Watercooled 750D from down under

[WaavinHicks]

So it's time to finally spend the money and upgrade my computer and turn it into a beast! I was going to go with an intel 2011 socket build, but figured I will wait untill the 8 core intel CPUs are released along with DDR4 sometime in 2014, untill then, I'm upgrading the CPU and GPU and watercooling the whole computer, will be uploading as many pictures as possible along the way!

 

Old computer:

 

CPU: AMD FX 4300 with stock cooler

Motherboard: Asus crosshair v formula-z

GPU: Radeon HD 6970 (I think, was donated by a family member last year)

Ram: G Skill 2x4gb 1600mhz

Powersupply: Thermaltake Toughpower XT 875w

SSD: Kingston 120gb SSD

HDD: 2tb WD Green

Case: Thermaltake chaser A31

 

this computer I put together just to get into PC gaming etc then with a course I started beginning of 2013 I started to do a fair amount of photo and video rendering so decided to spend the money and get something faster and figured might as well go all out!

 

First round of upgrades:

 

Hardware:

 

CPU: AMD FX 8350

GPU: Asus GTX 780ti 3gb

Case: Corsair 750D

PSU: Corsair RM850

 

Watercooling:

 

CPU Block: XSPC Raystorm AMD CPU Block

GPU Block: XSPC Raystorm GTX TItan/780/780 Ti Waterblock

Reservior/Pump: XSPC Photon 170 w/ Variable D5 pump

Radiators: Alphacool UT60 240mm radiator, Alphacool XT45 360mm radiator

Fittings: Bitspower 1/2" compression fittings matte black

Tubing: Primochill advanced LRT Clear tubing 1/2" ID 3/4" OD

Fans: Corsair sp120mm x5

Coolant: XSPC UV Blue

Other: XSPC D5 screw ring black (just cause) and will get a backplate for the GPU when available

 

When the 8 core intel CPUs are released along with DDR4 ram I will do another update. I'm more then happy to answer any questions or take any recommendations from anyone, just comment or message me if you want to ask something

 

 

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Will update with more photos once I get my new radiator and some angled fittings to clean up the tubing a bit more

[WaavinHicks]

My watercooling equipment arrived this morning going to pick up my 750d CPU and gpu now and will update with a heap of photos later!

[MogIsWinning]

Sub

[sperkowsky]

Cool can't wait I may do an amd build later next year also so interested to see how ur temps are (I have an 8350) and I have sp120s already so it will probably be a similar cooling situation once I get the funds

[WaavinHicks]

I haven't forgot about this, just everything that could've gone wrong has gone wrong basically, and the timing has been terrible!

firstly, 15 minutes before the shops shut on Tuesday realised I needed some washers, was unable to get them in time so put the build on hold till the morning, anyway this morning I went out to get the washers, came home and all good continued on building until I went to install the waterblock on the GPU, found out I needed a torx screwdriver in which I bought the wrong size (didn't wanna carry a GPU around the hardware store) so went back and swapped that over. late this afternoon I had all the tubing and everything installed, was looking great! started filling the loop and the reservoir wasn't filling up, the bottom rad is leaking :angry: not from the fittings was just faulty on arrival I guess so I've got to organize a replacement for that but until then just ran a tube from the GPU to res which I will cut for the bottom rad when that comes in.

lastly, just before typing this I began to wire the system, the 4 molex adapter cable I had decided enough is enough (well atleast I thought so) and the pump stopped, great, so I tamper around a bit and find no lights on the power supply.... off to the shop tomorrow to get a new power supply should have photos up of the build in a somewhat temporary state this time tomorrow.

 

there are some positives though, all the gpu top rad cpu and reservoir fittings didn't leak in the first 5 hours of leak testing in which I stopped to try get the wiring done, but yeah, not going so well

[_muffin]

Things like this makes me wonder about open loop water cooling.. worth the risk? Sorry to hear things have gone so badly.

[WaavinHicks]

Things like this makes me wonder about open loop water cooling.. worth the risk? Sorry to hear things have gone so badly.

If you have the money time and patience, id say go for it. I don't regret doing it, just a little disappointed how its come along

[WaavinHicks]

I have ordered the new radiator and a 90* fitting for the reservoir to CPU tubing, also get a NZXT white LED kit and some more coolant seeming a lost a heap :unsure: hopefully be here in just under a week

[Monty007]

Looks good! I'm liking the 750 case

[WaavinHicks]

Looks good! I'm liking the 750 case

Thanks! I really like the case, very easy to work in and heaps of room

 

I've now decided against the blue and red contrast, ordered some red LED's to replace the blue ones and red coolant as I needed more coolant for the new radiator and to top up the reservoir anyway. Hopefully should be here by tuesday at the latest

I also ordered a NZXT white led strip for around the outside of the case, just to make the colors pop out a little more

[WaavinHicks]

Double post by accident

[WaavinHicks]

Little update, my camera died so could only take photos with my iPhone so didnt bother getting many

 

Yes my reservoir is rather low, thought that 1 litre would be enough but I was wrong, will order another bottle of coolant when I have some spare money lying around

 

Anyway, thats it for the build untill Haswell-e is released and I upgrade to that

[WaavinHicks]

Looking good buddy, nice work. You have yourself abit of a beast might I add . Nice use aswell of the LED's, there not to overpowering. Have you considered using mayhems range of cooling? Here's a link >( http://www.thekoolroom.com/category/coolant-additive--dye/ )<  Really nice stuff, but your's still looks great noentheless. Look forward to future updates.

 

Regards,

Cartdog.

 

Subbed.

 

PS what I like about the Mayhems range is that the coolant are not transparent, they almost looks thick..but ofcourse they are not, they have the same consistency as any dye based coolant.

Thanks! I was originally going to use mayhems pastel coolant in purple and paint the white rings on the SP120s to purple too, which I may do when I get some more time, but I just decided for now to go with red as I couldn't be bothered painting and making LEDs for the blocks etc

[WaavinHicks]

Tell me, how does that res/pump combo go? I was considering using afew of those for a future build. Are they noisy or temperamental in terms of hard to mount or refill etc.

I'm really happy with the pump res combo, it was a little hard to mount, had to take the back plate off then bolt it in etc, but rather do that then have the plastic clips.

Only issue I have had was with filling, if you go to fast it will sit on top of the fill holes and not flow through if that makes sense, I read someone used a straw to get the air out and it became easier but I just used a syringe and went a little slower, other then that I really like the combo!

[WaavinHicks]

Oh alright. Thanks for the info buddy. So I take it that you fill the cylinder in the centre of the res? or do you fill around that. Also does that cylinder glow or anything? Ive seen it does in some pictures, it has LED holes.

Yeah there is a cap ontop of the res and from what I saw there is 3 holes around the outside of the tube that the coolant flows into, and there is a hole in the side in which you can install a 5mm LED, the combo came stock with a white LED if thats of any help too