Ah just thought I would put up a thread for my new project. I used to be really big into watercooling a few years ago, but then I just didn't have the time for it anymore.
I recently decided I wanted to get back into it, so I'm giving my main rig a cooling overhaul.
Here's the current setup:
+ SilverStone TJ07 case (black)
+ (2) Dell 19" flat-screen monitors
+ 2.0ghz AMD Athlon 64 X2 3800+ (Toledo) currently running at 2.6ghz (260.01 x 10.0)
+ ThermalTake Tower112 heatsink & 92mm Vantec Tornado
+ Sunbeam 5.25" 4-Fan controller
+ 16x Dual-Layer DVD+/-RW
+ ASUS A8N32-SLI Deluxe motherboard
+ (2) eVGA 7800GT KO video cards running in SLI at 500mhz core / 1200mhz memory)
+ (1) ATI Radeon 7000 PCI video card to run my 2nd LCD
+ 2gb Corsair DDR 400 (TWINX2048-3200C2) RAM
+ SoundBlaster X-Fi FATAL1TY audio card
+ 80gb SATA "Primary" HDD (Dual booting Win XP SP2 & Win Vista RC1)
+ (2) 80gb SATA "Documents" HDD (RAID 1)
+ 300gb SATA "Server" HDD
+ 60GB IDE "Scratch" HDD
+ Linksys WMP300N Wireless-N PCI network adapter (yeah...I'm mooching wireless...)
+ Sunbeam Tech 540w PSU
With the door off:
Yes, that's right...5 DVI Jacks. Don't worry - I only use 2.
Overclocked on AIR - CPUID screenshot:
Well, I've been very happy with the ThermalTake Tower112 heatsink. I mean, This little 3800+ is easily pushing 2.6ghz and it idles at 32c, full-load at 40c. Not too bad! But, like I said, I really want to get back into watercooling.
I bought this case a little while back (just before I moved to NYC) specifically because of its great watercooling potential.
Here's what I want to out of this project:
+ Lower temps / More overclocking!
+ Less noise (and no more 92mm Torando!)
+ 100% internal operation (that means no external radiators, fans, pumps, etc.)
+ A nice and clean install
I really hate seeing these watercooling systems that are just thrown into a case with little or no cable/tube management. I'm also not a fan of "ghetto mods" like using wireties to hold a fan on a scrap heatsink. I want the install to be as clean as possible. The only cutting I want to do will be a hole for mounting the fill port, and a hold for mounting the drain port. I'll have to drill a couple of holes for mounting the radiator, but they'll be in the bottom of the case where no one will see them. Other goals for the project:
NO jagged cuts anywhere in the case.
NO colored coolant (it just looks so tacky to me...)
NO ghetto reservoirs
NO difficult filling/draining
AS FEW "T" lines as possible
In the past I've built many watercooling systems. For awhile I was doing a lot of product testing /reviewing for Swiftech, Innovatek, DangerDen, PolarFlo. Before that I was milling blocks myself. I really don't have the time / tools to build any blocks these days (I live in Manhattan! No room for a tool shed haha!) so I've decided to buy all the parts online.
I've always been a fan of DangerDen so I've decided to go with their stuff. I've never come across a DangerDen block I didn't like.
I thought I might sketch out some loop ideas. Here's what I decided to go with:
The loop is actually pretty simple. Also, the lines might look a little long right now, but when I install everything I'm going to flip the radiator to lay in the other direction...that way the barbs will be right next to the pump & res. Ignoring the fill & drain ports, the loop will go be:
--RES--PUMP--CPU--GPU--GPU--RAD--
I've ordered the following parts which should be here by the end of the week, or sometime next week:
(1) DangerDen TDX Waterblock
(2) DangerDen Koosah 7800GT SLI Waterblocks
(1) DangerDen Aluminum Fillport
(1) DangerDen Delrin Drainport
(1) Danger Den DD12V-D5 Pump
(1) Alphacool Cape Coolplex Pro 25 Reservoir
(1) Black Ice GTX Gen Two Xtreme 360 Radiator
And also some misc fittings/clamps/etc.
The reservoir actually has (3) threaded ports on it. One will connect to the OUT line coming from the radiator. The second will connect to a "T" fitting that connects to the pump and also to a drain port. The third port on the res will connect directly to the fill port. I figure by having the fill/drain ports connected so close to the res, it will make filling/bleeding/draining a lot easier.
Of course, by cramming all this stuff in the bottom section of my case it creates the problem of where I might put my (5) hard drives. We'll I looked around and found these great Lian-Li 5.25" bay adapters that allow you to put (3) 3.5" hard drives into (2) 5.25" bays - and there's even an 80mm fan to keep them cool.
I've decided to pick up two of these, which will occupy my remaining (4) 5.25" bays. In the future, I would like to watercool the HDD's also, but for now I have to stay within my budget... I figure I might replace the 80mm fans with some silent ones. I'm also going to take off the Lian-Li badges. I figure the result will look something like this (photoshopped) mock-up:
Well...I guess that's all for now. When the parts come in I'll be sure to take a lot of photos...so check back this weekend or maybe early next week.
~theorie
I recently decided I wanted to get back into it, so I'm giving my main rig a cooling overhaul.
Here's the current setup:
+ SilverStone TJ07 case (black)
+ (2) Dell 19" flat-screen monitors
+ 2.0ghz AMD Athlon 64 X2 3800+ (Toledo) currently running at 2.6ghz (260.01 x 10.0)
+ ThermalTake Tower112 heatsink & 92mm Vantec Tornado
+ Sunbeam 5.25" 4-Fan controller
+ 16x Dual-Layer DVD+/-RW
+ ASUS A8N32-SLI Deluxe motherboard
+ (2) eVGA 7800GT KO video cards running in SLI at 500mhz core / 1200mhz memory)
+ (1) ATI Radeon 7000 PCI video card to run my 2nd LCD
+ 2gb Corsair DDR 400 (TWINX2048-3200C2) RAM
+ SoundBlaster X-Fi FATAL1TY audio card
+ 80gb SATA "Primary" HDD (Dual booting Win XP SP2 & Win Vista RC1)
+ (2) 80gb SATA "Documents" HDD (RAID 1)
+ 300gb SATA "Server" HDD
+ 60GB IDE "Scratch" HDD
+ Linksys WMP300N Wireless-N PCI network adapter (yeah...I'm mooching wireless...)
+ Sunbeam Tech 540w PSU
With the door off:
Yes, that's right...5 DVI Jacks. Don't worry - I only use 2.
Overclocked on AIR - CPUID screenshot:
Well, I've been very happy with the ThermalTake Tower112 heatsink. I mean, This little 3800+ is easily pushing 2.6ghz and it idles at 32c, full-load at 40c. Not too bad! But, like I said, I really want to get back into watercooling.
I bought this case a little while back (just before I moved to NYC) specifically because of its great watercooling potential.
Here's what I want to out of this project:
+ Lower temps / More overclocking!
+ Less noise (and no more 92mm Torando!)
+ 100% internal operation (that means no external radiators, fans, pumps, etc.)
+ A nice and clean install
I really hate seeing these watercooling systems that are just thrown into a case with little or no cable/tube management. I'm also not a fan of "ghetto mods" like using wireties to hold a fan on a scrap heatsink. I want the install to be as clean as possible. The only cutting I want to do will be a hole for mounting the fill port, and a hold for mounting the drain port. I'll have to drill a couple of holes for mounting the radiator, but they'll be in the bottom of the case where no one will see them. Other goals for the project:
NO jagged cuts anywhere in the case.
NO colored coolant (it just looks so tacky to me...)
NO ghetto reservoirs
NO difficult filling/draining
AS FEW "T" lines as possible
In the past I've built many watercooling systems. For awhile I was doing a lot of product testing /reviewing for Swiftech, Innovatek, DangerDen, PolarFlo. Before that I was milling blocks myself. I really don't have the time / tools to build any blocks these days (I live in Manhattan! No room for a tool shed haha!) so I've decided to buy all the parts online.
I've always been a fan of DangerDen so I've decided to go with their stuff. I've never come across a DangerDen block I didn't like.
I thought I might sketch out some loop ideas. Here's what I decided to go with:
The loop is actually pretty simple. Also, the lines might look a little long right now, but when I install everything I'm going to flip the radiator to lay in the other direction...that way the barbs will be right next to the pump & res. Ignoring the fill & drain ports, the loop will go be:
--RES--PUMP--CPU--GPU--GPU--RAD--
I've ordered the following parts which should be here by the end of the week, or sometime next week:
(1) DangerDen TDX Waterblock
(2) DangerDen Koosah 7800GT SLI Waterblocks
(1) DangerDen Aluminum Fillport
(1) DangerDen Delrin Drainport
(1) Danger Den DD12V-D5 Pump
(1) Alphacool Cape Coolplex Pro 25 Reservoir
(1) Black Ice GTX Gen Two Xtreme 360 Radiator
And also some misc fittings/clamps/etc.
The reservoir actually has (3) threaded ports on it. One will connect to the OUT line coming from the radiator. The second will connect to a "T" fitting that connects to the pump and also to a drain port. The third port on the res will connect directly to the fill port. I figure by having the fill/drain ports connected so close to the res, it will make filling/bleeding/draining a lot easier.
Of course, by cramming all this stuff in the bottom section of my case it creates the problem of where I might put my (5) hard drives. We'll I looked around and found these great Lian-Li 5.25" bay adapters that allow you to put (3) 3.5" hard drives into (2) 5.25" bays - and there's even an 80mm fan to keep them cool.
I've decided to pick up two of these, which will occupy my remaining (4) 5.25" bays. In the future, I would like to watercool the HDD's also, but for now I have to stay within my budget... I figure I might replace the 80mm fans with some silent ones. I'm also going to take off the Lian-Li badges. I figure the result will look something like this (photoshopped) mock-up:
Well...I guess that's all for now. When the parts come in I'll be sure to take a lot of photos...so check back this weekend or maybe early next week.
~theorie