help with custom loop

[steelkid]

Im looking to do my first custom loop i did the ek config.

But would add a drain port. With a on/off valve. Also is it better to use different brand blocks and rads. 

[MorganO]

6 minutes ago, steelkid said:

Im looking to do my first custom loop i did the ek config.

But would add a drain port. With a on/off valve. Also is it better to use different brand blocks and rads. 

accordinng to ekwb you should use the same manufactueres e.g ek cpu block, ek fittings etcs

 

but afaik it doesnt really matter, and yes get a drain valve at the LOWEST point of the system

[xentropa]

All my blocks, radiators and pumps are XSPC.  But fittings I do have some off brands.  Should be fine.

[atomicus]

The only time I would say it's important to keep the same brand together are with the tubing and main fittings, to ensure 100% compatibility. Even with two brands that say they are the same size, sometimes a micro-millimeter can make all the difference. It certainly doesn't matter if you have a different brand for CPU block/GPU block/rads etc. providing you're not mixing incompatible metals. Of course there is the aesthetic to consider if you care about such things... a custom loop with half a dozen different brands in it might look a bit odd and mismatching.

[Mick Naughty]

I use the same ek blocks as I want them to look the same. Especially when you run a lot of them in the same system. I get what ever rads work so I don't use most of the ek rads. Ocool or xspc for average 120mm stuff. Fitting are all different but you couldn't tell for most of them anyway. 

[Janner558]

Yes definitely get a drain port in there, I didn't and learned the hard way.

Also Fittings and tubing its highly recommended to get from the same manufacture at the same time, as they can change dimensions slightly with revisions and some maybe true metric or converted (imperial) metric.

Also try and buy the fittings all together from the same supplier as there can be slight differences (such as paint coating)

Other than that you can mix and match but try to keep to the same base metals (adding aluminium parts to a copper loop isn't healthy)

[steelkid]

What is the best material for the CPU block for the best Cooling

[Mick Naughty]

The best or the safest and easiest to use?

[Mick Naughty]

Just use ek's Tim that comes with thier blocks. 

[steelkid]

I plan to go with ek but i see they have copper and nickel. What would give the best results

[steelkid]

1 hour ago, Mick Naughty said:

The best or the safest and easiest to use?

Well between the nickel and copper blocks 

[Mick Naughty]

1 minute ago, steelkid said:

Well between the nickel and copper blocks 

Won't matter. It's more about looks and what other metals will be in the loop. If you get clear tops people like to see the nickle. 

[Eddie Current]

If your going for looks, nothing you do will mater.

 

If your looking to bet the best cooling out of your system do your homework, some blocks are better that others and just because one brand has a great GPU water block doesn't mean their CPU water block will perform the same. This rings true with all the components in the system.

 

Check out these pages.

 

http://thermalbench.com/category/cpu-waterblocks/

[Ryoku]

15 hours ago, steelkid said:

Well between the nickel and copper blocks 

Copper is best, but nickle is great too.  either or won't make a huge amount of difference.