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Water cooling CPU and GPU's

Belcher47
Level 7
This is going to be my 4th and probably last build so I'm going all out. I'll be going with one of the new Intel 6 core LGA-2011 CPU's and my thought was a pair of GTX-580 Aquas in SLI and probably the ASUS Rampage IV Extreme/BF3 mobo. Should I run two seperate cooling loops (2 rad's, 2 pumps) or can I get away with 1 loop combining all 3? Or..... can I get more bang for the buck with different GPU's? This is my first big budget machine ( 4K usd ) and my head is spinning with all the choices from cases to ram so I'll have many questions as I go, please have mercy on the old man....LOL

Thanks, Belcher47
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xeromist
Moderator
Given how much you are spending on the whole build, an extra pump and some tubing shouldn't be a big deal. You're going to need at least 2 rads anyway if you want to OC that CPU at all. So if you can do a 360mm for the cards and one for the CPU you'll be in a pretty good position. How much radiator can you fit in/on the case you're planning to use?
A bus station is where a bus stops. A train station is where a train stops. On my desk, I have a work station…

xeromist wrote:
Given how much you are spending on the whole build, an extra pump and some tubing shouldn't be a big deal. You're going to need at least 2 rads anyway if you want to OC that CPU at all. So if you can do a 360mm for the cards and one for the CPU you'll be in a pretty good position. How much radiator can you fit in/on the case you're planning to use?


For once it's not a matter of money...LOL but one question kind of leads to another. Once I know what I need for cooling I can look for a case to fit. My first thoughts were a CORSARE 800D or the new COOLERMASTER COSMOS II, both big cases but don't think they will fit a 360 rad. Both have room for a 320 on top but not sure what else would fit. The both have draw backs, the 800D no room for a 2nd rad and the COSMOS II only 3 5 inch slots and no glass side panel (a shame to do all that water cooling and not be able to see it). I am open for ideas

My case has lots of room for water cooling. i am very glad i bought it., so i have room for future components and WC.
5895

-ASUS Rampage IV Extreme
-Intel i7-3930k @4.42GHz
-16GB CORSAIR DOMINATOR GT 2133MHz
-Corsair Force Series GT SSD 240GB
- 2x 3TB WD Caviar Black (RAID 1)
- XFX ProSeries 1250W PSU
-3x ASUS VE248Q 24" Monitor
- 2x XFX 7970R
- Xigmatek Elysium Black Case
- CORSAIR H100 CPU Cooler
- Logitech G500 Mouse

houndazs wrote:
My case has lots of room for water cooling. i am very glad i bought it., so i have room for future components and WC.
5895


I have the same case Houndazes, the top will only fit a 320 rad as you can see from my picture and once you start adding a 2nd pump, rad and resivoir you run out of room fast. There is realy no room for a 2nd rad, even at the bottom.5899

Hound, it just cracks me up to see that board surrounded by such a cavernous case. Makes it look like micro ITX or something 🙂
A bus station is where a bus stops. A train station is where a train stops. On my desk, I have a work station…

xeromist
Moderator
Well, you could probably get away with a 360 and a 240 depending on how much overclocking you want to do. A 120 is going to be too small. I guess I have two questions for you: do you want all of the radiators mounted internally and have you considered something like a Mountain Mods cube or is that just a bit too big?

I suppose it also depends on the goal. I once put 3 GPUs and a CPU on 360 worth of Black Ice rad just to see what would happen. I wouldn't recommend it because it ran hotter than most air cooled systems without overclocking, but it worked.
A bus station is where a bus stops. A train station is where a train stops. On my desk, I have a work station…

DaemonCantor
Level 13
Belcher47, I'm no water cooling expert like a lot of people around here but from Both Pictures and what parts I know are out there I could fit 2 Radiators, Pumps and Reservoirs in there. Might be a little tight but then again doesn't look like it. Dang! I wish I was Rich so I could do it!

Mind you I didn't state Size but judging from the Pics I'd put a 320 at top like you have and then a smaller one at bottom like houndazs has, use the 5 1/4" Drive bay Reservoirs, and put the Pumps at the Bottom of the case between the side rails of the Drive cage. also I would clean up the mess of wire at the bottom so that the lower Radiator could breathe. Just my opinion.

DaemonCantor wrote:
Belcher47, I'm no water cooling expert like a lot of people around here but from Both Pictures and what parts I know are out there I could fit 2 Radiators, Pumps and Reservoirs in there. Might be a little tight but then again doesn't look like it. Dang! I wish I was Rich so I could do it!

Mind you I didn't state Size but judging from the Pics I'd put a 320 at top like you have and then a smaller one at bottom like houndazs has, use the 5 1/4" Drive bay Reservoirs, and put the Pumps at the Bottom of the case between the side rails of the Drive cage. also I would clean up the mess of wire at the bottom so that the lower Radiator could breathe. Just my opinion.


Yea i planed on getting a 2x 5 1/2" bay res, put a 320 at the top and the 240 on the bottom. I would just have to mod the bottom to fit the 240 as Xigmatek were stupid in the design of the bottom of this case. the bottom mesh stops at the drive bays....gay.

Xeromist i agree it does look funny in the pics, it doesn't look too bad up close with the side panel on.

-ASUS Rampage IV Extreme
-Intel i7-3930k @4.42GHz
-16GB CORSAIR DOMINATOR GT 2133MHz
-Corsair Force Series GT SSD 240GB
- 2x 3TB WD Caviar Black (RAID 1)
- XFX ProSeries 1250W PSU
-3x ASUS VE248Q 24" Monitor
- 2x XFX 7970R
- Xigmatek Elysium Black Case
- CORSAIR H100 CPU Cooler
- Logitech G500 Mouse

DaemonCantor
Level 13
Yea! that's right they do have Res and Pump Combo that fit in the 5 1/4 bay...I forgot that and then you wouldn't need to place any pump any where... Thank you for reminding me of that!