Will this cooling build survive?

[Grayscale]

My objective with this system:

-Crunch network sims
-High resolution, high detail gaming
-Performance project
-Must be clean and movable
-Noise not an issue

Core system:

Intel Core 2 Extreme X6800 Conroe 2.93ghz
Asus P5N32-SLI Premium
4gb Corsair XMS2 DDR2 1066 PC2-8500 double pairs
2x XFX Geforce 7950GX2 1gb GDDR3 PCI-e 16x Xtreme in Quad-SLI


Case/power/cooling:

VapoChill LightSpeed for Socket 775
Lian-li PC-65B

Artic Silver 5
2x AquagraFX 7950GX2
Alphacool NB-SLI
2x Koolance RAM-30-VO6
Alphacool AP1510 Water Pump - 19' head, 17w, max 396 GPH
2x80 Black Ice Micro w/ Vantec Tornados - 168 cfm (Intake)
1x80 Black Ice Micro w/ Vantec Tornado 84 cfm (Exaust)
XSPC Reservoir
1/4" Tygon

The setup will be as follows...

Reservoir > Pump > 2x80mm Intake Radiator > Bottom GPUs > Top GPUs > 1x80mm Exaust Radiator > North Bridge > Memory > Reservoir

I understand the 1/4" tubing and small radiators are not ideal, but my options seem very limited for cooling these video cards. I'm only asking whether you think this system will even work decently, or perhaps anything I could possibly do considering this situation.

Any help is appreciated.

[nikhsub1]

Your post is full of contradictions... I will not give you advice because it seems you don't really want it. Therefore, do what you will.

[Grayscale]

Your post is full of contradictions... I will not give you advice because it seems you don't really want it. Therefore, do what you will.

I am asking whether you think the cooling will be effective. This is not a contradiction, however, I've asked in other forums and had responses about things ranging from my motherboard to PSU selection (when this is a question of cooling), or even the very obvious fact that 1/4" tubing and 80mm radiators are not as good as bigger tubing or radiators.

Basically, I'm working under certain criteria here. I am asking for advice, but some people don't seem to understand that the selections were made for a reason. What can I expect? What steps can I take to make the best of my situation? That's what I want to know.

I don't mean to sound hostile. Any advice would be appreciated, really, I'm just saying that a certain type would be most helpful. :)

[septim]

the most likely response to your questions would be:
you're not making something extreme, you're making something extremely restricting to the waterblocks,tubes,pump even your overclock would be restricted.
then another reponse you'd probably get would be just stick to air cooling

i am sorry if these responses would sound harsh, but given what you proposed, and given what we usually suggest here, it would not make a match...

[nikhsub1]

I am asking whether you think the cooling will be effective. This is not a contradiction, however, I've asked in other forums and had responses about things ranging from my motherboard to PSU selection (when this is a question of cooling), or even the very obvious fact that 1/4" tubing and 80mm radiators are not as good as bigger tubing or radiators.

Basically, I'm working under certain criteria here. I am asking for advice, but some people don't seem to understand that the selections were made for a reason. What can I expect? What steps can I take to make the best of my situation? That's what I want to know.

I don't mean to sound hostile. Any advice would be appreciated, really, I'm just saying that a certain type would be most helpful. :)
I dont think so. I hate your choice of PSU, but you don't want to hear it so why even list it? Anyway, why not go with ONE GOOD RAD? A PA120.2 would be really good. Why the 1/4" tubing? Have you looked into dangerden's 7950 cards? Id go with the DDC Ultra over the pump you listed, its smaller and more powerful and very quiet. I'm just laughing at watercooling the ram, it is more than useless, you might as well watercool the HD's too while your at it. In my book you only water cool what truly will benefit from it, the RAM will not. If you are concerned about space, perhaps seek a bigger case, you are spending enough money on this setup that a few extra bucks on a proper case would make sense then you won't have these assinine limitations on the setup. My .02

[Grayscale]

I dont think so. I hate your choice of PSU, but you don't want to hear it so why even list it? Anyway, why not go with ONE GOOD RAD? A PA120.2 would be really good. Why the 1/4" tubing? Have you looked into dangerden's 7950 cards? Id go with the DDC Ultra over the pump you listed, its smaller and more powerful and very quiet. I'm just laughing at watercooling the ram, it is more than useless, you might as well watercool the HD's too while your at it. In my book you only water cool what truly will benefit from it, the RAM will not. If you are concerned about space, perhaps seek a bigger case, you are spending enough money on this setup that a few extra bucks on a proper case would make sense then you won't have these assinine limitations on the setup. My .02

Good point, I'll take that out. I actually just had the specs and I copied and pasted them here, but I suppose that's not pertinent.

DangerDen's blocks are still in developement. Since I'm doing all this mainly for the GPUs, the options become limited to Aqua Computer stuff from Europe (and you know how they love 1/4").

I mean, I suppose I could have 1/2" tubing, a 1/2" pump, and a 1/2" radiator, but when the water hits the GPU blocks its still going to pushed through the the small-ID, that's why I didn't really think there was another option. The case is made to fit with the Vapochill system... where would I fit a 2x120mm on that case?

Maybe you see what I was getting at... it's not that I don't want advice, but I'm already at the point where I've considered a lot of things already.

Just a bit frustrated at the limited options for water cooling these cards, I appreciate the help on your part, though, just to be clear about that.

[Lurid]

Swiftech MCB-120 solves the radiator question.

[tw33ter]

If noise isn't an issue, then dont even bother with all that watercooling. Why do you want watercooling in the first place? You'd be better off filling up your case with a bunch of sanyo denki's and you'd prolly get better performance then with all that 1/4'' crap. Also, you state that it needs to be movable... How movable do you think it'd be if you added that vapochill, plus the risk of leaks from the wc'ing from moving the case around?

[Grayscale]

Swiftech MCB-120 solves the radiator question.

Awesome, thanks!

[smids]

If you used the listed spec, you'd probably kill the cards. They would dump too much heat for the radiators no doubt, causing the thing to eventually overheat (yes, from their specs they might be able to handle it, but the pump wou;dn't get enough flow through them and would probably overheat and die shortly anyway).

Use a Swiftech Radbox and mount either a Thermochill PA120.2 or Swiftech MCR220 off the back (both of which use quieter fans for good performance). The Thermochills are very thick so you need good clearance off the back for it. Why not use 1/2" or 7/16" tubing? It's not hard to change a few barbs for the massive pressure drop you would expel from the system for using 1/4".

It just needs a complete rethink...

[Grayscale]

If you used the listed spec, you'd probably kill the cards. They would dump too much heat for the radiators no doubt, causing the thing to eventually overheat (yes, from their specs they might be able to handle it, but the pump wou;dn't get enough flow through them and would probably overheat and die shortly anyway).

Use a Swiftech Radbox and mount either a Thermochill PA120.2 or Swiftech MCR220 off the back (both of which use quieter fans for good performance). The Thermochills are very thick so you need good clearance off the back for it. Why not use 1/2" or 7/16" tubing? It's not hard to change a few barbs for the massive pressure drop you would expel from the system for using 1/4".

It just needs a complete rethink...

I think I've said it several times now, the blocks are from Europe. I could get a G18 - 1/2" fitting but I really don't see how that would accomplish anything. The water would be 1/2" in the tube but then just bottleneck at the fitting. I will get that radiator box thing, though... my main concern was the heat dissipation, but this Lian-li doesn't have any 120mm natively. :(

You know, these GPUs aren't insanely hot... just look at the default air cooling. :fact:

edit: Hmm... you know, for all this trouble, I might as well just put a 1/2" system in place then leave the video cards on air until DD releases their version of the block... then I'll just bump the NB and pump fittings to 1/2", cut out the memory out of the loop since the radiator will be outside the case and the case air wont be particularly warm.

[smids]

You might also notice from my location that I live in Europe...

I happen to own several alphacool products and they all use standard G1/4" or G1/8" threads. Having restrictive blocks doesn't mean you should use restrictive tubing, you know. I have a Storm, but that won't see me using 1/4" tubing. If you compared 1/4" tubing and 1/2" tubing at even a 2m length, you would see a massive difference in pressure drop and flow rates. I think you really need to read up properly on the subject before making assumptions.

Bottlenecking at fittings is fine - it's not like it's something that can really be helped. A restrictive block will do this anyway.... you just need a pump to compensate like the Laing DDC+ Ultra.

[Grayscale]

You might also notice from my location that I live in Europe...

I happen to own several alphacool products and they all use standard G1/4" or G1/8" threads. Having restrictive blocks doesn't mean you should use restrictive tubing, you know. I have a Storm, but that won't see me using 1/4" tubing. If you compared 1/4" tubing and 1/2" tubing at even a 2m length, you would see a massive difference in pressure drop and flow rates. I think you really need to read up properly on the subject before making assumptions.

Bottlenecking at fittings is fine - it's not like it's something that can really be helped. A restrictive block will do this anyway.... you just need a pump to compensate like the Laing DDC+ Ultra.

Yea, what's up with you guys? Also, I guess you'd be a good person to ask - Alphacool, good quality stuff? This is the first time I've bought something overseas, I'm hoping it pays off.

Interesting about the tubing, I've actually built quite a few watercooled setups, but they were all with 1/2" tubing so I wasn't really sure about it here. I just figured if every block used 1/4" fittings, including the pump, there really wouldn't be any reason to have 1/2" worth of space in the tubes between them. I guess I'll have to research it, but just thinking about it now, I don't see how having the the bottleneck at the block (after 1/2" tubing) or just right off the bat at the pump would make a difference as water can't be compressed.

Maybe someone here could explain how that works? I'm probably missing something, but technically wouldn't your flow of your entire loop be limited to the tightest point of it? Water at any variance of diameter before the point would still have to "wait" before going through that point, if your pressure is only able to push X ammount of water through the point, and water of any variance of diameter after the point would still only be "pushed" at the same rate. Anyways, thats what I thought.

[smids]

You lose unit pressure from the pump for every metre of tubing of x diametre you pump the water through. I'm sure someone will point you to a link for calculations. The more pressure you save, the better it is, because the blocks are going to be restrictive anyway. There are big pressure drops at blocks, so you don't want to be adding to this by having a large pressure drop in the tubing as well. Also, flow is significantly reduced as less water obviously flows. You end up with a low flow, low pressure system.

Anyway, Alphacool, their stuff is good - like the NexxoS XP waterblock - it performs like a Storm or AquaXtreme MP-05 LE but requires a very good pump! I tend to steer clear as I don't like the plastic blocks... I much prefer all metal.

[Grayscale]

You lose unit pressure from the pump for every metre of tubing of x diametre you pump the water through. I'm sure someone will point you to a link for calculations. The more pressure you save, the better it is, because the blocks are going to be restrictive anyway. There are big pressure drops at blocks, so you don't want to be adding to this by having a large pressure drop in the tubing as well. Also, flow is significantly reduced as less water obviously flows. You end up with a low flow, low pressure system.

Anyway, Alphacool, their stuff is good - like the NexxoS XP waterblock - it performs like a Storm or AquaXtreme MP-05 LE but requires a very good pump! I tend to steer clear as I don't like the plastic blocks... I much prefer all metal.

Hmm... interesting. Wish this sort of stuff was in watercooling guides, but those are usually simple stuff. :stick:

If Alphacool's stuff is about the pump, then I should be alright I hope, I have one of their pumps, and... it's G1/4" (shocker!). I thought the head was a tad excessive (19') but I guess it's designed to work on their blocks? 4 blocks, though... probably gonna crap out.


edit: Ooooh, I think I get it... the block fittings regulate the pressure for the block, low-pressure, high-flow, so it's still helpful to have big tubing until that point even if it's low flow as it's high pressure? Err.. something like that?

[septim]

I will get that radiator box thing, though... my main concern was the heat dissipation, but this Lian-li doesn't have any 120mm natively.

that is what the Radbox was designed for, so you could mount it in an 80mm fan hole and then mount your radiator. it does have some standoffs included.


I just figured if every block used 1/4" fittings

this i think is where you are confused about, the blocks we recommend are usually 1/4 fittings - as in the thread part is called G1/4 or 1/4 BSPP or NPS/t 1/4 - but the Barb size doesn't neccesarilly have to be 1/4 ID tubing...

[Grayscale]

Alright, thanks for the input guys, it helped me realize maybe this isn't so impossible as I thought...

How does this sound? MCB-120 mounted to the back 80mm grill, because of the vapochill making the entire unit taller, I would be able to fit something as big as a 3x120mm radiator on there, then I'll just go for a more popular 1/2" pump, take the memory out of the cooling loop, then upgrade my G1/8 GPU and NB block fittings to 1/2".

Think that will work? I'm assuming the rear radiator fans will be blowing away from the case, right? How exactly would those be wired... also, do you think it would be beneficial with this much heat capacity to cool the southbridge as well? I've heard that the low OC performance on the nforce boards is due to overheating on the NB/SB.


this i think is where you are confused about, the blocks we recommend are usually 1/4 fittings - as in the thread part is called G1/4 or 1/4 BSPP or NPS/t 1/4 - but the Barb size doesn't neccesarilly have to be 1/4 ID tubing...

Actually, I understand that the fitting doesn't have to match the barb size, but I figured that if you had 1/4" fittings on both sides of the tube, there wouldn't be a point to making the tube any bigger.

[v0dka]

[...] because of the vapochill making the entire unit taller, I would be able to fit something as big as a 3x120mm radiator on there [...]

I think this computer will be as movable as the Eiffel tower. :cool:

[Grayscale]

I think this computer will be as movable as the Eiffel tower. :cool:

See, it's a security feature from keeping small people from stealing it. :nono:

[HaxR3]

just mod a cpu cooler onto the northbridge & get a nb hsink for southbridge

an idea ive got for a nb cooler is shown VVVvvvVVV

http://img221.imageshack.us/img221/2586/modp4hdske9.jpg