Water cooling on a budget. Please advise

[sotiris.bos]

I am planning my new computer build. I am going for an FX-8350 and a Crosshair V Formula-Z. I want to max out the 8350 (5Ghz if I can) and I will need some serious cooling. I think a closed loop system would not suffice. I want to make a custom loop for as little as possible. I want a 480 rad for future water cooling my 7950 and the mobo. Can anyone give suggestions about cheap but good looking CPU water blocks, pump and reservoir (I would like a pump/res combo but not one that goes in the 5.25 bays and can be seen as I dont like them) and some cheap but good rad? Thank you in advance.

[M-ursu]

At first: I have same MoBo and CPU. And i have it running @5.1ghz. ( max temps 45ºc) :)

You can buy any cheap CPU block. (No huge performance difference)

And any pump/res combo.(wont matter, just for look)

Just buy good guality rad. (Alphacool and EK)

And go whit 13/10 tubing. (Looks clean and perform well enough)

[Frix]

Getting the same motherboard as you and own the 8350 and the 7950, this is a helpful topic for me also :D

[sotiris.bos]

At first: I have same MoBo and CPU. And i have it running @5.1ghz. ( max temps 45ºc) :)

You can buy any cheap CPU block. (No huge performance difference)

And any pump/res combo.(wont matter, just for look)

Just buy good guality rad. (Alphacool and EK)

And go whit 13/10 tubing. (Looks clean and perform well enough)

Can you tell me what parts do you have for cooling please?

 

 

Frix I have the same GPU as you!

[M-ursu]

Can you tell me what parts do you have for cooling please?

 

 

Frix I have the same GPU as you!

Uh...

Do you really want all of these parts? (That loop cost 700€(and i could have upgrated my gtx 650)). :)

Well here is my rad:s 360x45mm, 140x60mm, 120x30mm and 280x86mm.

And waterbock ek supermacy plexi.

Pump: Swifteck Mcp655.

Res: frozenQ red t virus.

If you want more let me know.

[sotiris.bos]

Uh...

Do you really want all of these parts? (That loop cost 700€(and i could have upgrated my gtx 650)). :)

Well here is my rad:s 360x45mm, 140x60mm, 120x30mm and 280x86mm.

And waterbock ek supermacy plexi.

Pump: Swifteck Mcp655.

Res: frozenQ red t virus.

If you want more let me know.

I just wanted to know about the cpu waterblock and the pump. I would love an MCP655 but it is just too expensive for me...

[M-ursu]

I just wanted to know about the cpu waterblock and the pump. I would love an MCP655 but it is just too expensive for me...

It is so silent.

At lowest setting cant even hear it. :)

[FluffyNuggets]

Cheap and custom water cooling shouldn't go together in the same sentence.

Buy whatever is in your budget. I wouldn't go cheap on the blocks since if they are bad quality it could destroy your entire computer. Buy whatever blocks have good reviews and from a well known company like EK, Alphacool, Swiftech. Apply that same thing to everything else like radiators, reservoirs, pumps.

[airdeano]

what the fluffster said.. budget h2o leads to more issues and problems. when planned

and executed properly it tends to make the task simple and easy.

 

minimum needs:

CPU only: 240x30/45/60 radiator

CPU/GPU 360x 60 + 240x 60 or 240x 60 + 280x 60

CPU/2x GPU 360x 60 + 240x 60 or 480x 60 + 240x 60

 

earlier GPU needs more cooling effort than the newer tech GPU cards. hence the more

radiator needs. another to consider is fan speed and usage. this can also alter the capacity

options.

 

airdeano

[FluffyNuggets]

what the fluffster said.. budget h2o leads to more issues and problems. when planned

and executed properly it tends to make the task simple and easy.

 

minimum needs:

CPU only: 240x30/45/60 radiator

CPU/GPU 360x 60 + 240x 60 or 240x 60 + 280x 60

CPU/2x GPU 360x 60 + 240x 60 or 480x 60 + 240x 60

 

earlier GPU needs more cooling effort than the newer tech GPU cards. hence the more

radiator needs. another to consider is fan speed and usage. this can also alter the capacity

options.

 

airdeano

You can cool a CPU and GPU with a 360x60. I did it with a 140.3 so it should be pretty much the same, maybe slightly worst. 

[WunderWuffle]

TTL cooled a 3960X and a TITAN using only a 360 x 60 rad.

[airdeano]

TTL cooled a 3960X and a TITAN using only a 360 x 60 rad.

 

and heavily overclocked on both.. CPU 70°/GPU 39°, but he did go to SP120PE

fans (on reducers) in push only. was a bit loud for his taste. you might be able to

squeak a p/p with SP120QE if one has the room.

 

airdeano

[sotiris.bos]

Since i am going full AMD and want to overclock both cpu and gpu to max I figure I need at least 480mm of radiators. Being an enthusiast is f*cking expensive. I hope a 480 rad (or 2x240) with sp quiet push/pull and 750W psu are enough, right?

[Winther]

Since i am going full AMD and want to overclock both cpu and gpu to max I figure I need at least 480mm of radiators. Being an enthusiast is f*cking expensive. I hope a 480 rad (or 2x240) with sp quiet push/pull and 750W psu are enough, right?

Yes..

 

havent read all the thread, but have you considered the new swiftech AiO solution, you can start with that, cool the cpu and then add more and more as you get more money for it.. :)

[sotiris.bos]

Yes..

 

havent read all the thread, but have you considered the new swiftech AiO solution, you can start with that, cool the cpu and then add more and more as you get more money for it.. :)

I did actually but I have some questions. Would I need a reservoir if I wanted to expand it? Is the pump adequate to move the water if I add more radiators? I also read about pump problems and in my country the H220 is not available, so ordering it from the US and then having to RMA it back if something goes wrong would be a pain in the a** and my wallet.  :P

[Winther]

I haven't heard about the problems with the pump to be honest I haven't actually read that much about it.

 

Though im fairly certain that the pump is powerfull enough for quite a big loop. As far as I know you dont actually need a res if you expand the system, it would be a pain in the behind to fill it without a res though.

[Prophet of Entropy]

you can save 10-20$ over a branded D5 pump by getting a laing D5. all D5s are made by laing and getting a fixed speed one will also save some money.  the variable speed pumps can be very slightly quieter and have a slightly better flow, but neither would enough to affect cooling. my D5 strong @24volts can't be heard with the cases side panels on.  I got my D5 strong for about 65$ Canadian new.

[Levis95l]

Alphacool has some "watercooling sets". You can get all the parts you need for much cheaper than buying seperately. So one can have a H220 level custom loop for H220 price.

http://www.alphacool.com/index.php/cat/c87_Intel.html

Oh, and those categories...

"Economy class" = 120mm rads

"Business class" = 240mm rads

"First class" = 360mm and 480mm rads

[Levis95l]

Since this topic name is just "watercooling on a budget" I thought I could also ask my question about pumps (on a budget).

I'm planning of buying a 4670K and a Radeon 9950 (or whatever will be the equivalent to 7950) after the summer.

 

The graphics card I would watercool with a GPU only block, like this: http://www.alphacool.com/product_info.php/info/p840_Alphacool-HF-14-Smart-Motion-Universal-Copper-Edition.html

Then I would buy one of those alphacool watercooling sets and another 240mm or 280mm radiator, maybe even 60mm thick.

http://www.alphacool.com/index.php/cat/c89_Business-Class.html

http://www.alphacool.com/product_info.php/info/p984_Alphacool-NexXxoS-UT60-Full-Copper-280mm.html

 

Now to my question: Would the Alphacool DC-LT pump in the cheaper 130€ watercooling set be powerful enough for this loop? Or what if I buy another one (the reservoir has places for two)? Should I buy a more expensive set with Laing DCC pump since it's just 30€ more expensive than buying another DC-LT pump? Or should I just get an Alphacool VPP655 (=equivalent to Swiftech MCP655)?

 

Tell me what do you think. Also this is my first build so comment, should I change something else in it?

[Levis95l]

Link to DC-LT pump product info: http://www.alphacool.com/product_info.php/info/p1055_Alphacool-DC-LT-Keramik-12-Volt-Pumpe---bulk.html

[sotiris.bos]

you can save 10-20$ over a branded D5 pump by getting a laing D5. all D5s are made by laing and getting a fixed speed one will also save some money.  the variable speed pumps can be very slightly quieter and have a slightly better flow, but neither would enough to affect cooling. my D5 strong @24volts can't be heard with the cases side panels on.  I got my D5 strong for about 65$ Canadian new.

Thank you that was very helpful! I would like a PWM one just because I am a silence freak. But what about reliability? Are all D5 pumps the same aside from the brand name?

[Prophet of Entropy]

there are different models of D5, but only 1 company makes them, Laing. I went for the less expensive fixed speed pump because I already had a pump controller so spending 20-40$ on a redundant feature would be silly.

[FluffyNuggets]

there are different models of D5, but only 1 company makes them, Laing. I went for the less expensive fixed speed pump because I already had a pump controller so spending 20-40$ on a redundant feature would be silly.

What pump controller do you use? I have a fixed speed one and I'd like to quiet it down. Didn't realize it was fixed speed when I bought it.