©ASUSTEK COMPUTER INC. ALL RIGHTS RESERVED.

pvvt91 · ‎09-14-2013

First off I've never done a custom loop and just built my first computer this past December. I'm wondering if anyone here has any experience with the following watercooling parts and/or advice on what to select for my first loop.

I work with 3DS Max and some renders take many hours. So I thought that a dual pump would be a good idea just in case one failed. That way the computer still won't overheat or shut down mid-render. I chose the thinnest radiator I could find because there's only 60mm of space between the top of the motherboard and the top of the case. The fans I chose because the other fans in the build also have red LEDs and these seemed to have fairly high static pressure. The existing fans have half the static pressure but almost twice the CFMs. So should I try out the 30fpi rad with the old 1.07mmH2O fans or just go for the 2.14mmH2O ones?

Pump: Swiftech MCP35X2
Rad: Koolance Dual 140mm
CPU block: XSPC RayStorm
Res: XSPC Photon 270
Fans: BitFenix Spectre 140mm
Fittings: XSPC Low Profile Compression
Fluid: XSPC EC6

Here's a list of most of the computer hardware.
CPU: i7-3820
Mobo: Asus Rampage IV Extreme
Mem: 32GB Corsair Dominator Platinum
GPU: Asus GTX 770
Case: Lian Li PC-P80NB
PSU: Thermaltake 850W

I should also mention that there is room for a single 120mm rad as well, but it would also need to be thin as there is only 70mm between the back of the case and the memory heatsinks. The current CPU cooler is a Phanteks PH-TC14PE. It keeps the temps to 30-32C idle and 60-62C load at 4.3GHz and 1.264V, but it's so large that it blocks off the top PCIe slot and scrapes the tops of the memory heatsinks.

That's just about everything I could think of to mention. Sorry for the long post and thanks for reading.

izzyreb02 · ‎09-14-2013

I'm kinda thinking that to myself, if I should do custom water cooling.. Even though I haven't done it before and been looking up the videos and searching up things what is needed and the best type of way of doing it.

Zka17 · ‎09-15-2013

For a 30fps rad you need much more static pressure than 2.14 mmH2O... - that in case you want the max performance out of it...

Now, I'm not exactly sure what you want to cool with a custom loop... only the CPU? If so, a dual 120mm rad should be enough for decent clocks... - check the Alphacool NexXos ST30... it's lower fpi but it would work really nice with lower static pressure fans (just have enough cfm)... or if you have space, go with a 3x1200mm, same model...

pvvt91 · ‎09-15-2013

All I can find by Alphacool for two 140 mm fans is the ST45, which is too thick to fit. The case only has two top 140 mm fans and a rear 120 mm fan. There are three 140 mm fans in the front, but they are part of a door. So there's no way to mount fans there. I've seen people gut the HDD cages and put 360 rads but it's a lot of fabrication of custom brackets. All I have here is some flimsy aluminum and some metal shears, not a die grinder.

Also, these fans would be in pull, not push. I hear it makes it easier to clean the dust off. The BGears B-Blaster fans are rated at 3.5 mmH2O and 103 CFM. I've heard good things about them and they're half the price of the BitFenix fans, but they only come in solid black. It may sound stupid but I am going for a look and looking the red LEDs would be a little disappointing.

Arne_Saknussemm · ‎09-15-2013

Hi pvvt91 🙂 you definitely want to go as high static pressure as you can if you want top performance out if that RAD. Your old fans aren't going to cut it. The 2.x plus fans much better and they will work OK with some noise. If you want every ounce of cooling you will need 3 plus mmH2o but things will start to get noisy...the downside of high fpi RADs. The bitfenix fans will work and work pretty well just not at the absolute Max that you could get but are a pretty good compromise noise/cooling/looks....

ARNE’S GUIDE TO PC BUILDING HAPPINESS

ARNE'S GUIDE TO OVERCLOCKING HAPPINESS

maximiza · ‎09-15-2013

yeah i have been researching to build my first watercooling loop for a few months now, pulled trigger on expansion pedistal for my case. I am thinking a triple 140 should keep cpu near room temp, maybe not. Rad space is always the problem, i like my case so am just expanding it vertical wise hehe

pvvt91 · ‎09-21-2013

I purchased the components I listed above and everything seems to be working right but the CPU runs 59-61 C at 100% load with random spikes as high as 64 C. The old air cooler kept it pretty constant at 60-62 C. I guess I should have gone with the BGears B-Blaster fans.

Zka17 · ‎09-21-2013

Can you post some pics about your system? Maybe we could see where those temps could be improved...

pvvt91 · ‎09-21-2013

I remounted the block twice. Each time the block was making full contact and the resulting temps were the same. Below is a picture of the computer. The loop goes pump > block > rad > res. The only things I can think of are that the res blocks off a good portion of the air flow from the front of the case and the rad is 30 fpi with only 2.14 mmH2O fans in pull. I can't fit push, pull fans so my only other option would be to send these fans back and replace them with something like BGears B-Blasters.

Zka17 · ‎09-21-2013

Yeah, a 30 fpi rad with pull config low static pressure rads... - the worse possible configuration...

However, not sure what are you calling a "pull" configuration... What is the airflow direction on the top of your system?

Questions about watercooling on RIVE