My first watercooling system

[embeejay]

I am brand new to watercooling and has absolutely no experience with it, but i have become intruiged by it, and feel like i have to try it out.

Now i am looking at buying my first watercooling system, and was wondering if i could get some feedback on the components i have chosen to buy - weather or not i should get something else etc.

My primary concern i noise, tho i like to overclock moderately, but i am not looking for max performance, but for as much noise elimination as possible, while having a decent oc going...

My system is as follows:
CPU: Core 2 duo e6600
Mobo: Intel e975xbx
Ram: Corsair Dominator TWIN2X2048-8500C5D ram
GFX: XFX GeForce 7950 GT 512MB DDR3 HDCP (passivly cooled)

I am considering watercooling cpu & nb and leave the gfx card with it's passive cooler since noise is my main concern and i don't really need to overclock the gfx card. I could leave the nb passivly cooled, but with my current OC test (with the system currently being air cooled) it seems to me that the nb gets awefully hot, and is probably the reason why i can't overclock the system very much.

The following items are the ones i have conseidered buying:

cpublock: Heatkiller CPU LGA775
nbblock: Heatkiller NB Intel
pump: Laing DDC-PRO
rad: ThermoChill PA160.1
fittings: 1/2" BSPP brass
hose: ClearFLEX 60 Premium 1/2 ID

My idea is to make a loop without a t-line, insetad of resevoir, since from what i have read around here and otherplaces, it seems to be the way to go, even tho the bleeding part sux

So how does this setup sound for a complete newbie who want's a nice quiet system with a moderate oc?

I am hoping to be able to hit 3.7 -4Ghz with the setup, my current aitcooling setup runs 3.3ghz as it's max with the ram running 460Mhz @ 4:5 (using a thermalright ultra120 heatsink with a nexus realsilent 120mm fan the cpu hits 64C at maxload, nb hits 51C)

[Zardokk]

If you want to spend some cash and get really quiet and really good performance, this is what you want:

Swiftech Storm CPU block
Swiftech MCW30 NB block
Liang DDC+ (DDC+, DDC-2, DDC Ultra, DDC-PRO...all the same thing)
Thermochill PA120.2 or 120.3 w/Yate Loons or other quiet fans
ClearFlex 7/16" tubing

I'm not sure how hard it is to find these things in Denmark, but I know that Petra's carries all of these things and ships worldwide, so you might consider looking there. Definately go for Swiftech blocks, though. For the price, nothing beats them. And using 7/16" tubing on 1/2" barbs does provide some advantage. It increases pressure and ensures a tight seal over every barb.

[creidiki]

VCore.dk is a good local watercooling stuff... I'm in the UK and I've ordered a few things from there.

Ebay will provide YL D12SL/SM-12s at low cost thanks to a seller called silencio-777.

Eddy - ekwaterblocks.com - has good GPU blocks and well-priced Cooltek (Swiftech) rads.

If VCore doesent have the DDC-Pro/Ultra, get it direct from Alphacool.de

For everything else, order from the UK, either @ over-clock.com (manufacturer price on thermochill rads) or @ extremeprometeia.com (sole importer for AquaXtreme gear)

[embeejay]

Zardokk:

I can't get swiftech blocks in denmark and as far as i can tell from various postings the difference between the swiftech and heatkiller blocks are only 3-4C, so i am not sure if it is worth the extra cost of having them shipped from overseas...
As far as radiators go, the difference between the PA160.1 and the pa120.2 is fairly small from what i have read in tests, and it will spare me a fan, which should keep the noise down - i am hoping to run the system with a single nexus realsilent 120mm fan (1000rpm / 37CFM / 23DB - quietest fan on the market) tho i am unsure weather or not the low cfm will give sufficient cooling...

creidiki:
Yeah i was planning on buying the stuff from vcore.dk

[GrindBastard]

I would stick with the Heatkiller blocks, we dont have the Storm here but the D-TEK MP-05 Pro LE if one should want to get a us block thats not far from the Storms preformance...

We've got the 7/16" Masterkleer tube at one of our WC stores, they could be coupled with 12mm barbs as stated, but one of Heatkillers problems is the clearence between the threads, u cant fit Clearflex 12mm id tube on it at all, i use 12mm bspp also and 9,5ID/16mmOD Clearflex, and it can just be done but u cant use any clamps on them...

The tubing must be under 16mm in od, or it wont fit...

DCC Pro is the 10W version, DCC Ultra here is a 18W, there is a difference Zardokk...

Coolerkit.dk has the Masterkleer, Vcore.dk can deliver the rest..

[creidiki]

3-4c is a pretty massive difference considering how close CPU blocks are these days.

Thats an easy 2v you can take off the rad fan and still have safe temps.

Get an Alphacool NexXxoS XP instead of the Heatkiller CPU, since its one of the best CPU blocks around and its very cheap in europe - and try and find an MCW30 at a decent price.

Otherwise, get an EK-NB Intel from Eddy's @ ekwaterblocks.com.

Edit: actually, the Heatkiller NB block looks like an open-plate design like the MCW30 - good choice there. The NexXxoS XP LGA775 though, is better than the Heatkiller, and its cheaper.

[embeejay]

GrindBastard:

*hmm* i am a bit concerned about the tube not fitting - will i be able to use the Masterkleer tubing? or should i go for a D-TEK MP-05 Pro LE block instead? and how about the nb block - if it has the same problem with the spacing of the fittings, then what alternative is there for that?

And yeah i am gonna go with the 10W version of the pump, since noise is my primary concern, it seems that it hs a very decent performance if you use the top-hole for intake.

[creidiki]

7/16 is better than 1/2 anyway unless you have monster pumpage, so clearance with 1/2 tube should be a non-issue since you'd be dumb to use it

[embeejay]

creidiki:

Ok vcore.dk has Alphacool NexXxoS XP block, so i'll get that isnetad of the heatkiller - they also carry the Alphacool SNB-I2 Silver nb block, any idea how that performs?

[creidiki]

Yes, badly.

Its more restrictive than the CPU block. Stick with the heatkiller.

[embeejay]

seems coolerkit.dk carries EK – NB4i chiset block - is that the one you meant as a good alternative to the MCW30?

[GrindBastard]

Creidiki:

The Heatkiller blocks are still great eu blocks, i think he would be quite satisfied with them, i use the Aplhacool xp myself, it is a great blocks also...

Im using the exact same pump as embeejay, the pressure is still impressive, and my temps on my 1900xtx are fine with my Heatkiller vgablock...

embeejay:

Well u wont have the problem if u choose the 9,5id clearflex, or the 10mm metric tube vcore also sell, i dont use clamps at all, i use 1 strip around both tubes, so its best to find smaller tubing if u choose the Heatkiller blocks...

Chipset coolers aint my thing either, i wont watercool mine and i use 80mm fans over it instead, the air from the cpu and gfx are gone, so its only the heat from the chipset and mosfets that are left..

[creidiki]

Well, the difference between GPU blocks, from best to worse, is about 1-2c.

So that's not surprising, even before one considers that the Heatkiller GPU-X is arguably one of the best GPU blocks in the world.

The CPU block however doesn't quite stack up with the Big Boys (Storm/MP-05 LE/NexXxoS XP).

[embeejay]

Well i was thinking about going for the MasterKleer tubing now, since it seems to be the ideal way to go

[embeejay]

so...

Currently i am looking at this setup:

cpublock: Alphacool NexXxoS XP LGA775
nbblock: EK – NB4i (i am a bit unsure of this one)
pump: laing dcc-pro (10w)
radiator: ThermoChill PA160.1
tubing: MasterKleer 7/16"

does this sound about right?

[GrindBastard]

Creidiki:

Im sure the Heakiller nb block uses the same microchannel setup on all their blocks, its just as restrictive as the cpu and gfx blocks...

The EK NB is the one to go for, i have one lying around here to for another project to..

[creidiki]

I'll have to take your word for it since I cant seem to find any pictures. In that case its just unnecessary restriction, go for the EK.

Loop looks good to me embeejay. Get those oversized (12mm ID) T-Pieces from VCore, they are teh shizzle.

[embeejay]

i'll only need one t-piece for the tline right?

The setup looks like this in my head atm:

pump-tube-cpu-tube-nb-tube-radiator-tube-tline-tube-pump

does that sound about right?

[GrindBastard]

embejay:

Apart from that u have to choose from 2 stores your nearly there..

Why the PA160, a space issue?

I would pickup some EK 13,3mm barbs for the 1/4" threads, the are the best outthere with the least restriction, i cant find other barbs in 3/8" then the ones vcore sells with O rubbber rings, so they have to do if u pick up a PA radiator..

[embeejay]

btw, i am also thinking about buying a couple of SILENTstar HD-Dual coolers for my hdd's - or will they kill the flow? I kinda like the idea of cooling my hdds & taking the noise out f them at the same time...

[creidiki]

i'll only need one t-piece for the tline right?

The setup looks like this in my head atm:

pump-tube-cpu-tube-nb-tube-radiator-tube-tline-tube-pump

does that sound about right?

Yes, 1.

Loop order has no effect whatsoever on temperatures in real-world pc-cooling applications.

Keep it simple, short, and kink-free. The only restriction when it comes to loop order is that the T-Line must be before the pump's inlet.

I dont like HD-coooling myself, I run a soundproofed case with 4 air-cooled (if a Yate Loon D12SL-12 @ 5v counts as air-cooling) HDs and its much more efficient both from noise and cost point of view than watercooling.

[thunderstruck!]

Since the 18W is the same price as th 10W and much better, you should get that. My 18W DDC is silent, it's on some foam and I can't hear a thing. Since they are the same price, no reason not to get the better pump.

[GrindBastard]

Creidiki:

Im 88% sure, the plate covers the channels looks just like mt vga block...

embeejay:

This one, u could choose a Y-splitter if that helps your setup, i use one instead of a T-line

The Ultra isnt priced the same as the Pro, its around 20$ more expensive..

http://www.vcore.dk/shop/productinfo.asp?id=5112

I would also leave out the Hdd cooler, its quite expensive but it helps on the noise if your case dosnt have any anti vibration mountings..

[embeejay]

GrindBastard: the reason for the 160.1 was to get away with a single fan, to minimize noise, but maybe i am overdoing it.. but as far as i can read in the various tests it seems to be about as good as the pa120.2 .. i am a bit concerned tho with weatehr or not it will be sufficient to remove the heat with a single low-speed fan like the nexus realsilent fan... my main goal tho is to get rid of as much noise as possible, thus the single fan rad... but i must admit that i am not 100% sure about that choice atm... i also have to figure out what case to use and where to place the rad/fan... i have never done a case mod and i don't own a dreml, so i am not quite sure what to do on that point... suggestions are very welcome.

At the moment my case is an antec solo (same as the p150) and i am pretty sre it is too small to accomodate this setuptho if i mod the top of it i should be able to just make room for the p160.1 , but buyinga bigger case might be the way to go.. i just have no clue which one to go for... and i so love my antec solo case

[creidiki]

Yes. For just a CPU, the 160 is even overkill. You can run SLi rigs on a 120.2