Putting together Water Cooling for the first time

[nzone]

http://www.performance-pcs.com/catalog/images/products/GT1000-B_01.jpg

I've been lurking for awhile looking for ideas. :D This is the case that I have at the moment. The swing-out doors are perfect match for two 120.3s after removing the modular HD drive cage and the 5.25 drive cage, but I do not have the balls the size of watermelons to cut 120mm fan holes on this beautiful constructed case. The plan aborted. :rofl:

Then the Feser Monsta comes along...:shrug:

My current system:
PSU: Antec Signature 850
GPU: eVGA GTX 295
Mem: Patriot 4GB
CPU: Q6600
Case: Zalman GT1000
MB: eVGA 680i

**I'm still debating whether I should get the i7 build now or wait for the Lynnfield.

The wet parts (have or have ordered):
:Alphacool Yellowstone Y/B CPU block
:HEATKILLER® GPU-X² GTX295
:Swiftech MCP655™ w/speed controller
:Bitspower D5/MCP655 MOD Top
:Bitspower D5 / MCP655 Mod Kit - Black Sparkle Finish
:Koolance Reservoir, Inline 200mm V2
:Feser Monsta radiator
: (3) Noiseblocker S-Series S1 fans @ 750RPM/6dB 34CFM for the Monsta
: (1) Noiseblocker S-Series PWM @ 1000-2000RPM for case exhaust
:MurderMod MDPC-X Psychopack Sleeve Kits [ Kirk am I still the first in the states to have the aqua sleeve? :D Thanks for the fast and great service!]

**NB/SB block not decided yet since I am not sure I'll be staying put or upgrading to i7 system.

My goal is to have this system as silent as possible, if I have to, I'll get another Monsta. Maybe mild cpu overclocking. I just can't stand the 295 noise ringing in my ears.

Fittings. I will be using Koolance Quick Connect for sack of convenient, and compression fittings.

Ah...tubing. I am still cannot decide on the tubing size. At the moment, I am thinking 1/2 ID and 5/8 OD. Is the size too big? Should I go with 3/8 ID and 1/2 OD? What's your suggestion?

Is it safe to use car antifreeze coolant, 70/30 mixture? Toyota (red) or Nissan (blue) comes to my mind.

[kinghong1970]

tubing is a preference thing...
personally, 7/16 on 1/2" barbs is nice... but i also made one with 3/8 ID and found that for smaller/tight builds, it suits me fine...

as for coolants, just use distilled water with couple of drops of PT Nuke.

[nzone]

I like color effect of the liquid. I really like the red color that ben805 has in his loop. here. (http://www.xtremesystems.org/forums/showthread.php?t=224079&highlight=toyota)

I think I'm going to flip the coin on the tubing then between 1/2ID:5/8OD and 3/8ID:1/2OD. I want something that can be used with the compression fittings. I'm just afraid the tube might be too fatty.

[exemay]

go for 3/8 ID 1/2 ID....its perfect! the 1/2ID is hard to work with........the 3/8ID however is very easy to work with!

i wouldnt go for car antifreeze as coolant....you dont know whats in it or what it will do to your blocks, go for feser premixed!

[ctsoccer13]

Is it safe to use car antifreeze coolant, 70/30 mixture? Toyota (red) or Nissan (blue) comes to my mind.

A friend of mine uses a makeshift 70/30 mixture and it hasn't destroyed his components yet.


personally, 7/16 on 1/2" barbs is nice... but i also made one with 3/8 ID and found that for smaller/tight builds, it suits me fine...

I completely agree--with 7/16 on 1/2" barbs, there's no need for clamps and you can save money on the compression fittings. Just don't count on being able to remove it very easily :D

EDIT: Didn't know much about Lynnfield, so I googled it...

Intel Lynnfield is expected in Q1 2009. Lynnfield will be quad-core CPU's based on the Nehalem architecture and targeted towards the performance mainstream market. Lynnfield will only come with a dual-channel DDR3 memory controller instead of the triple-channel one found on Bloomfield CPU's. Lynnfield will include Hyper-Threading which will allow it to have 8 threads across the 4 cores. It will also include an integrated PCIe 2.0 controller which will limit it to single x16 graphics card or 2 x8 cards. Lynnfield will use a LGA 1160 socket and have 8 MB Intel Smart Cache.
I dunno... there are certain things I'm not too fond of in its architecture, not to mention Intel throwing ANOTHER socket to further create incompatibility issues in upgrades.

[exemay]

hmm, maybe the anti-freeze is good stuff to use, ive never herd of people using it before.....oh well! go for it!

[millertime359]

Isn't this almost a 50/50 mix like you use in your car? http://www.sidewindercomputers.com/fevshecafl50.html I know it's only 42% glycol, buts seems close. It will probably run cooler, but got to remember it is in your house, so leak happens around pets or kids and they get to it before you, could be bad. Also conductivity issues. Would that mixture be more conductive than distilled water with PT Nuke or just some regular Feser 1? :shrug:

Also have you checked out the DetroitAC pump top for the D5? I just got mine and love it.

I would just go with the 7/16" ID and 5/8" OD. I have that and the 1/2" ID and 3/4" OD. It is easier to work with, not that much smaller, only downside is it felt like it was more prone to kinks, but it worked fine for what I used it for.

[MpG]

The thermal properties of glycols are actually worse than water. The reason you use antifreeze is to prevent corrosion in mixed-metal systems (i.e. iron engine block, aluminum heads/rad) and to raise the boiling/lower the freezing point of the fluid. A good PC watercooling system shouldn't have any of those issues.

[kinghong1970]

if you're going for color, use one of those coolants with dye like feser and such...
i agree that you do not need antifreeze with a thicker consistency than water, in your loop.

colored tubing will be even better... no need to worry about color fading...
then use distilled + nuke

[moiraesfate]

From everything I've been reading, don't use PT Nuke. While it works, its part of the residue that you see on the tubing. Use killcoils.

[faster3200]

From everything I've been reading, don't use PT Nuke. While it works, its part of the residue that you see on the tubing. Use killcoils.

Where did you hear that? The only issue with PT Nuke is if you use way too much, but that won't effect your tubing at all. Plasticizer and dye are the only things that will do that, one-two drops of nuke won't.

[nzone]

Intel Lynnfield is expected in Q1 2009. Lynnfield will be quad-core CPU's based on the Nehalem architecture and targeted towards the performance mainstream market. Lynnfield will only come with a dual-channel DDR3 memory controller instead of the triple-channel one found on Bloomfield CPU's. Lynnfield will include Hyper-Threading which will allow it to have 8 threads across the 4 cores. It will also include an integrated PCIe 2.0 controller which will limit it to single x16 graphics card or 2 x8 cards. Lynnfield will use a LGA 1160 socket and have 8 MB Intel Smart Cache.

It has good review @anandtech. :shrug:

[NaeKuh]

i hope you got an old 295GTX.

people are saying they changed the PCB's not too long ago.

New blocks are expected... so i hope your HK fits.

http://www.xtremesystems.org/forums/showpost.php?p=3823375&postcount=12

[nzone]

Isn't PT Nuke poisonous? I have a couple of toddlers, I would have to avoid that. Scratch antifreeze coolant too for that matter.

FluidXP+ Nano-Fluid, has anyone experienced with that? I know it is expensive but as long as the product is as good as its claimed to be, safe + environmental friendly...I'm all good. It looks like I would need 3 liters of it for my loop.

[nzone]

i hope you got an old 295GTX.

people are saying they changed the PCB's not too long ago.

New blocks are expected... so i hope your HK fits.

http://www.xtremesystems.org/forums/showpost.php?p=3823375&postcount=12

I thought it was just the 285? I got my GTX 295 over 3 months ago, I hope that is old enough...and I hope the HK is not the new design. Else $180 down the drain. :shocked:

Edit: the thread was referring to the single PCB GTX 295. I think I'm good.

[millertime359]

I was looking at it myself, and think I found some threads asking about it here or on other forums I haven't seen any solid data as of yet, but Feser 1 only contains about 0.005% glycol from what I am reading on the bottle, and it is half the cost.

If anyone does have any performance info it would interesting to see if that nano fluid is worth it, seems they claim it out performs all other coolant options on the market and you can basically drink the stuff with no harm coming to you.

[kinghong1970]

Isn't PT Nuke poisonous? I have a couple of toddlers, I would have to avoid that. Scratch antifreeze coolant too for that matter.

FluidXP+ Nano-Fluid, has anyone experienced with that? I know it is expensive but as long as the product is as good as its claimed to be, safe + environmental friendly...I'm all good. It looks like I would need 3 liters of it for my loop.

i've got kids myself.
keep your hobby stuff safe and away from kids... too sparkly and colorful for them to resist!

[NaeKuh]

I thought it was just the 285? I got my GTX 295 over 3 months ago, I hope that is old enough...and I hope the HK is not the new design. Else $180 down the drain. :shocked:

Edit: the thread was referring to the single PCB GTX 295. I think I'm good.

nope dean had to replace a lot of acrylic. :X

Because the 2 pcb's would warp inwards...

http://www.xtremesystems.org/forums/showthread.php?t=224361

[kinzaru]

It has good review @anandtech. :shrug:

The key word is mainstream. What this CPU is, is a crippled i7. Dual Channel controller on DDR3 RAM? Might as well go back to the Core 2 Duos (not that they are in any way bad). The benefits are lost when you drop a channel.

Not to mention the 1x16 pci-e or 2x8 pci-e limitation....

[Fragger]

Silver is the new pt nuke ;)

[Spankyfart]

**I'm still debating whether I should get the i7 build now or wait for the Lynnfield.



The latter, quickest phase out afaik on any intel chip.
i5 with PCI-e on die, and close to or faster as the i7.

I don't own an i7 but i ran into this article (http://www.bit-tech.net/news/hardware/2009/05/28/intel-to-discontinue-core-i7-920-940-cpus/1).

Things are going fast, and a wait till September isn't that bad.
Aparently Gulftown should work on x58 but things are going really fast and the 1366 route seems an expensive one.
Looks like a dubious Intel move again, to many bets on to many horses.
I say wait, and see what's true in a few months, phasing out 70% of the i7 in a few months seems pretty crazy.

[moiraesfate]

Isn't PT Nuke poisonous? I have a couple of toddlers, I would have to avoid that. Scratch antifreeze coolant too for that matter.

FluidXP+ Nano-Fluid, has anyone experienced with that? I know it is expensive but as long as the product is as good as its claimed to be, safe + environmental friendly...I'm all good. It looks like I would need 3 liters of it for my loop.


Then you're definately better off using killcoils. Its just a piece of silver. Unless they pull the hose off and put their fingers inside to grab it and swallow it (extremely unlikely), you should be fine. The coils will be harder for them to swallow than a small bar of it would be (you can buy little bars of it on ebay so some people do that).

Petra's sells the killcoils for $8.75.

[nzone]

The latter, quickest phase out afaik on any intel chip.
i5 with PCI-e on die, and close to or faster as the i7.

I don't own an i7 but i ran into this article (http://www.bit-tech.net/news/hardware/2009/05/28/intel-to-discontinue-core-i7-920-940-cpus/1).

Things are going fast, and a wait till September isn't that bad.
Aparently Gulftown should work on x58 but things are going really fast and the 1366 route seems an expensive one.
Looks like a dubious Intel move again, to many bets on to many horses.
I say wait, and see what's true in a few months, phasing out 70% of the i7 in a few months seems pretty crazy.

I don't know how many times that I have been burned by buying high end motherboard. They listed full support for future CPU but they delivered the promise. :shakes: This is why I am so leery...

[nzone]

Then you're definately better off using killcoils. Its just a piece of silver. Unless they pull the hose off and put their fingers inside to grab it and swallow it (extremely unlikely), you should be fine. The coils will be harder for them to swallow than a small bar of it would be (you can buy little bars of it on ebay so some people do that).

Petra's sells the killcoils for $8.75.

I think this is probably the safest. What about anti-corrosive addictive, do I need them? I just have copper and brass.

[kinghong1970]

no, you don't need additive for anti-corrosive... just distilled and nuke.

[nzone]

no, you don't need additive for anti-corrosive... just distilled and nuke.

I was referring to using just the distilled water + kingcoil. Without using some kind anti-corrosive addictive, would this corrode the copper/brass since silver is placed in the loop. The corrosion is going to be slow, but it will happen because of the silver.