Custom water loop help

[Pickin Rick]

Hi all

 

So I’m looking at converting my rig to custom loop, from having a Cooler Master ML360R, but need a little advice. 
 

Current rig is:

Phanteks Enthoo Pro M

ASUS B450 TUF Gaming Plus II

Ryzen 5 3600

Radeon RX580 8GB Red Devil

16GB Hyper X DDR4 2400Mhz

Silverstone 650W PSU (Already planning upgrade in a month)

2x 250GB SSD running in Raid 0

2x 1TB HDD running in Raid 0

 

I’m looking mainly at best parts to use on a budget. Main sticking point for me is what to use on the GPU. The fans are beginning to cause more and more noise as time goes on, and I would love to upgrade, but price (surprise surprise lol) and needing to replace both my sons rigs innards are really preventing this. 
 

I’ll be buying the parts over the course of a couple of months, so price of parts isn’t as critical, but being able to reduce cost a little bit means I can put the extra into the other 2 rigs instead. 
 

As much as upgrading other parts of my rig would be nice, my focus needs to be sorting the other 2 out, so any help would be appreciated. 
Thank all

[RONOTHAN##]

First, wouldn't recommend going custom loop for this system. You'd be better off flipping the GPU and spending the ~$300 you'd spend on the loop at the minimum on a new GPU instead, something like a 1080 Ti. 

 

If you want to do it the janky way to save money, this can be done fairly cheap with something like a car rad, an aquarium pump, some cheap barb fittings, and universal blocks but it's not a great solution. 

[Pickin Rick]

True, I could, but I can’t spend that 300 over the space of a few months, it’s about trying to squeeze what I can out of the rig as is. Being off work with prolapsed discs and waiting for surgery means I need to be able to economise where possible, especially needing to sort 2 other pc’s at the same time. GPU does what I need it to, only issue is the fans.  
 

My main issue really, is cooling the GPU. Backplates seem like golddust for an rx580, so what could be got to achieve it instead? Mount on block maybe?

[thrasher_565]

1 hour ago, Pickin Rick said:

True, I could, but I can’t spend that 300 over the space of a few months, it’s about trying to squeeze what I can out of the rig as is. Being off work with prolapsed discs and waiting for surgery means I need to be able to economise where possible, especially needing to sort 2 other pc’s at the same time. GPU does what I need it to, only issue is the fans.  
 

My main issue really, is cooling the GPU. Backplates seem like golddust for an rx580, so what could be got to achieve it instead? Mount on block maybe?

the zip tiy mod works good

[Allyxxx]

How is your current setup in the case? Are the fans noisy, because you have them running too hard with hard drives obstructing the air flow?

 

Buying a GPU block for an older GPU that gets hot is probably not worth it, but you may feel different about how you spend your money and what future plans you have for it.

Bykski A DL58DEVIL X GPU Water Cooling Block for PowerColor RX 580 Red Devil|water cooling block|cooling blockgpu water cooling block - AliExpress

 

If you are not able to find a way to connect the existing Cooler Master AIO if it will end up costing more. The AIO pump may not be strong enough to handle a loop with the GPU and CPU increased volume of liquid. It's likely to cost more than $300 to make a full custom loop. I wouldn't recommend getting into custom loop in your case. Personally I enjoy water cooling, but it can be a real hassle to deal with.

 

 

[Allyxxx]

16 minutes ago, thrasher_565 said:

the zip tiy mod works good

Zip tie is the easy solution. 3D printing with custom fan shroud attachment can have a nicer look. It might be better to invest into a 3D printer than getting into water cooling.

[Pickin Rick]

6 hours ago, Allyxxx said:

How is your current setup in the case? Are the fans noisy, because you have them running too hard with hard drives obstructing the air flow?

 

Buying a GPU block for an older GPU that gets hot is probably not worth it, but you may feel different about how you spend your money and what future plans you have for it.

Bykski A DL58DEVIL X GPU Water Cooling Block for PowerColor RX 580 Red Devil|water cooling block|cooling blockgpu water cooling block - AliExpress

 

If you are not able to find a way to connect the existing Cooler Master AIO if it will end up costing more. The AIO pump may not be strong enough to handle a loop with the GPU and CPU increased volume of liquid. It's likely to cost more than $300 to make a full custom loop. I wouldn't recommend getting into custom loop in your case. Personally I enjoy water cooling, but it can be a real hassle to deal with.

 

 

Tbh, I doubt it’s heat because I actually have the side off the case currently. I gave the whole internals a strip out and clean out about 2 weeks ago, apart from cpu pump and gpu fans as I ran out of thermal paste, to try and assist this, but it’s generally when the card comes under load. 

I’ve tried adjusting the curve through Radeon software, but doesn’t help. I thought I had got stuck with the 100% utilisation bug, but turned out I was wrong. 

 

My whole plan is, I’m going to buy a piece at a time, just to spread the cost whilst fixing the other 2 rigs, so the aio pump won’t be an issue as it will be replaced, and then the aio can go in my youngest lads rig as he will use it less and under less load. 
 

But thanks for the link, I shall take a look at it, and at least when I can (someday ) upgrade the gpu I can buy the proper plate at the same time. 

[Pickin Rick]

7 hours ago, thrasher_565 said:

the zip tiy mod works good

I may have to look into this if it’s gonna take me longer than expected to buy parts, nice one pal  

[Pickin Rick]

6 hours ago, Allyxxx said:

Zip tie is the easy solution. 3D printing with custom fan shroud attachment can have a nicer look. It might be better to invest into a 3D printer than getting into water cooling.

Between my PC, my main hobby, 2 teenagers, a 2 year old and reptiles, if I try making space somewhere for a 3D printer, I reckon me and the printer will be looking for a flat together

 

Plus, I’m looking at the water cooling as something I can build upon as time progresses, and transfer my knowledge to Childrens pc’s without ‘too much’ trial and error. 

[thrasher_565]

9 hours ago, Pickin Rick said:

Tbh, I doubt it’s heat because I actually have the side off the case currently. I gave the whole internals a strip out and clean out about 2 weeks ago, apart from cpu pump and gpu fans as I ran out of thermal paste, to try and assist this, but it’s generally when the card comes under load. 

I’ve tried adjusting the curve through Radeon software, but doesn’t help. I thought I had got stuck with the 100% utilisation bug, but turned out I was wrong. 

 

My whole plan is, I’m going to buy a piece at a time, just to spread the cost whilst fixing the other 2 rigs, so the aio pump won’t be an issue as it will be replaced, and then the aio can go in my youngest lads rig as he will use it less and under less load. 
 

But thanks for the link, I shall take a look at it, and at least when I can (someday ) upgrade the gpu I can buy the proper plate at the same time. 

looks like all your fans are intake?

[Pickin Rick]

5 hours ago, thrasher_565 said:

looks like all your fans are intake?

Yes, I had the front and rear fans as push previously, but I was testing if more cooler air being drawn in would aid in reducing ambient interior temps. Needless to say, it did absolutely zip, and the gpu fans still go mental. 
I am hopeful that redoing the paste on the gpu may aid with fan speeds, but not too hopeful, especially when setting a custom curve made no difference either. 

[IkeaGnome]

Have you thought about just giving the computer a really good cleaning? Remove the GPU cooler and repaste while you're at it? Granted the GPU cooler isn't all that dirty, but every bit helps. 

[thrasher_565]

44 minutes ago, Pickin Rick said:

Yes, I had the front and rear fans as push previously, but I was testing if more cooler air being drawn in would aid in reducing ambient interior temps. Needless to say, it did absolutely zip, and the gpu fans still go mental. 
I am hopeful that redoing the paste on the gpu may aid with fan speeds, but not too hopeful, especially when setting a custom curve made no difference either. 

looking at the gpu more costly and it seem like its blocking the exhaust of the gpu as gpus intake from the fans and out the sides.

[Pickin Rick]

31 minutes ago, IkeaGnome said:

Have you thought about just giving the computer a really good cleaning? Remove the GPU cooler and repaste while you're at it? Granted the GPU cooler isn't all that dirty, but every bit helps. 

It’s a good idea bud, but in a post further up I mentioned doing this about 2 weeks ago, except redoing paste points, however I always appreciate ideas from fellows who may spot something I don’t
 

I’m ordering some paste later on tonight, and I’ll just spend a day stripping piece by piece, and giving extra deep cleaning. 
I know for sure that the gpu has never had paste redone, so fingers crossed it has an effect

[Pickin Rick]

1 minute ago, thrasher_565 said:

looking at the gpu more costly and it seem like its blocking the exhaust of the gpu as gpus intake from the fans and out the sides.

Yes, the gpu is fairly close to the side of the case when it’s on properly, so could play a part, it just confuses me that it still performs the same with the side off. 
 

would you have any suggestions?

[thrasher_565]

1 minute ago, Pickin Rick said:

Yes, the gpu is fairly close to the side of the case when it’s on properly, so could play a part, it just confuses me that it still performs the same with the side off. 
 

would you have any suggestions?

not talking about the side panel im talking about the gpu plastic on the side is blocking exhaust

 

 

 

[IkeaGnome]

34 minutes ago, Pickin Rick said:

Yes, the gpu is fairly close to the side of the case when it’s on properly, so could play a part, it just confuses me that it still performs the same with the side off. 
 

would you have any suggestions?

To clarify on what I think @thrasher_565is talking about here. If all your fans are intake. The GPU will pull air in from the bottom and exhaust out the sides. A little bit of the warm air will escape out the back IO of the GPU. The rest will get pushed down below the GPU. The GPU will then use warm air as an intake to try to cool it's self.

Air gets a little warmer each time, so the GPU then gets warmer and warmer. 

Might help if I read your last post completely. 

[Pickin Rick]

48 minutes ago, thrasher_565 said:

not talking about the side panel im talking about the gpu plastic on the side is blocking exhaust

 

 

 

Ah, my apologies. I was thinking about the panel creating a hard stop point. 
I’ll do some investigating when I replace the paste, see if I can take off plastic to free up the fins. I’m not adverse to modifying parts if it may serve a purpose

[Pickin Rick]

19 minutes ago, IkeaGnome said:

To clarify on what I think @thrasher_565is talking about here. If all your fans are intake. The GPU will pull air in from the bottom and exhaust out the sides. A little bit of the warm air will escape out the back IO of the GPU. The rest will get pushed down below the GPU. The GPU will then use warm air as an intake to try to cool it's self.

Air gets a little warmer each time, so the GPU then gets warmer and warmer. 

Might help if I read your last post completely. 

I do the same thing so often, drives me crazy when I do it haha 

[IkeaGnome]

19 minutes ago, Pickin Rick said:

I do the same thing so often, drives me crazy when I do it haha 

At least with your current "all fans as intake", it's still somewhat relevant ahaha.

[Pickin Rick]

1 hour ago, IkeaGnome said:

At least with your current "all fans as intake", it's still somewhat relevant ahaha.

Which, believe me, is a miracle, I usually go massive tangent and away I go

 

Incidentally, taking my cpu, aio and gpu into account, what thermal paste would you reckon is best choice?

 

Oh I also have the Der8auer am4 rails to set my cpu block to the correct offset.