Testing if system boots, when water cooling?

[JapanDave]

Hey All,

A question about testing if your hardware boots when you are water cooling? Can you attach the water block to the CPU and then attach two hard tubes in a vertical position, put some water in the tubes and then fire it up? What I am concerned about is obviously there will not be any flow, but I am thinking that for a couple of minutes to maybe 5 minutes that the very small amount of water in the block and tubes will be enough.

 

Is that considered OK?

[Guest]

Fill tubes with water....... might work. I wouldn't without it though... but that's just me.

 

I'd definitely put a couple of fans right on the water block too. 

 

Can I ask why? You just want to see if the system posts? Can't you just toss the stock HSF on the cpu real quick? 

[Norwegiantweaker]

just wire up the loop with out hardmouting anything ? seems like a shure way to cause damage having open tubes and water around...

[LIGISTX]

1 hour ago, JapanDave said:

Hey All,

A question about testing if your hardware boots when you are water cooling? Can you attach the water block to the CPU and then attach two hard tubes in a vertical position, put some water in the tubes and then fire it up? What I am concerned about is obviously there will not be any flow, but I am thinking that for a couple of minutes to maybe 5 minutes that the very small amount of water in the block and tubes will be enough.

 

Is that considered OK?

I mean, yes, it would work... It would likely got 5-10 minutes without hitting 100c at idle speed without any flow. But, as others said.... why? If you just want to check it works, use soft tubes or air cooling instead is what would be recommended.

[Bitter]

Slap the stock heatsink and fan on it, make sure it works, then swap in the water block. If you don't have an air cooler for that CPU then just put it all together and hope for the best I guess.

 

I always bench test any build before it goes in the case and gets everything all cable managed and perfect and pretty, that includes water cooling stuff too.

[For Science!]

After slapping on waterblocks i always do a quick dry post test without any water. As soon as i confirm a boot, i switch it off. It doesnt get above 60-70 during this operation.

[Mick Naughty]

If I know it works I just water cooler it. You can post with just blocks on. No issues what so ever. Wouldn’t wast time putting tubes and water in for just a post. 

[JapanDave]

3 hours ago, ShrimpBrime said:

Fill tubes with water....... might work. I wouldn't without it though... but that's just me.

 

I'd definitely put a couple of fans right on the water block too. 

 

Can I ask why? You just want to see if the system posts? Can't you just toss the stock HSF on the cpu real quick? 

Just want to be sure I don't fry the CPU. I heard that you could just attatch the water block and that should be enough to dissipate any heat for a short while.

3 hours ago, Norwegiantweaker said:

just wire up the loop with out hardmouting anything ? seems like a shure way to cause damage having open tubes and water around...

I was going to have the ends far away from the PC, so no chance of water damage.

2 hours ago, Bitter said:

Slap the stock heatsink and fan on it, make sure it works, then swap in the water block. If you don't have an air cooler for that CPU then just put it all together and hope for the best I guess.

 

I always bench test any build before it goes in the case and gets everything all cable managed and perfect and pretty, that includes water cooling stuff too.

Don't have a fan cooler for this CPU

1 hour ago, For Science! said:

After slapping on waterblocks i always do a quick dry post test without any water. As soon as i confirm a boot, i switch it off. It doesnt get above 60-70 during this operation.

Do you go into BIOS doing this?

[Bitter]

I mean in reality any modern CPU can throttle itself enough to POST and piss around in BIOS a little bit without harming it, this isn't the days of an AMD Athlon exploding when the heat sink is lifted off.

[Guest]

2 hours ago, JapanDave said:

Just want to be sure I don't fry the CPU. I heard that you could just attatch the water block and that should be enough to dissipate any heat for a short while.

I was going to have the ends far away from the PC, so no chance of water damage.

Don't have a fan cooler for this CPU

Do you go into BIOS doing this?

Well we all take our chances. 

The cpu will ThermTrip if it overheats. That's when it just shuts right off. 

I'd imagine baking the waterblock seal (o-rings?) would be of some concern also. What temp does acrylic melt at? 150c maybe? It'll soften probably sooner than that.....

 

 

 

[Bitter]

I've ran a few somewhat modern CPU's without any heat sink on them to post and poke around in BIOS and plenty others just set ANY heat sink on them with either a tiny bit of compound or no compound and it's been fine enough to verify it turns on and all the RAM is there.

[Mick Naughty]

Some people must have a real

shitty pc if it can’t post before something overheats. 

[For Science!]

4 hours ago, JapanDave said:

Do you go into BIOS doing this?

Usually yes since this is either before i have storage devices attached or os installed.

[Bitter]

1 hour ago, Mick Naughty said:

Some people must have a real

shitty pc if it can’t post before something overheats. 

If you're buying used hardware sometimes you want to make sure, but things can be wrong even with brand new hardware. I like to know for sure it'll POST and boot to OS and everything is correct before getting it into a case, especially something cramped or with lots of cables to manage and unmanage if something is wrong.

[LIGISTX]

I mean, just for reference, I have left an i3 on for at least 30 mins in BIOS with 0 heat sink at all. This was totally by mistake, but it lived, and I couldn't tell any issues after it. As soon as I realized I pulled the power and for lolz put my finger on the IHS, it was hot as all hell. But.... it lived.

 

So OP, yes, it will be ok, but, still, testing shouldn't be done like that lol @JapanDave

[Mick Naughty]

6 hours ago, Bitter said:

If you're buying used hardware sometimes you want to make sure, but things can be wrong even with brand new hardware. I like to know for sure it'll POST and boot to OS and everything is correct before getting it into a case, especially something cramped or with lots of cables to manage and unmanage if something is wrong.

Don’t see what that has to do with anything. Unless you are specifically buying used parts without coolers. And if that was the case you can still boot to windows with just blocks on them. If that somehow is any different than posting. 
Which comes down to user error. Make sure it works before you buy it or before putting a block on it. 

[andrewmp6]

I have seen a am3 cooler bracket plastic thing break.And the pc ran fine for 20 mins hit thermo load and shut down,After the bracket was replaced it ran prefectlly fine for years after this.They are right you can boot with out a cooler and won't hurt it at all.

[Maticks]

i leave my CPU clocking stock, and plug in my monitor turn on my machine till i see the bios screen then switch it off.

that seems to prove it will post at least.wouldn't leave it on for long like that.

[MaratM]

Just start it dry (with pump disconnected) the thermal mass of waterblocks is big enough to get you to bios and check that it posts and all hardware is detected. After that fill the loop and do a leaktest (use a different psu) you need a power to your pump only