Beginner Looking at getting his feet wet.

[Aku12]

For the questions go under the picture. For the full story.

Ive been doing some research past week or so about doing some watercooling.

This spring I plan on taking apart my case and painting the inside. While i do this i was debating removing the HDD and 3.5 internal cage to make room for a radiator. I would be doing this to get my feet wet and wouldn't be terribly worried about amazing performance. Would be putting this on my main rig in my sig. Might upgrade to a 9600gt at the same time, but that shouldnt be to big of a difference.

Im trying to keep this under $200 for my first time. If I like it then ill spend a bit more the next time around or keep this set up and buy a bigger case that fits a bigger rad.

Here is what i was thinking for the loop

Anyway i did the math according to http://www.over-clock.co.uk/ivb/index.php?showtopic=20277 and it seems that what i have picked out will cool adequately at decent sound levels.

Was planning on using this kit http://www.petrastechshop.com/pecoli.html with the upgrade to the Swiftech Apogee GT and buying a Swiftech MCW60-R seperately for the GPU.

My only concern is the pump. Id much rather go with a MCP-655 but it doesnt allow in the options. Im going to send off an email and see if they can do the swap.
If they can't do you think a DB-1 would do it? In the spreadsheet from the link above I got these numbers for my loop.
DB-1 : 1.01 GPM
2xDB-1: 1.26 GPM
D5-B : 1.44 GPM

Also one thing that I dont know if i understand is can you use your fill port for the T-line instead of using a Res? If you see in my loop i have the T for the fill port right before the pump. Would that be suffucient? Dont have a whole lot of room as I only have 3x 5.25 bays to work with in that pic.

Last question and it might be a dumb one. Can you run your pump upside down? Can you choose the direction of the flow? With the way i have it set up it would make it much easier to have the output of the pump pointing down directly to my rad and coming from the inside of the case.

List of items I was considering:
• (1) Swiftech Apogee GT Universal CPU Waterblock
• (1) Swiftech MCW60-R GPU Waterblock w/ G80 Adapter Plate
• (1) D-Tek dB-1 Pump (D5 Basic) ($34.96 more for D5-B or 41.99 more for 2nd dB-1)
• (1) HW Labs Black Ice Pro Radiator
• (1) Yate Loon D12SM-12 120mm x 25mm Fan (70.5CFM, 33dBA)
• (10') 7/16" ID (5/8" OD) Masterkleer Tubing
• (1) 1/2" OD Polypropylene T-Fitting
• (10) Stainless Steel Worm-Drive Hose Clamps
• (1) Danger Den Machined Acetal Fillport
• (1 bottle) Long Life Red Coolant Additive

Total Price would end up at 188.90 + shipping and I would still need to purchase the additional cooling for the video card.
Thanks for any help or opinions.

 

[Arcygenical]

First, a 120mm radiator will be nowhere near powerful enough to cool what I assume is a Core 2/Q cpu, and an 8800GTX. You'd need at least a double radiator, and possibly even a triple.

Second, the db-1 pumps aren't exactly known for amazing lifetime, nor are the MCP355s. I'd never recommend any pump other than the MCP655, simply for it's bulletproofness.

Lastly, that Tline should be on the pipe directly above the one in your diagram, aka the CPU to Pump line. That'll help with filling, I'm sure

 

[Aku12]

Hey thanks for the quick responce.

Im running a X2 4400 65w cpu and a 8600gts that will probably get upgraded by the time this happens to either a 8800gt or a 9600gt. From the research I did from that site. That is 145w total load from the CPU and GPU. that with a 120 rad and 1.03 GPM flow i should be able to cool it with a fan at around 65CFM. Which the Yate has 70.5CFM, 33dBA. Im mainly doing this to be affordable and comparable cooling to my current set up. Just to get my feet wet.

Unfortunately without getting a new case im not going to be able to use a 120.2 rad. I might be able to run 2 120.1 rads putting on on the back of the case.

I didnt label stuff so not sure you understand the direction of the loop. I Have it going Rad > CPU > GPU > Tline > pump > rad. That black thing pictured between CPU and Rad is a Elbow.

Im thinking the same thing on the pump, but i priced out the kit and that saves me about 25 bucks. So if i break apart the kit and buy the mcp655 that would be a 60 dollar increase just in the pump, putting me a little higher than i want to be. Im going to send petra's an email asking if they can swap the pumps.

 

[Arcygenical]

Well, I just assumed you'd be using an 8800GTX and a coreX cpu, due to that picture you linked, but with that loop spec, a BIX radiator, with a 70cfm fan, would be *more* than adequate to cool the loop.

And yep, I did get mixed up on the loop direction, but it's a very good idea to put the Tline at the very top part of the loop, that way water will flow downwards into the loop, and air will flow to the top. If there's a tube, especially a horizontal one, above the Tline, you'll have a harder time bleeding the loop. AKA, I'd put the Tline right between that elbow and the CPU. Or perhaps, use the Tline as the elbow it's self, and just put it on it's side?