Help designing my first custom loop?

[TahoeDust]

I am wanting to start putting together a custom loop for my new x299 setup.  Yes, I know all about Ryzen...that is not what I want, so please don't save your energy.  It will be going on a 7820x and a 1080 ti FTW3 in a Phanteks Evolve ATC Tempered Glass case.  I also have 4 Gentle Typhoons from my old H100 I would be reusing...because they are awesome...I'll probably have to try to find a couple more.  I was thinking maybe doing doing a 360mm on the top and a 240mm in the front?  What radiators does everyone recommend?  Would I be better off getting a separate pump and res, or are the pumps with integrated res a better solution.  The name I am most familiar with is EK.  When playing with their system build tool, this is what it set me up with...minus the CPU and CPU blocks...

 

[WWicket]

Integrated res. is usually a slightly cleaner/ less complicated install, but it doesn't really matter. Just make sure the res. is directly before the pump in your loop, and physically above the pump. The pump should be at the lowest point in the loop. Think about how you are going to fill and drain it (you should have an easy to access fill port and vent at the highest part of your loop and a drain or easy to disconnect hose at the lowest). Think about how you are going to lay out the tubing in your case and whether you will need any fitting extensions or angles, bulkhead passthroughs, etc.

 

I'd go with a d5 over the SPC, but it is fine.

 

Might make more sense to do the 240 on the top and 360 on the front so you can exhaust from the top and keep positive pressure in the case. That will also leave you room at the top for an easy to access fill port.

[TahoeDust]

24 minutes ago, WWicket said:

Integrated res. is usually a slightly cleaner/ less complicated install, but it doesn't really matter. Just make sure the res. is directly before the pump in your loop, and physically above the pump. The pump should be at the lowest point in the loop. Think about how you are going to fill and drain it (you should have an easy to access fill port and vent at the highest part of your loop and a drain or easy to disconnect hose at the lowest). Think about how you are going to lay out the tubing in your case and whether you will need any fitting extensions or angles, bulkhead passthroughs, etc.

 

I'd go with a d5 over the SPC, but it is fine.

 

Might make more sense to do the 240 on the top and 360 on the front so you can exhaust from the top and keep positive pressure in the case. That will also leave you room at the top for an easy to access fill port.

Thanks.  What advantage does the D5 have over the SPC? 

[WWicket]

12 minutes ago, TahoeDust said:

Thanks.  What advantage does the D5 have over the SPC? 

Higher pressure head, higher flow rate, better build quality (IMO), older design/ more proven reliability, etc.

 

 

Charts from EK, D5 top chart/ SPC bottom:

 

 

[Mick Naughty]

I'd get better rads. If you are restricted by size I'd get a lower fpi. 

[TahoeDust]

Just now, Mick Naughty said:

I'd get better rads. If you are restricted by size I'd get a lower fpi. 

Yes.  I will only be able to fit a 360mm and 280mm at best.  What radiators would you suggest?

 

[Echo259]

 

Regarding Radiators:

I just finished my custom cooling build in that same case. Just a heads up that if you do a 360mm PE on top and a 240mm PE on the front you will have to open the cover to the basement. 

 

I know there is a picture on EK's website that shows a guy with a 360mm PE on top and a 240mm PE on the front and it looks flush with the bottom. BUT if you pay attention to the top radiator that person actually did a fan mod to house the top fans inside the top cover of the case. 

 

Regarding Pumps and reservoirs:

Because I went with cable extenders. I had a lot of extra cabling from my PSU. My basement is full of wires. I would not have been able to put a pump down there. I'm glad I went with a res + pump combo. 

 

 

Others:

You should consider getting a ball value for a drain. It makes life a lot easier when doing maintenance on the system. 

 

I'm definitely no expert. This was just my experience with adding a custom water cooling system to this case. 

 

Good Luck

 

See link for my build and parts list. 

 

[TahoeDust]

1 minute ago, Echo259 said:

 

Regarding Radiators:

I just finished my custom cooling build in that same case. Just a heads up that if you do a 360mm PE on top and a 240mm PE on the front you will have to open the cover to the basement. 

 

I know there is a picture on EK's website that shows a guy with a 360mm PE on top and a 240mm PE on the front and it looks flush with the bottom. BUT if you pay attention to the top radiator that person actually did a fan mod to house the top fans inside the top cover of the case. 

 

Regarding Pumps and reservoirs:

Because I went with cable extenders. I had a lot of extra cabling from my PSU. My basement is full of wires. I would not have been able to put a pump down there. I'm glad I went with a res + pump combo. 

 

 

Others:

You should consider getting a ball value for a drain. It makes life a lot easier when doing maintenance on the system. 

 

I'm definitely no expert. This was just my experience with adding a custom water cooling system to this case. 

 

Good Luck

 

Wow...thanks for the info.  I currently have a 280mm AIO in the front, so it is already open to the bottom.  Where did you mount your res+pump combo?  Where did you put in your ball valve?  Which radiators did you use?  Any pics?

 

Thanks again!

[Echo259]

1 hour ago, TahoeDust said:

Wow...thanks for the info.  I currently have a 280mm AIO in the front, so it is already open to the bottom.  Where did you mount your res+pump combo?  Where did you put in your ball valve?  Which radiators did you use?  Any pics?

 

Thanks again!

Hey. NP. I actually included a link in the bottom of my original post. I'm including it again at the bottom of this one. I posted my build in the "Water Cooling Gallery" see below. In the post I included pictures and a list of all the parts I used for the water cooling build.

 

Since I only have one GPU I went with a single 360 PE (top). I plan on adding the GPU to the loop later when I upgrade my GPU. 

 

The res + pump combo is mount to the front of my case via EK's fan mounting bracket. I'm using the top of the res as an inlet. Since I wasn't using the bottom inlet I ended up attaching the ball value to that. Normally you want the ball value to be at the lowest point in your custom loop. Since the inlet is slightly higher than the outlet this isn't the perfect spot BUT it worked really well. I just have to tilt the system slightly to get the rest of the water out. 

 

All of this is in the link below. After you look at the photos let me know if you have anymore question. 

 

 

One last thing. Notice the clearance of the res + pump from the GPU. My MSI Gaming 1070 is about the same length of a founder's edition card. You may want to consider EK's 240 SE instead of a PE just to give yourself more space. 

[For Science!]

I like HWlabs but I'm using slim radiators, have a look in the chart below.

 

source: http://www.xtremerigs.net/2015/02/11/radiator-round-2015/10/