First Time Watercooling

[Andrew529]

I have just decided that I wanted to watercool my computer but have no experience or greater knowledge of both the installation process and recommended components. My current build specification is;

Case - Coolermaster Cosmos 2

CPU - i7 4770k

GPU - 2x Asus Strix 970

Storage - 2x 1TB WB Black & 2x 480gb Intel Series 730 SSD

(Can't remember PSU, or Motherboard)

 

Price isn't entirely a problem, I'd much like to know the best available components for water-cooling and then perhaps the more 'sensible' option. I just don't know where to begin looking for both components and the best makes.

 

Thank you very much for your help!

[Virgule]

In summary, you need :

 

- CPU Waterblock : compatible with your current socket. Most are compatible with every recent socket

- GPU waterblock : compatible with your GPU (particular model). Manufacturer's site (such as EKWB, Swiftech, ...) can help you find compatibilities

- GPU backplate : fully optionnal

- Pump : Look for a D5, which is the best pump out there. The DDC is a cheaper option with less pressure head.

- Pump top : Your choice to add in a pump top that will replace the stock one and is supposed to improve flow and head pressure. Tops are typically more easy to connect fittings to than the stock top which might be barbed fitting only.

- Radiator(s) : for that, you need to know how much you you want to cool and find a proper rad size. You also need to make sure it fits in your case. Usually, 2x 240 mm should be good for 1 CPU + 2 GPU.

- Reservoir : Always mounted before (and above) pump, the res is all up to you in terms of looks and size. Some reservoir come with a pump mounting so that the pump is installed derectly on it. Check for compatibilities if so.

- Tubing : Your choice of hard of soft. For a first time build, I strongly suggest soft PVC tubing. Your choice of size as well (inner and outer diameter). Generally, the wider the tubing, the larger the bend radiuses. The smaller the tubing, the smaller the flow. Although with a good pump, small size tubing isn't really a problem in terms of flow, I would suggest 3/8 inner 1/2 outer.

- Fittings : Your choice of either barbed (cheaper, worse looking, will need retention clips) of compression (more expensive, way better looking) fittings. You will need to make sure the fittings match the tubing size. You also can go nuts with fittings. Choosing angled ones to make a build cleaner. This can easily be the third of the budget.

- Fans : Choose pressure optimized fans to mount to radiators. Choose a fan matching the radiator size (120 or 140mm). Your choice of push, pull or push and pull configuration. Typically, push or pull is sufficient. 

- Fan controller : You can have a setup that has a lot of fans and you might want to have some type of control on the speed and noise level. You can opt for a 5.25'' bay controller or a simple 8 splitter connected to a mobo 4pin header. Fan controller can also control the pump. Look closely at the controller's voltage if your planning on controlling different components.

- Liquid : Distilled water is the way to go. You can add watercooling dyes to it and should choose an additive to prevent corrosion and fungi. Check that all added liquids are compatible with eachother.

 

 

Tips : 

- Avoid components with wet aluminium constructions (aluminium parts in contact with water)

- Plan your build ahead of time. Take your time. Make drawings. Check clearances.

- Make a proper leak test with the psu connected only to the pump. Look for leakages at all points of assembly and let it run for hours checking often.

- NEVER let the pump run dry

- Always mount the res directly above (and before) the pump.

- Filling the loop is done in small increments, starting and stopping the psu between fills. After the filling is done, tilt the case in all directions with pump in function. This will flush out trapped air.

- With the filling done and pump in operation, this is the time to properly close the fill tube and/or all fill ports. When the pump stops, the level will rise in the res if the loop is still open to the atmosphere. 

[Andrew529]

Wow! Thank you so much! I didn't know there was that much to know, but thank you so much for your advice!

 

You say to never let the pump dry? How would that happen and why?

Also you specify soft tubing over hard, what are the individual pros and cons? Other than the obvious benefits of copper piping, is that it?

 

I know that this is an entirely ambiguous question and hard to judge, but, if you had to roughly guess a figure for a high-quality water-cooling build with a decent level of personalised fittings and cable sleeves. What would you say? (I know you're CAD and I'm GBP)

 

Thank you again!

[Dius]

Sup Andrew,

 

I went through this process all of a month ago.

 

Just the CPU for the moment, will be doing the GPU's when I get my hands on a couple of GTX 980ti around June.

 

This is my video of the process.

 

Hope it helps:

 

 

D,

[Andrew529]

Yo D!

 

Sweet video! Thank you very much! Really cool to see someone else do it and especially helped me to figure out the process.

 

Sweet looking rig too! Especially whence you get those TI's!

 

Andrew

[guitarhero23]

Look on youtube for Singularity Computer, ronsanut, Jayztwocents, those will all help with Water-Cooling

[Virgule]

Wow! Thank you so much! I didn't know there was that much to know, but thank you so much for your advice!

 

You say to never let the pump dry? How would that happen and why?

Also you specify soft tubing over hard, what are the individual pros and cons? Other than the obvious benefits of copper piping, is that it?

 

I know that this is an entirely ambiguous question and hard to judge, but, if you had to roughly guess a figure for a high-quality water-cooling build with a decent level of personalised fittings and cable sleeves. What would you say? (I know you're CAD and I'm GBP)

 

Thank you again!

 

First of all please quote the person you are responding to so that they get a notification. 

 

 

Running the pump dry : This can happen when filling the loop. You start off by opening an extra port on the upper portion of the tank and attaching tubing to it via an extra fitting. You can then put a funnel in the tube and begin filling the reservoir with your first batch of water. Once the reservoir is filled, you have no place left for additional water. However, that doesn't mean the loop is filled. In fact, the loop is almost all dry. All components after the pump are in fact still dry. You then have to start the pump (as I explained) for it to send the water further on in the loop and begin to fill other components (radiator, waterblock, tubing, ...). There's the key moment. The level of the reservoir will go down and if you let the pump ON too long, you'll suck all the water out of the reservoir and the pump will run dry. You have to fill the reservoir, then power ON the pump, then STOP it before the reservoir is emptied and start all over again until the loop is filled (i.e. : the reservoir's level don't go further down when pump is ON.

 

Soft tubing pros : easier to run from one component to another (you don't have to measure, cut and prebend tubing sections), don't have to buy a hard tubing cutter, a hard tubing bending bench and a heating gun, cheaper fittings, easier to remove components for replacements (because the tubing can dangle and move around a bit)

Hard tubing pros : looks cleaner (see example below)

 

 

Hard tubing : Typically, hard tubing is hard polymer (plastic) tubing, not metal tubing. Using metal tubing is a step further in complexity as it requires specialized equipment and maybe different fittings. I personally never saw it done, but I understand the interest in such a loop since copper tubing could be a efficient way of adding cooling potential (other than radiators)

 

Cost : A decent custom loop for 2 gpus and a cpu with compression fittings (more expensive, much nicer) should cost around 800 CAD (excluding sleeving). (see example below)

 

I would recommend looking on local ads for second hand parts that are in good condition. Most of my parts were bought from users at a fraction of the price.