Need Help Planning,My First Time custom Loop

[ProfessorChaos]

 Hello,
 So im looking to make my first custom water loop. I want to make a loop now because my current AIO corsair loop is about 4 years old and i want to change it out. I was looking at many different option, like corsair, ekwb, and thermaltake etc. 

 

 Here is info on my current pc parts wise:

• CPU
  i7 5820k
• Motherboard
  AsRock x99 extreme4
• RAM
  16gb (4x4gb)
• GPU
  gtx 980ti zotac amp
• Case
  NZXT Phantom Windowed Edition Black
• Storage
  1 tb 860 evo ssd, crucial 456 ssd, 1 tb hdd
• PSU
  750 watt corsair

 I also want to try water cooling now because I plan on upgrading to a ryzen gen 4 when they release in September and rtx 3080/3080ti.

 I plan to only water cool my cpu now because I don't want to waste money on a gpu water block. Also i want to make my own loop now so I feel confident in doing it after I upgrade. 

 

 So, with that being said here is what i was thinking. I think im going to get this case, EK-Classic InWin 303EK. I want a case with a reservoir block and i haven't found any other this cheap. I know i could buy a case like the lian-li and put the   water distribution block in the front, but that ends up being like and extra 150$. I was then going to buy fittings and a water block with soft tubing. I am not 100% confident in what i have to check to make sure that water cooling components are   the same material. like can i have a nickle-plated fitting with a copper cpu water block, etc ???  Any advice into what to look at would be appreciated, i also im uncertain in how many fittings i should get etc. Lastly, Just curious, if i had a leak   and my gpu or cpu died, im i just out that money or do manufactures or would ekwb cover that ? I assume im out the money. 

 

 Oh i forgot to say, are there any reviews on the EK-Classic InWin 303EK, i could not find any on youtube?

 

 I was looking a little more at the case, would soft tubing be fine, or would that not be ideal with the locations of the ports and there distance from the components.

 I am also open to using other cases and a regular cylinder reservoir, however link the case you think Looks good if you recommend this.

 

[Bombastinator]

People do hard tubing instead of soft mostly for aesthetics I think.  The issue with materials is copper and aluminum don’t mix well.  Iron also has a problem but apparently there are specific stainless steels that don’t.  So copper/brass or aluminum.  Not both at the same time.  If you upgrade your cpu later there’s a good chance it will need a different water block anyway.

[zogthegreat]

Hi @ProfessorChaos

 

To follow up on what Bombastinator posted. Defiantly avoid mixing metals! However, since you are in the planning stage, that shouldn't be a problem. With some CPU blocks, you can change the mount for a different socket. I have an XSPC Raystorm and with the Intel mount, it can be used on a socket 1366, 2011, and 155x. I'm also planning an upgrade to Ryzen 3 / B550 and all I have to do is spend $20 USD for a new mount for my existing block. So shop around for something like the Raystorm, (there are plenty of other blocks that have the same option).

 

Choose your radiators based on how much space you have now, not what your planning to have in the future, (unless the "future" is in the next few months). You can ask around the forum, usually most future case's end up being different from what was planned. Make sure the radiator is copper. Other than that, it's really a case of your budget. I happen to have a lot of XSPC gear from my last rig, but if I was buying new gear today, I would lean towards Barrowch or Bykski. These are Chinese brands, but the quality is just as high as the European companies put out. Stephen Burke over at Gamers Nexus on YouTube did a series where he went to China and visited the factories that make PC components, including water cooling parts. There are 3 factories in China that make all PC radiators, to whatever specs and quality that the customer wants. What this means is that a radiator, (or water block or whatever), that has an EKWB label on it is made in the same factory that Barrow's products are made.

 

Why is this important? Because water cooling is friken expensive! Unless the "big name" companies have a particular design that you like, it will cost you less to go with Bykski or Barrow instead of the big names. I've been buying fittings from China for about 1/4 - 1/3 of the price of EKWB or Thermaltake. The quality is mostly the same, with the exception that the paint comes off rather easily. For me this is good because I'm planning to paint them, but for other people, maybe not so much!

 

You will also need a pump and I would also recommend the Chinese companies. I have a Barrow "DDC" pump that is made in the same factory the Eheim makes their pumps. I've been running it since January and it works just as well as my Swiftech MCP35X. Actually, it runs cooler than the Swiftech, but in Swiftech's defense, my MCP35X is about ten years old, so maybe the heat from it is just age and wear.

 

I would recommend soft tubing for your first loop. It's a ton of a lot easier to work with than hard tubing. Remember, the size of the tubing really doesn't matter unless your doing extreme overclocking. A few years back a couple of modding sites did some thermal testing and the temperature difference between 1/4", 3/8" and 1/2" tubing was 1 degree per tubing size. Get what will work for your build and will look visually pleasing to you.  You will also need a reservoir, once again, choose what fit's with your build and what looks good to you.

 

And keep asking questions on the forum. Someone will step up and help what ever the question is, (within reason!).