View Full Version : Is a massive loop a good idea?
Mallen
03-22-2007, 07:38 AM
I have been water cooling for a couple of years now and I am in the process of putting together the pieces for my new system.However, I have never done a loop this big and I am not sure if it is a good idea to put all these things in one loop or split it into two.
Here are the parts I have:
Apogee GTX (don't have yet)
EK 8800gtx full cover block (plan to add a second in the future)
2 x swiftech mcw 30 (for north and south brigde)
dangerden hdd block (I know the arguments against it)
2 x alphacool mosfet blocks
2 x thermochill pa240
2 x laing D5 pumps
The plan is to throw all this together in this order:
T-line>pump>radiators>pump>all the blocks in the most efficient order>back to start
My question is: are the radiators are up to the task and is the flow rate going to be dismal? And if so how do you guys suggest I break this up?
nikhsub1
03-22-2007, 07:54 AM
Personally I would split that up - CPU and 2x MCW30's on one loop and the rest on another. My reasoning for the 2 MCW30's with the CPU is that first they are very free flowing and second, the NB and SB don't produce much heat at all.
Bun-Bun
03-22-2007, 08:11 AM
Personally I would split that up - CPU and 2x MCW30's on one loop and the rest on another. My reasoning for the 2 MCW30's with the CPU is that first they are very free flowing and second, the NB and SB don't produce much heat at all.
I would agree with Nikhsub1. Various posters of reported that separating the CPU from the GPU's (especially when utilizing SLI G80's) give a significant decrease in temperatures.
Mallen
03-22-2007, 12:18 PM
Thanks guys.
I am going to go with nikhsub1's suggestion.One more question though. I am building an external enclosure for the radiators that will sit on top of my case to improve airflow and because my case is small. Where would be the ideal place to put the pumps. I was planning to put one in the enclosure and one in the bottom of the case, but now that I am doing two loops I am not sure what to do or if it even matters. I am just worried that one d5 can't handle four blocks and a top mounted radiator.
Bun-Bun
03-22-2007, 12:52 PM
Thanks guys.
I am going to go with nikhsub1's suggestion.One more question though. I am building an external enclosure for the radiators that will sit on top of my case to improve airflow and because my case is small. Where would be the ideal place to put the pumps. I was planning to put one in the enclosure and one in the bottom of the case, but now that I am doing two loops I am not sure what to do or if it even matters. I am just worried that one d5 can't handle four blocks and a top mounted radiator.
The lowest point of the loop should be the pump.
nikhsub1
03-22-2007, 12:52 PM
Makes no differences... in a closed loop it does not matter. Having the rads up top just may make bleeding a bit more shall we say, fun?
Bun-Bun
03-22-2007, 01:00 PM
Makes no differences... in a closed loop it does not matter. Having the rads up top just may make bleeding a bit more shall we say, fun?
You could say that... it would be completely sarcastic and a understatement though ;)
I see enough people do it though so it can't be all that bad... right? well see once I get my res back...
two loops means two chances of pump failure which also means two chances of loosing an expensive piece of hardware.
one loop with all the parts from a dual loop system may net a higher
cpu temp but a nice backup incase of a pump failure.
(yes i know d5's don't fail very often but i dont think they have a tach output either)
Mallen
03-22-2007, 01:44 PM
No they do not have a tach output. And I am not looking forward to bleeding the loop I have done a similar thing in the past and while its not fun, its not hard. It just takes time unfortunately
pplapeu
03-22-2007, 02:01 PM
The lowest point of the loop should be the pump.<<<<<<<<<<<
AKA-----Static Head....same level as res with top of res higher than pump
Mallen
03-22-2007, 02:47 PM
I can get one of the pumps, for one of the loops, in the bottom. Problem is with a lian-li pc65 case and eventually 2 8800gtx cards there is not enough room to stick the other pump, for the other loop, at the lowest point. I can get it in the case but it will be about halfway up the loop. Is it better to put it as low as I can even if it is not the lowest part of loop? Rather than putting near the top of the loop.
BTW: I am not using a res only a T-line for each of the loops at the highest point.
Bun-Bun
03-22-2007, 07:50 PM
I can get one of the pumps, for one of the loops, in the bottom. Problem is with a lian-li pc65 case and eventually 2 8800gtx cards there is not enough room to stick the other pump, for the other loop, at the lowest point. I can get it in the case but it will be about halfway up the loop. Is it better to put it as low as I can even if it is not the lowest part of loop? Rather than putting near the top of the loop.
BTW: I am not using a res only a T-line for each of the loops at the highest point.
the biggest thing is having the pump lower then the res/t-line. Keep it as low as possible but having it way below is not that great either.