Opinions, custom water cooling loops!

[Slight43]

I recently decided I was going to learn how to do my own custom loop. I looked everywhere. Yes even Ali Exp, and wish. I basically found that going premium EK, Corsair, and others. Was going to be very expensive. If I bought the items separately, it could cost well over 500.00 US. If I bought as a kit, the numbers could very wildly. From 84.00 cpu only, to 600, 700 and more for premiums brands.

 

 My questions are, what should I be looking for in pumps? What kinda quality should I go with? What is the bare minimum I could go with? And still have a good water cooled setup. Can I cut corners? And be alright. Or is that just stupid and I'm asking for trouble?

 

I'm looking to cool both my CPU and Videocard.

My current setup is as follows. 

 

CPU: Intel I7-9700k

Motherboard: Gigabyte Aurous Elite z390 

Videocard: Asus Rtx 2080 super, duo oc

Ram: 32g Corsair Vengeance Pro 3200mhz CAS 16

Case: Lian Le 011 dynamic

Drives: Sabrent Rocket 1tb m.2 ssd

 

Current cooling solutions are a 280mm EVGA AIO, and 6 fans. Incoming fans are set so I have positive pressure vs the outbound fans. With the overclock I have, my CPU average temps have been 68 to 78c while running the AIDA64 stress test. Videocard seems to run somewhere around 61c when benching Kombustor GL furmark donut 1440p. The temps are according to Aida64 monitoring. I have screenshots, if needed. If I'm gonna do this I would hope after spending said money a decrease in heat. At the very least the same performance. If it won't then it's not worth doing.

 

One other question is, if I'm going water cooled, should I just try and cool the items in question, or go all out and do VRM, SSD and chip set? 

 

 

 

[W-L]

5 minutes ago, Slight43 said:

-SNIP-

I don't really recommend going really cut throat and getting aliexpress or cheap watercooling components, they don't need to be the absolute best of the best but still get good quality stuff to last. Main thing you want to avoid is mixing metals and get all copper based loop components. 

 

In terms of waterblock, and fittings I'd recommend to look at barrow or Bykski as they are more of a budget option while still being good quality and comparable to nicer blocks. For the pump if you want to save a little the DDC or lower power versions like the variants like SPC60 from EKWB are alright.

[Slight43]

Just now, W-L said:

I don't really recommend going really cut throat and getting aliexpress or cheap watercooling components, they don't need to be the absolute best of the best but still get good quality stuff to last. Main thing you want to avoid is mixing metals and get all copper based loop components. 

 

In terms of waterblock, and fittings I'd recommend to look at barrow or Bykski as they are more of a budget option while still being good quality and comparable to nicer blocks. For the pump if you want to save a little the DDC or lower power versions like the variants like SPC60 from EKWB are alright.

Awesome, I've looked at those Barrow(which) Bynski water cooling products. Kinda wondered if they where good enough. So quick question. Is 800lh enough pump for a videocard/cpu setup? I heard people saying 350 or 400lh is enough but that sounds low. And I'm not sure that translates to head pressure which I also heard was king when picking a pump. That's the problem no one ever agrees on anything. Any info will help. And thanks for the advice.

[Tristerin]

I have multiple Aliexpress loops.  3 radiator setups are around ~100.00 USD (or were last year last time I bought parts) without fans.  Ive had nothing but great results.  

 

I also use copper blocks and aluminum radiators, and Preston 50/50 premix antifreeze with their patented Cor-Guard (corrosion inhibitor) to deal with corrosion (no issue) and antifreeze is a natural biocide (and cheap AF)

 

Ive also, on this forum, displayed pics of said loops, cutting open radiators and blocks to show there is no corrosion.

 

I have 3 of these pump/res combo's:

https://www.aliexpress.com/item/4000614787954.html?spm=a2g0o.productlist.0.0.26c72fae9n4O4a&algo_pvid=6c8b0533-47ae-40ef-9cad-23df0f3e4ac0&algo_expid=6c8b0533-47ae-40ef-9cad-23df0f3e4ac0-4&btsid=0bb0623b16021993131496373eb04d&ws_ab_test=searchweb0_0,searchweb201602_,searchweb201603_

 

1 of these pumps:

https://www.aliexpress.com/item/1005001393606961.html?spm=a2g0o.productlist.0.0.26c72fae9n4O4a&algo_pvid=6c8b0533-47ae-40ef-9cad-23df0f3e4ac0&algo_expid=6c8b0533-47ae-40ef-9cad-23df0f3e4ac0-6&btsid=0bb0623b16021993131496373eb04d&ws_ab_test=searchweb0_0,searchweb201602_,searchweb201603_

 

Couple of the acrylic reservoirs there, cant find exact links atm

 

All my tubing is Ebay/China for savings or Aliexpress

 

All my radiators I get come with barb fittings soldered on so I dont have to buy as many fittings:

https://www.aliexpress.com/item/1005001426401552.html?spm=a2g0o.productlist.0.0.34c3378feQgY0R&algo_pvid=6d6c6a14-7510-48e4-9f12-b884caf2b734&algo_expid=6d6c6a14-7510-48e4-9f12-b884caf2b734-8&btsid=0bb0623016021994395284506e8e46&ws_ab_test=searchweb0_0,searchweb201602_,searchweb201603_

 

Dont have to use those links for pricing - on Aliexpress always check hundreds of listings for best shipping and cheapest cost.  Ive never had an issue over the last few years with these parts / loops.

 

 

EDIT - oh yeah and I have a few of these blocks:

 

https://www.aliexpress.com/item/4001085913668.html?spm=a2g0o.productlist.0.0.753a13ee2ijmxn&algo_pvid=2337d77c-9a18-4f48-918e-169d8246d77b&algo_expid=2337d77c-9a18-4f48-918e-169d8246d77b-6&btsid=0bb0623b16021995389553282eaf6d&ws_ab_test=searchweb0_0,searchweb201602_,searchweb201603_

 

https://www.aliexpress.com/item/32875831704.html?spm=a2g0o.productlist.0.0.753a13ee2ijmxn&algo_pvid=2337d77c-9a18-4f48-918e-169d8246d77b&algo_expid=2337d77c-9a18-4f48-918e-169d8246d77b-12&btsid=0bb0623b16021995389553282eaf6d&ws_ab_test=searchweb0_0,searchweb201602_,searchweb201603_

 

[AnonymousGuy]

Your temps seem fine...you're not going to significantly decrease them going custom because the total heat loading is the same.  At best you can throw a ton of radiators in and get less heatsoak from the coolant heating up.

 

Bykski and Barrow stuff is also good.  Even one of the cheapie pumps that I have in my LANRig (couldn't fit anything else really) has been working fine for a long while and it uses an impeller design that (from my Iwaki pump experience) is supposed to make some pretty good pressure.  I use a Bykski block on my 1080Ti and it's as good as any other GPU block I've seen from EK or similar.  My instinct is that we're at a point nowadays where even the "cheap" chinese stuff is as good as the made in europe absurdly expensive stuff.  EK is just straight up overpriced now though for what you get.

 

Re: flow rate, basically anything above a trickle is fine.  No individual component has a high enough heat load where you need to be cycling super high flow rates.

 

Don't bother cooling the chipset.  VRM is "ifffy" and really only needed if you are pushing limits and don't have any case air flow.  Really the only two components to bother with are GPU and CPU.

[W-L]

8 minutes ago, Slight43 said:

Awesome, I've looked at those Barrow(which) Bynski water cooling products. Kinda wondered if they where good enough. So quick question. Is 800lh enough pump for a videocard/cpu setup? I heard people saying 350 or 400lh is enough but that sounds low. And I'm not sure that translates to head pressure which I also heard was king when picking a pump. That's the problem no one ever agrees on anything. Any info will help. And thanks for the advice.

Flow isn't very relevant what you mainly want is to look for is pressure as you are trying to force the fluid through the blocks for cooling. If you want a budget pump that's still decent quality I'd recommend to go with something like the DC-LT from Alphacool they aren't the most powerful thing out there but for the price not bad and deemed relatively reliable. It's used in their eisbaer expandable AIO units. 

 

https://www.aquatuning.us/water-cooling/pumps/alphacool-dc-lt/dc-lt-pumps/13012/alphacool-dc-lt-3600-ceramic-12v-dc-pump-bulk-version?c=6542

[Slight43]

9 minutes ago, Tristerin said:

I have multiple Aliexpress loops.  3 radiator setups are around ~100.00 USD (or were last year last time I bought parts) without fans.  Ive had nothing but great results.  

 

I also use copper blocks and aluminum radiators, and Preston 50/50 premix antifreeze with their patented Cor-Guard (corrosion inhibitor) to deal with corrosion (no issue) and antifreeze is a natural biocide (and cheap AF)

 

Ive also, on this forum, displayed pics of said loops, cutting open radiators and blocks to show there is no corrosion.

 

I have 3 of these pump/res combo's:

https://www.aliexpress.com/item/4000614787954.html?spm=a2g0o.productlist.0.0.26c72fae9n4O4a&algo_pvid=6c8b0533-47ae-40ef-9cad-23df0f3e4ac0&algo_expid=6c8b0533-47ae-40ef-9cad-23df0f3e4ac0-4&btsid=0bb0623b16021993131496373eb04d&ws_ab_test=searchweb0_0,searchweb201602_,searchweb201603_

 

1 of these pumps:

https://www.aliexpress.com/item/1005001393606961.html?spm=a2g0o.productlist.0.0.26c72fae9n4O4a&algo_pvid=6c8b0533-47ae-40ef-9cad-23df0f3e4ac0&algo_expid=6c8b0533-47ae-40ef-9cad-23df0f3e4ac0-6&btsid=0bb0623b16021993131496373eb04d&ws_ab_test=searchweb0_0,searchweb201602_,searchweb201603_

 

Couple of the acrylic reservoirs there, cant find exact links atm

 

All my tubing is Ebay/China for savings or Aliexpress

 

All my radiators I get come with barb fittings soldered on so I dont have to buy as many fittings:

https://www.aliexpress.com/item/1005001426401552.html?spm=a2g0o.productlist.0.0.34c3378feQgY0R&algo_pvid=6d6c6a14-7510-48e4-9f12-b884caf2b734&algo_expid=6d6c6a14-7510-48e4-9f12-b884caf2b734-8&btsid=0bb0623016021994395284506e8e46&ws_ab_test=searchweb0_0,searchweb201602_,searchweb201603_

 

Dont have to use those links for pricing - on Aliexpress always check hundreds of listings for best shipping and cheapest cost.  Ive never had an issue over the last few years with these parts / loops.

 

 

EDIT - oh yeah and I have a few of these blocks:

 

https://www.aliexpress.com/item/4001085913668.html?spm=a2g0o.productlist.0.0.753a13ee2ijmxn&algo_pvid=2337d77c-9a18-4f48-918e-169d8246d77b&algo_expid=2337d77c-9a18-4f48-918e-169d8246d77b-6&btsid=0bb0623b16021995389553282eaf6d&ws_ab_test=searchweb0_0,searchweb201602_,searchweb201603_

 

https://www.aliexpress.com/item/32875831704.html?spm=a2g0o.productlist.0.0.753a13ee2ijmxn&algo_pvid=2337d77c-9a18-4f48-918e-169d8246d77b&algo_expid=2337d77c-9a18-4f48-918e-169d8246d77b-12&btsid=0bb0623b16021995389553282eaf6d&ws_ab_test=searchweb0_0,searchweb201602_,searchweb201603_

 

Dang Thanks! Awesome feedback. Got allot to look over here. Really man thanks!

[AnonymousGuy]

Here's a link to the pump I'm a fan of: https://www.aliexpress.com/item/32216931807.html?spm=a2g0o.productlist.0.0.14922c64b1nXHJ&algo_pvid=2b6bd4f6-910c-4aa5-a352-3ee14b109c6f&algo_expid=2b6bd4f6-910c-4aa5-a352-3ee14b109c6f-4&btsid=0bb0624116022000240153352e4bfc&ws_ab_test=searchweb0_0,searchweb201602_,searchweb201603_

 

If you search "SC-600" you'll find it on Amazon for 2x the Aliexpress price.  I've taken one apart and it indeed does have a ceramic shaft and a really nice impeller design.

 

The "paddle" impeller design that was linked ^^ is not good at making pressure and I can guaranteed their "4M" head pressure number is a lie.  The SC-600 also lists 4M and that's way more plausible.