Pump and Loop Questions.

[DieHörnær]

Hullo LLT peoples!

 

So I've been watching LTT and reading the forums for a couple years now and finally decided to jump through the water cooling loops.

 

System:

 

- INTEL i5 4670k @ stock for the moment [CPU] - TDP 84W.
- EVGA Geforce GTX 980 4GB @ stock, ftm [GPU] - TDP 165W Running an ASUS ROG Swift Gsync [2560 x 1440 @ 144hz] and an old samsung [1920 x 1080 @ 60hz].
- MSI Z87-G45 Gaming [MOBO] - mmm poo brown pcb.
- G.SKILL F3-14900CL9Q-16GBXL 16GB (4X4GB) DDR3 [RAM].
- ASUS Xonar Essence STX [sound].
- CORSAIR RM750 [PSU] -  I understand this is overkill.
- NANOXIA Deep Silence 1 [Case].
- WD 1TB
- SAMSUNG 840 EVO 250GB.

 

Not sure if upgrading to 5820k + new mobo + DDR4 = $1200 would be worth it? Or save for Skylake 2015/2016.

 

Loop order and components:

 

RESERVOIR/PUMP >>

 

So option #1

- "EK Bay DCP 2.2 Pump/Reservoir Combo" - PUMP = The EK-DCP 2.2 water pump, 400L/H, Not sure if is speed variable?

http://www.ekwb.com/shop/reservoirs-and-acc/res-pump-combo/ek-dcp/ek-bay-dcp-2-2-combo-reservoir-acetal.html

 

Option #2

- "EK Single 5.25" Bay Reservoir (includes single DDC 3.2 PWM Pump)" - PUMP = Laing DDC-3.2 PWM, 1000L/H, PWM speed variable.

http://www.ekwb.com/shop/ek-sbay-ddc-3-2-pwm-incl-pump.html

 

Option #3

- EK BAY Spin Reservoir White Acetal CSQ + EK-D5 Vario X-TOP Pump - 1500L/H, Speed variable.

http://www.pccasegear.com/index.php?main_page=product_info&cPath=207_160_299&products_id=28933

http://www.pccasegear.com/index.php?main_page=product_info&cPath=207_160_296&products_id=26173

 

RADIATOR >>

- Alphacool NexXxoS XT45 radiator 280mm [46mm (40mm?) thick]

http://www.pccasegear.com/index.php?main_page=product_info&cPath=207_160_297_1484&products_id=25479

 

CPU BLOCK >>

- EK Supremacy EVO Acetal.

http://www.pccasegear.com/index.php?main_page=product_info&cPath=207_160_878_879&products_id=28925

 

GPU BLOCK >>

- EK-FC980 GTX Acetal Nickel.

https://www.ple.com.au/ViewItem.aspx?InventoryItemID=616463&CategoryID=717

 

RADIATOR >>

- Alphacool NexXxoS Monster 240mm [80mm thick].

http://www.pccasegear.com/index.php?main_page=product_info&cPath=207_160_297_1484&products_id=23458

 

+ Bunch of high static pressure fans, probably Corsair Air Series LED high static pressure fans.

http://www.pccasegear.com/index.php?main_page=product_info&cPath=9_1406&products_id=28507

 

>>>

 

 

So my basic questions are:

 

1. Are there any obvious flaws of the loop, could it be implemented better?

 

2. Which pump solution would be best?

 

Budget approx: $700-900.

 

Location: Australia.

 

Cheers a bunch for any help, quips, questions or queries.

 

Heres a diagram to help.

 

__________________________

[Scouten]

i would personally route my tubes like this if possible it looks cleaner

[DieHörnær]

i would personally route my tubes like this if possible it looks cleaner

 

So up behind the case grommets and back? I was trying to get the shortest loop possible, mostly so there are no long hanging tubes. Here is the case with window for perspective.

 

[airdeano]

Hullo LLT peoples!

 

So I've been watching LTT and reading the forums for a couple years now and finally decided to jump through the water cooling loops.

 

hello and welcome to the Linus Tech Tips forums!

 

kinda depends on how on-the-ragged-edge you are planning on overclocking.

 

your parts selection is good, dunna know if that roof rad (xt45 280) is going

to clear the motherboard, plus fans.

[DieHörnær]

hello and welcome to the Linus Tech Tips forums!

 

kinda depends on how on-the-ragged-edge you are planning on overclocking.

 

your parts selection is good, dunna know if that roof rad (xt45 280) is going

to clear the motherboard, plus fans.

 

Wow, hey thanks for the friendly response!

My main reasons for watercooling are the aesthetics and for the challenge + learning experience and almost silent operation, so not sure on the fans to use there.

So I'd probably only go with a mild overclock on the CPU and GPU, something thats stable, which I believe the monsta rad and roof rad will be overkill for, but I think it'd be fun to do and learn about.

Yea, I saw a couple of builds such as this one where the builder had trouble fitting a rad above the mobo. My main idea is to do a push config up there with a 40mm or even 30mm rad as the main

cooling will be done with the monsta at the front of the case.

My main concern though is if the pump configurations I've listed above will be able to cope with the loop. The idea is being able to fill the loop through the front bay and then drain through the bottom hole

on the monsta rad, via a tube drilled through the bottom of the case, to make maintenance easier...?

Thanks for any help and suggestions!

[airdeano]

My main concern though is if the pump configurations I've listed above will be able to cope with the loop. The idea is being able to fill the loop through the front bay and then drain through the bottom hole

on the monsta rad, via a tube drilled through the bottom of the case, to make maintenance easier...?

Thanks for any help and suggestions!

 

the DDC pump is adequate and used a great deal. i personally can not vouch for

that combo, but in prior uses of DDC pumps, i found they were very heat sensitive

and lack of airflow compounds the problems of the DDC pump. the bayres/pump

combo can be a bit of a noise-maker unless isolation strips applied to the res to

mute the vibrations. i prefer the use of the tubular reservoirs with pumps attached

(preferred) or divorced for a quieter solution. optional pump to inquire about is the

Laing D5 as they are larger, but they are cooled through the coolant not air. a bit

more beefy in flow rating and can handle a lot of tubular abuse (long tube runs).

[DieHörnær]

Laing D5 as they are larger, but they are cooled through the coolant not air. a bit

more beefy in flow rating and can handle a lot of tubular abuse (long tube runs).

optional pump to inquire about is the

 

Yea I was a bit worried about the heat from the pump.

 

I understand the Laing D5 is a model name and that companies rebrand the pump, so is the

 

EK D5 Vario X- (TOP) Pump simply a rebranding/variation of the Laing D5? 

[airdeano]

Yea I was a bit worried about the heat from the pump.

 

I understand the Laing D5 is a model name and that companies rebrand the pump, so is the

 

EK D5 Vario X- (TOP) Pump simply a rebranding/variation of the Laing D5? 

 

yes it is.