Advice on setup for first time WC'er

S

SuperTroye

Limp Gawd
Joined
Apr 20, 2009
Messages
177
First of all, this forum rocks. I've spent the better part of 4 hours today reading all I can and absorbing as much knowledge here as I can. I've spec'd out the cooling for my system and was hoping someone else much smarter than I to give it a glance. I haven't overclocked anything so extreme performance is not as necessary as quiet gaming.

Current System
-Cooler Master ATCS 840
-Intel Core i7 - 940
-Asus P6T Deluxe
-Sapphire 4870X2
-6GB Dominator
-300GB Velocirator OS/games
-2 x 500GB Raid0 storage
-Corsair 1000W

Proposed WC Setup
-Koolance VID-487X2
-Swiftech MCP655
-Swiftech Apogee GTZ
-Swiftech MCR320 mounted at the top of the case.
-3 Yate Loon 120's
-XSPC Bay Reservoir 5.25"
-1/2" ID Feser Tube
-1/2" Koolance Compression fittings throughout
-Feser One F1 Cooling Fluid

Is there anything missing? Also, would you recommend a fan controller for the 3 rad fans?
 
looks like a pretty nice setup. how much did that all cost you just for the WC stuff? id say you should get a fan controller. just wire all 3 fans together and then control them all with one knob. if youre going for quiet like you say then you will probably want to be able to adjust them manually. and i assume you read the faq and know about putting the res directly before the pump, and making sure to include some way of filling and draining your system. also make sure to hook it all up as its gonna be in the computer and test it away from any components for at least a few hours (recommend 24) before setting it up inside the case with all the hardware in.
 
Thanks, well the only thing I've bought is the Koolance VGA water block. I'd thought about sticking with one brand for blocks and going with the Koolance CPU-345AT. I'm sure it's going to be expensive after the dust settles. Another question: are the Koolance compression nozzles a good match for this setup? Is there another type/brand of fitting I should consider?

Many thanks for your time and help.
 
you can use whatever fitting you want, depending on how much youre willing to pay. compression fittings are going to be the most expensive, but they will look really nice and theyll be easy to disconnect and reconnect. the screw driver hose clamps are a huge pita in tight workspaces and are pretty ugly. plus they can cut tube if you tighten them too much. zip ties and squeeze clamps look a little better and are cheapest but are not as secure. if you can afford compression fittings, id say go for it. just make sure theyre the right size. they have to be the correct inside and outside diameter to work right. as for water block, i think the consensus is pretty much gtz right now.

edit: i guess heatkiller 3.0 is pretty good too. any of the top of the line models should give you comparable results. there isnt a ton you can do with a water block. theyre just water flowing through grooves.
 
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thanks... so i've also read that most recommend 7/16" tubing with 1/2" fittings for a much tighter and sealed fit. does this only apply to barbs, or compression fittings as well?

sorry for the barrage of questions, i know i'll make some mistakes along the way but i'm trying to get as much right the first time.
 
If you're using compression fittings, make sure you get ones designed for 7/16" tubing... If you can't find them, use 1/2" tubing!

Don't use 7/16" tubing on 1/2" compression fittings.
 
A Swiftech 3x120 running Yates is going to be pushing it for a 4870X2 and i7 920. Hope you're going to silence and don't expect to run any major OC.
 
silent-circuit said:
A Swiftech 3x120 running Yates is going to be pushing it for a 4870X2 and i7 920. Hope you're going to silence and don't expect to run any major OC.
Click to expand...

Yeah, I'm not even 100% sure it will cut it. In-Fact, I'm almost 100% sure it *won't* cut it :eek:
 
Thanks for the replies... I've gone with the XSPC RX360 instead and 3 Panaflo 87cfm fans. Should be putting it all together tonight :)
 
why shouldnt you use the wrong compression fittings? i believe its in the FAQ which im sure you read. :rolleyes: but to answer the question, compression fittings are made to fit the outside AND inside of the tubing perfectly. therefore a different OD or ID will create a bad seal. with 7/16" ID tube you have a smaller OD as well, and the fitting wont hold it tight like its meant to. some people say you can use 7/16" tubing on 1/2" barbs to make a tighter seal, but thats only useful if youre not using any sort of clamps. i recommend always using clamps if possible.
 
So, I've got everything in the mail and this has become quite an ordeal. I've learned that you can never plan too much (or research too much) for a custom water cooling install. I got the RX360 and it came with M4 x 30mm screws for mounting with 25mm fans. Well, I've got 38mm fans and now have to either hunt down some M4 screws form Home Depot and cut them to size or come up with some other means to mount the rad!
 
Here's an update: http://picasaweb.google.com/stonich/WaterCooling

I'm currently leak testing with distilled water. I do have an occasional drip at the outlet of the XSPC drive bay reservoir. I'm using Koolance 1/2" compression fittings with Tygon 1/2" tubing. Any thoughts / recommendations before I drain this and fill up the Feser One? I'm taking my time so any recommendations will be considered even if it delays by another week. Also, what fan controller is recommended? I've got 3 Panaflo 38mm up top and will have 3 120mm in the case for a total of 6 fans. Will I need fan extensions cables or will the fan controller be able to reach the tails?

Many thanks for all your thoughts and advice. This forum is a wealth of knowledge and a must for first timers :)
 
one comment, if your going to put all 3 radiator fans on one channel on your fan controller, then make sure your controller can handle that kind of load on that one channel. Last thing you want is blowing up a new fan controller as soon as you install it!
 
Panaflos have fairly short tails so chances are you will need extensions.

Make sure there are /no/ leaks before you install.
 
As silent-circuit said, make absolutely sure there are no leaks whatsoever before you proceed. Any leak is unacceptable. That drip at your res outlet could be a number of things. Find out the cause before you do anything else.

Otherwise, you've got a nicely put together loop there. I'm looking forward to seeing the end product. The only component criticism I have is your CPU block. The Koolance 345 probably won't perform very well on an i7.
 
anr11 said:
As silent-circuit said, make absolutely sure there are no leaks whatsoever before you proceed. Any leak is unacceptable. That drip at your res outlet could be a number of things. Find out the cause before you do anything else.
Click to expand...

Thanks for your replies. Well, if I cut the tube clean and even, push it flush over the fitting, screw down the compression cap tight, and it still leaks do I assume that it's the reservoir that's causing the leak? I thought about swapping out the compression fitting with another one to see if that was the problem. Any help from someone who has tried to nail down the cause of a leak would be greatly appreciated.
 
yep just switch things out until you fix it. it could be the compression fitting, so try a different one. it could be the o ring in the fitting, or it could just be a crack in the res. i like to leak test by putting everything on a towell so i see if something leaks. you can take a paper towell and put it right up to the res thread when you run it, with the compression fitting below. if the leak drips off the fitting it is probably inside the compression part. if you see the paper towell getting wet right around the threads, then you know its a problem in there. or f it seems pretty dry in both places but you seem to be getting leaks near a seam, then its probably a crack in the res. also check the res thread for cracks, as overtightening metal fittings in a plastc res is an easy way to crack it.

and do get a new cpu block. for such a nice setup youre gonna want a high quality cpu block to match. people seem to really like the heatkiller 3.0 for the i7. i dont have an i7 so i dont have any personal recommendations.
 
SuperTroye said:
Here's an update: http://picasaweb.google.com/stonich/WaterCooling

I'm currently leak testing with distilled water. I do have an occasional drip at the outlet of the XSPC drive bay reservoir. I'm using Koolance 1/2" compression fittings with Tygon 1/2" tubing. Any thoughts / recommendations before I drain this and fill up the Feser One? I'm taking my time so any recommendations will be considered even if it delays by another week. Also, what fan controller is recommended? I've got 3 Panaflo 38mm up top and will have 3 120mm in the case for a total of 6 fans. Will I need fan extensions cables or will the fan controller be able to reach the tails?

Many thanks for all your thoughts and advice. This forum is a wealth of knowledge and a must for first timers :)
Click to expand...

Could I get detailed information on your pump setup, specifically the mounting hardware?
 
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