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Water Cooling 101 - A good place for newbies to start

Gmac

Am I going to have any corrosion issues? I know my motherboard (Maximus Formula Vi has aluminum on the inside of the cross chill. Here are my parts:

 

-Black Ice Nemesis 360GTX Ultra Stealth Dual-Core Xtreme Profile Radiator

-EK Supremacy Evo Cpu Water Block (original csq) Full Copper

​-Swiftech MCP655 G1/4 threaded special edition 12 VDC D5 Pump With Speed Controller

-Bitspower Water Tank Z- multi 250 POM

 

so all this together with my fittings that I still have to get do you see any corrosion issues or anything that might harm each other?

 please let me know thanks Nick!

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Hey, so if you're watercooling your cpu and gpu and you have your rads separate from your main tower housing (in a separate compartement or outside the tower altogether) do you need any fans at all? could you make it completely air tight for dust purposes?  thanks

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Hey, so if you're watercooling your cpu and gpu and you have your rads separate from your main tower housing (in a separate compartement or outside the tower altogether) do you need any fans at all? could you make it completely air tight for dust purposes?  thanks

With enough rad space you wouldn't need fans at all, dosen't matter where they are, but i'm guessing that in an inclosed envirnment the rads will start to heat the air until they won't be able to dissipate heat, making them useless.

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Just a quick note to say thanks to the OP and the contributors to this thread.

 

I'm in the process of planning my first water-cooled build and this has been useful. Thank you.

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FYI - if you have specific questions about water cooling, please start a NEW thread in the WC section and don't respond here. Probably get more responses that way.

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Folding/Boinc Info - Check out the Folding and Boinc Section, read the Folding Install thread and the Folding FAQ. Info on Boinc is here. Don't forget to join team 223518. Check out other users Folding Rigs for ideas. Don't forget to follow the @LTTCompute for updates and other random posts about the various teams.

Follow me on Twitter for updates @Whaler_99

 

 

 

 

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hey guys I'm thinking of making my custom loop can you direct me to good quality parts which are necessary for the entire build. Money isn't the problem so expensive but premium choices are welcome too. Thanks 

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hey guys I'm thinking of making my custom loop can you direct me to good quality parts which are necessary for the entire build. Money isn't the problem so expensive but premium choices are welcome too. Thanks 

 

Create a new post in this forum section. PLease need actual details, like parts, case, etc...

Forum Links - Community Standards, Privacy Policy, FAQ, Features Suggestions, Bug and Issues.

Folding/Boinc Info - Check out the Folding and Boinc Section, read the Folding Install thread and the Folding FAQ. Info on Boinc is here. Don't forget to join team 223518. Check out other users Folding Rigs for ideas. Don't forget to follow the @LTTCompute for updates and other random posts about the various teams.

Follow me on Twitter for updates @Whaler_99

 

 

 

 

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  • 2 weeks later...

I really would like to get more into custom water cooling. Currently I run an h100i and two h75 to cool my processor and graphics cards.  However i would like to get into building custom water cooling loops for my GPU's (two 970 FTW) and CPU.  I have been looking all over for custom kits and all i seem to be able to find are custom loops just for the cpu.  I would like to use compression fittings in the areas that might need disconnecting at some point ex. the gpu's since they are in sli.  I have found waterblocks for them but I just shopping for everything seems way over my head.  Could anyone help me put together a parts list that i could go off of to get going? I would really appreciate it. I am using asus maximus vii hero with 4770k and 2 970 ftw sli.  My case is an h440 razer edition.post-224280-0-56886800-1429813262_thumb.

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Is a reservoir a must to cool a CPU & GPU?

I want to build a simple 360mn setup...

Intel 5820K ¬ ASUS x99 Deluxe ¬ HyperX Predator 3000Mhz 16gb ¬ Gigabyte Titan X ¬ SuperFlow Leadex 850W ¬ Crucial Mx100 512Gb x2 RAID 0 ¬ NZXT H440 + HUE + X61 ¬ ASUS ROG Swift

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Hi, everyone!

 

I'm new to building a new PC, and I'm especially new to watercooling. I have a few questions I need to ask before I start. When I am making my entire PC watercooled (including my GPU(s) and CPU), would it be better to have it all in one big loop, or two smaller loops (one for the GPU(s), and one for the CPU)?

 

The idea I have for a single loop is this: Reservoir > Pump > CPU > 480 Radiator > GPU(s) > 240 Radiator > Back to Reservoir. With a loop this big, would I need to add another pump to be able to carry the water? If I split it into two loops, will the water be cooler individually, or will it be cooler collectively in the single loop mentioned?

 

Thanks for reading this, I greatly appreciate any help I can get!

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Hi everyone :)!

I have a question. Can I mount a pair of coolers from BOTH sides of the  240mm radiator?

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  • 2 weeks later...

Hey guys, I understand that people have opinions about DI water vs coolants etc, but I would just like to share a bit of actual scientific research with you guys (its from 2012 so wow people haven't noticed it already.)

 

Also PLEASE STOP claiming DI water is non-conductive, literally the instant you expose it to air, it absorbs sufficient particles to render it conductive enough to be dangerous to pc parts (the biggest single aspect is the absorption of CO2 in air, you can test this by seeing within seconds the ph of pure DI water to drop from 7 to about 5.5 in equilibrium). Furthermore even if the water was not conductive in your system if some DI water were to spill on your parts, it quite likely would pick up enough particulates of metal, ions, etc to make the water nearly as conductive as tap water.

 

Anyways without too much further ado, here is the link. I will also post a pdf to the full article, if you want to read it.

 

http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S1359431112002128

http://docdro.id/zpg9

LINK-> Kurald Galain:  The Night Eternal 

Top 5820k, 980ti SLI Build in the World*

CPU: i7-5820k // GPU: SLI MSI 980ti Gaming 6G // Cooling: Full Custom WC //  Mobo: ASUS X99 Sabertooth // Ram: 32GB Crucial Ballistic Sport // Boot SSD: Samsung 850 EVO 500GB

Mass SSD: Crucial M500 960GB  // PSU: EVGA Supernova 850G2 // Case: Fractal Design Define S Windowed // OS: Windows 10 // Mouse: Razer Naga Chroma // Keyboard: Corsair k70 Cherry MX Reds

Headset: Senn RS185 // Monitor: ASUS PG348Q // Devices: Note 10+ - Surface Book 2 15"

LINK-> Ainulindale: Music of the Ainur 

Prosumer DYI FreeNAS

CPU: Xeon E3-1231v3  // Cooling: Noctua L9x65 //  Mobo: AsRock E3C224D2I // Ram: 16GB Kingston ECC DDR3-1333

HDDs: 4x HGST Deskstar NAS 3TB  // PSU: EVGA 650GQ // Case: Fractal Design Node 304 // OS: FreeNAS

 

 

 

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  • 1 month later...

I really would like to get more into custom water cooling. Currently I run an h100i and two h75 to cool my processor and graphics cards.  However i would like to get into building custom water cooling loops for my GPU's (two 970 FTW) and CPU.  I have been looking all over for custom kits and all i seem to be able to find are custom loops just for the cpu.  I would like to use compression fittings in the areas that might need disconnecting at some point ex. the gpu's since they are in sli.  I have found waterblocks for them but I just shopping for everything seems way over my head.  Could anyone help me put together a parts list that i could go off of to get going? I would really appreciate it. I am using asus maximus vii hero with 4770k and 2 970 ftw sli.  My case is an h440 razer edition.attachicon.gif20150409_230246.jpg

 

Best bet is to make a dedicated post for this in the WC section for people to comment on.

Forum Links - Community Standards, Privacy Policy, FAQ, Features Suggestions, Bug and Issues.

Folding/Boinc Info - Check out the Folding and Boinc Section, read the Folding Install thread and the Folding FAQ. Info on Boinc is here. Don't forget to join team 223518. Check out other users Folding Rigs for ideas. Don't forget to follow the @LTTCompute for updates and other random posts about the various teams.

Follow me on Twitter for updates @Whaler_99

 

 

 

 

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Is a reservoir a must to cool a CPU & GPU?

I want to build a simple 360mn setup...

 

No, you can use something like a t-line. But almost always recommended for a loop. Makes everything much easier. 

Forum Links - Community Standards, Privacy Policy, FAQ, Features Suggestions, Bug and Issues.

Folding/Boinc Info - Check out the Folding and Boinc Section, read the Folding Install thread and the Folding FAQ. Info on Boinc is here. Don't forget to join team 223518. Check out other users Folding Rigs for ideas. Don't forget to follow the @LTTCompute for updates and other random posts about the various teams.

Follow me on Twitter for updates @Whaler_99

 

 

 

 

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Hi, everyone!

 

I'm new to building a new PC, and I'm especially new to watercooling. I have a few questions I need to ask before I start. When I am making my entire PC watercooled (including my GPU(s) and CPU), would it be better to have it all in one big loop, or two smaller loops (one for the GPU(s), and one for the CPU)?

 

The idea I have for a single loop is this: Reservoir > Pump > CPU > 480 Radiator > GPU(s) > 240 Radiator > Back to Reservoir. With a loop this big, would I need to add another pump to be able to carry the water? If I split it into two loops, will the water be cooler individually, or will it be cooler collectively in the single loop mentioned?

 

Thanks for reading this, I greatly appreciate any help I can get!

 

Best bet, create a new post for this in the WC section for people to commend on. 

 

Off hand, as long as you buy a decent pump, you should have no issues.

Forum Links - Community Standards, Privacy Policy, FAQ, Features Suggestions, Bug and Issues.

Folding/Boinc Info - Check out the Folding and Boinc Section, read the Folding Install thread and the Folding FAQ. Info on Boinc is here. Don't forget to join team 223518. Check out other users Folding Rigs for ideas. Don't forget to follow the @LTTCompute for updates and other random posts about the various teams.

Follow me on Twitter for updates @Whaler_99

 

 

 

 

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Hi everyone :)!

I have a question. Can I mount a pair of coolers from BOTH sides of the  240mm radiator?

 

Do you mean mount fans on both sides? Yes, this is call a Push/Pull config. Just make sure the air flow is all going in the same direction. FYI - you will only see a very minor increase on a Push/Pull config versus a Push or Pull only, especially is not using at least a 60mm thick rad.

Forum Links - Community Standards, Privacy Policy, FAQ, Features Suggestions, Bug and Issues.

Folding/Boinc Info - Check out the Folding and Boinc Section, read the Folding Install thread and the Folding FAQ. Info on Boinc is here. Don't forget to join team 223518. Check out other users Folding Rigs for ideas. Don't forget to follow the @LTTCompute for updates and other random posts about the various teams.

Follow me on Twitter for updates @Whaler_99

 

 

 

 

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Hi, I have a Cooler Master Seidon 120V Water cooling system for my CPU and i have a slight issue with mounting my fan to my radiator. the radiator seems to be slightly bent, not to the degree that its damaged but its slightly off, and it is preventing me from moutnig the fan to it with all 4 screws and I'm only able to mount the fan with 2 of the screws. is this a problem for my system and should i return it or should i not worry about it? Thanks :D

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I am about to water cool my system and I was wondering everyone opinion on using Teflon tape on the threads of the fittings. Reading online there is a lot of mixed reactions to trying it. Does it deteriorate like some people claim or would it be a good backup to keeping the system secure and sealed?

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Is a reservoir a must to cool a CPU & GPU?

I want to build a simple 360mn setup...

No it is not, if you use AIO's they make brackets to install them on gpus

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  • 1 month later...

I have a question, thats more ergonomic based than anything. I've been researching water cooling for a while now because im thinking about installing a rig into my Bitfenix Prodigy and I've even watched the guide provided by linus. In his video he used 3/8 tubing but the piece on his pump was 1/2 and so he had to boil the tubing and then stretch it with pliers. This may be a dumb question, but wouldn't it make more sense to just buy 1/2 ID tubing in addition to buying 1/2 compressions so that they fit all around and save yourself the headache? 

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Hi, I have a few questions. (I have already made a shopping cart I'd like for you to review)

I have an Intel i7-4930k and an iChill GTX 980 4x ABU (It's a single card) and want them cooled in the same loop.
The CPU is running at stock settings (for now), same with GPU (Slightly overclocked from the vendor's side)
But in the late future I am planning on adding another GTX 980 into my system.

So my questions are:

1) How powerful a pump do I need?
2) How many/big a rad(s) should I get? (I was thinking 1 now, +1 in the late future)
3) What material should the blocks and fittings be made of? (Copper is just as good as nickel, but cheaper. Right?)

 

I am planning on getting everything I need form EK (https://shop.ekwb.com) Because they were the first I found that would ship to Denmark

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Thanks for the intro, I'm interested in doing custom water cooling finally, yet one thing is still bugging me.  For barb and fittings, how do you know what size to choose? Does it depend on your tubing?

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You should remove SpecialTech from the guide as they've gone out of business, rip :(

System specs
  • Graphics card: Asus GTX 980 Ti (Temp target: 60c, fan speed: slow as hell)
  • CPU: Intel 6700k @ 4.2Ghz
  • CPU Heatsink: ThermalRight Silver Arrow Extreme
  • Motherboard: Asus Maximus Viii Gene
  • Ram: 8GB of DDR4 @ 3000Mhz
  • Headphone source: O2 + Odac 
  • Mic input: Creative X-Fi Titanium HD
  • Case: Fractal Design Arc midi R2
  • Boot Drive: Samsung 840 Pro 128GB 
  • Storage: Seagate SSHD 2TB
  • PSU: Be quiet! Dark Power Pro 550w

Peripherals

  • Monitor: Asus ROG Swift PG278Q
  • Mouse: Razer DeathAdder Chroma (16.5 inch/360)
  • Mouse surface: Mionix Sargas 900
  • Tablet: Wacom Intuos Pen
  • Keyboard: Filco Majestouch Ninja, MX Brown, Ten Keyless 
  • Headphones: AKG K7xx
  • IEMs: BrainWavs S1
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  • 2 weeks later...

Greetings :) .

 

I just have a thing that bugging me since i built my current loop. I have a dual ddc setup(both pump are around 4500RPM) but it pushes only 190l/h. That seems a little bit low for me... The loop:

res->dual pump->rad1->rad2->cpu->gpu>flow meter->res

https://dl.dropboxusercontent.com/u/1201829/pcw_forum/20150614_134257.jpg

 

pump: 2xLaing DDC-Pumpe 12V DDC-1T Plus+Aquacomputer aquacover dual DDC

rad's: Alphacool NexXxoS XT45 Full Copper 360mm

CPU: Aquacomputer cuplex kryos PRO

GPU: Koolance VID-AR290X Water Block

flow meter: Aquacomputer Durchflusssensor "high flow USB" G1/4

 

Is that 190l/h flow rate normal for this loop or is it too low? :unsure:

 

Thanks in advance for the help :) .

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