Martin's Koolance RP-402X2 Review (Working Thread )

[Martinm210]

I have this review now published on my new website here (http://martinsliquidlab.org/2011/02/25/koolance-rp-402x2-rp-452x2/), or you can get the details below:

Welcome to my living review of the Koolance RP-402X2 and RP-452X2 drive bay reservoir systems. First, I would like to give a huge thanks to Tim from Koolance for sponsoring. The RP-402X2 (http://www.koolance.com/water-cooling/product_info.php?product_id=2032) and the RP-452X2 (http://www.koolance.com/water-cooling/product_info.php?product_id=2025) are the latest in the dual bay pumping reservoir craze.

Koolance RP-402X2 & RP-452X2

These are exceptionally well made "Acetal" reservoirs that can hold and run two (PMP-400, PMP-450s, or PMP-450S) pumps all in a single dual bay reservoir. These also have two independent reservoirs that can be run independently, shared, or in series depending on your desired setup needs.

RP-402X2 is designed for the PMP-400 pumps
RP-452X2 is designed for the PMP-450 pumps

Both reservoirs share the same reservoir system with only slight modifications made to accept each type of pump. I'll spend some time going though various tests and review items below

Testing Toys!!..:D
For performance testing I am employing my usual pump testing tools. Flow rate is measured using a King Instruments 7520 flow meter. Pressure differential is measured using a Dwyer 477-5 series digital manometer. Voltage is measure at the pump plug to eliminate vdroop. Power and Amperage is measured using my Mastech power supply.
http://img826.imageshack.us/img826/2706/rp402x2testinginprogres.jpg

It's a heavyweight! All 5 pounds of it when loaded..wow! This is a tribute to the massive machined acetal block construction.
http://img200.imageshack.us/img200/9103/rp402x2weight.jpg

Volute Area
402 Series
http://img196.imageshack.us/img196/2984/rp402x2volute.jpg

452 Series
http://img24.imageshack.us/img24/701/rp452x2volute.jpg

This picture shows removal of the machined block off plate for two pumps on the 402 model. The reservoir comes with this installed so you can run one pump and upgrade later to two pumps if needed. It also comes with G1/4 plugs on the back. If you remove the reservoir side plug, you can use both reservoirs for one pump. Many operational options exist within. I'll include some configuration options later in the review.

http://img228.imageshack.us/img228/2919/rp402x2blockoffplate.jpg

The 452 series uses large aluminum threaded couplers to screw the pumps into place (These are not in contact with water). This photo also provides a quick look at 3/4" (19mm) OD compression fitting spacing:
http://img573.imageshack.us/img573/16/rp452x2barbs.jpg

More internal pictures - Very easy to take apart and clean or modified as needed:

http://img517.imageshack.us/img517/7083/partsall.th.jpg (http://img517.imageshack.us/img517/7083/partsall.jpg)
http://img513.imageshack.us/img513/3332/partsnobezel.th.jpg (http://img513.imageshack.us/img513/3332/partsnobezel.jpg)http://img543.imageshack.us/img543/6973/partsbezelacrylic.th.png (http://img543.imageshack.us/img543/6973/partsbezelacrylic.png)
http://img217.imageshack.us/img217/237/partsinside.th.jpg (http://img217.imageshack.us/img217/237/partsinside.jpg)http://img687.imageshack.us/img687/1924/partsbaffle.th.jpg (http://img687.imageshack.us/img687/1924/partsbaffle.jpg)

Performance PQ Chart

This is testing the pressure head capabilities of the entire pump operating range, but generally you should be most interested in the .5 to 2 GPM range as that is typically where most water cooling systems operate. The benefit of this type of testing is that you can estimate flow rates with the data collected and you also evaluate the entire operating range.

Single Pump 402 Series PMP400 (DDC3.25)
http://img820.imageshack.us/img820/2638/pqrp402x2p2only.png

Single Pump 452 Series PMP450 (D5Vario)
http://img17.imageshack.us/img17/2599/rp452x2p5pqdetail.jpg

Two Pumps 402 Series (Plumbed in Series)
http://img841.imageshack.us/img841/7074/pqrp402x2series.png

402 Series Comparison
http://img151.imageshack.us/img151/6858/rp402x2pqchart.png
This is a bit of an apples to oranges comparison, but in single pump mode it produced slightly less performance than the COV-RP400 (WITHOUT RESERVOIR), with a reservoir included in the standard pump test, I suspect they are roughly about the same. I will do more combined testing on this in a bit. That's all fine and splitting hairs, however if you really want power, running two pumps in series or two separate loops will make a much more noteworthy difference. I found the reservoir to scale nearly double as you would expect, this would be much more power than needed for even the most restrictive of loops.:up:

452 Series comparison
http://img96.imageshack.us/img96/2738/rp452x2onepumppq.jpg
The RP-452X2 has a small performance advantage over the stock pump top plus reservoir curve in the .5 to 2GPM range, which is great. The stock PMP450 top is generally good so any little gain or even matching should be considered a good top.

Performance PQ RP-452X2 + PMP-450 + PMP-450 Series

Overall, without a doubt the noiseless enthusiast dream. I really like this setup, it scales so well with noise and power needs. You can easily dial it down to ultra slow speeds and up to intense pumping power that can easily surpass the 1GPM barrier on any system. It's also amazing how quiet the setup is, I've got some videos for you, but at Setting 3 to 4 it has more than enough power for average systems and practically inaudible (Less than 1dbA raise in noise level)....just awesome for ultra low noise..:up:

Setting 1 -(+.4dbA over 41dbA ambient) For Ultra Low Restriction. A bit low in power for my taste, but it could net you around .75GPM with a very low restriction setup.
http://img138.imageshack.us/img138/1111/rp452serp1.png

Setting 2 -(+.5dbA over 41dbA ambient) For Average/Low to Low Restriction. Another ultra silent setting with a good amount of power for Average/Low to Low Restriction. A low restriction single block loop would see around 1.2GPM which exceeds the desirable 1GPM rule of thumb. But if your emphasis is low noise, you could also do well with this setting on an average restriction loop. (Low restriction CPU block plus 1-2 GPU blocks).
http://img155.imageshack.us/img155/9468/rp452serp2.png

Setting 3 -(+.6dbA over 41dbA ambient) For Average to Low Restriction. This would be my personal favorite, it has an exceptional noise/pumping power ratio and will have plenty of power for a little above Average to Low restriction loops. A low restriction loop would see around 1.5GPM, and an average restriction loop around 1.1GPM.

http://img143.imageshack.us/img143/4382/rp452serp3.png

Setting 4 -(+.8dbA over 41dbA ambient) For High to Average Restriction. A low restriction loop would see around 1.8GPM, Average about 1.3GPM, and High around 1-1.1GPM. This is a fairly strong amount of pumping power good for your higher restriction 3-4block type systems. Noise level is still very good, but just slightly more audible over setting 3.

http://img341.imageshack.us/img341/3488/rp452serp4.png

Setting 5 -(+1.5dbA over 41dbA ambient) For Very High to Average Restriction. An average restriction loop would see around 1.6GPM with this setup and even the most restrictive 5+ block loops will see 1.1-1.2GPM which is very healthy. I simply can not see where this isn't enough pumping power.

http://img151.imageshack.us/img151/9572/rp452serp5.png

And here is the family of curves for easy setting comparisons:
http://img408.imageshack.us/img408/3381/rp452serfamily.png

So which pump you might ask?

I feel this becomes largely a personal preference or personal inventory decision. If you already have one or two of these pumps in any flavor, then the choice is fairly clear in saving on pump cost. I personally am a bit of a noiseless priority type so I find a bit more appeal in the 452 plus a pair of PMP450 pumps. This setup allows you to control pump noise and power via the built in PMP-450 controller, and two pumps in series is an intense amount of power regardless of the flavor. However if you have pump voltage control capabilities, the PMP-400s also provide that flexibility perhaps even via computer control or on demand control.

Noise

402 Series
On the test bench I found the noise level with both pumps in series to be roughly the same as running a GTAP-15 at full speed. That large mass (5 pounds) is a large benefit to keeping vibrations at bay.

Here is my preliminary 402 series test run:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VmNVvwauivc

And a similar test with the 452 series:
http://img14.imageshack.us/img14/5164/rp452x2noise.png
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rI1Eh3LTszU

Subjectively I think the 452 series with PMP-450 pumps is a bit quieter than the 402 series with PMP-400 pumps. If silence is a really high priority, I would suggest the 452 model and PMP-450 pumps. That would give you an easy means to reducing pump speed on the built in pump controllers. Alternatively you could use voltage control on the PMP-450S or PMP-400 pumps. The nice part of running dual pumps is that you nearly double pressure head over one pump, so in general you can dial the pumps down to about half their speed for the same amount of power as just one pump.

Build Quality

Exemplary, this is one of those products that gives you joy just holding it in your hand. The machining and heft of the solid mass of acetal inspires confidence in durability. The entire rear portion of the unit is one massive block of machined acetal. The only joint is the face plate, but it too is reinforced by an aluminum bezel to spread the load of the mounting screws. They even go to detail of machining chamfers on all areas, it's really a work of art. This is by far the most well constructed and durable reservoir system I have personally had the pleasure of testing.

402
http://img222.imageshack.us/img222/649/rp402x2bezel.jpg

452
http://img148.imageshack.us/img148/3264/rp452x2.jpg

Configuration Options for two pumps
Hard to explain and I'm a visual guy, so this should work..:up:
http://img191.imageshack.us/img191/5062/separatetanksseparatepu.png

http://img607.imageshack.us/img607/7183/combinedtanksseparatepu.png

http://img232.imageshack.us/img232/4720/seriespumpscombinedpump.png

The above requires some sort of connecting loop or elbow combination, but that's not the only way to do series. You can also simply bridge the series with some components in between like the schematic below. That would eliminate the need for any elbows, etc.
http://img683.imageshack.us/img683/8031/abetterseriessetup.png

Filling/Bleeding
Priming & Filling does take a little patience particularly for the P1 pump due to the inlet port being relatively high up in the reservoir. I found it to work best by initially tipping the case on it's back and using the front ports to get water primed quickly down into the pump. Then seal off those plugs and switch to the top ports. To get the last little bits of air out you have to tip the case to the left or right opposite of the port since the port hole is in the upper corners. It may also be advantageous to plumb the upper fill ports to remote fill ports on the top of your case. This would allow some fluid to be stored outside of the reservoir and make topping off a less frequent occurrence. Just take your time with this and plan on cycling the pumps on and off to avoid running the pumps dry. Also plan on tipping the case around and on back to help.

Once the system is filled and flowing bleeding actually works very well. The baffles in the reservoir do a great job in providing calm water for air to bleed, although the right reservoir does require topping off fairly full for best results.
http://img8.imageshack.us/img8/4999/incaseh.jpg

LED Lighting
Both units come with the same channels and predilled holes to accept up to four 3mm LED lights. Two are located on the upper side corners and two on the bottom side. The actual LEDs do not come as part of the package, you have to order those separately.
http://img189.imageshack.us/img189/5751/ledchannels.jpg
In this example I used some 5mm LEDs and just pushed them up flush against the acrylic. I also applied a strip of electrical tape around the perimeter to prevent any lighting around the edges.
This is using water only and using 4 red 5mm LED lights, I also had the two edges covered with tape, as you can see a little light is escaping the top edge:
http://img211.imageshack.us/img211/8831/leddd.jpg
The following picture is using only the two top LED slots and I had electrical tape around the entire perimeter:
http://img194.imageshack.us/img194/6366/led3p.jpg

Convenience
What's not to like about taking four very difficult to place components and packaging them in one dual bay unit...amazing...

Overall

I am very happy with both reservoir systems, particularly for their exemplary build quality. Performance on both units is roughly equal, the 402 series is a fair amount better than the stock top and the 452 series is slightly better. Both very good setups each with very minor differences. The differences really come down to which type of pump you like or may already have on hand.

If you REALLY want to kick it up a notch, go with two pumps!! Two pumps in series worked very well and scaled the single pump test 2:1 almost perfectly for head pressure. All 14psi at max (shutoff head), and about 9PSI at 1.5GPM is some heavy duty pumping power on the 402 series. I have a hard time imagining where this wouldn't be enough pumping power. Keep in mind that flow rate has relatively little impact to CPU temperatures above about 1GPM, so don't expect that going to dual pumps is really necessary for all systems. I would do it for pump redundancy safety reasons, for having the ability to reduce speed/noise of dual series pumps, and for getting every last drop from you blocks.

Regarding the pump redundancy thought. I ran a quick test and found that with both pumps operating at 1.5GPM, if I turned off one pump, the result was 1.1GPM which is still plenty to keep the system cooling properly. Some people have thought that a pump stopped adds quite a bit of restriction, but the test didn't show that. I only lost about .4GPM which means a stopped pump is very free flowing.:up:

My only challenge was getting the system filled and bled of air. I'm not very experienced with bay reservoirs, but this one did require that I tip the case on it's back and on to it's side in various angles along with intermittently cycling the pump on/off to slowly get the system full of water without running the pumps dry. This took me about a hour or so and more patience than expected. In the end I was able to get the system full, but don't expect that it'll be easy. Also note that the reservoir side doesn't necessarily match up with the pump and outlet port side. I also would recommend using the left side reservoir in single pump operation because it's in/out ports are located at the bottom of the reservoir which makes bleeding easier. I'm not sure there is any way to improve this, it's simply a fairly compact set of reservoirs connected to the pump via channel ports that takes some effort in filling. I've managed to get mine filled both with a single pump on P1 and with both pumps in series. I was successful both times, but it did test my patience.

Noise was good, I didn't observe any obvious vibration induced noises in my extereme silence case test with the 402 series although I would suggest the 452 series and PMP450 pumps for best noise results. I generally had a fairly difficult time trying to measure noise particularly in my more informal bench tests where I had a bit of ambient noise present, and particularly when another fan was adjacent to the pump. Ambient noise masking makes a significant difference and is beneficial to any perceived pump noise. Pump noise for your average fan user will not likely become a concern, but for those into the sub 1000 RPM fan setup, I would definately recommend the 452 series with PMP-450 pumps. This setup provides a very noise tunable solution for even the most particular noiseless users. My personal noise favorite is the 452 series with PMP-450 pumps turned down to setting 3. This gives you a huge pumping power range, complete noise control, pump redundancy, and cool pump operation.

Cheers!
Martin

[BlueAqua]

I can really see these taking over because they pack so much in such a small space, and almost everyone has extra drive bays.

I picked up a pair of these, and will probably do a head to head video comparison with the DD Monsoon.

Nice preliminary tests, quite thorough Martin.

[screwtech02]

Really like this over the XSPC dual pump res, there is REALLY no comparison between the 2...... Pure p0rn....

[Martinm210]

Added in my first trial video for testing noise.

What do you think about the test method? I think it was helpful to include the fan as Churchy suggested earlier.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VmNVvwauivc

I need to buy an actual case for testing this in. My test bench case isn't very applicable and my son's case is too full and would take too much work to take apart.

Anyhow, that should hold you over for a little bit, but let me know if you'd like to see something else.

Cheers!
Martin

[thegcpu]

Looking good!! Also love the videos, keep them coming.

[CedricFP]

I'm picking myself up a pair of these for sure. Martin's testing has basically made it crystal clear what to expect from these. Thanks Martin, stellar stuff as usual!

Hooking up pumps to a controller and adjusting RPM will provide great flexibility for loops.

[matari]

I have a question. We know that the DDC pumps run hot. How does reservoir going to effect the temperature of the pump, and is it even a concern?

[CedricFP]

I have a question. We know that the DDC pumps run hot. How does reservoir going to effect the temperature of the pump, and is it even a concern?

I would imagine that, if anything, the DDCs run cooler because they don't sit on a surface like they would with a standard res-top. The bottom is open to air circulation. as 5 1/2 inch bays in cases usually have a bit of room on either side.

[Church]

Hmm, i somehow expected for pumps to be quieter then fans. (BTW, you don't plan to record noise curve at different voltages (in case of course. As imho res mounted in case and microphone outside of it should mask a bit of noise)? And does noise level differ for one vs two pumps?) Love fact that you tested with one pump switched off too.

[Conumdrum]

Wow, DD and Koolance head to head. DD makes a GREAT NEW D5 res/pump setup, and I think it's better looking. They haven't released the other stuff yet for multiple pumps and 3.2 pumps.

Looks like Koolance engineers have won the battle over the marketers. They still need to ditch the fun all-in-one setups. They are moving slowly in the right direction.

WC is in for fun times, looking for the next jump, these nice tweaks are promising for sure. Good review/test!. You always do more than review. Your one we need at the XS 2012 party. Please?

[matari]

Question; Does the swiftech MCP 355 feet need to be cut off to fit in the reservoir?

[Martinm210]

Hooking up pumps to a controller and adjusting RPM will provide great flexibility for loops.

Exactly!...that's where I'm headed next with this, I want to take a serious look at series PMP-400s undervolted. There is a fairly dramatic difference in pump noise when undervolted, so running two in series is interesting to me.


I have a question. We know that the DDC pumps run hot. How does reservoir going to effect the temperature of the pump, and is it even a concern?

It seems a majority of the heat resides in the PCB base which is exposed. A low profile heatsink of sorts might help with that, but unlike sitting on a piece of foam or other insulation, the base is exposed to the air. There is about an 8mm gap notched in there which should provide some options. If you have space in drive bays below or above, you could probably direct some air up around the pumps as well. Good question, I'll look into this some more when I get a case lined out.


Hmm, i somehow expected for pumps to be quieter then fans. (BTW, you don't plan to record noise curve at different voltages (in case of course. As imho res mounted in case and microphone outside of it should mask a bit of noise)? And does noise level differ for one vs two pumps?) Love fact that you tested with one pump switched off too.

It's not as apparent in the videos as I hoped, but the noise as you would expect does originate from the pump motors in the back/side and very little from the front. An actual test in a case with the masking benefits should help in that area assuming there isn't vibration transfer noises.

I'll work on the one vs two pumps noise thing. I'm thinking dual pumps in series, but undervolted will be the best combo for silence though.


I'm mesmerized by that black and red anodized tool by Husky. :yepp:

The Mrs. got me that for X-mas...nice little tool, although I'd rather have a Kawasaki green version..:D



WC is in for fun times, looking for the next jump, these nice tweaks are promising for sure. Good review/test!. You always do more than review. Your one we need at the XS 2012 party. Please?

Yeah, some really cool toys coming out. Thanks! I might try that, this year I was all lined out for the Carribean vacation which took precedence..:D Would be cool to see everyone though.:yepp:

[Martinm210]

Question; Does the swiftech MCP 355 feet need to be cut off to fit in the reservoir?

Yes. I think Koolance mentioned they were thinking of making a "footless" bottom available to order, but I don't think that's available just yet.

A sanding belt would probably make quick work out of that or a dremel with a cutting disk should work as well.

The PMP-400 pumps come with the footless bases so I didn't have to do that on mine.

[CedricFP]

Exactly!...that's where I'm headed next with this, I want to take a serious look at series PMP-400s undervolted. There is a fairly dramatic difference in pump noise when undervolted, so running two in series is interesting to me.

Yes I was thinking about that as well. I wonder if the pumps on their side actually create more noise then when standing upright.

Looking forward to your future testing, Martin!

[XiraN]

If you wanted to fill both bays for aesthetics, but only running one pump so far, would it be feasible to run with the short plug so the tanks are combined, and just plug off the entry / exit for pump2 location on the back?

[CedricFP]

If you wanted to fill both bays for aesthetics, but only running one pump so far, would it be feasible to run with the short plug so the tanks are combined, and just plug off the entry / exit for pump2 location on the back?

I can't see why that wouldn't work.

[XiraN]

I can't see why it wouldn't either, but you never know. Might as well ask..

[Martinm210]

If you wanted to fill both bays for aesthetics, but only running one pump so far, would it be feasible to run with the short plug so the tanks are combined, and just plug off the entry / exit for pump2 location on the back?

Sure, it actually comes all setup for running one pump, P1 pump blockoff plate is already installed and the two P1 ports come with plugs as well. It does come with the long reservoir plug installed, but it comes with the short plug in the package too. It should be no problem doing what you want. It might require filling a little on both sides to get the levels full.

You could probably also run fill ports lines up from the top filler holes if there was room to really help top it off via remote fill port...maybe even tie them together for easy leveling.

[CedricFP]

I can't see why it wouldn't either, but you never know. Might as well ask..

Well, you would need to drain your loop if you wanted to add a second pump down the line.

[XiraN]

Thanks Martin & co.

[Martinm210]

Here are the details of the PQ curve tests. I included the RPM data this time around. Even though there does appear to be some variance between samples, I thought it may be helpful in understanding how the pumps speed scales negatively as flow rate increases. I believe this is new to the PMP-400 to help reduce pump heat/increase durability at high flow conditions.

This should also give you the details you might need regarding power consumption figures:

Single Pump
http://img820.imageshack.us/img820/2638/pqrp402x2p2only.png

Both Pumps in series
http://img841.imageshack.us/img841/7074/pqrp402x2series.png

What I find interesting is how similar the RPM per Flow rate is for each test and the fairly linear reduction in RPM as flow increases. Anyhow, there are the details.

[Johnny87au]

once again beautiful review/testing martin :)

[Defoler]

Great work and review!

And do you have a picture of the back, as the pumps connected in serial?
Just to know how to connect it without bending a tube too much.

[CedricFP]

What I find interesting is how similar the RPM per Flow rate is for each test and the fairly linear reduction in RPM as flow increases. Anyhow, there are the details.

Great testing Martin. Yes, the same consistency of RPM versus flow rate for both single and dual pump is very interesting. However, the scaling is a little less than linear for PSI - I suppose due to the reservoir as you alluded to previously.

I'm a bit confused though - with reports of dead DDC's being hot topics, many surmised that the higher the RPM of the DDC, the more likely it was to die sooner, rather than later. The conclusion was that two DDC's in series would kill the pumps quicker than a single.

[Martinm210]

Great work and review!

And do you have a picture of the back, as the pumps connected in serial?
Just to know how to connect it without bending a tube too much.

I just used about an 8" piece of 7/16" x 5/8" tubing to loop it for my test. It goes from P2 out to P1 in. I could probably run one more test with elbows in place. I don't expect there to be a huge difference since there is a reservoir between the inlet elbow and the second pump though. I'll try that.:up:


Great testing Martin. Yes, the same consistency of RPM versus flow rate for both single and dual pump is very interesting. However, the scaling is a little less than linear for PSI - I suppose due to the reservoir as you alluded to previously.

I'm a bit confused though - with reports of dead DDC's being hot topics, many surmised that the higher the RPM of the DDC, the more likely it was to die sooner, rather than later. The conclusion was that two DDC's in series would kill the pumps quicker than a single.

Yeah, that's the problem with lack of information. Some might argue that publishing the RPM data is taboo because there is a big variance between test samples, but not publishing leaves the RPM "behavior" out of the picture. The truth is RPM goes down not up. The heat generated does however go up with lower restriction which is true but it has nothing to do with RPM increasing.

Here is a comparison of the PMP-400 (DDC3.25) pump vs the older DDC3.2 pump I previously tested. (only one sample and they do vary a bit, but I think the trend still stands out well enough):

http://img829.imageshack.us/img829/3198/ddc3s5vsddc32.png

Everyone jumps on the bandwagon to say the newer pump is all about more head pressure. Sure there is a touch more max head pressure, but I think the real reason for the change was to flatten out that power consumption curve (Up to 25% less). The newer pumps produce less heat in high flow conditions than the older ones. I think the RPM goes down because the pump engineers have purposely done so to counteract the increase in power consumption. That's good.:up:

We have all speculated why a pump might quit. I personally have screwed up twice now installing a top on these pumps, particularly with self tapping screws (Stock tops). You really have to tighten self tapping screws fairly well to compress that o-ring properly. If you don't you will have a leak that can flood out the PCB and I have done it myself. Most people won't admit to that and blame the pump. I think the leak issue is part of it, and the other part is just the high # of the DDC series pumps in circulation makes the problem seem bigger than it is. But who knows...

What I do know is the newer pumps have been redesigned to help counter heat and be more resistant to high flow setups. I also personally have never had one fail that wasn't my own fault such as overvolting to 30V or water damage, so I blame user error (my error) in the experiences I have had.

Putting some air over the pump base can't hurt, and if you really wanted to reduce heat you could always undervolt.:up: And for those that are really concerned with heat, there is always the PMP450/PMP450S (D5) series options..

[Wolf132]

Looks like a winner if you do not have a lot of space. Would definitely make routing on a lot of loops a TON easier if you could mount res/pumps in 1 spot in the bays without taking up much room. If the price wasnt so steep with the cost of 2 pumps, I might actually get one.

[BlueAqua]

Looks like a winner if you do not have a lot of space. Would definitely make routing on a lot of loops a TON easier if you could mount res/pumps in 1 spot in the bays without taking up much room. If the price wasnt so steep with the cost of 2 pumps, I might actually get one.

You can run just a single pump, maybe get another down the road if and when you want more power. It's a pretty slick setup.

[Koolance]

From the original RP-450X2, we really wanted to provide an option of running just one pump. That way, single-pump customers still have the option to add a second pump at a later date. So we ship the RP-450/452/401 units already setup to use just a single pump. (And yes, you can join the front reservoirs when running a single pump.)

Tim

[Church]

Tim: can you tell if those pump "blanks" (both DDC & D5 variants) for single pump setups use same mounting holes and is of similar width/length as pump itself and therefore if it can be used on dual tops of other vendors? If so, maybe it might make sense to sell it separately with 4 shorter screws in set, for some of those that wish to use single pump on dual serial tops (or dual pump restops) such that from EK or XSPC with having option to upgrade later or for temporary sealing of top if one of pumps needs to be sent back for RMA?
EDIT
Hmm, but then maybe it's not worth to sell such. Afterall, most probably niche of dual tops is not large, and probably even smaller number of people will buy such blanks. Hard to tell. Might result in unsold/redundant niche product.

[Koolance]

Tim: can you tell if those pump "blanks" (both DDC & D5 variants) for single pump setups use same mounting holes and is of similar width/length as pump itself and therefore if it can be used on dual tops of other vendors?

I don't think so. The o-rings we use in the RP-402X2 and RP-452X2 blanks are designed only for those locations (they won't substitute the pump's o-ring, either). So I don't think our pump blockers would be transferable to another company's products.

Tim

[Martinm210]

In case while bleeding the loop, still a few bubbles stuck to the glass.

Filling does take a little bit of patience. I found it to work best using the top right port while tipping the case slightly to the left so you can get all the air out.

Most of the bubbles seemed to work out fairly quickly...the challenge was topping it off near complete. I hooked a barb to the top right port with a piece of tubing to a funnel. Initially I tried the front ports and that worked good to get the water down into the pumps, but I found it a little harder to top off than using the top ports.

If you had the space it would probably work pretty well to permanently plumb those top ports to remote filler ports to assist with the process.

Anyhow, here is that shot. The RP-402X2 matches the case pretty well, much better than the HP DVD player.

http://img8.imageshack.us/img8/4999/incaseh.jpg

Noise levels are definitely improved in the case. I used the four side screws to tighten the pump down solid and Im not hearing vibration related noise. I'm thinking the mass is enough to take care of that problem.

Anyhow, going to let this finish bleeding out then I can try some sort of noise related video and I'll compare to the triple rad slow speed yates running in the case top. The fans are all internal, so they are masked by the case sides as well. This should be a much better test scenario..:up:

[the finisher]

Very enlightening, as usual:up:

That thing is a real beauty, great to see 2 excellent products in this space now:D

I'm going to put the DD in my bench(So I can see most of it). And the Koolance in my WC case(if I ever get to work on it:rolleyes:)

[coolhandluke41]

Any chance to see this RES with LEDs installed and turned on ?
Thanks for great review

[Church]

BTW, seeing this pic of Martin's .. i would kind of love to see what builds he, skinnee, vapor and other notorious testers assembled/use for themselves on daily basis :). I'm guessing that we might see even some surprises along the way, like some geto-ish builds, or even aircooled low end hardware (Oh, XS-ish heresy! :D), as they might be more then fed up with tinkering with hi-end LC-ed stuff during myriads of tests performed and just use "what simply works"/worked for them for years. :)

[matari]

I am wondering how well this reservoir bleeds. I switched to the EK X2 because my XSPC bay reservoir was a nightmare to bleed. The stupid X2 leaked so now I am in need of a new reservoir. I like this one, but only if it is not to hard to bleed.

[XiraN]

It certainly gives two great avenues to people (with the 452x2 in the picture). Do you go D5 or DDC, it will be nice to see Skinnee's numbers for the D5 variants, tho obviously we already know what the D5 vs DDC characteristics are, flow vs pressure.

[Koolance]

Most of the bubbles seemed to work out fairly quickly...the challenge was topping it off near complete.

Through the front fill ports, it's more difficult to fill the right-side reservoir above the pump inlet. Our liquid coolant makes this somewhat easier because they come with 1/8" ID tubing and can function as squirt bottles (http://www.koolance.com/water-cooling/default.php?cPath=58).

Tim

[nvmc]

Nice to see another good looking bayres. How about those steel plugs and screws though?

[Waterlogged]

Nice to see another good looking bayres. How about those steel plugs and screws though?

Plugs are a thing of the past and any steel they've used lately is 316 Stainless IIRC.

[Martinm210]

Through the front fill ports, it's more difficult to fill the right-side reservoir above the pump inlet. Our liquid coolant makes this somewhat easier because they come with 1/8" ID tubing and can function as squirt bottles (http://www.koolance.com/water-cooling/default.php?cPath=58).

Tim


Ahh, nice! I was trying to do it the hard way. I was using a barb on the port with a piece of tubing and a funnel. That worked ok until it was near full, then I had a funnel and tubing full of water to spill..:D

Something like that or a some other bulb type would probably work as well.

Thanks for the tip, I'll add that into the review OP.

[nvmc]

I don't know about the grade or type of steel used, but Gary (SideWinder) found them (the plugs) to be magnetic. Maybe it's just me, but I'd prefer brass fittings.

[matari]

Multiple fillports in the same area or a bigger fillport prevent that problem. Any time you are trying to fill a reservoir where the air wants escape than you are going to have an issue

[BlueAqua]

I don't know about the grade or type of steel used, but Gary (SideWinder) found them (the plugs) to be magnetic. Maybe it's just me, but I'd prefer brass fittings.

I tested the ones that came on my res and they're not magnetic. I had some old Koolance fittings that were, but those are long gone out of the Koolance system.

[Martinm210]

ANOTHER NOISE VIDEO

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_FSAYbBqMTo

A bit of a trial on a different flavor tested in the case. The two pumps were a bit quieter in dbA than the three yate slow speeds. But it's interesting listening to the noise quality. The combining of a relatively minor amount of fan noise is fairly strong in masking the pump noise, almost to the point where the difference is hard to detect.

And this test is without a PSU or any other case fans. In a more real world test with some case fans and the PSU fan, the masking of pump noise would be even stronger.

I also included some undervolting in there.

Hope this helps give a sense of noise.

Ambient noise level was around 31dbA+-
Both pumps in series about 43.5 dbA+-
The interior yate slow speed fans on rad was about 44.5 dbA+-
Both together was about 45 dbA+-

If it takes about 3dbA to perceive a change in loudness, then adding the pumps to the existing 1350RPM yates was too minor to measure.

I can hear a slightly different noise quality, but the noise level of loudness is for all practical purposes about the same. I think you probably need to get fan speeds below about 1000RPM before pump noise becomes a more significant concern.

Hope this helps..:up:
Martin

[nvmc]

I tested the ones that came on my res and they're not magnetic. I had some old Koolance fittings that were, but those are long gone out of the Koolance system.

I didn't do the test myself, so obviously I can't be certain, but if they're observably magnetically reactive, then there's more than the normal ~0.2% trace of ferromagnetic metals in the plugs. Perhaps a bad batch of brass? Or maybe the plugs have changed between the 450 and 452.

[Martinm210]

I didn't do the test myself, so obviously I can't be certain, but if they're observably magnetically reactive, then there's more than the normal ~0.2% trace of ferromagnetic metals in the plugs. Perhaps a bad batch of brass? Or maybe the plugs have changed between the 450 and 452.

FYI,
Just tried a magnet to the plugs that came with this unit, there was no magnetism at all. No worries..:up:

[RCG_Bex]

I want!!! Mister Koolance man, can you send me 1 of these along with some rads? UK sucks for Koolance suppliers!!!

~Bex

[phantomferrari]

hey martin, the photo of the res. mounted in the case. is that a rosewill challenger i see? i ask because i have one of my own :D

[Koolance]

I didn't do the test myself, so obviously I can't be certain, but if they're observably magnetically reactive, then there's more than the normal ~0.2% trace of ferromagnetic metals in the plugs. Perhaps a bad batch of brass? Or maybe the plugs have changed between the 450 and 452.

Same plugs, same brass. The only change was painting the front ones black. The others on top and behind use our standard nickel plating, which might be a little magnetic due to the alloy. Scratch em if you're unsure.

Tim

[Martinm210]

hey martin, the photo of the res. mounted in the case. is that a rosewill challenger i see? i ask because i have one of my own :D

Yes it is...:D

FYI,

I can't remember who wanted an LED shot, but here is one. Only thing I did differently was put a little electrical tape on the side to minimize the perimeter lighting.

The picture looks more dramatic than it is, the lighting is fairly subdue with the LEDs I tried. I didn't actually have the proper 3mm size, so I just put some up close. I also see I didn't slide the unit all the way back in sorry, just a quick test. I'll try to take a better picture after cubscouts for my boy...gotta run.

http://img211.imageshack.us/img211/8831/leddd.jpg

[Johnny87au]

Looks good martin, has the res got enough for 2x LED's? Would be good have 1 led for each loop.. would look quite impressive..

[Johnny87au]

Looks good martin, has the res got enough for 2x LED's? Would be good have 1 led for each loop.. would look quite impressive..

[Martinm210]

Yes, it actually has 4 spot, two on bottom and two on top, 3mm in size. I only had 5s for this test, so I just ran a strip of electrical tape around the perimeter to hold them in place and block off some of the stray light.

Anyhow, I'm not very good with these, but here is an attempt to show two different colors. You do get a little bleading across the reservoirs, but it looks good. Again the long exposure time makes these alot brighter than they appear. Since everything is black, the lighting is very mild.

http://img121.imageshack.us/img121/5843/led2hp.jpg

[Johnny87au]

wow best bay reservoir out atm imo, Can you take a picture with all 4 ports being used? Wanna see the difference and how bright the res appears...

[Martinm210]

The first two had all four ports going, but this picture is with just the top two. That's all I had for green.

http://img194.imageshack.us/img194/6366/led3p.jpg

For brightness, it's hard to define, but I would suggest getting fairly strong LEDs if you want brightness. With the ones I was using, I probably would like it a touch brighter. It looks just about right in the dark, but fairly faint with much ambient light present.

Overall good, but I do like it better with the electrical tape band around the edges to block light from leaving there.

[coolhandluke41]

"I can't remember who wanted an LED shot, but here is one. Only thing I did differently was put a little electrical tape on the side to minimize the perimeter lighting."


O Yeaaa that's what i want to see,looks sweet ,very nice unit,definitely getting one for my 655, thanks Martin:yepp:

[Defoler]

Nice.
Now I know where to put the leds I have around :D

[BrokenArrow]

Performance PQ Chart Comparsion
In single pump mode it produced slightly less performance than the COV-RP400, but still a fair amount over the stock top.
http://img151.imageshack.us/img151/6858/rp402x2pqchart.png


When you tested the single pump with COV-RP400, was it with the top inlet (pictured above in red?) or front inlet? Previous experience shows a big difference when fighting the 90° turn on the inlet side.

However, I guess this new unit also has the 90° turn into the volute as well. Not sure if you can see inside enough, but is this turn a "sharp" turn or more gradual like a BP 45° elbow turn? Probably just drilled at 90° angles. Thanks.

[shazza]

Nice job, Martin. I've added this to the info/guide Sticky - changed the name of the pump section to "Pumps, Tops, Combo Units with Reservoir."

[Koolance]

One thing with lighting on these units-- it will look better if colored coolant is used (especially UV-reactive stuff) and the LED's have good ambient spread. The LED's we carry on our website are the bright spotlight type, which shoot into the rear of the black aluminum bezel and won't get reflected into the reservoir as well... might be time for us to experiment with some tin foil on our bench here.

Tim

[NaeKuh]

might be time for us to experiment with some tin foil on our bench here.

Tim

u know what i miss...

The OG EL Wire..

What happened with these guys?

I think a res would look speachless, if the window had a EL wire going around it.

http://www.gonzomodz.com/catalog/images/ONR-CLR/elwire640.2.jpg

Call it the Koolance TRO.. errr PRON edition? :P

[Church]

Naekuh: Tron intestines (http://www.jab-tech.com/EL-Wire-and-EL-Tape-c-62.html) in one of black market organ shop.

[Martinm210]

When you tested the single pump with COV-RP400, was it with the top inlet (pictured above in red?) or front inlet? Previous experience shows a big difference when fighting the 90° turn on the inlet side.

However, I guess this new unit also has the 90° turn into the volute as well. Not sure if you can see inside enough, but is this turn a "sharp" turn or more gradual like a BP 45° elbow turn? Probably just drilled at 90° angles. Thanks.

Yes, top inlet as pictured. I plan to do the alternates in my stand alone noise and more bit next. It looks like two drilled or milled holes intersecting, but I should note that the intersection is about 1.5" away from the pump volute. That should theoretically be better than the same 90 elbow right at the pump inlet because it allows the water to straighten out some before entering the impeller. I'll explore this some next round.


Nice job, Martin. I've added this to the info/guide Sticky - changed the name of the pump section to "Pumps, Tops, Combo Units with Reservoir."

Awesome, thanks!

As always, appreciate the site and having a place to share this stuff. I like this living review format a lot. It gives me a chance to interact more and get after the bits I would have otherwise missed doing it alone.


One thing with lighting on these units-- it will look better if colored coolant is used (especially UV-reactive stuff) and the LED's have good ambient spread. The LED's we carry on our website are the bright spotlight type, which shoot into the rear of the black aluminum bezel and won't get reflected into the reservoir as well... might be time for us to experiment with some tin foil on our bench here.

Tim

For sure on the UV fluid, I'm just a water guy, so I wanted to share how I would use it. I'm happy with the light level in water although some more dispersed "flood" type LEDs may me interesting to try.

I almost forgot about the LEDs, but after trying them..I think I will use them in my build for the long term..:)

[Church]

If someone as pragmatic and experienced as Martin considers bling, Koolance has made real fine job in looks department :)

[bundymania]

Thanks for this Review, Martin ! Especially with Leds installed, this new Reservoir looks very nice! :) :up:

[NaeKuh]

Naekuh: Tron intestines (http://www.jab-tech.com/EL-Wire-and-EL-Tape-c-62.html) in one of black market organ shop.

imagine a res with EL wire around the window tho.

:D

[konkhra]

About the led's, Feser has some radial beam leds which can be found on their website or Sidewinders, but they are 5mm. Does anyone know if there are 3mm versions like them?

I'm using the Feser ones now for my XSPC res and my EK blocks(modded the acrylic top in a corner to accept them). I have tried looking for them and only found companies who sell the leds only. Might be something Koolance could look in to as a company to manufacture them already made like the ones they offer now.

[matari]

One thing with lighting on these units-- it will look better if colored coolant is used (especially UV-reactive stuff) and the LED's have good ambient spread. The LED's we carry on our website are the bright spotlight type, which shoot into the rear of the black aluminum bezel and won't get reflected into the reservoir as well... might be time for us to experiment with some tin foil on our bench here.

Tim

I bet it would look cool with colored coolant. I would like to see blue and purple. However, I am done spending hours trying to clean my acrylic items.

[SpuTnicK]

Hey Martin, when you are done testing rx-402x2, can you try to disassemble it as much as possible?
For example, to remove that faceplate to give the inner look of the reservoir with and without pumps installed. I think this would be helpful for some modders ready to get their hand on it as well as plain users.

[Martinm210]

FYI,

I added this configuartion option for series pumps. You don't have to connect the two pumps with a loop immediately one after the other, they can also be connected like this which would give you the same performance and redundancy benefits:

I'd probably put the radiator before the VGA blocks instead of how this is shown, but the intent was to show how to do series without trying to do that at the pump.
http://img683.imageshack.us/img683/8031/abetterseriessetup.png

[JoeBar]

A very nice res and review Martin!

However i'm a bit skeptical on the whole pump res, all in one, solution despite being neat and clean. The lack of airflow on the pumps (when installed in a case) plus the possible heat transfer between the two res parts in dual loops concern me...

[Martinm210]

A very nice res and review Martin!

However i'm a bit skeptical on the whole pump res, all in one, solution despite being neat and clean. The lack of airflow on the pumps (when installed in a case) plus the possible heat transfer between the two res parts in dual loops concern me...

Those are good questions, I'll see if I can add some sort of heat measurement series in my other pump thread. I suspect a big part of any heat related issue is when the base is insulated on foam/gel. The bottom surface is the best place for heat to escape from the FETs, so when we insulate it for noise decoupling, it's probably not helping the heat dissipation. In these drive bays, there is at least 8mm of space for air to flow up and along the base of the pump. I would think that's better than planted on a piece of foam on the bottom of a case, but that's just guessing.

I also noticed the newer PMP-400(DDC3.25) is much better in keeping max power consumption at bay. This is comparing to my old DDC 3.2 test. I think we all assumed the revision was for more performance head, but I think it was specifically to reduce heat.

http://img829.imageshack.us/img829/3198/ddc3s5vsddc32.png

I suppose there is some heat transfer across the reservoir wall, but plastic is much more of an insulator than water is and most loops are probably only a few degrees different anyhow.

[Nasa]

Hi Martin, great review!
About the RP-452X2 could you check if is a single block of acetal or 2 blocks, because there's a "line" between the reservoir block and the pump block, i can't see if it's a milling by cnc work or a junction of two shares.
This line...
http://img511.imageshack.us/img511/2086/cattura2a.jpg

Thanks

[JoeBar]

Those are good questions, I'll see if I can add some sort of heat measurement series in my other pump thread. I suspect a big part of any heat related issue is when the base is insulated on foam/gel. The bottom surface is the best place for heat to escape from the FETs, so when we insulate it for noise decoupling, it's probably not helping the heat dissipation. In these drive bays, there is at least 8mm of space for air to flow up and along the base of the pump. I would think that's better than planted on a piece of foam on the bottom of a case, but that's just guessing.

I also noticed the newer PMP-400(DDC3.25) is much better in keeping max power consumption at bay. This is comparing to my old DDC 3.2 test. I think we all assumed the revision was for more performance head, but I think it was specifically to reduce heat.


I suppose there is some heat transfer across the reservoir wall, but plastic is much more of an insulator than water is and most loops are probably only a few degrees different anyhow.

Of course it's better than placing on foam cause it's bad, bad, bad for DDC's.... :slapass: :ROTF:

However i don't know whether on the long run it'll have an impact on pump's life compared to a descent cooled ddc. User opinions will surely enlighten this in the future...

According to my pumps, 3.25 runs quite a bit hotter than 3.2...

As for heat transfer do u think that, let's say, a 5'C difference between loops wouldn't bother...?

[Martinm210]

Hi Martin, great review!
About the RP-452X2 could you check if is a single block of acetal or 2 blocks, because there's a "line" between the reservoir block and the pump block, i can't see if it's a milling by cnc work or a junction of two shares.
This line...
http://img511.imageshack.us/img511/2086/cattura2a.jpg

Thanks

It's definitely one solid block, that line is just a cosmetic groove. The acetal portion of the unit is all one solid block, no joints. The only joints that exist are with the acrylic window, and then o-rings for the ports and pumps. Here is a picture of the top. That groove looks like it was cut with a little tiny ball endmill just for a visual breakup of the two shapes, but it's only 1-2mm deep.

http://img825.imageshack.us/img825/8/452top.jpg


Of course it's better than placing on foam cause it's bad, bad, bad for DDC's.... :slapass: :ROTF:

However i don't know whether on the long run it'll have an impact on pump's life compared to a descent cooled ddc. User opinions will surely enlighten this in the future...

According to my pumps, 3.25 runs quite a bit hotter than 3.2...

As for heat transfer do u think that, let's say, a 5'C difference between loops wouldn't bother...?

LOL! Definitely a long term user based piece for sure. I'm guessing a few degrees difference isn't going to transfer much. I was trying to look up thermal properties yesterday, but couldn't find exactly what I was looking for. It appears something like acrylic has about 1/3rd the thermal conductivity as water, plus the surface is smooth and the wall is thick. I would assume acetal is similar or better. I'm sure there is some transfer there, but I'm just guessing it's not enough to worry about with the small delta we're talking about.

Unless you had the reservoir cross port opened up, then water would move freely across and transfer heat.

[Martinm210]

And here is a quick informal bench noise test of the 452 series. I controlled voltage on the PMP-450S to match that of the PMP-450 and simulate dual PMP-450 pumps. Very short video, showing one pump vs two pumps vs GT15 fan vs combined.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rI1Eh3LTszU

Approximate results chart:
http://img14.imageshack.us/img14/5164/rp452x2noise.png

Very minor differences at this ambient noise level and hard to perceive. The video does a pretty good job of giving you the sound quality differences though. Overall, the GT15 fan was a bit more noticeable than one or two pumps. With all together it was really hard to tell the difference between one or two pumps running. I would recommend the RP-452x2 with PMP-450 pumps for those very sensitive to noise, as it provides you easy flexibility in obtaining lower noise levels if desired. You could also run both pumps in series at half the speed. Lots of options here..

I think that pretty well completes the performance to do list for now, let me know if you want to see something else performance wise. I'll work on getting some taken apart type pictures and doing some other pump tests..
Cheers!
Martin

[nikhsub1]

Very cool res. If I were building a rig right now, this is what I'd use for sure.

[Martinm210]

Hey Martin, when you are done testing rx-402x2, can you try to disassemble it as much as possible?
For example, to remove that faceplate to give the inner look of the reservoir with and without pumps installed. I think this would be helpful for some modders ready to get their hand on it as well as plain users.

Here are those shots you were looking for..:up:
http://img517.imageshack.us/img517/7083/partsall.jpg

http://img543.imageshack.us/img543/6973/partsbezelacrylic.png

http://img513.imageshack.us/img513/3332/partsnobezel.jpg

http://img217.imageshack.us/img217/237/partsinside.jpg

http://img687.imageshack.us/img687/1924/partsbaffle.jpg

It was pretty easy to take apart, just the 7 allen head bolts...less difficult than taking apart your average waterblock.

The baffle plates come out via screws as well, so you could always opt to remove those if you wanted to or didn't need one for running series, etc. There is a little something of a grease like substance around the o-rings which I presume is there to help hold them in place while installing them.

Also the back side of the black reinforcing bezel is also black, so you could probably polish the areas around the LED for some extra reflection effort there or insert a thin layer of aluminum foil to provide the reflectivity...some options to play with.

The acrylic piece is also a fairly basic shape with screw holes and two holes for the front fill ports. It would be really easy to make one yourself with basic modding tools. I could see people using colored acrylic and making one of there own style easy enough. You would just have to find the same thickness 6mm or 1/4" would work. I could also see it being easy enough to drill out the LED sockets to accept 5mm..

Anyhow, hope this helps...

That completes my to do's...:D

[Johnny87au]

Looks so different without the black faceplate, think I'll stick to using the default plates, kinda looks ugly with the acrylic face hehe

[SpuTnicK]

Here are those shots you were looking for..:up:
...snip...

That completes my to do's...:D

Thanks so much:up:

[Martinm210]

FYI,
Going to spend some time completing my missing series pump tests on the 452. I did the one mixed pump test, but I wanted to get like pumps together as well. Pumps are in and time for testing...:D

http://img585.imageshack.us/img585/8558/rp452x2dualpumpstesting.jpg

Let me know if you want anything specific tested..:scope:

For now I figured on Series Tests for:

PMP-450S (D5 Strong) 10.5V, 12V, 14V, 16V, 18V, 20V

PMP-450 (D5 Vario) (12V) Settings 1, 2, 3, 4, 5. (24V) Setting 5

Cheers!
Martin

[Martinm210]

Martin,
Could the plugs on the top be replaced with barbs?

Yes, they are G1/4 threaded. I used barbs that way to fill up the loop using a piece of tubing and a funnel. You could also plumb fill-port lines from the top if you had room for that.:up:

[Johnny87au]

So running two pumps @ 12 v instead of 1 at 24v yields better results and less power consumption, Martin could you test 2x DDC's with a restrictive loop, preferably 2x 35x's? :D , Would really like to see the comparison between the two kind of pumps seeming as the two d5's run at about 1.3gpm..

[Martinm210]

Hah! I was thinking of something more unconventional, which is flipping the res upside down, moving one of the fill plugs to the back inlet, put a barb where the plug once was and using that for the loop return. :shrug:

Haven't thought of that, but it might work...:shrug:

[Johnny87au]

Cant wait for the 450's, i meant the PMP-400 (DDC 3.25) wonder how they compare with a resrictive loop.. I dont think the 2x d5's would be worth the extra cost for such a tiny loss in heat.. still extraodinary testing martin :)

[Martinm210]

Thanks!

I completed the RP-452X2/PMP-450 runs:

Performance PQ RP-452X2 + PMP-450 + PMP-450 Series

Overall, without a doubt the noiseless enthusiast dream. I really like this setup, it scales so well with noise and power needs. You can easily dial it down to ultra slow speeds and up to intense pumping power that can easily surpass the 1GPM barrier on any system. It's also amazing how quiet the setup is, I've got some videos for you, but at Setting 3 to 4 it has more than enough power for average systems and practically inaudible (Less than 1dbA raise in noise level)....just awesome for ultra low noise..:up:

Setting 1 -(+.4dbA over 41dbA abmient) For Ultra Low Restriction. A bit low in power for my taste, but it could net you around .75GPM with a very low restriction setup.
http://img138.imageshack.us/img138/1111/rp452serp1.th.png (http://img138.imageshack.us/img138/1111/rp452serp1.png)

Setting 2 -(+.5dbA over 41dbA abmient) For Average/Low to Low Restriction. Another ultra silent setting with a good amount of power for Average/Low to Low Restriction. A low restriction single block loop would see around 1.2GPM which exceeds the desirable 1GPM rule of thumb. But if your emphasis is low noise, you could also do well with this setting on an average restriction loop. (Low restriction CPU block plus 1-2 GPU blocks).
http://img155.imageshack.us/img155/9468/rp452serp2.th.png (http://img155.imageshack.us/img155/9468/rp452serp2.png)

Setting 3 -(+.6dbA over 41dbA abmient) For Average to Low Restriction. This would be my personal favorite, it has an exceptional noise/pumping power ratio and will have plenty of power for a little above Average to Low restriction loops. A low restriction loop would see around 1.5GPM, and an average restriction loop around 1.1GPM.

http://img143.imageshack.us/img143/4382/rp452serp3.th.png (http://img143.imageshack.us/img143/4382/rp452serp3.png)

Setting 4 -(+.8dbA over 41dbA abmient) For High to Average Restriction. A low restriction loop would see around 1.8GPM, Average about 1.3GPM, and High around 1-1.1GPM. This is a fairly strong amount of pumping power good for your higher restriction 3-4block type systems. Noise level is still very good, but just slightly more audible over setting 3.

http://img341.imageshack.us/img341/3488/rp452serp4.th.png (http://img341.imageshack.us/img341/3488/rp452serp4.png)

Setting 5 -(+1.5dbA over 41dbA abmient) For Very High to Average Restriction. An average restriction loop would see around 1.6GPM with this setup and even the most restrictive 5+ block loops will see 1.1-1.2GPM which is very healthy. I simply can not see where this isn't enough pumping power.

http://img151.imageshack.us/img151/9572/rp452serp5.th.png (http://img151.imageshack.us/img151/9572/rp452serp5.png)

And here is the family of curves for easy setting comparisons:
http://img408.imageshack.us/img408/3381/rp452serfamily.png

I'll get that video processed next.:up:

[DexNfX]

Thank you for all the work Martin! As usual, another informative review.

[Johnny87au]

Thanks heaps martin, really diggin setting 4, only 2db more but yields .800 more gpm..

Edit: sorry was wrong, setting 3 seems the best performance ratio when you look at the average db/flow..

[SkItZo]

You're the man Martin. Outstanding as always,

[Martinm210]

Thanks!
Sorry for the mess of information, just so many options between both reservoirs and vaious pumpsthat could be used.
If you have any questions..don't hesitate to ask.

[Church]

Martin: for two of those D5 Strong babies on RP-452X2 you might like this new product by Koolance :) - dual 24V one-5.25bay controller (http://www.koolance.com/water-cooling/product_info.php?product_id=1169).