WC system design challenge (do better than a Swiftech H20-220 ULTRA+, and in Canada)

[Spartus]

so I've spent my entire work day today reading the WC forum on account of last night my x1900xtx that I got back from RMA a month ago started overheating in a room thats cold enough to warrant wearing a sweater in. Why did I RMA it originally....overheating and artifacting. I started out shopping for a replacement cooler, but quickly though to myself I shoulda made the investment in water a long time ago. (No I'm not interrested in using a phase change and siliconing all the parts to prevent condensation etc, I just want effective cooling that relatively quiet, although I do run my e6400 at 3.4 ghz on air so I definatly enjoy overclocking, but thats not the goal)

What I would like is a custom watercooling solution to cover the cpu, gpu and nb (its a DS3 that nb is hot). the case is a ThermalTake Tsunami (full size atx, 4x 5.25 bays, and most of the lower section is dedicated to harddrives and PCI cards which has me worried about where to mount the pump (im thinking in the 5.25" bays since I only have 1 drive). I also LAN occasionally so it should be portable, but necessarily easily so, just capable of, ie it doesnt all need to be internal. I've looked for most of the top recomended parts and they seem difficult to find in canada, but can be. The definate problem is I'll have to shop at many different stores it seems to put together what you guys seem to recomend (not that there is any concensus though it seems). I like the idea of 7/16 and a tight fit thats fine. I'm leaning towards a 2x120 not a 3x120 since that seems somewhat excessive to me, although I do want 3 blocks in series so...


I went e-shopping at Petra's Tech Shop etc and really like the equipment you can get, but its not readily available to me (not all of it). You guys seem to be preety helpful and if there are a couple of you who enjoy e-shopping as much as I do maybe you could give me a hand.

What can you guys recomend as a custom system. Some canadian E-tailers I recomend:

http://www.ncix.com/products/index.php?majorcatid=100&minorcatid=1165
http://www.directcanada.com/category/?minorcatid=1358
http://www.tigerdirect.ca (meh)
http://www.bigfootcomputers.com (specialize in cooling but wow they are expensive it seems)
http://www.anitec.ca


Canadian price search engines:
http://www.pricecanada.com
http://www.pricenetwork.ca

the competition is to do better than a Swiftech H20-220 ULTRA+ for $341 Canadian (better in either price or performace, I can go up to about $400):
http://www.directcanada.com/products/?sku=14480AC3669&vpn=H20-220-APEX-ULTRA+&manufacture=SWIFTECH

its out of stock there but I'd price match it at NCIX where it is in stock (keep price matching in mind)

I can shop in the states for a limited number of items, but I'll pay 14% tax + duty + exchange and have to wait longer, rather than just 6% tax by buying out of province.



I wish Petra's Tech Shop was an option since they seem resonable and have preety much every item you guys recomend, unfortunately its not quite so simple.

[IanY]

So.. in other words.. you would like it if someone did your homework for you....

I strongly doubt that a MCR220 or even a PA120.2 is adequate for three blocks. You won't get the job done with just one dual radiator.

I would personally take the Ultra+ kit, trash the Apogee, switch to Apogee GTX, keep the MCW30 and MCW60, add one MCW30 for the SB, add one more MCP655, add one or two MCR320s, switch to Tygon 1/2" tubing and run two loops.

[Spartus]

Ok I'll put together what i think i can get, then maybe I can get some comments.

[carholmes]

I agree with IanY on this one. A double rad will not cut it with three blocks. Especially if your video card and nb is as hot as you say they are. A 120.3 rad would be best and give you the temps you want.
I'm actually putting a loop in tsunami too. and I have found out that if you remove the drive cage and that bracket thing below it you could fit a MCR-320 rad on the bottom. If you mount the fans outside the case on the bottom the rad would only be blocking one PCI slot. If you did this you would need to install biggger case feet. I also drilled some holes in the floppy drive bay so I could mount two HDs in there. If you have more HDs you could get some 5 1/4in to 3 1/2in brackets. My pump will be mounted on the bottom of my floppy drive cage.
If this is way to complicated just get a radbox and mount your rad on the back of the case.

[Spartus]

Swiftech 1/2IN OD BSPP Chrome Plated Fittings (Set of Two) $4.95


Masterkleer Pvc Tubing 7/16IN ID 5/9IN OD 10 Feet 2x$4.71

Swiftech MCP655 12V Industrial Water Cooling Pump 1/2IN Barbs $90.20

D-TEK Customs Fuzion CPU Water Block S478/LGA775/S939/AM2/S754 1/2IN Barbs $56.07

Swiftech MCRES-MICRO Clear HI-FLOW Water Cooling Reservoir 3/8IN & 1/2IN Barb Fittings $19.80

Swiftech MCW60 GPU Water Block for Most NVIDIA & ATI Video Cards 1/2IN & 3/8IN Barbs W/RAMSINKS $57.20

Sub Total: $266.61 for items listed + radiator etc. which basically bring it to ~340 and there is no chipset block cause I cant even find one thats not aluminum. This is ending up more than the ultra+ kit if I want to have 3 blocks, but it would be with a 3x120 and a slightly better cpu block. It doesnt cover any water additive yet, or anti kinking "spring" etc. I'm thinking about the 2x120 and skipping chipset (i know chipset is hardly the hottest though so it would reduce the performance, but maybe make it easier to install)


Ok I Got that stuff together and I can order a Swiftech MCR320 at another store for about 62. Or i can spend about 70 on HW Labs Black Ice Xtreme III which I believe comes with plastic barbs. Do these heatsinks etc come with clamps, or should I be buying a bunch. The etailer I was looking at had poor user reviews for the masterkleer despite it beng recomended a few times here. so once i get a rad, and however many clamps I may need whats missing?

carholmes: I'm liking the recomendations your making with respect to installation, have you fully implemented it yet or is it still in progress. I have 5.25 to 3.5 drive brackets so i can move 2 drives up top and put 2 in the floppy bays so thats ok i guess. If i only lose 1 PCI slot this seems resonable although odd that the fans go on the bottom and then you need stilts :P
you have any photos of it setup?

[carholmes]

Its not completed. When I was planing everything my video card crapped out and since I have my eye on the 8800gts I will need a new PSU. All the upgrades plus the planned loop would cost more money than I have, so to get everything together will take more time than I expected.
Yea it does seem weird with the fans on the bottom, but that will be the only way if I want to keep my sound card. Oh and no need for stilts lol, caster wheels will do fine.