Some water cooling thoughts and I guess planning?

[AlwaysFSX]

So before someone flips out, I understand prices change. I've been watching the hardware market for long enough to at least take a notice in that. I've also been looking at water cooling with interest for enough time to see that prices there don't change all that much. Hence this post.

 

Within a few months time I'll have the budget (€1,500 strictly) to spend on whatever planned build I have thinking up in the works. I expect around Christmas time once everything on my end is settled down and I can actually spend the money. I haven't done water cooling but I have done enough building and overseeing building that I'm confident in my abilities to put a system together, so I'd like to crack my fingers and try the liquid stuff.

 

The hardware I'm looking at is roughly this:

 

PCPartPicker part list / Price breakdown by merchant

CPU: Intel Core i7-4790K 4.0GHz Quad-Core Processor  (€315.09)
CPU Cooler: Cooler Master Seidon 120M 86.2 CFM Liquid CPU Cooler  (€62.87 @ Amazon Deutschland)
Motherboard: Gigabyte GA-Z97X-SOC ATX LGA1150 Motherboard  (€169.90)
Storage: A-Data Premier Pro SP900 128GB 2.5" Solid State Drive  (€58.70 @ Amazon Deutschland)
Video Card: Gigabyte Radeon R9 290 4GB WINDFORCE Video Card  (€387.69)
Power Supply: EVGA 850W 80+ Gold Certified Fully-Modular ATX Power Supply  (€113.55 @ Amazon Deutschland)
Case Fan: Noctua NF-P12 PWM 120mm  Fan  (€19.90 @ Amazon Deutschland)
Case Fan: Noctua NF-P12 PWM 120mm  Fan  (€19.90 @ Amazon Deutschland)
Total: €1147.60
Prices include shipping, taxes, and discounts when available
Generated by PCPartPicker 2014-08-19 18:31 CEST+0200

 

I've spent the past week contemplating what would be the best bang for the buck gaming system that I could water cool. The rest of the hardware you would normally need, I already have, so that's not necessary. I do want an SSD though, don't have one of those.

 

For the past few hours I've been looking around seeing if I could fit in the CPU to the loop but it's just a wee bit out of the budget, so darn it that's not happening.

 

Now as I've never done water cooling before, I've read and watched and guessed my way through this. So I think this is a complete list of parts for a gpu only loop, but I'm not sure.

 

Parts!

€92.95 EK-FC R9-290X (Rev 2.0) Copper block

€26.38 EK-FC R9 290X Backplate - Black

€50.79 EK CoolStrem PE 240 Rad

€81.28 EK-D5 Vario (12V DC Pump)

€27.40 EK Multioption RES X2 100 Basic

€5.03   Arctic Cooling MX-2 Thermal paste

€22.31 PrimoChill Advanced LRT clear tubing (15.9/9.5 mm)

€27.74 (6x €4.62) EK-CSQ Compression fittings 10/16mm - Nickel

€1.81 (2x €0.91) EK's PVC 15-17mm tube clamps (for the pump)

Total+tax is €335.69

 

As it can be quite apparent, I used a lot of EK's stuff because quite honestly their site was the easiest to use for a beginner. I do have two question though.

 

1) Does all of that ^ work for a loop, nothing is missing?

2) Is there a cheaper/better way to do a custom loop with other hardware I just haven't looked at?

 

 

Reminder note, I know prices change but not really for water cooling stuff, that's why I posted this. It's interesting and I will probably learn something from more knowledgeable people. And it'll give me an idea whether or not I should bother with it right now or wait for a long time later.

[Lays]

 you may need 90 degree angle fittings to make he tubing runs not look like exploded spaghetti noodles.

 

 

Is that the biggest rad you can fit in your case?

 

 

A smaller pump can be used, I recommend an MCP35x.

[AlwaysFSX]

 you may need 90 degree angle fittings to make he tubing runs not look like exploded spaghetti noodles.

 

 

Is that the biggest rad you can fit in your case?

Have you ever seen the window on a Phantom 410? I can't see anything in there.

 

Without modding, yes. And I can only fit one until I move to all SSDs to shove behind the mobo tray or completely external mass storage because I still need the bottom hard drive bays for my 2 hard drives.

 

Something to note, if I begin water cooling I would like to use the hardware as long as possible as I do plan to upgrade to a dual or triple gpu system, etc.

[Shaqo_Wyn]

Now as I've never done water cooling before, I've read and watched and guessed my way through this. So I think this is a complete list of parts for a gpu only loop, but I'm not sure.

 

Parts!

€92.95 EK-FC R9-290X (Rev 2.0) Copper block

€26.38 EK-FC R9 290X Backplate - Black

€50.79 EK CoolStrem PE 240 Rad

€81.28 EK-D5 Vario (12V DC Pump)

€27.40 EK Multioption RES X2 100 Basic

€5.03   Arctic Cooling MX-2 Thermal paste

€22.31 PrimoChill Advanced LRT clear tubing (15.9/9.5 mm)

€27.74 (6x €4.62) EK-CSQ Compression fittings 10/16mm - Nickel

€1.81 (2x €0.91) EK's PVC 15-17mm tube clamps (for the pump)

Total+tax is €335.69

 

As it can be quite apparent, I used a lot of EK's stuff because quite honestly their site was the easiest to use for a beginner. I do have two question though.

 

1) Does all of that ^ work for a loop, nothing is missing?

2) Is there a cheaper/better way to do a custom loop with other hardware I just haven't looked at?

 

Your parts look fine. There are other rads you could give a look but that's up to you. The PE is a great choice though. Keep in mind that it's high fpi which might require you to run your fans at a higher rpm than you'd like to, to get the max out of it. 

 

Other rads:

Swiftech MCR220-XP

XSPC EX240

Hardware Labs Black Ice GTS240

Alphacool ST30 240 - low fpi (up to 1400RPM it can dissipate just as much heat as high fpi rads).

[AlwaysFSX]

Your parts look fine. There are other rads you could give a look but that's up to you. The PE is a great choice though. Keep in mind that it's high fpi which might require you to run your fans at a higher rpm than you'd like to, to get the max out of it. 

 

Other rads:

Swiftech MCR220-XP

XSPC EX240

Hardware Labs Black Ice GTS240

Alphacool ST30 240 - low fpi

Even with two NF-P12's? Only reason I chose those is to push air through the radiator because I saw how dense it was.

[Shaqo_Wyn]

Even with two NF-P12's? Only reason I chose those is to push air through the radiator because I saw how dense it was.

I edited the last line in the first post. I'm sure it'll be fine. It's a thin rad and you'll have some of the best static pressure fans out there on it.

[AlwaysFSX]

I edited the last line in the first post. I'm sure it'll be fine. It's a thin rad and you'll have some of the best static pressure fans out there on it.

That helps. None of the sites for Germany have any of the Swiftech radiators or pumps, or I'm blind. The Hardware Labs rad you said is though, and it's cheaper than the one from EK. AlphaCool's however around the same price, looks a little bit too thick to fit in the top of a Phantom 410.

[Shaqo_Wyn]

That helps. None of the sites for Germany have any of the Swiftech radiators or pumps, or I'm blind. The Hardware Labs rad you said is though, and it's cheaper than the one from EK. AlphaCool's however around the same price, looks a little bit too thick to fit in the top of a Phantom 410.

Well the Alphacool is 30mm thick, the PE is 38mm. As always, it's up to you. They'll preform about the same unless you're willing to go past 1400RPM> where the high fpi rads will really shine. Among the other high fpi rads, just go with the one that you like the looks and price of the most. 

[AlwaysFSX]

Well the Alphacool is 30mm thick, the PE is 38mm. As always, it's up to you. They'll preform about the same unless you're willing to go past 1400RPM> where the high fpi rads will really shine. Among the other high fpi rads, just go with the one that you like the looks and price of the most. 

I'll leave that up to when I wake up later today, I need sleep. Good thing about the radiators is I don't care about system sound too much. I've had my old GPU's fan run at 60% so often it's normal to me now.

[Shaqo_Wyn]

I'll leave that up to when I wake up later today, I need sleep. Good thing about the radiators is I don't care about system sound too much. I've had my old GPU's fan run at 60% so often it's normal to me now.

Alrighty, good luck with your project.  I'm going to go finish preparing for the 10 hour flight I have to take in a few hours (FML). Thought we'd have long range teleporters by now... *sigh* 

[AlwaysFSX]

Alrighty, good luck with your project.  I'm going to go finish preparing for the 10 hour flight I have to take in a few hours (FML). Thought we'd have long range teleporters by now... *sigh* 

Oh boy fun. Thanks for your help. I'll keep going in my endeavors to finally water cool.

[TheMuskr]

Looks pretty good, although I would be worried that you can only fit a 240 rad. I'm cooling a i5 2500k and a OCed 780 with a 420mm rad, temps around 50c at load. A 240 will be fine for GPU only, but if you plan on expanding to the CPU the temps may get a little high. With that said, If you want to upgrade you could always just get a better case and another rad.. Everyone loves upgrading

 

Good luck

[Izaya Orihara]

@AlwaysFSX DO NOT (!) ever use de.pcpartpicker It's a broken piece of shit. You can get much better. 

[AlwaysFSX]

@AlwaysFSX DO NOT (!) ever use de.pcpartpicker It's a broken piece of shit. You can get much better. 

I just use it to keep things organized, I search the sites myself because the other variants of PCPP aren't up to date.

[Izaya Orihara]

I just use it to keep things organized, I search the sites myself because the other variants of PCPP aren't up to date.

A german website that is always up to date is www.geizhals.de . Also why are you looking for german prices? I thought you are Murican and only went to Frankfurt on vancation? 

[AlwaysFSX]

A german website that is always up to date is www.geizhals.de . Also why are you looking for german prices? I thought you are Murican and only went to Frankfurt on vancation? 

I went to Nürnberg And it wasn't supposed to be a vacation but because of some stuff and some plans...things aren't going as they should.

 

This is just planning.

[Opcode]

Horrible choice of solid state drives, I would suggest switching it out for a MX100 and getting away from the SandForce controller. The MX100 will be a much more reliable drive and it's pretty much the same exact price.

[acidprototype]

Id recommend alphacool rads for there low FPI and all copper design. Awesome product.