Best Water Cooling Set Under $400.00

[BeastNotro]

Ok guys:

I may consider water cooling for my Q6600 G0, my air cooling is fanatstic thus far, but i like to shave off another 20C under full load.

Temps now full load under folding = 60-58-56-58

Now all i want to do is cool the CPU more.

What is the best:

Block
Rad
Tubing and Size to match Barbs
Coolant
Pump

I read about danger gen and D/Tek


I want something versatile that if i decided to change blocks/motherboards down the road and so forth .. i don't want to be stuck buying a lot of things again .. only new block if required.

Check my system specs in my signature for what i have.

Thks

[roofsniper]

for the block the fuzion v2 and ek supreme are know to be the best and the apogee gtz was recently released and there is not much on that yet.
for a rad a thermochill 120.3 would give you the best temps.
check out this link for tubing: http://www.xtremesystems.org/forums/showthread.php?t=157370
distilled water with a biocide is the best coolant :up:
for a pump get a ddc3.2 with a custom top or a d5.

[WhiteFireDragon]

is this a CPU only loop? parts i think are great without breaking the bank:

MCP355 pump with XSPC top, MCR320 rad, fuzion v2 CPU block, any res will do, 7/16 tubes, and yate loon fans.

[lowfat]

$400 is a lot of money for a WC setup.

MCR320 ( $55) http://www.directcanada.com/products/?sku=14480AC5149&vpn=MCR320-QP-K&manufacture=SWIFTECH

EK Supreme ($65) http://www.ncix.com/products/index.php?sku=27157&vpn=3830046990068&manufacture=EK%20Water%20Blocks

MCP655 ($70) http://www.directcanada.com/products/?sku=14480AC9205&vpn=MCP655-B&manufacture=SWIFTECH

10 feet of feser one tubing ($27) http://www.directcanada.com/products/?sku=25150AC8582&vpn=4260119640627&manufacture=Feser%20One

fittings ($5 pair)- http://www.directcanada.com/products/?sku=25270AC4787&vpn=BP20065&manufacture=Bitspower

Swiftec MC Res ($15) http://www.directcanada.com/products/?sku=14480AC0536&vpn=MCRES-MICRO&manufacture=SWIFTECH

and you still have a ton of money left over.

[eXa]

10 feet of feser one tubing ($27) http://www.directcanada.com/products/?sku=25150AC8582&vpn=4260119640627&manufacture=Feser%20One


Holy crap! :eek:

I get over 45feet of the 7\16 masterkleer tubing i use for that price...

[skinnee]

Masterkleer is great...especially when it's on $0.70-$0.85 a foot! :up:

[eXa]

http://www.petrastechshop.com/7id5odmagepu.html

0.59$

[skinnee]

Shipping from Petra's kills me...McMaster's is next day and cheaper than USPS from Petra's.

[freakgeek1337]

1/2" PrimoFlex PRO LRT FTW!!!:D:yepp::up:

[twwen2]

I may consider water cooling for my Q6600 G0, my air cooling is fanatstic thus far, but i like to shave off another 20C under full load.

Temps now full load under folding = 60-58-56-58


I'm not certain (i don't own a quad) but i don't think you'll see a 20 deg drop going from air to water. If i'm wrong, someone go right ahead and say so.

As for parts, $400 is plenty:

CPU - Swiftech Apogee GTZ, EK Supreme or Dtek Fusion V2. Any of those will be great.
RAD - Thermochill PA120.3 or Swiftech MCR320 (half the price of the TC)
Pump - Liang D5 or DDC3.2 with top.
Tubing - Up to you, sizes, colors etc.
Fittings - Just make sure they match your tubing.

Good luck! :)

[BeastNotro]

Ok thks for the ideas.. how is this below.. anything else i need ... like clamps ... distilled water (where to buy) ... also what about any algae inhibitor and stuff like that??. basically waht to add to keep it best cooled and clean for months.

Ek Supreme Acetal CPU Water Block LGA775 AM2 S939 1/2IN G1/4 Barbs $64.99

Swiftech MCR320 Quiet Power Triple 120MM Water Cooling Radiator Black G1/4 Threaded $54.99

Bitspower G1/4 High Flow 1/2IN Barb Fittings for 1/2IN ID Tubing (Pair) $5.99

Swiftech MCRES-MICRO Clear HI-FLOW Water Cooling Reservoir 3/8IN & 1/2IN Barb Fittings $19.99

Masterkleer Pvc Tubing 7/16IN ID 5/9IN OD 10 Feet $9.99

Swiftech MCP655 12V Industrial Water Cooling Pump 1/2IN Barbs $74.99

YOUR TOTAL $230.94 plus tax an shipping

[iboomalot]

Might want to consider a DD fillport / res with a T-line

I like the less restrictive Fusion V2 and MCP655 (D5) pump

BX-4-4 tygon works well but isn't cheap.

I bet he drops 15 not 20c

oh and FLEX 1200 rpm fans set to 1,000 rpm are super quiet

_______________

Swiftech MCRES-MICRO Clear HI-FLOW Water Cooling Reservoir 3/8IN & 1/2IN Barb Fittings $19.99

The DD is only 14.95

[roofsniper]

I bet he drops 15 not 20c

thats what i thought too 20 C would be nice tho.


Ok thks for the ideas.. how is this below.. anything else i need ... like clamps ... distilled water (where to buy) ... also what about any algae inhibitor and stuff like that??. basically waht to add to keep it best cooled and clean for months.

Ek Supreme Acetal CPU Water Block LGA775 AM2 S939 1/2IN G1/4 Barbs $64.99

Swiftech MCR320 Quiet Power Triple 120MM Water Cooling Radiator Black G1/4 Threaded $54.99

Bitspower G1/4 High Flow 1/2IN Barb Fittings for 1/2IN ID Tubing (Pair) $5.99

Swiftech MCRES-MICRO Clear HI-FLOW Water Cooling Reservoir 3/8IN & 1/2IN Barb Fittings $19.99

Masterkleer Pvc Tubing 7/16IN ID 5/9IN OD 10 Feet $9.99

Swiftech MCP655 12V Industrial Water Cooling Pump 1/2IN Barbs $74.99

YOUR TOTAL $230.94 plus tax an shipping
looks good to me :up:

[SNiiPE_DoGG]

apogee GTZ?????? i would say definitely get this, less restrictive + better temps = win

http://www.performance-pcs.com/catalog/index.php?main_page=product_info&cPath=199&products_id=24230

[lowfat]

apogee GTZ?????? i would say definitely get this, less restrictive + better temps = win

http://www.performance-pcs.com/catalog/index.php?main_page=product_info&cPath=199&products_id=24230

not available in Canada yet.

[SNiiPE_DoGG]

thats why P-PCS ships to canada.....

[lowfat]

thats why P-PCS ships to canada.....

I am aware of that. I just thought it would of costed a whole lot more than $8.66 to ship. Well at that price, I say go with the GTZ :p:

Damn almost makes me want to buy it....must.....resist....already placed 2 orders from P-PC's in 2 weeks.... :p:

[gabe]

not available in Canada yet.

we shipped to NCIX this week I believe ;)

[BeastNotro]

Hmm i must look into this more ... is $300.00 of spending worth 10-15C full load drop .. i at full load Folding 60-58-56-58.

[Xilikon]

IMHO, when you pick the cpu waterblock, think of future expansion and this will surely put the EK Supreme on the wayside due to the restrictiveness. D-Tek Fuzion v2 or Swiftech GTZ would be great choices for a overall good setup.

Those who will pick the EK either build the setup around that with 2 or more loops or doesn't plan to add more blocks to the setup. This is now a pointless thing anyway since the GTZ perform slighty better than the EK but with less restriction.

[BeastNotro]

Yes i do ... do this water cooling project i think i will go with a Swiftech GTZ as i like the looks of it and i read it is better then anything out there.

The only thing that sucks is when and if i upgrade to intels newest CPU's a new block would then be needed as the newer CPU's are about 25% bigger in size.

Is it really worth me spending $300.00 for water cooling to drop 10C-15C MAX?

[Conumdrum]

IF when at max load your temps are higher than you like, or you want a quieter system, then go water. Good air cooling is almost as effective for CPU/NB/SB/GPU as water. And much cheaper. It's louder tho due to more fans at usually higher CFM than a well designed WC setup. When I WC my E6600 and 8800GT and NB, I had a very effective and controlled temps. But I decided to spend $$$ and go water. Why? I wanted to, but it sure wasn't required at all.

Air is cheaper and less hassle. Water is cooler, more work, more danger due to leaks.

And yes, I WC, so when I upgrade to the Nehalem I'll need to buy a new CPU block. But it'll cost me $1000 to upgrade to Nehalem, so whats another $70 or so?

[iboomalot]

Hopefully when i7 hits the market and the spacing changes a new mounting plate will be avil.

$10 upgrade vs $70

My WC setup is very quiet and allows me to OC my system with much "safer" temps.

Can I get away with a fairly quiet fan system yes but temps are high.

Secondly, when I upgrade from my air cooled 8800GT -- which is the loudest part of my system even at idle
vs.
the new 4870x2 which will be ALOT louder , I will be glad I have a WCed system to hook a GPU block into and all is quiet again.

[skinnee]

My build was primarily based on getting my infrastructure set, knowing that Nehalem was around the corner. I wanted my loops ready for whatever came next, blocks, boards, CPU's and GPU's will come and go, but the rads, reservoirs and pumps will stay for quite some time.

[Pen3]

MCP355 + XSPC Res Top > MCP655
Got enough head for future upgrades like extra or more restrictive blocks.

[Mick64]

Is it really worth me spending $300.00 for water cooling to drop 10C-15C MAX?

IMO liquid cooling can be a lot of work for little gain, but if you do decide to take the plunge, lol, you can't help but marvel at your wondrous creation and once addicted, the little gain is dwarfed by a sense of pride and joy... :D

[BeastNotro]

Well keep up with the suggestion guys.

What about a bleed off or drain incase you need to drain for future coolant change, what ya suggest?

Also what is the best way to make it LEAK proof = Compression Fittings? or Clamps?

Should i use some type of plumbing tape on Barbs or Shalack to make leak proof?

I hate to decide to buy all this and the suckers leaks.. :(

Whats the best coolant out there .. i read distilled water and adding (i forget waht it is) = where to buy it?

Also what about a temp probe? .. what for?

[Pen3]

i just use zip ties for my barbs and i cant justify spending $150 on Compression Fittings (http://www.petrastechshop.com/dadepocofig1.html). I have two loops with my main using 1/2 Fat Boys (http://www.petrastechshop.com/dadepofbofig.html) and my 2nd loop is using 1/2 EK High-Flow (http://www.petrastechshop.com/ekhifig1th1o.html) on 7/16 Tubes.

As for coolant i use straight distilled water with PT_Nuke (http://www.petrastechshop.com/pepcobi1.html)

[roofsniper]

just go to a local grocery store and get some distilled water and add some kind of biocide. like pen3 said many people use pt nuke but theres many thinks you can use, you can also just buy a biocide at a pet store as well. the coolant is probably the simplest part of watercooling unless you decide to bling it out and add dyes.

[lowfat]

If you can afford to go with compression fittings, I'd say do it. However make sure they'll fit. Depending on the fitting/tube size you use it will determine what blocks you can and cannot use. So do your research.

As for coolant, I go 100% distilled/RO water. That is all I've used for the past 5 years, and will stick with it for another 5.

[BeastNotro]

Hey guys thks for all the suggestions so far .. if anyone has anything else to add please do so.

Umm no one has answered about a temperature probe or lcd display (yet) and i was wondering why even use one as the water/collant is only going to be what it is and you can't change that unless you cool more some how.


I was also wondering if i should go with 2 RADS = more coolant volume = more coolant cooled down?

Also can i use 7/16 line on 1/2 Barbs .. would that make a tigher seal?

Or as with compression fittings i suppose a 1/2 tube with be securely tight, but to save money is it best to use 7/16 line on 1/2 Barbs and then use normal clamps or even use compression fittings only on CPU block?


LowFat

I plan on if i do this project to get the NEW Apogee GTZ block .... so what you suggest for fittings?

Also what is the shortest or longest line amount you can/should have from block to pump to rad to reservoir?

I am on a tighter budget over the next month .. so i have to buy parts over time.

[twwen2]

I was also wondering if i should go with 2 RADS = more coolant volume = more coolant cooled down?
More coolant won't make a difference, it's the extra surface area of the 2nd rad that will bring temps down.



Also can i use 7/16 line on 1/2 Barbs .. would that make a tigher seal?

Yes, lots of people here do that for this very reason, myslef included.



Or as with compression fittings i suppose a 1/2 tube with be securely tight, but to save money is it best to use 7/16 line on 1/2 Barbs and then use normal clamps or even use compression fittings only on CPU block?

With the compression fittings you must match the ID and OD measurements with the tubing. As for cost, that's up to you entirely.



Also what is the shortest or longest line amount you can/should have from block to pump to rad to reservoir?

That will depend entirely on the layout inside your case. The shorter the loop the better, less tubing = less pressure drop.

Good luck:)