1st time water cooling

ses0713 · January 12, 2016

I have had my computer for over a year now and want to start upgrading it. One of these upgrades is I want to do a small water cool loop for just my CPU. I am currently running a i5 4690k. I figured custom is better than AIO because I get to learn and do it myself, and it is easily expandable when I want to add another radiator and water cool my GTX 780. In addition I am building this in a Define R4. I am thinking of a pump reservoir combo from EK that will go in the 5.25" bay since I will be removing my Disc Drive as I do not use it.

Any help? Tips? Suggestions? Please

Marinatall_Ironside · January 12, 2016

You can go with what's called a "Custom Loop In a Box" EK sells the aforementioned kits.

A good suggestion is the EK-KIT L240 custom loop in a box.

Oh and follow your topics so you see replies like this. Welcome to the LTT Community!

W-L · January 12, 2016

I have had my computer for over a year now and want to start upgrading it. One of these upgrades is I want to do a small water cool loop for just my CPU. I am currently running a i5 4690k. I figured custom is better than AIO because I get to learn and do it myself, and it is easily expandable when I want to add another radiator and water cool my GTX 780. In addition I am building this in a Define R4. I am thinking of a pump reservoir combo from EK that will go in the 5.25" bay since I will be removing my Disc Drive as I do not use it.

Any help? Tips? Suggestions? Please

Welcome to the Forums!

I would recommend to start with a kit for EKWB, it provides a fairly good base to what you will need and can allow for your to expand into a larger loop. If you don't mind doing a bit of modding I would recommend to take out the drive bays and add in a large rad in the front instead to give you lots of opportunity for rad space, the EKWB kits are all tube res based.

https://shop.ekwb.com/kits

Benji_w · January 12, 2016

I have had my computer for over a year now and want to start upgrading it. One of these upgrades is I want to do a small water cool loop for just my CPU. I am currently running a i5 4690k. I figured custom is better than AIO because I get to learn and do it myself, and it is easily expandable when I want to add another radiator and water cool my GTX 780. In addition I am building this in a Define R4. I am thinking of a pump reservoir combo from EK that will go in the 5.25" bay since I will be removing my Disc Drive as I do not use it.

Any help? Tips? Suggestions? Please

Welcome! Good choice, watercooling is pretty bad ass! As for the suggestions a good place to start might be a kit but you can buy 2nd hand radiators and pumps for a fraction of the price of a new stand alone unit. I bought a brand new XSPC dual bay D5 pump/resivior combo for £80 and got loads of free goodies with it, I recently bought a pump for £40 rather than £60, might not sound much but it soon adds up!

If you feel like you would just rather have all the parts and fit them and be happy then the kits from EK will suffice, I recommend a D5 pump and swapping the tubing that comes with the kit for some Primochill Advanced LRT tubing. It should also be known that if you choose nickel plated blocks, don't use silver kill coils or copper sulphate drops in your coolant.