CPU waterblocks, what should i aim to get?

[Bananasplit_00]

so my lead on my EVO supremecy for $5 seems dead so i thought id just ask what to go for, what blocks should i look for and what brands? i dont have a pump locked down but i have the rads locked down basically, one EK CoolStream XTX 360 and one EK CoolStream 240SE(purchased it today for $30 ). the fluid will be mayhems pastel sunset yellow if that matters here and the tubeing probably mayhems ultra clear soft tubeing. the CPU its going to be cooling is an I7 4790K running atleast 4.8GHz 1.275V. anyway thanks for any help here  

[Lord Nicoll]

9 minutes ago, Bananasplit_00 said:

so my lead on my EVO supremecy for $5 seems dead so i thought id just ask what to go for, what blocks should i look for and what brands? i dont have a pump locked down but i have the rads locked down basically, one EK CoolStream XTX 360 and one EK CoolStream 240SE(purchased it today for $30 ). the fluid will be mayhems pastel sunset yellow if that matters here and the tubeing probably mayhems ultra clear soft tubeing. the CPU its going to be cooling is an I7 4790K running atleast 4.8GHz 1.275V. anyway thanks for any help here  

Well, the main manufacturers are EKBW (you seem to have used them for the rads so why the block), Alphacool, Thermaltake, Swifttech, AquaComputer, Bitspower, Heatkiller, Koolance, I could continue to list them but that's futile, I'd advise EK as they are one of the best, if not the best, and definitely the most premium looking. 

[Bananasplit_00]

Just now, Lord Nicoll said:

Thermaltake

i may be cheap but i dont want garbage

Just now, Lord Nicoll said:

Well, the main manufacturers are EKBW (you seem to have used them for the rads so why the block), Alphacool, Thermaltake, Swifttech, AquaComputer, Bitspower, Heatkiller, I could continue to list them but that's futile, I'd advise EK as they are one of the best, if not the best, and definitely the most premium looking. 

thanks for the names, im guessing most blocks they make should suit this just fine?

[Lord Nicoll]

Just now, Bananasplit_00 said:

i may be cheap but i dont want garbage

thanks for the names, im guessing most blocks they make should suit this just fine?

I would agree with the first part.

I'd stick to Alphacool, switftech and EK, however I have only ever used EKWB personally. Bitspower I think might even be an OEM for someothers, and their fittings are excellent, so if you do find a block from them it's probably fine. 

[Bananasplit_00]

1 minute ago, Lord Nicoll said:

I would agree with the first part.

I'd stick to Alphacool, switftech and EK, however I have only ever used EKWB personally. Bitspower I think might even be an OEM for someothers, and their fittings are excellent, so if you do find a block from them it's probably fine. 

ok thanks. now i just need either a block to show up on the used market or get more money in so i can keep buying water cooling lol. the sad thing is that i have locked down enough money in water cooling bids to buy a 1050TI for the Toaster Project.... kinda want that done too but main system takes priority right now. il probably have the LAN PC sold in about a week and il pick up a GPU for it then, unless ofc there comes up another $300 1080 lol

[Lord Nicoll]

2 minutes ago, Bananasplit_00 said:

ok thanks. now i just need either a block to show up on the used market or get more money in so i can keep buying water cooling lol. the sad thing is that i have locked down enough money in water cooling bids to buy a 1050TI for the Toaster Project.... kinda want that done too but main system takes priority right now. il probably have the LAN PC sold in about a week and il pick up a GPU for it then, unless ofc there comes up another $300 1080 lol

I feel somewhat bad that I'm currently waiting on a delivery of watercooling gear, enough for about two systems and a bit, oh the joys of ordering with friends to cut down on shipping. 

[ChalkChalkson]

If you get a block from a well known brand (like the ones @Lord Nicoll pointed out) and don't get one from before 2010 you results should be within about 1 - 4°C of the best blocks out there

[Lord Nicoll]

Just now, ChalkChalkson said:

If you get a block from a well known brand (like the ones @Lord Nicoll pointed out) and don't get one from before 2010 you results should be within about 1 - 4°C of the best blocks out there

Yeah, unless you get an EKBW with like an LGA2011-3 jet installed, those can really mess with the performance, I know on the LGA2011-3 having an LGA1150 jet could fuck up the cooling, idk about the other way around or other manufacturers. 

[Bananasplit_00]

2 minutes ago, Lord Nicoll said:

I feel somewhat bad that I'm currently waiting on a delivery of watercooling gear, enough for about two systems and a bit, oh the joys of ordering with friends to cut down on shipping. 

well im buying used so im haggleing the shit out of people to save me money, this loop would be likr $500 new and im trying to do it in less then half of that  

 

2 minutes ago, ChalkChalkson said:

If you get a block from a well known brand (like the ones @Lord Nicoll pointed out) and don't get one from before 2010 you results should be within about 1 - 4°C of the best blocks out there

good to know, basically it dosent matter what i get as long as its from a decent brand then  

Just now, Lord Nicoll said:

Yeah, unless you get an EKBW with like an LGA2011-3 jet installed, those can really mess with the performance, I know on the LGA2011-3 having an LGA1150 jet could fuck up the cooling, idk about the other way around or other manufacturers. 

that sounds interesting tbh. i would assume the LGA2011-3 jet would be larger? anyway i doubt il find a waterblock any time soon unless the $5 guy replies(its $5 becusae there are no mounts nor fittings lol, i can make the first one and the latter one im buying anyway )

[Lord Nicoll]

Just now, Bananasplit_00 said:

well im buying used so im haggleing the shit out of people to save me money, this loop would be likr $500 new and im trying to do it in less then half of that  

 

good to know, basically it dosent matter what i get as long as its from a decent brand then  

that sounds interesting tbh. i would assume the LGA2011-3 jet would be larger? anyway i doubt il find a waterblock any time soon unless the $5 guy replies(its $5 becusae there are no mounts nor fittings lol, i can make the first one and the latter one im buying anyway )

Hmm, I think EK sells the mounting hardware for like under 10USD, so that isn't an issue, idk about making one, I know form machining it can be a pain to get the dimensions right.

 

[Bananasplit_00]

2 minutes ago, Lord Nicoll said:

Hmm, I think EK sells the mounting hardware for like under 10USD, so that isn't an issue, idk about making one, I know form machining it can be a pain to get the dimensions right.

 

 

wood, a pencil and posiably some aluminum sheath metal usiually makes a working mount   but good to know the mounts are cheap  doubt he will respond though seeing as its been over a week since i sent him a message and a day or two since i last reminded him

[ChalkChalkson]

4 minutes ago, Lord Nicoll said:

Hmm, I think EK sells the mounting hardware for like under 10USD, so that isn't an issue, idk about making one, I know form machining it can be a pain to get the dimensions right.

 

If you have machining experience and access to a drillpress, it is actually pretty easy to build a well performing block yourself. Just drill parallel holes along the length of the block, and connect them all with 2 thicker holes along the other sides. Then drill from the top into the connecting channels and add G 1/4 threads. Now just close the holes along the sides (leaving the inside open) and bam, you are done  

[ChalkChalkson]

3 minutes ago, Bananasplit_00 said:

wood, a pencil and posiably some aluminum sheath metal usiually makes a working mount   but good to know the mounts are cheap  doubt he will respond though seeing as its been over a week since i sent him a message and a day or two since i last reminded him

always remember shipping costs  EK stuff can get expensive quickly this way

 

[Bananasplit_00]

Just now, ChalkChalkson said:

If you have machining experience and access to a drillpress, it is actually pretty easy to build a well performing block yourself. Just drill parallel holes along the length of the block, and connect them all with 2 thicker holes along the other sides. Then drill from the top into the connecting channels and add G 1/4 threads. Now just close the holes along the sides (leaving the inside open) and bam, you are done  

id love to do that tbh, but i have no experience what so ever with makeing stuff from metal myself beyond bending it and hammering sheath mettal. i do have a drillpress on hand though  sound pretty fun though

[ChalkChalkson]

1 minute ago, Bananasplit_00 said:

id love to do that tbh, but i have no experience what so ever with makeing stuff from metal myself beyond bending it and hammering sheath mettal. i do have a drillpress on hand though  sound pretty fun though

don't be too scared the material is pretty cheap, all you need is:

• a 60x60mm (or ~100x100 if you want to make the mount the easy way of just drilling into the block) aluminium block
• 3, 6, 11/12mm drills
• 3, 6 mm allen screws
• Locktite/silicone for sealing the allen screws
• G1/4, 3mm, 6mm thread cutters

[Bananasplit_00]

5 minutes ago, ChalkChalkson said:

don't be too scared the material is pretty cheap, all you need is:

• a 60x60mm (or ~100x100 if you want to make the mount the easy way of just drilling into the block) aluminium block
• 3, 6, 11/12mm drills
• 3, 6 mm allen screws
• Locktite/silicone for sealing the allen screws
• G1/4, 3mm, 6mm thread cutters

well i cant be mixing aluminum with copper now can i? the mayhems fluid also east aluminuim or something so i probably shouldent use that but i guess doing it with copper would be the same basically. might do it if i dont find a block or buy one

[ChalkChalkson]

4 minutes ago, Bananasplit_00 said:

well i cant be mixing aluminum with copper now can i? the mayhems fluid also east aluminuim or something so i probably shouldent use that but i guess doing it with copper would be the same basically. might do it if i dont find a block or buy one

well, if you do, you should probably insert a galvanic sacrifice anode in the reservoir, or add a powerful anti corrosive. Magnesium would make a decent anode, and you can get a big block for like 5$ in the outdoor store.

Besides aluminum has this awesome passive layer, so you don't really need to worry about corrosion 

[Bananasplit_00]

17 minutes ago, ChalkChalkson said:

well, if you do, you should probably insert a galvanic sacrifice anode in the reservoir, or add a powerful anti corrosive. Magnesium would make a decent anode, and you can get a big block for like 5$ in the outdoor store.

Besides aluminum has this awesome passive layer, so you don't really need to worry about corrosion 

im mostly wories about mixing mettals seeing as your not supsed to do that AFAIK

[ChalkChalkson]

Just now, Bananasplit_00 said:

im mostly wories about mixing mettals seeing as your not supsed to do that AFAIK

the reason for that is corrosion (see galvanic reaction) and you can prevent that by adding something else to get eaten  

[Bananasplit_00]

Just now, ChalkChalkson said:

the reason for that is corrosion (see galvanic reaction) and you can prevent that by adding something else to get eaten  

yah i have read about that but then il have zink or whatever in masses in solution lol. 

[ChalkChalkson]

zink isn't too good to protect aluminium. But why is that so bad? The water will be conductive after a few days anyway. And as I said, if aluminium is the least noble metal in your loop it isn't really an issue due to the passive layer (Al2O3 is very inert)