobo, is there not ? :) j/k.. don't you need redundant pumps? :) Look at your case.. doesn't it look a bit cramped :D This can go on and on :D j/k Enough buying :) Bet you are freaking out lots of people :) I am a very bad influence :)

I didn't notice your four LCDs before.. now I know you are just as bad as I am :)


Septim,

No.. that pic is a LL HDD carrier. The ones I am referring to are on those simple MM brackets that support triple HDDs. I need to take photos.

[serialk11r]

Parallel rads gives you a hell less restriction on the rad's part ;)

[Borgod]

Sorry to drag this relatively old thread up, but it raises some interesting points of which I am pondering myself.

Currently I am cooling a QX6700 with a PA120.2 and it just doesnt cool enough at 1.5v. I use a Fuzion block. Temps are around 50 at idle and just over 70 on load. Not ideal.
I also have mounted a PA160 that will be used to cool an 8800GTX SLI setup.

Now I am about to purchase a MIPS kit that will cool my NB, PWM and SB and I'll need a PA120.3 to handle that load.
I was initially going to have the CPU, NB, SB & PWM loop together with the PA120.3, PA120.2 and dual DDC+ both with Petras top. Yep, big dollar loop.
But upon reading this thread and seeing how IanY is adamant that the CPU should be in it's own loop, it made me post this.
I would of thought that a PA120.3 and a PA120.2 with 2x DDC+ would be more than enough flow & radiator capacity to cool the aforementioned blocks?

Or should I perhaps include the NB, SB & PWM with the 8800GTX SLI loop? I am not going to overclock the 8800GTX's very much so ultra cool temps arent a priority for the vid cards, just cooler.
Having the PA120.2 and PA120.3 dedicated only for the PCU would be freeking fantastic, but I doubt the PA160 would be up for the task of cooling everything else.

I guess my question is, what orientation would be best?

PA120.3, 1x DDC+ - CPU
PA160, PA120.2, 1x DDC+ - SLI, NB, SB & PWM (may need 2x DDC+ ?)

or

PA120.3 & PA120.2, 2x DDC+ - CPU, NB, SB & PWM
PA160, 1x DDC+ - SLI

or

PA120.3, 1x DDC+ - CPU
PA120.2, 1x DDC+ - NB, SB & PWM
PA160, 1x DDC+ - SLI

I'd prefer not to have 3 loops. I want to move to resevoirs for my own reasons and it's difficult enough fitting this all in already.

Cheers

[Grinch]

PA120.3, 1x DDC+ - CPU
PA120.2, 1x DDC+ - NB, SB, PWM & SLI


or


PA120.3, 1x DDC+ - CPU
PA120.2, PA160, 1x DDC+ - NB, SB, PWM & SLI

[HiJon89]

A PA120.2 should be more than enough for any single block loop. You must have a bad mount, concave IHS, kinked tubing, or bad temp sensors if you're seeing over 70C load temps. Adding more radiator power isn't going to improve your temps because that's just not the problem. I'd recommend:

PA120.2 -> DDC+ -> CPU
PA120.3 -> DDC+ -> NB -> SB -> SLI

[NaeKuh]

ranker, here is why i decided to give my cpu's a larger radiator then gpus:

Because heat affects overclocking on the CPU more greatly then on the GPU.

The GPU's were also designed to hold up to more heat then the CPU.

The GPU's wont change there voltage unless you decide to Vmod it, so unless your running high vmoded GPU's, i dont see the need for a larger radiator then a 120x2.


Oh and if you say watercooling for longevity, then, well... I promise you, even on air, it would last you long enough to replace them with next gen's higher eq.

[Borgod]

HiJon: have you worked with a quadcore at that kind of voltage before? We're talking over 250w of heat. Combined with the fact that I use very low voltage SFlex fans and ambient is not far under 30degrees and I'm not surprised of these temps.

This thread (http://www.xtremesystems.org/forums/showthread.php?t=135666&highlight=8800gtx+sli) I found late lastnight explains why I have to further reconsider which blocks get which rads. I'd rather not put my PA120.2 in my SLI loop but I may have no choice. As I said I'm not after freezing temps for my 8800GTX's but certainly would it lower than standard temperature.

In any case, I have mounted my CPU several times, lapped my CPU, have no kinking in my 7/16" Tygon tubing and have plenty of head from my pump with extremely short tube lengths using a T-line. These CPU's are a furnace.

[ranker]

I have no idea why someone dug this up outta the grave. This was so long ago.

I've since added those rads to replace the swifty rads I had and now run two UFO's. 1 with 2 loops and 1 with 3 loops (Horizon with PA120.3, PA120.2, and PA160).

[Jedda]

Borgod
In Perth in summer with that cpu and SLi I'd be putting two 120.3 rads in my box.
If they wont fit, it'd be two 120.2s and a 120.3.
For what it's worth I may shortly be putting my belief to the test over in nsw.

[Borgod]

Borgod
In Perth in summer with that cpu and SLi I'd be putting two 120.3 rads in my box.
If they wont fit, it'd be two 120.2s and a 120.3.
For what it's worth I may shortly be putting my belief to the test over in nsw.

Yeah, I may need to rethink my cooling as it does get particulary hot where my PC is located.

Any more rads certainly won't fit inside my case. I have modded a Silverstone TJ09 to fit the PA120.2 and PA160 inside it.
I'm currently thinking perhaps mounting a PA120.3 or two on the side of the case would be the best way to go. These would allow more space inside for pumps, res's and tubing while adding far superior cooling.

Looks like I'll be pulling out the dremel again :)

I love it!