Latest build update pics

D3LTA9 · August 5, 2015

A short time ago I finished my latest update to my loop(s). I never can just leave my rig and just enjoy gaming on it without a new update or mod planned. I feel now though that I really cant fit any more hardware in my HAF X (which is hardly a small case...) so might be forced to leave it for a bit until I grab a couple of 980 TI's to swap for my 780's.

Anyways, so the main point of this update was to swap to dual loops, one cooling CPU and VRM and the GPU's. I had already read about the results and that it generally wont affect temps (providing you have adequate flow rate and cooling capacity in your single loop) but I wanted to experiment a little myself and was already bored of my last upgrade haha. And no suprises, my GPU temps stayed roughly the same, maybe a little colder at the same fan speeds, but what is noticeable is how little heat my CPU and VRM dumps back into the loop. CPU especially will spike in temps all over the place but the water temp actually hardly changes. Unlike GPU's which have a very linear curve as they heat up and the heat is transferred into the loop. As is also to be expected your GPU's generate all the heat in your loop.

I also did a fair bit of testing on coolants vs distilled water (with kill coils). I initially started with black and red tubing and just water but I feel the black pastel and red aurora coloured coolants with clear tubing are more aesthetically pleasing (there was no real difference in performance, the values were all with an acceptable margin of error).

Finally, I tried using PWM D5 pumps instead of the vario model I had been running. As I have commented on some posts here. I would NEVER use PWM pumps again. So many hassles initially bleeding the loop (only fixable by booting into bios which a huge no no whilst leak testing/bleeding). Then just trying to a get a program that would consistently recognise both PWM signals and control them was another giant PITA. Some of this is Asus's fault, as I have since had issues with PWM fans not being recognised as well. So clearly the my ROG VII formula mobo has some issues with its PWM fan headers and/or AI suite and speed fan also do or just dont play nice with this mobo. You really dont need pump speeds to vary with workload as D5's are so quiet even at full speed, I knew that just wanted to see how flow rate affected my temps directly.

So yea, let me know what you guys think, I have posted pics with coloured tube and 2 different sets of coloured coolant so also let me know which you feel looks better.

*N.B - Pics were taken over a couple different weeks so you will notice stuff changes around on my desk a fair bit haha also the red LED lighting in my case in some shots makes colours look a bit strange depending on the ambient light at the time.

EDIT - For some reason I messed something up so the photos arent displaying in full when you click on them. Go to my imgur if you want to see all the full size shots. http://d3lta9.imgur.com/ They are public albums so should be able to see them fine.

Coloured Tubing Pics:

Coloured Fluid Pics:

Pastel Coloured Fluid Pics: