Custom cooling loop help

[NumeroSieben]

Hey everyone, i was considering doing a two stage custom cooling loop (ie - i build it in two separate stages to accomodate spending less money all at once and also Australia has problems with product availability)

 

I wanted to ask what parts you would personally reccomend with a budget of $180 AUD (stretch to $200 max i think) to build a loop just for the CPU for the parts i'll list below, that is expandable when it comes time to cool two MSI GTX 970s with water cooling later (mostly just for fun... the MSI twin Frozr cooler has already done in exceptional job in australian 40 degree celcius days with no air conditioning at my house. I have no case at the moment and the fans have spun up when they need to and i haven't heard a single thing)

 

my build:

 

i7 4790k

Maximus VII hero mobo

2x gtx 970 SLI (MSI gaming GTX 970s)

Air 540 case from Corsair

 

those are the most relevant parts

 

i'd love to hear your opinions, i happen to think that custom loops look cooler and also have a better "DIY" sense (without being ridiculously hard, ive never built a custom loop before so it has to be within reason otherwise i'd fuck up)

 

Thanks a lot, although its certainly hard to deal with Australian prices sometimes so tell me if the budget has to stretch.

 

(Also later, how big radiators and such will i need for the sli 970s?)

 

 

[alexknipfer]

If your on a tight budget like I just was, I went with a XSPC kit, does the job, easy to do for a first timer, it's under $200 USD (don't know AUD). Although the kit says it's expandable for GPU, etc. I would upgrade the pump that came with mine, it was not the kit with the D5 pump.

[Enderman]

If you only have $180 do not try making a custom loop.

You should be buying an AiO liquid cooler, not making a custom loop with cheap-ass parts from china.

 

You should have at least $500 saved up for a custom loop with good quality parts that will not leak.

Also check out SingularityComputers on youtube, he seems to have no issue getting watercooling parts in Australia.

[NumeroSieben]

If your on a tight budget like I just was, I went with a XSPC kit, does the job, easy to do for a first timer, it's under $200 USD (don't know AUD). Although the kit says it's expandable for GPU, etc. I would upgrade the pump that came with mine, it was not the kit with the D5 pump.

I'll look into that, i've seen XSPC parts available on some australian sites (PC Case gear for example) but no actual kits, i would not be surprised in the slightest if we didn't have kits in this messed up country

 

EDIT: http://www.pccasegear.com/index.php?main_page=product_info&products_id=21957&cPath=296 Would this work in a corsair air 540? it means it has to tilt and go in sideways. I should be able to afford that setup since thats a pump and res

 

 

Also Enderman - i meant $180-200 just for the CPU, i fully intend to later on buy the GPU parts (radiators and water blocks etc) with more money, i just want to build it in two separate stages so i don't have to dump a huge amount of money all at once and the Twin Frozr does a fine job for the time being. The CPU however is on an intel stock fan and so its much higher priority and i prefer the thought of building an expandable custom loop if i can afford it rather than an AIO which is more boring to me. 

[alexknipfer]

I'll look into that, i've seen XSPC parts available on some australian sites (PC Case gear for example) but no actual kits, i would not be surprised in the slightest if we didn't have kits in this messed up country

 

EDIT: http://www.pccasegear.com/index.php?main_page=product_info&products_id=21957&cPath=296 Would this work in a corsair air 540? it means it has to tilt and go in sideways. I should be able to afford that setup since thats a pump and res

 

 

Also Enderman - i meant $180-200 just for the CPU, i fully intend to later on buy the GPU parts (radiators and water blocks etc) with more money, i just want to build it in two separate stages so i don't have to dump a huge amount of money all at once and the Twin Frozr does a fine job for the time being. The CPU however is on an intel stock fan and so its much higher priority and i prefer the thought of building an expandable custom loop if i can afford it rather than an AIO which is more boring to me. 

 

I know FrozenPCU isn't Australian, but I'm pretty sure they will ship over there last resort.

[Fragsa1]

Hi,

 

I'm an Aussie watercooler as well. PCCG is pretty much your only option.

 

I just specced out what I would do for a CPU only loop with quality parts, it comes to $350 AUD. http://www.pccasegear.com/sc/lHQ

You could change the Rad (thinker?), the CPU block (looks) and the Res (looks).

 

You could go for http://www.pccasegear.com/index.php?main_page=product_info&cPath=207_160_45&products_id=29669 for $320, but I'm not sure about a bay res on its side. Plus I'm not a fan of that Waterblock.

 

To add the GPUs you'll need to probably add a 360mm rad, 6 fittings and the two water blocks. $140 (block) + $140 (block) + $90 (Rad) + $30 (Fittings)

 

Watercooling is never cheap...

 

@NumeroSieben

Its also worth following your own topics so you receive updates.

[NumeroSieben]

Hi,

 

I'm an Aussie watercooler as well. PCCG is pretty much your only option.

 

I just specced out what I would do for a CPU only loop with quality parts, it comes to $350 AUD. http://www.pccasegear.com/sc/lHQ

You could change the Rad (thinker?), the CPU block (looks) and the Res (looks).

 

You could go for http://www.pccasegear.com/index.php?main_page=product_info&cPath=207_160_45&products_id=29669 for $320, but I'm not sure about a bay res on its side. Plus I'm not a fan of that Waterblock.

 

To add the GPUs you'll need to probably add a 360mm rad, 6 fittings and the two water blocks. $140 (block) + $140 (block) + $90 (Rad) + $30 (Fittings)

 

Watercooling is never cheap...

 

@NumeroSieben

Its also worth following your own topics so you receive updates.

This is a very helpful post! Despite Australian prices i might just have to go with this for the best quality. Although its above my original budget, the GPU cooling is cheaper than i expected so it kind of balances out (i already knew the blocks where going to be expensive though haha)

 

I just hope the MSI GTX 970 blocks come to australia one day...

 

I'm a bit old fashioned and i either just always have the thread open and click "refresh" or just come back to the site and click my content and the post is always right there (the hard way of doing things haha) no responses get by me either way

[Fragsa1]

This is a very helpful post! Despite Australian prices i might just have to go with this for the best quality. Although its above my original budget, the GPU cooling is cheaper than i expected so it kind of balances out (i already knew the blocks where going to be expensive though haha)

 

I just hope the MSI GTX 970 blocks come to australia one day...

 

I'm a bit old fashioned and i either just always have the thread open and click "refresh" or just come back to the site and click my content and the post is always right there (the hard way of doing things haha) no responses get by me either way

 

No problem, glad I could help.

 

Yes its probably best to just spend the extra $80~ and get quality parts, considering the total cost of the system.

 

The parts I listed are ones I use myself (apart from the res, but that's pretty subjective) and could easily recommend.

The D5 pump is pretty much a standard, the EK Supremacy EVO has a very good rep, the Primochill Tubing is widely recommended and the Alphacool radiators are great.

 

You could go for a quality AIO (like an x61) for half the price, but since you don't really put it together, you don't feel the same satisfaction. It also wont look nearly as good (so vein  ). Of course that would remove the possibility of adding the GPUs.

The biggest problem with getting into watercooling is that it turns into an addiction. You're always looking at ways to improve things.. I think I've spent about $1000 on my cooling system. I've torn down, modded and rebuilt my system 5 times, adding more parts each time.

 

Yeah it looks like it will come here soon, you may want to contact PCCG and ask them when (or if) they will get them.

[NumeroSieben]

No problem, glad I could help.

 

Yes its probably best to just spend the extra $80~ and get quality parts, considering the total cost of the system.

 

The parts I listed are ones I use myself (apart from the res, but that's pretty subjective) and could easily recommend.

The D5 pump is pretty much a standard, the EK Supremacy EVO has a very good rep, the Primochill Tubing is widely recommended and the Alphacool radiators are great.

 

You could go for a quality AIO (like an x61) for half the price, but since you don't really put it together, you don't feel the same satisfaction. It also wont look nearly as good (so vein  ). Of course that would remove the possibility of adding the GPUs.

The biggest problem with getting into watercooling is that it turns into an addiction. You're always looking at ways to improve things.. I think I've spent about $1000 on my cooling system. I've torn down, modded and rebuilt my system 5 times, adding more parts each time.

 

Yeah it looks like it will come here soon, you may want to contact PCCG and ask them when (or if) they will get them.

 

 

yeah i feel the same way about AIOs. From what i've seen of water cooling CPU benchmarks you can't get much better than an AIO for the price you pay for a custom loop but the biggest benefit is to the GPUs. However the CPU and the overall whole system looks so much better (and you get better quality parts, there are very few AIOs, especially in australia that use copper radiators). 

 

When i have some more money coming in i'll probably be updating my system a lot more regularily than i do right now and boy could i feed a water cooling system my spare money haha