Watercooling advice needed...

[Warden]

Hi folks,

usually I ask these questions on [H]ardOCP but I recently found your site and you guys are clearly the most knowledgable people I've found with regard to these things.

I've set up a few different watercooling systems and I've always gone Res-pump-block-rad but I see some folks prefer res-pum-rad-block.

Is there any real difference in the two in terms of performance?

Also, I just got a new AMD64-3200 and want to watercool it. I see that Swiftech has a block for this CPU so I will most likely get that but I am looking for a suggestion on a pump and radiator. I have used Dangerdens "Heatercore" and both an Eheim 1250 and a Via Aqua 1300 pump. Without getting too expensive is there a better pump/radiator combo you guys would suggest?

Thanks for any advice!

Warden

[fooforon]

hey,

the reason for putting the rad right after the pump is becasue some pumps give off heat so this way the rad gets rid of it before entering the block as for the pump + rad combo I cant give u much of an answer not that muhc expernsive with them

[Craig]

The rad after the pump and before the block give the lowest possible temp water to the block.

Some prefer the rad=>pump=>block set up thinking they will get more turbulent & higher flow that way. But in a closed loop the flow rate is the same through out the loop. And turbulence is influanced far more by block design vs all other influances.

The thing is the differance in water temp is small to modest with most pumps (Only with the most powerfull pumps does it become a REQIREMENT to run pump=>rad=>blocks) so if you had to run more lines or fittings to run from the rad to the block vs pump to blocks, the incresed resistence from the added fittings or line length can over come the advantage of going from the rad to the block.

As for suggestions for pump and rad. It would be easier to offer advice if you set a ceiling on cost, but here goes.

If it were me this is the combo I'd use.

Pump=> Swiftech's new 600 series pump, for cost it's high performing, very close to the Iwaki MD15 which I have, but which costs more.

Rad=> 69-72 chevy pick up with air conditioning heater core. This is a single pass core large enough to take dual 120mm fans on both sides if you want it to. You don't rule out possible use of TEC's some day, and this rad can handle them, or give very low temps without the TEC's in system. A good match for the Swiftech pump.

If you have the means the Iwaki MD20rlzt is about the finest high performance pump I know of....but.......$$$165.00-185.00$ for this pump. I'd still use the same rad with it, but would then have a quad fan set up for sure in a external solution. And with the MD20Z I'd go Pump=>rad=>block as this large of a pump is adding enough heat that IMO it would be worth designing the cooling loop with this in mind.

The pumps I've named all cost above the average, most of all the Iwaki's. Rad can be purchased at a Napa or other parts stores for approx. 25-35$, I paid 30$ for mine.

But if I had the system you are going to have, no way I'd skimp on the water rig.

What block(s) will you be making use of? Will be a very fine, fast, yet pretty quiet system. Congrats on it. :)

[Warden]

Thanks for the advice so far. I found this info on the web:

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The RLT type aquarium pumps handle back pressure better and can be used for almost any application. Especially recommended for high-head situations or when using cartridge (pressure) filters!

The RLXT type aquarium pumps are best suited for circulation only - that is, where water encounters very little back pressure - for example, returning water from a wet/dry sump. Excellent where a high turn-over rate is desired!

WMD aquarium pumps have American Made Motors. MD aquarium pumps have Japanese Made Motors.
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So is an RLT or an RLXT preferred? It seems the MD series have a Japanese motor and may be a bit more expensive than the WMD American made models. Price below...

WMD-20RLT Iwaki Pump
WMD 20 400 gph $123.50

WMD-20RLXT Iwaki Pump
WMD 20 600 gph $128.00

Those prices for those pumps seem pretty reasonable given the quality of the Iwaki pumps. Do you think either of these will work for me? As far as a Blcok is concerned either the new Maze-4 for A64 or the Swiftech model for A64.

Anyway, thanks again for the advice!

Warden