Water Cooling 101 - A good place for newbies to start

[BeyondNight]

Im curious as to what pump you will need for give rad sized/Blocks because more resistance would make the pump work harder or not pump as much through the system ect...

It did help somewhat im just wondering what would be requited to run a 280 and 140mm Rad with a single GPU Block and CPU Block.

[Gmac]

Im curious as to what pump you will need for give rad sized/Blocks because more resistance would make the pump work harder or not pump as much through the system ect...

Really any single pump would be more than adequate for something like that. Rads are considered to have very low restriction and just 2 water blocks will cause you much problems.

[BeyondNight]

Im curious as to what pump you will need for give rad sized/Blocks because more resistance would make the pump work harder or not pump as much through the system ect...

Alright thanks, i was worried the pump included in the res wouldn't be up to it.

[MunsonedForLife]

Thank you for this...I'm planning on going custom water cooling very soon and had so many questions...your write up answered quite a bit of them! Thank you.

[Winther]

Looks pretty good sofar, when you make the "Building/Filling/Maintenance of a Loop" section you should not forget things like how to "jump" the PSU and things like that, maybe how to use an old transformer instead of the PSU and such. Thats something I had a little trouble with when I built my first loop a little while back.. :)

Just to clarify and also to find out if I have the wrong idea about what an eheim pump is and looks like..

The D5 pump section you have, the first picture you have posted there, arent the pumps to the left in the picture actually eheim pumps? :)

And this is a link to a video I found usefull, actually its a series of videos. I watched all Linus' WC vids and alot more, but this and Linus' was the best imo:

Part 1 (I will post the rest if needed)

[Winther]

One thing that i really want to know and it's now on your review is.. I've ever seen some people even Linus do a water cooling with some glass tube beside the motherboard. I want to know what is it and what it's function?

anyway, this is a really helpful guide!

thanks

That is a reservoir, yes.

They come in all kinds of shapes and sizes. Some are meant to fit into the 5.25 drive bay (or two)(called bay reservoirs), some are small and sqaure like the one Linus uses in his "Ultimate watercooling guide" series. And then we have the tube reservoirs, which are the ones you are talking about.

Their main function is (as far as I know) to insure that the pump(s) always has water, so they dont run dry which is unhealthy for a pump. other functions is the aesthetics and to easy acces to a fillport (a place to fill up the loop)

In my opinino a larger res makes it easier to fill the loop when you start out, but that ofcourse also depends on the size of the loop.. :)

[Ghost]

Damn thats a good guide.

Although a bit over whelming for someone who JUST started looking at watercooling I would think.

But thats because it goes to a lot of detail and thats a good thing.

You forgot to say what people should prioritize in thier water loop though.

An interesting topic for a thread I think.

What would be nice is saying

[Whaler_99]

Great write up and lots of useful info. I think most of us spent a lot of time popping all over the web doing research on our first builds. You have got the majority of it here... Any thoughts about a section on "extras"? Few people been asking about things like temp probes, flow meters and such. Also, talk a bit about fill ports, what are they. Drain ports? Adding a t-valve for this...

Just a few little things that go above and beyond, but you got all the major points covered.

[Harbz]

Good job bro!!! I have read some of it not all, but what i have read so far its great :D

[xXZeal123Xx]

I have a xfx 7970 DD and i cant find a waterblock for it i really want to do a custom loop right now i have a h100. Pls help!

[Gmac]

Great write up and lots of useful info. I think most of us spent a lot of time popping all over the web doing research on our first builds. You have got the majority of it here... Any thoughts about a section on "extras"? Few people been asking about things like temp probes, flow meters and such. Also, talk a bit about fill ports, what are they. Drain ports? Adding a t-valve for this...

Just a few little things that go above and beyond, but you got all the major points covered.

Great idea. I will be working on it.

[Gmac]

I have a xfx 7970 DD and i cant find a waterblock for it i really want to do a custom loop right now i have a h100. Pls help!

Is this your card?

http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16814150586

If so:

I know these cards are pretty hard to find blocks that will fit on them. I'm pretty sure only EK makes a block that will fit. Check out there Cooling Configurator.

http://www.coolingconfigurator.com/

Go down to the bottom where it says select your video card. And pick;

AMD

Radeon HD 7970

XFX

And if that is your card up there choose the FX-797A-TDBC

I would google search and see what other people are using. I cant guarantee that you can find a full over block that will fit.

[Ghost]

I have a xfx 7970 DD and i cant find a waterblock for it i really want to do a custom loop right now i have a h100. Pls help!

Yeah your pretty much in the same position I am. "Screwed". No-one produces waterblocks for the XFX DD revised cards. They changed the layout of the PCB without a massive announcement and screwed me over.

I have a XFX DD 7950 and all EK could offer me when I emailed them was a GPU only block but that is an incomplete solution. You could have a GPU only block but it just looks bad and is really not worth the effort.

I am not 100% sure the same happened to the 7970 cards but it seems quite likely.

If anything email EK with your card serial number and ask them. That's the best option. You could also try XFX. When I tried them they were deliberately unhelpful about watercooling my card.

I suggest checking out this thread. Clicky

Thats about my 7950.

[Whaler_99]

I have a xfx 7970 DD and i cant find a waterblock for it i really want to do a custom loop right now i have a h100. Pls help!

Yeah your pretty much in the same position I am. "Screwed". No-one produces waterblocks for the XFX DD revised cards. They changed the layout of the PCB without a massive announcement and screwed me over.

I have a XFX DD 7950 and all EK could offer me when I emailed them was a GPU only block but that is an incomplete solution. You could have a GPU only block but it just looks bad and is really not worth the effort.

I am not 100% sure the same happened to the 7970 cards but it seems quite likely.

If anything email EK with your card serial number and ask them. That's the best option. You could also try XFX. When I tried them they were deliberately unhelpful about watercooling my card.

I suggest checking out this thread. Clicky

Thats about my 7950.

And with a GPU only block, you still need a solution for the RAM and VRM or they will fry as well...

[Ghost]

I have a xfx 7970 DD and i cant find a waterblock for it i really want to do a custom loop right now i have a h100. Pls help!

Yeah your pretty much in the same position I am. "Screwed". No-one produces waterblocks for the XFX DD revised cards. They changed the layout of the PCB without a massive announcement and screwed me over.

I have a XFX DD 7950 and all EK could offer me when I emailed them was a GPU only block but that is an incomplete solution. You could have a GPU only block but it just looks bad and is really not worth the effort.

I am not 100% sure the same happened to the 7970 cards but it seems quite likely.

If anything email EK with your card serial number and ask them. That's the best option. You could also try XFX. When I tried them they were deliberately unhelpful about watercooling my card.

I suggest checking out this thread. Clicky

Thats about my 7950.

One of the reasons it looks bad and is not worth the effort.

[xXZeal123Xx]

I have a xfx 7970 DD and i cant find a waterblock for it i really want to do a custom loop right now i have a h100. Pls help!

@Gmac thank you so much i was looking around and could not find anything. I was debating waiting till next gen to get a 8990 or 790 and watercooling that (have 3 monitors 7970 lags so can only play on one for now) but now i will wait for next gen and get a second 7970 and watercool both

[Gmac]

I added to the CPU water block section. It is called "Other Types of Water Blocks"

[xXZeal123Xx]

I have a xfx 7970 DD and i cant find a waterblock for it i really want to do a custom loop right now i have a h100. Pls help!

Any tips for rad fans have a blue white silver black color way and prefer silence and blue leds

pic:

[xXZeal123Xx]

I have a xfx 7970 DD and i cant find a waterblock for it i really want to do a custom loop right now i have a h100. Pls help!

Yeah your pretty much in the same position I am. "Screwed". No-one produces waterblocks for the XFX DD revised cards. They changed the layout of the PCB without a massive announcement and screwed me over.

I have a XFX DD 7950 and all EK could offer me when I emailed them was a GPU only block but that is an incomplete solution. You could have a GPU only block but it just looks bad and is really not worth the effort.

I am not 100% sure the same happened to the 7970 cards but it seems quite likely.

If anything email EK with your card serial number and ask them. That's the best option. You could also try XFX. When I tried them they were deliberately unhelpful about watercooling my card.

I suggest checking out this thread. Clicky

Thats about my 7950.

I looked at the ek selection and they had a waterblock picker i found thanks to gmac here is the link

http://www.coolingconfigurator.com/

[Ghost]

I have a xfx 7970 DD and i cant find a waterblock for it i really want to do a custom loop right now i have a h100. Pls help!

Yeah your pretty much in the same position I am. "Screwed". No-one produces waterblocks for the XFX DD revised cards. They changed the layout of the PCB without a massive announcement and screwed me over.

I have a XFX DD 7950 and all EK could offer me when I emailed them was a GPU only block but that is an incomplete solution. You could have a GPU only block but it just looks bad and is really not worth the effort.

I am not 100% sure the same happened to the 7970 cards but it seems quite likely.

If anything email EK with your card serial number and ask them. That's the best option. You could also try XFX. When I tried them they were deliberately unhelpful about watercooling my card.

I suggest checking out this thread. Clicky

Thats about my 7950.

Are you sure you picked your card? You may have had to old variant.

Make sure before you buy. In my case I have the "FX-795A-TDJC" which is the new 7950 from XFX. A few months ago they produced the "FX-795A-TDBC" which is the exact same card but with a reference PCB.

They also produce 2 variants of the 7970. The "FX-797A-TDBC" and the "FX-797A-TDFC" one of which has a custom PCB and one has a reference PCB.

Make sure you put the right version into the EK site or the waterblock will not fit.

[REDNINJA2012]

my next PC gonna be watercooled gonna start out basic with triple 120mm rad, CPU block, Drive bay res/pump combo, bitspower compression fittings black 1/2 inch, clear tubing and green coolant and hopefully a corsair obsidian 900D

[xXZeal123Xx]

I have a xfx 7970 DD and i cant find a waterblock for it i really want to do a custom loop right now i have a h100. Pls help!

Found this dont know if it is better than a ek block though

http://www.swiftech.com/KOMODO-HD7900.aspx

what do you think

[Gmac]

I have a xfx 7970 DD and i cant find a waterblock for it i really want to do a custom loop right now i have a h100. Pls help!

Not sure if it is any better than the EK block but swiftech makes very high quality water cooling products. However i know that your xfx 7970 DD is not supported by this block. They only make blocks for reference PCBs. Go to the support section of the page and you can see what cards are supported.

[xXZeal123Xx]

I have a xfx 7970 DD and i cant find a waterblock for it i really want to do a custom loop right now i have a h100. Pls help!

@gmac saw it in this video and he linked the same gpu:

[Gmac]

I have a xfx 7970 DD and i cant find a waterblock for it i really want to do a custom loop right now i have a h100. Pls help!

Interesting. Honestly im not 100% sure. Tell me what the exact model number is of your card.

Because the swiftech block fits two of the four 7970 FXF's cards. And apparently they all have the same cooler on them. So the only way to know for sure is if your model is right is to check.