Choosing The Best Pump for Your WaterCooling System

[boar_d_laze]

L'enFer,

Xillikon (and a lot of other people) know more about this than I and can probably explain it better. But see if this helps:

The OEM tops -- Alphacool, Petratech, OC, etc -- work better than the stock tops for a number of reasons. Three are more important than others, they are dynamically related, all having to do with the inlet side of the pump.

First -- bear in mind that a cooling loop is a closed loop. "Wave" type artifacts are introduced into the flow by the pump itself, the blocks, the loop geometry and the tubing, and eventually get back to the inlet side of the pump. This prevents the pump from loading liquid smoothly, and magnifies and transmits the artifacts, which return to the pump, and so on. By increasing the inlet's cross-sectional area -- creating a mini-reservoir, if you will -- the height between wave peak and trough is lessened and the effects of the artifacts are mostly eliminated.

Second -- The idea that the inlet side "sucks" liquid is not actually true. Pumps of the kind we're discussing here work best with positive pressure on the inlet. The increase in cross-sectional area is also an increase in volume -- which in turn is an increase in mass -- which translates into positive pressure.

It's intuitively clear that these things -- smoothness of the flow and positive pressure at the inlet are related.

Third -- Another intrinsically related inlet concern is flow laminarity. In this case, "laminarity" refers to the tendency for the center of a linear flow (i.e., mostly going in one direction, and moving through a tube) to move faster than the outside. Again -- the problem is largely resolved by increasing the cross sectional area and volume. The volume increase is proportional to the cube of the dimensional change, the area increase is proportional to its square, and the circumference directly proportional. The "outside" of the flow is defined by the circumference, while the center is defined by the area (static) or by volume/time (dynamic). However you look at it, a lesser portion of the flow is effected by laminarity in an aftermarket top. .

Something to remember when you're designing your loop -- The actual internal diameter of most high-flow g-1/4 fittings is actually 0.366", just a skosh less than 3/8". Using a 1/2" instead of 3/8" barb on the inlet side of an OEM top won't help you much, if at all.

Hope this helps,
BDL

[Xilikon]

L'enFer,

Xillikon (and a lot of other people) know more about this than I and can probably explain it better. But see if this helps:

The OEM tops -- Alphacool, Petratech, OC, etc -- work better than the stock tops for a number of reasons. Three are more important than others, they are dynamically related, all having to do with the inlet side of the pump.

First -- bear in mind that a cooling loop is a closed loop. "Wave" type artifacts are introduced into the flow by the pump itself, the blocks, the loop geometry and the tubing, and eventually get back to the inlet side of the pump. This prevents the pump from loading liquid smoothly, and magnifies and transmits the artifacts, which return to the pump, and so on. By increasing the inlet's cross-sectional area -- creating a mini-reservoir, if you will -- the height between wave peak and trough is lessened and the effects of the artifacts are mostly eliminated.

Second -- The idea that the inlet side "sucks" liquid is not actually true. Pumps of the kind we're discussing here work best with positive pressure on the inlet. The increase in cross-sectional area is also an increase in volume -- which in turn is an increase in mass -- which translates into positive pressure.

It's intuitively clear that these things -- smoothness of the flow and positive pressure at the inlet are related.

Third -- Another intrinsically related inlet concern is flow laminarity. In this case, "laminarity" refers to the tendency for the center of a linear flow (i.e., mostly going in one direction, and moving through a tube) to move faster than the outside. Again -- the problem is largely resolved by increasing the cross sectional area and volume. The volume increase is proportional to the cube of the dimensional change, the area increase is proportional to its square, and the circumference directly proportional. The "outside" of the flow is defined by the circumference, while the center is defined by the area (static) or by volume/time (dynamic). However you look at it, a lesser portion of the flow is effected by laminarity in an aftermarket top. .

Something to remember when you're designing your loop -- The actual internal diameter of most high-flow g-1/4 fittings is actually 0.366", just a skosh less than 3/8". Using a 1/2" instead of 3/8" barb on the inlet side of an OEM top won't help you much, if at all.

Hope this helps,
BDL

To be honest, I don't know more than others. I'm just stating some facts that I learned from reading all the threads and the stickies. BDL explained very well the reasons but let me sum the reasons : smoother flow, inlet straight in the impeller instead of a 90 degree bend causing a restriction and the bigger diameter of the holes compared to the stock top (the stock top is actually much smaller than the aftermarket ones.

[L'enFer]

Thanks guys.

[LockBreaker]

Hey. I was just wondering if this pump is enough for my watercooling setup? I am going to cool CPU and two GPUs with a 3x120mm HW-Labs GT Stealth 360 radiator and a 1x120mm Swiftech MCR-120 radiator.

The pump: http://www.petrastechshop.com/ladd1mcin12p.html

Btw, 2nd post here at XtremeSystems.

And sorry for my bad English.

[Panthols]

Hey. I was just wondering if this pump is enough for my watercooling setup? I am going to cool CPU and two GPUs with a 3x120mm HW-Labs GT Stealth 360 radiator and a 1x120mm Swiftech MCR-120 radiator.

The pump: http://www.petrastechshop.com/ladd1mcin12p.html

Btw, 2nd post here at XtremeSystems.

And sorry for my bad English.

You should be okay as far as flow is concerned. I would reccomend at least getting the Petra's top with the DDC though. I would be more concerned on having a CPU and 2 GPU's w/ those rad's, depending on the components.

[LockBreaker]

So it's to few radiators for cooling all the Hardware? Do you have any recommendations for me? My case is quite small, so I don't have much room to work with. It's a Lian Li PC-V1100 btw.

[Panthols]

It depends on the components. If you are cooling an E6700 and 2 8600's then you are fine, a Q6600 w/ 2 8800's is another story. I'd reccomend at least a PA120.3, which you may be able to fit on top of the case (w/ some cutting).

You should get all the info, components to cool, case and budget together and ask the question in a seperate thread instead of posting in existing ones. You would be more apt to get a faster and better reply.

[carmatic]

guys, suppose that i have block on a q6600 ,a 8800 gtx and the northbridge, but a lesser pump like the mcp350... there will be considerable heat and restriction, but what happens if i use 2 radiators ,maybe 120.2's to help deal with the heat, and hook the radiators up in parallel with each other so that the radiators present less of a restriction? with less restriction in the radiator side of the loop maybe its enough to compensate for having to pump through 3 blocks... im assuming that the radiators dont need high flowrate and turbulence to work well and the longer the water stays in the radiator the cooler it gets...

[FuriousSalesman]

Isn't there an easier way?

[lior307]

Great thread !!!

[Utnorris]

Quick question, I have an Apogee drive with a broken barb, so I am going to put a new top on it essentially making it a mp350. I am only cooling the CPU(q6600) and nothing else, I have one radiator with a 120mm fan. Which top does everyone recommend? I am looking at these three:

http://www.performance-pcs.com/catal...ducts_id=22700

http://www.performance-pcs.com/catal...oducts_id=4506

http://www.petrastechshop.com/peddcudeddcp.html

I like the idea of a clear top from a looks standpoint, but I am more interested in the performance. Thank you in advance for any input.

Utnorris

[Xilikon]

Well, you can't go wrong with a Alphacool or Petra top

[Eternalightwith]

How come no one has tried one of their AC pumps. I mean those brass stainless steel pumps look sexy.

[andressergio]

Hey guys

I never used Water but i want to start, i have a Thermalright Ultra Extreme 120 and i'm very pleased with it but i want to move to water, as a start i'm searching a good kit i saw some from swiftech but i want your help to recomend me.

You recomend my a kit ? or buying the separate parts ? if so wich parts ?

Sorry to bother but in my coutry there's no water cooler parts, so i have to pay a lot to import them and the cost will be high, so i have to be precise in wich i order

Thank you very much
Best regards for all
Sergio

[Nate P.]

Check out the kits at Petra's. These aren't some pre-made crap, they use really quality components. Petra does ship overseas but you have to contact them directly.

[smee]

Check out the kits at Petra's. These aren't some pre-made crap, they use really quality components.

+1 for Petra's Kits!!!!!!

[andressergio]

Thanks guys, wich block is best for CPU the D-Tek or the Swiftech ?

Cheers
Sergio

[Xilikon]

andressergio, please make a new thread because we're talking pumps in this thread so you are off-topic.

[andressergio]

Thanks Xilikon

[Janno]

argh, I'm so confused
I can't decide between the alphacool 1510
http://www.performance-pcs.com/catal...oducts_id=4505
and the laing ddc with petra's top
http://www.sidewindercomputers.com/swmcwdeddcpu.html

what do you guys reckon?
i'll be using d-tek fusion cpu, ek fc8800 gpu and thermochill pa120.3 rad

[Fairydust]

argh, I'm so confused
I can't decide between the alphacool 1510
http://www.performance-pcs.com/catal...oducts_id=4505
and the laing ddc with petra's top
http://www.sidewindercomputers.com/swmcwdeddcpu.html

what do you guys reckon?
i'll be using d-tek fusion cpu, ek fc8800 gpu and thermochill pa120.3 rad

Alphacool AP1510 Pump on the Test Bench

[Janno]

i wonder why google didn't give me this
thanks, fairydust

i guess i'll go wild and try the alphacool

[Mech0z]

I am building this rig http://madsskipper.dk/H2O.htm and I am buying all my stuff from Chilledpc and they got these pumps link and they got most tops, which would you pick x 2 ? I am going for a very silent setup btw. I am on the D5 right now, but nothing is final!

[aiya]

quick questions,

would a db-1 pump be enough for a MCR320 w/ either a Apogee GT or FuZion? or should i go for lets say a D5 or DDC+Petra's Top?

[Vinas]

I just wanted to add my experience with the Blueline/Panworld 40PX (comparable to the iwaki 20RLT). Four of my connections immediately began to leak, including the CPU block. Maxxx was not joking, these things do put out a ton of flow. Also, I mounted a small 80mm fan to keep the pump cool. I noticed the housing of the pump was hot to the touch at first. Luckily the pump head isn't attached to the motor, so little to no heat gets put into the loop.

All in all I would recommend the Blueline/Panworld 40PX.