Corsair 800D Refresh - 2 loops > 1 loop, recommendations on pump, etc.

[lonkny]

Hey all,

I am getting ready to refresh my rig, which needs some work/cleaning up and just an overall refresh. Here is the current setup. Much of it I will be keeping, much of it will be replaced:

Loop 1:
Res1 = EK Multioption 250
Rad1 = Swiftech MCR320 w/6 Scythe Slipstream SY1225SL12SH push/pull
Pump1 = Swiftech MCP655 w/EK D5 Top
SB = EK 790i Southbridge Block
CPU = Koolance CPU-340
Mosfet = Koolance MVR-40

Loop 2:
Res2 = XSPC DDC Res Top
Rad2 = Black Ice SR1 140mm Low Flow w/Noctua NF-P14FLX
Pump2 = Swiftech MCP355
NB = EK 780i NB Block
VGA = EK FC-5850 w/RAM Backplate

Misc:
Fill Port = Danger Den Black Aluminum
Tubing = Feser Black 1/2" ID 3/4" OD, Tygon R3400 7/16" ID 9/16" OD, Koolance Orange 1/2" ID 5/8" OD
Pump Bracket = (UN)Designs Infinite DDC Pump Bracket, Vertical Version
Control = T-Balancer BigNG, MiniNG, Analog Sensor Hub
Flow Meters = 2 x Koolance INS-FM17 (visual), 2 x Swissflow SF800 (sensor)
Temp Sensors = 2 x Koolance SEN-AP006G
Display = Matrix Orbital LK-204-7T-USB-TCI
Fittings = various Enzotech, Bitspower, & Koolance

Hardware (partial):
Motherboard = eVGA 780i > Asus Rampage III Extreme
CPU = Core2Quad Q9550 > Core i7 930
RAM = 2x2GB Corsair Dominator 1066 > 3x2GB GSkill DDR3 20000
Video Card = XFX Radeon HD 5850 "XXX Edition"
Case = Corsair Obsidian 800D
PSU = ABS Tagan 900W > OCZ 850W XPS-850W-BES
Sound = Creative X-Fi Fatal1ty Professional Edition > Auzentech Forte 7.1
OS HDD = OCZ Colossus 250GB SSD
SATA/SAS RAID = JMicron JMB363, Promise FastTrack TX2300

Items in Red are the replacement parts.

Here is the current setup, along with the original design plan:
http://www.xtremesystems.org/forums/...51#post4493651

My plan is to go down to 1 loop, but keeping both Rads (why not)... I have a few questions about the new setup and was hoping to be pointed in the right direction... Here is what I'm thinking for the new WC setup, setting the loop up in this order:

Res = EK Multioption 250
Pumps = 2xSwiftech MCP355 w/EK white dual DDC Top V2 connected to Res w/Multioption Link
GPU = EK FC-5850 w/RAM Backplate
Full Board Block = EK EK-FB-RE3 Nickel
CPU = EK Supreme HF Red
Rad1 = Black Ice SR1 140mm Low Flow
Rad2 = Swiftech MCR320
and back to Res

Here is a visual:


I know most say to go to Rad after Res/Pump but doesn't seem feasible when the Rads are mounted up top and the pump at the bottom (and all the blocks in between!). The dual DDC top does have an internal 5.25" mounting mechanism, but not sure how I would get to it easily from the Res, so I'm thinking of using the Multioption Link and my current Res (I have the older Multioption Res, and being that it is 50mm diameter rather than 60mm like the new Multioption X2 RES series, I am hoping it will work with the Multioption Link - any thoughts on this?).

Essentially, these are my questions:

• Do you think using 2 MCP355's is overkill? I already have 1 MCP355 and the XSPC top (as well as the XSPC Res Top) so could use either of these instead, but was thinking that going with 2 MCP355's along w/the EK dual DDC top would give me more flow & options. I also have the D5 w/EK D5 top, so that is yet another option (although I was thinking of using this with another build). I guess I was just curious if you thought dual ddc's w/the above loop (3 blocks instead of 5) would be overkill.
• I just picked up the Rampage III Extreme motherboard. It has 2 CPU power connectors; however, there are covers over half of each 8pin connector, making them look like 2 4pin connectors. My OCZ PSU has 2 8pin connectors (1 ATX 12V/EPS12V 4/8pin connector and 1 EPS12V 8pin connector). My question is, should I remove the 4pin covers off each motherboard connector and plug in both 8-pin PSU cables to the motherboard?
• What about the 2 molex power connectors on the motherboard? Should these always be connected, or are they only necessary in a Crossfire/SLI config?
• What do you think of the loop as far as the order goes? It makes the most sense as far as tube runs, but perhaps not as far as optimal cooling... I was hoping with the extra 140mm Rad it wouldn't matter much though.
• Like an idiot, I forgot to install a temp sensor under the full board block before installing it. Assuming the Rampage's NB/SB temp monitoring will be sufficient though?
• Mentioned this above, but does anyone know if the older EK Multioption Reservoirs are compatible with the Multioption Links? The Dual DDC Top says it is compatible w/the Multioption Link, and the Link says it goes with these tubes which are 50mm diameter. The older Multioption Res' (I have the 250mm version) are also 50mm, so hoping it will work OK. In contrast, the newer X2 Res' are 60mm. Here is an image from the Dual DDC Top instruction sheet, showing the top connected to the Multioption Link and one of the 50mm tubes:
  
• While my last build used Orange tubing for one loop, and Black tubing for the other, this time I purchased Feser UV White and Primoflex LRT UV Red tubing, using recommendations on this forum. My previous setup used Feser One UV Orange for the orange loop and distilled water w/Swiftech HydrX for the black loop. This time, I am thinking of using just distilled water, and got some PTNuke (I got this one - should I have gotten this one instead and what's the difference?) along with some Feser UV dye. While PTNuke says to not use it with dyes, it also says "our testing indicates that there may be no compatibility issue with Feser's UV dyes"... so I was interested if anyone has had experience with Distilled Water, PTNuke, and Feser View Active UV Dye?

I think that's about it! Sorry for the slightly long winded post, but hoping someone can point me in the right direction on these. Hoping to get started this week (already put the full board block on but that's about it, and already forgot the temp sensor so off to a great start...). Thanks for all your excellent wisdom - this is by far the best forum for WC info.

LonkNY

[wesley]

Ans in bold.

[*]Do you think using 2 MCP355's is overkill? I already have 1 MCP355 and the XSPC top (as well as the XSPC Res Top) so could use either of these instead, but was thinking that going with 2 MCP355's along w/the EK dual DDC top would give me more flow & options. I also have the D5 w/EK D5 top, so that is yet another option (although I was thinking of using this with another build). I guess I was just curious if you thought dual ddc's w/the above loop (3 blocks instead of 5) would be overkill.

Here's the thing. Gabe from Swiftech did a test and found out that temps were not that far off for single vs dual loop. In fact, since most apps didn't stress both GPU & CPU at the same time, the CPU could have lower load temps. The thread is in XS. Your D5 will be perfect for the single loop.

[*]I just picked up the Rampage III Extreme motherboard. It has 2 CPU power connectors; however, there are covers over half of each 8pin connector, making them look like 2 4pin connectors. My OCZ PSU has 2 8pin connectors (1 ATX 12V/EPS12V 4/8pin connector and 1 EPS12V 8pin connector). My question is, should I remove the 4pin covers off each motherboard connector and plug in both 8-pin PSU cables to the motherboard?

Just 1 will do. The other 8pin is for extreme OC. ie > 4.5ghz or LN2 use (please correct me if I am wrong)

[*]What about the 2 molex power connectors on the motherboard? Should these always be connected, or are they only necessary in a Crossfire/SLI config?

They are meant for tri CF/SLI

[*]Like an idiot, I forgot to install a temp sensor under the full board block before installing it. Assuming the Rampage's NB/SB temp monitoring will be sufficient though?

Yes the temp monitoring is fine


...there may be no compatibility issue with Feser's UV dyes"... so I was interested if anyone has had experience with Distilled Water, PTNuke, and Feser View Active UV Dye?

Not good.

http://www.xtremesystems.org/forums/...d.php?t=169186

[Shvian]

Why not like:

or

Just different options

[lonkny]

Here's the thing. Gabe from Swiftech did a test and found out that temps were not that far off for single vs dual loop. In fact, since most apps didn't stress both GPU & CPU at the same time, the CPU could have lower load temps. The thread is in XS. Your D5 will be perfect for the single loop.

Thanks - although you say they did a test where temps were not far off for single vs. dual loops... what I am proposing is both in a single loop config - just wondering if 2 DDC pumps in that one loop would be worthwhile as compared to one. I suppose I could use the one D5 but I like the DDC's as they have a much smaller footprint and have the RPM sensor cable, rather than just the vario dial on the back as on the D5... I plug my pumps into the MiniNG for power so I can take advantage of its speed control based on temps, etc. so the RPM sensor cable is helpful in this case.

Just 1 will do. The other 8pin is for extreme OC. ie > 4.5ghz or LN2 use (please correct me if I am wrong)

Thanks - so should I remove the 4 pin cover off one and use the 8pin ATX12V connector, as I usually do w/most boards? Which one should I plug into? Would plugging in both CPU power connectors potentially cause any issues? If not, I might as well use both if I have them available, no?

I was interested if anyone has had experience with Distilled Water, PTNuke, and Feser View Active UV Dye?

Not good.

http://www.xtremesystems.org/forums/...d.php?t=169186

Wow - thanks for this. I'm surprised though, as I had gotten this based on posts elsewhere (would have to dig them up), but even further down on that same post there are those that say they haven't had any issues... but you are probably right to play it safe... too much invested to play around with ruining it all using dyes... I may go with my old mix of distilled water & HydrX, as that seems to have worked well... altho I was going for a red/white/black look this time around, not green!!

Thanks much for your comments... and let me know what you think of the above, thanks!

[lonkny]

Why not like:


Just different options

Wow, thanks - this is awesome. I especially like this second config, as it brings the coolest water to the CPU. Curious - how did you edit out my tube routes and add yours? It looks like a brand new pic!