First Time Custom Cooling

[Doc_Scratch]

Good evening, 

So I've been planning to custom water cool my system for a while, the deciding factor was an excess of funds to play with, but a little assistance is required, I had the idea of having one rez/pump but splitting the loop after the pump to go separate ways (GPU, CPU, individual rads 120/240) then having them rejoin back before the rez. My question was, is this an okay idea? Will it work? The reason for splitting the loop is 1; not combining CPU heat into the GPU line/vice versa, and 2; aesthetics, it's a relatively small case, but I think the highway like tubing setup will look pretty cool. And also, having the split loops/rads, do you think the Delta T will be enough to cool everything
Any help would be appreciate, I'll post my specs and proposed parts down below

System Specs:

• Fractal Design Define C Case
• i7 7700k CPU @ 4.7Ghz
• Galax GTX 1080 HOF GPU @ 2ish Ghz
• 16GB Corsair DDR4 RAM @ 2666Mhz
• ASrock z270 Extreme4 Mobo
• 2TB HDD
• 256GB SSD
• EVGA Supanova 750w PSU
• 6 Noctua NF-F12 Fans (maybe overkill but they look nice

Proposed WC Parts:

• EK Coolstream PE 240 (GPU) RAD
• EK Coolstream PE 120 (CPU) RAD
• EK X-REZ 100 REVO w/ D5 pump
• Bitspower Galax GTX 1080 Waterblock
• EK Supremacy EVO CPU Waterblock White Edition
• EK HDC fittings
• EK AF X-splitters
• Primochill 1/2' Rigid Tubing
• Cooling on Water with Mayhems Pastel Extreme White Concentrate

[For Science!]

49 minutes ago, Doc_Scratch said:

-snip-

To put it down a bit more brutally than I usually do, this is a bad idea with flawed logic.

 

If the "two" loops are rejoining in the reservoir, the temps will equalize, so you will get the same water temps in both of the loops (which is actually just a single loop).

 

What you are describing is a parallel loop setup with your CPU and GPU. This is a bad idea since water flows in the path of least resistance, and so you will have more flow in the loop with less resistance (probably your GPU block). If you are unlucky with your setting up, this would mean that you may get very little flow in your CPU loop and all the water circulating around the GPU loop segment. A flow resistrictor can equalize things but that will just impede total flow.

 

Even if you decided to get 2 pumps to get a genuine dual loop, this is also a bad idea in the Fractal Define C, it will likely not fit. And even if you did, you will see performance that is the same as a single loop at full load, but worse temps when under semi-load.

[Doc_Scratch]

7 minutes ago, For Science! said:

To put it down a bit more brutally than I usually do, this is a bad idea with flawed logic.

 

If the "two" loops are rejoining in the reservoir, the temps will equalize, so you will get the same water temps in both of the loops (which is actually just a single loop).

 

What you are describing is a parallel loop setup with your CPU and GPU. This is a bad idea since water flows in the path of least resistance, and so you will have more flow in the loop with less resistance (probably your GPU block). If you are unlucky with your setting up, this would mean that you may get very little flow in your CPU loop and all the water circulating around the GPU loop segment. A flow resistrictor can equalize things but that will just impede total flow.

 

Even if you decided to get 2 pumps to get a genuine dual loop, this is also a bad idea in the Fractal Define C, it will likely not fit. And even if you did, you will see performance that is the same as a single loop at full load, but worse temps when under semi-load.

I actually appreciate the brutal honesty, having limited knowledge on fluid dynamics and being a first time custom watercooler being told I'm an idiot is great, I'll stick to a 'single loop' none of that flawed logic stuff. Is there anything else I should be aware of in my build?

Thanks man!

[For Science!]

6 minutes ago, Doc_Scratch said:

-snip-

Quite a lot to comment on now that I look deeper, so hang on tight for a moment while I summarize

[For Science!]

1 hour ago, Doc_Scratch said:

System Specs:

• Fractal Design Define C Case
• i7 7700k CPU @ 4.7Ghz
• Galax GTX 1080 HOF GPU @ 2ish Ghz
• 16GB Corsair DDR4 RAM @ 2666Mhz
• ASrock z270 Extreme4 Mobo
• 2TB HDD
• 256GB SSD
• EVGA Supanova 750w PSU
• 6 Noctua NF-F12 Fans (maybe overkill but they look nice

Proposed WC Parts:

• EK Coolstream PE 240 (GPU) RAD
• EK Coolstream PE 120 (CPU) RAD
• EK X-REZ 100 REVO w/ D5 pump
• Bitspower Galax GTX 1080 Waterblock
• EK Supremacy EVO CPU Waterblock White Edition
• EK HDC fittings
• EK AF X-splitters
• Primochill 1/2' Rigid Tubing
• Cooling on Water with Mayhems Pastel Extreme White Concentrate

 

I'm not sure where you were planning to mount your radiator, but you definitely need thinner radiators and/or thinner fans to fit everything in.

 

Your radiator + fan will collide into the RAM stick. Bad day!

Pictured below is my build with a 25 mm fan + 30 mm Radiator (Black Ice GTS) and you can see that is barely clears the low profile memory in the Define C. Since the PE radiator is a whole 8 mm thicker, that's going bash into the RAM modules big time (and the VRM heatsinks too)

 

Your radiator + fan will collide into your GALAX card. Bad day!

Below is my 1080 (Asus Turbo) which is a reference-ish card that is 29.67 cm long. With a 30mm rad +25 mm fan there is about 1.6 cm of space between the card and fan. Your galax card PCB is 31.7 cm long, and so that space is reduced effectively to zero (and probably negative, with the PE radiator). You will have to get a thinner radiator & either mount the fans on the outside of the case, or get some Noctua 15 mm thick fans (they're actually pretty good).

 

Mayhems Pastel Extreme is not compatible with Primochill Rigid Tubing (PETG)

Pastel Extreme is ethylene glycol based and so is not compatible with PETG tubing. Either get acrylic tubing or use Mayhems Pastel. I don't personally recommend Mayhems coolants because their documentation is incredibly poor. So if pastelling is not a requirement, then I would recommend EK-CryoFuel instead.

 

You are mixing inch exact tubing with mm exact fittings

The tubes you have chosen are given in inches, whereas EKWB fittings are given in mm. There may be small difference between the dimensions leading to leaks or tubes not fitting. I would recommend getting the tubes from the same supplier as the fittings to try to minimize incompatibility. You can get EK-HD tubes, or the acrylic variety if you want to stick with the extreme pastel

 

You should get a drain valve.

With rigid tubing in particular, an easy way to drain your system is essential, you will need a couple more fittings and a ball-valve so you have a way to drain the system.

 

 

More rad space

I prefer to have 240 mm per component especially if overclocked, but this is optional. Its a tight squeeze but you can get a 240 + 360 mm in the Define C with slim radiators. Have a look at my build log for ideas.

[Doc_Scratch]

12 minutes ago, For Science! said:

 

I'm not sure where you were planning to mount your radiator, but you definitely need thinner radiators and/or thinner fans to fit everything in.

 

Your radiator + fan will collide into the RAM stick. Bad day!

Pictured below is my build with a 25 mm fan + 30 mm Radiator (Black Ice GTS) and you can see that is barely clears the low profile memory in the Define C. Since the PE radiator is a whole 8 mm thicker, that's going bash into the RAM modules big time (and the VRM heatsinks too)

 

Your radiator + fan will collide into your GALAX card. Bad day!

Below is my 1080 (Asus Turbo) which is a reference-ish card that is 29.67 cm long. With a 30mm rad +25 mm fan there is about 1.6 cm of space between the card and fan. Your galax card PCB is 31.7 cm long, and so that space is reduced effectively to zero (and probably negative, with the PE radiator). You will have to get a thinner radiator & either mount the fans on the outside of the case, or get some Noctua 15 mm thick fans (they're actually pretty good).

 

Mayhems Pastel Extreme is not compatible with Primochill Rigid Tubing (PETG)

Pastel Extreme is ethylene glycol based and so is not compatible with PETG tubing. Either get acrylic tubing or use Mayhems Pastel. I don't personally recommend Mayhems coolants because their documentation is incredibly poor. So if pastelling is not a requirement, then I would recommend EK-CryoFuel instead.

 

You are mixing inch exact tubing with mm exact fittings

The tubes you have chosen are given in inches, whereas EKWB fittings are given in mm. There may be small difference between the dimensions leading to leaks or tubes not fitting. I would recommend getting the tubes from the same supplier as the fittings to try to minimize incompatibility. You can get EK-HD tubes, or the acrylic variety if you want to stick with the extreme pastel

 

You should get a drain valve.

With rigid tubing in particular, an easy way to drain your system is essential, you will need a couple more fittings and a ball-valve so you have a way to drain the system.

 

 

More rad space

I prefer to have 240 mm per component especially if overclocked, but this is optional. Its a tight squeeze but you can get a 240 + 360 mm in the Define C with slim radiators. Have a look at my build log for ideas.

Thanks heaps man, this has given me a good path to follow, your advice was hugely appreciated.

I'm aware of the clearance issue, I already have a AIO cooling my 7700k atm from the front, it doesn't have any RAM clearance on the top and only barely has GPU clearance from the front, I'll definitely look into finding a thinner rad and fill the 360/240mm spots, I didn't however know about the coolant though, my selection isn't fantastic living in rural australia, but I'll do some shopping around for EK's CryoFuel. I also didn't take into consideration the fittings, again I'll go ahead and fix that error. Yes I will also get a drain valve, that is on my list I just neglected to mention it.

[For Science!]

3 minutes ago, Doc_Scratch said:

-snip-

Yep, most AIOs are 30 mm radiators (and sometimes thinner), but the PE rad is 38 mm, so will impact a little bit. You can get the SE series which is incredibly thin, but also is very badly performing, I think BlackIce GTS is the one to go for in the slim category if you can get hold of it.

 

Good luck, let me know if you want to know about anything more in particular.