zippyc
09-02-2002, 07:33 PM
Hello! I am new to this forum, and wanted to get some opinions.
I built my first machine six months ago. During the process of research and tweaking since then (reading forums and getting advice of friends), I decided to move to water cooling. I did this for overclocking benefits but, more importantly, because high-speed CPU and GPU fans are too loud to listen to all day, in my opinion! Since the start, I have moved from one, to two, to five waterblocks (3 on graphic card.) Spent $140-$150.00 on blocks, and doubled my return on investment in performance (had I bought stock XP2100 and Ti600 and not overclocked instead). Water cooling is the best thing since sliced bread to me.
Now I am in search of the best noise/performance ratio I can get. Now I am on a quest for a Silent But Deadly machine. My SBD project.
Here is my “Quiet” rig, where I am roughing in the placement of the manifolds. (pic. attached):
XP1600 AGOIA-Y@ 1754Mhz, running stable at 166FSB, MSI KT3 Ultra, 512M (2 sticks) Crucial PC2200, Gforce 3Ti200 o-clocked to 220/550, geminicool.com spiral clear top copper waterblocks on CPU(Hi-Flo) and Northbridge Chipset, Geminicool Anodized 3 pc (GPU/Mem.) waterblocks on Gforce, Custom $10.00 “Home Depot” copper sealed 4 way manifolds (look like 2x3 inch polished copper kegs, I have pics.), and prototype external heat exchanger from my friend at coolwatertech (External coolwatertech 295GPH ½” ID pump enclosed in a triplesoundbaffled slaved enclosure with 110 CFM flowing quietly over a 6x8 heater core, with watertemp monitor, limited prototype.) I installed the Antec Quietpower 430W PS, and with the water cooling and a near silent heat exchange, I am darn near silent. For temp. testing I am also using the DiskDoc 8 Way thermal monitor. All in an Antec 1040B Tower case with window.
Now my hard drive (40G MX6L040J2 7200RPM) is the loudest device in the room (Except for my TDK CD-RW, when it spins….hovercraft is a comin!) I received the 80GB 7200 Maxtor fluid drive last week, and the other one is going in the wife’s Tivo. (Was able to justify that purchase to her…)
Very happy with the results…without any mods on my hardware or case my XP1600 is performing better than a stock 2100…CPU cost me about $60.00. And did I mention my system is now darn near silent? I have to laugh. :-)
My next step is unlocking the chip and maxing the 1600 out. But that is not enough for me now that I have caught the bug!!! I just received my 80G fluid-drive maxtor to address the hard drive noise. (The CD access does not bother me because it is not countinuous.) Will build up to my ultimate box in the next two to three mths.. (lot’s o cash required, not enough paychecks!)
Ordering single 512M PC 3200 CAS 2.0.this week. Soon after the Radeon 9700 PRO (any good waterblocks recommended for it yet?)
Then MB (with better than 5 multiplier)? Abit? K7?
XP2400/2600 too…while keeping the noise down.
I have been searching for a decent (non-aluminum) hard drive cooler (water). Any suggestions? I want to encase the drive to kill the sound, while keeping it cool. I have the 4th hose ready to run.
Anyone heard about when the Socket A 400 boards are going to hit the market?
Peltiers and water chilling will come last. I’m not willing to go to phase change cooling…too darn loud!@!
Anyway, advice, opinions and similar experiences will be welcomed.
Zippyc
:-)
I built my first machine six months ago. During the process of research and tweaking since then (reading forums and getting advice of friends), I decided to move to water cooling. I did this for overclocking benefits but, more importantly, because high-speed CPU and GPU fans are too loud to listen to all day, in my opinion! Since the start, I have moved from one, to two, to five waterblocks (3 on graphic card.) Spent $140-$150.00 on blocks, and doubled my return on investment in performance (had I bought stock XP2100 and Ti600 and not overclocked instead). Water cooling is the best thing since sliced bread to me.
Now I am in search of the best noise/performance ratio I can get. Now I am on a quest for a Silent But Deadly machine. My SBD project.
Here is my “Quiet” rig, where I am roughing in the placement of the manifolds. (pic. attached):
XP1600 AGOIA-Y@ 1754Mhz, running stable at 166FSB, MSI KT3 Ultra, 512M (2 sticks) Crucial PC2200, Gforce 3Ti200 o-clocked to 220/550, geminicool.com spiral clear top copper waterblocks on CPU(Hi-Flo) and Northbridge Chipset, Geminicool Anodized 3 pc (GPU/Mem.) waterblocks on Gforce, Custom $10.00 “Home Depot” copper sealed 4 way manifolds (look like 2x3 inch polished copper kegs, I have pics.), and prototype external heat exchanger from my friend at coolwatertech (External coolwatertech 295GPH ½” ID pump enclosed in a triplesoundbaffled slaved enclosure with 110 CFM flowing quietly over a 6x8 heater core, with watertemp monitor, limited prototype.) I installed the Antec Quietpower 430W PS, and with the water cooling and a near silent heat exchange, I am darn near silent. For temp. testing I am also using the DiskDoc 8 Way thermal monitor. All in an Antec 1040B Tower case with window.
Now my hard drive (40G MX6L040J2 7200RPM) is the loudest device in the room (Except for my TDK CD-RW, when it spins….hovercraft is a comin!) I received the 80GB 7200 Maxtor fluid drive last week, and the other one is going in the wife’s Tivo. (Was able to justify that purchase to her…)
Very happy with the results…without any mods on my hardware or case my XP1600 is performing better than a stock 2100…CPU cost me about $60.00. And did I mention my system is now darn near silent? I have to laugh. :-)
My next step is unlocking the chip and maxing the 1600 out. But that is not enough for me now that I have caught the bug!!! I just received my 80G fluid-drive maxtor to address the hard drive noise. (The CD access does not bother me because it is not countinuous.) Will build up to my ultimate box in the next two to three mths.. (lot’s o cash required, not enough paychecks!)
Ordering single 512M PC 3200 CAS 2.0.this week. Soon after the Radeon 9700 PRO (any good waterblocks recommended for it yet?)
Then MB (with better than 5 multiplier)? Abit? K7?
XP2400/2600 too…while keeping the noise down.
I have been searching for a decent (non-aluminum) hard drive cooler (water). Any suggestions? I want to encase the drive to kill the sound, while keeping it cool. I have the 4th hose ready to run.
Anyone heard about when the Socket A 400 boards are going to hit the market?
Peltiers and water chilling will come last. I’m not willing to go to phase change cooling…too darn loud!@!
Anyway, advice, opinions and similar experiences will be welcomed.
Zippyc
:-)