Water cooling on a budget

[trandoanhung1991]

So far seems like for my budget I have 2 choices:

 

Byksky CPU block 2011

Magicool 360mm/30mm rad

Tank - Enginia 250mm tank (does having a bigger tank matter?)

Pump - SC600

Tubes and fittings, obviously.

Do I need a flow indicator?

 

Second choice:

Buy a few secondhand AIOs like H100(i) and H80 and create a custom loop out of those. Is the rad and the cpu block on the h100 any good? I was thinking that if I go this route, I'll be able to keep on using the CPU block as well as the rads even after the pump dies. Any cons if I go this route?

[ADZ_123_!"£]

I would personally go with the first choice for watercooling as I have never heard of anybody doing the second idea and I'm not sure how reliable it would be.

Welcome to the forums   and well done on following your own topic

[trandoanhung1991]

 

[Necrodead]

Don't try and mod all-in-ones, it just not a good idea unless you literally have them lying around and nothing better to do with your time.

 

You do not need a flow indicator, if you want to make sure the pump is running you can feel it, or run pc monitoring software like HWmonitor to show you the pump RPM. And having a larger resevior or 'tank' as you put it dosen't matter, it just makes filling easier.

[aduman]

Don't try to cheap out too much on watercooling equipment though. It usually doesn't end well. Take a look at XSPC's kits.

[Faceman]

snip

How to Water Cool a CPU and Single GPU for Under $200 USD Guide

[trandoanhung1991]

Don't try and mod all-in-ones, it just not a good idea unless you literally have them lying around and nothing better to do with your time.

 

You do not need a flow indicator, if you want to make sure the pump is running you can feel it, or run pc monitoring software like HWmonitor to show you the pump RPM. And having a larger resevior or 'tank' as you put it dosen't matter, it just makes filling easier.

 

Why not? I mean if I can get them for cheap, then what's the drawback?

 

The only reason I'm considering getting used AIOs to mod is because I think their CPU block is better than than Byksky stuff, as well as having multiple pumps for failure protection.

 

Seriously, cpu block + pump + tank here costs as much as a maelstrom 240.

 

Don't try to cheap out too much on watercooling equipment though. It usually doesn't end well. Take a look at XSPC's kits.

 

Don't have them here

 

How to Water Cool a CPU and Single GPU for Under $200 USD Guide

 

The problem is that I'm using a 5820k, and even with top air cooling I'm getting 80+oC on prime95. And AIOs won't be that much better. So unless I go with a semi-custom loop where I have 360mm or more rad area I don't think it's worth it.

[Faceman]

 

 

The problem is that I'm using a 5820k, and even with top air cooling I'm getting 80+oC on prime95. And AIOs won't be that much better. So unless I go with a semi-custom loop where I have 360mm or more rad area I don't think it's worth it.

Prime95 is a very heavy stress test.  It will be incredibly rare that you hit those kind of temperatures in real world scenarios.  Even heavy rendering is more akin to Cinebench than Prime95, and Cinebench is a good 10-20C cooler.   Are you doing a lot of rendering?

 

If you really want to go custom, I think you will be best served by buying a 360mm radiator that comes in a kit, then buy a 2nd radiator and GPU waterblock and go from there.  This route will likely cost you close to $500.

[trandoanhung1991]

Prime95 is a very heavy stress test.  It will be incredibly rare that you hit those kind of temperatures in real world scenarios.  Even heavy rendering is more akin to Cinebench than Prime95, and Cinebench is a good 10-20C cooler.   Are you doing a lot of rendering?

 

If you really want to go custom, I think you will be best served by buying a 360mm radiator that comes in a kit, then buy a 2nd radiator and GPU waterblock and go from there.  This route will likely cost you close to $500.

 

Are Magicool's 360mm/30mm rads any good?

[Faceman]

Are Magicool's 360mm/30mm rads any good?

Never heard of magicool, but I don't know a ton about custom loops.

[Necrodead]

Are Magicool's 360mm/30mm rads any good?

I have a magicool 420mm and 280mm. I really don't see how any radiator is better/worse than another they really are all the same thing, but they came nicely painted and are from Germany, so that scored points for me. Also being half the cost of alphacool didn't hurt.

 

Why not? I mean if I can get them for cheap, then what's the drawback?

 

 

 

 

 

First of all the points of connection may or may not be the right size, and depending on how the tubes are attached to the radiator you may not be able to attach anything at all. One of the exceptions was the H55 and thats why you see that ncix video with the H55's, they actually have barbs you can re-use. Not sure about other ones. Also you have a much higher chance to leak, but like I said if you feel comfortable with it go ahead. That said, I do a lot of work on cars and computers and i'm no noob, but I don't weld so I wouldn't try to mod all-in-ones.