My first watercooled PC.
Discussion
Well, last night was my first nerve-wracking night. Pouring water into your computer feels totally wrong! ha ha.
I got in from work, and started fitting the new kit.
Took the computer apart, and fitted the waterblocks to the mobo, and graphics card
Then fitted all the pipework.
It's a very tight fit. I'm sure the loop is no way near perfect, and I've probably made a load of school boy errors.
The loop:
Pump > CPU > GFX > 120.3 Rad > Chipset > 120.1 Rad > Res
I'm not massively happy with the layout, and it may get changed. I quite fancy a bigger case to do it in, as I'm sure I could make a neater job of it! I really dont like where I've had to put the pump, for instance.
Still, the pump has been running since late last night, and there are no leaks so far - nothing is plugged in, but I'm still hoping that it wont leak while I'm at work today.. :$
I'll report back with the performance figures later tonight.. see if its made a difference from the stock cooling and Big Typhoon.
Here's a link to a few more pics of the setup:
www.dorkish.com/index.php?a=albums/Personal/Watercooling/
Please ignore the messy wires - they will be tidied away before long
-al.
I got in from work, and started fitting the new kit.
Took the computer apart, and fitted the waterblocks to the mobo, and graphics card
Then fitted all the pipework.
It's a very tight fit. I'm sure the loop is no way near perfect, and I've probably made a load of school boy errors.
The loop:
Pump > CPU > GFX > 120.3 Rad > Chipset > 120.1 Rad > Res
I'm not massively happy with the layout, and it may get changed. I quite fancy a bigger case to do it in, as I'm sure I could make a neater job of it! I really dont like where I've had to put the pump, for instance.
Still, the pump has been running since late last night, and there are no leaks so far - nothing is plugged in, but I'm still hoping that it wont leak while I'm at work today.. :$
I'll report back with the performance figures later tonight.. see if its made a difference from the stock cooling and Big Typhoon.
Here's a link to a few more pics of the setup:
www.dorkish.com/index.php?a=albums/Personal/Watercooling/
Please ignore the messy wires - they will be tidied away before long
-al.
Er.....I've often wondered why you'd want to do this? Unless you were going to indulge in some pretty damn extreme overclocking, what does it offer over and above simple air to air cooling?
Looking at your example in this thread (nice work by the way), my fluid thermodynamics is a bit rusty, but with all the pipework you've got scope of huge heat exchange between the pipes and the air in the case?
I'm just curious?
Cheers
Greg
Looking at your example in this thread (nice work by the way), my fluid thermodynamics is a bit rusty, but with all the pipework you've got scope of huge heat exchange between the pipes and the air in the case?
I'm just curious?
Cheers
Greg
GregE240 said:
Er.....I've often wondered why you'd want to do this? Unless you were going to indulge in some pretty damn extreme overclocking, what does it offer over and above simple air to air cooling?
Looking at your example in this thread (nice work by the way), my fluid thermodynamics is a bit rusty, but with all the pipework you've got scope of huge heat exchange between the pipes and the air in the case?
I'm just curious?
Cheers
Greg
Looking at your example in this thread (nice work by the way), my fluid thermodynamics is a bit rusty, but with all the pipework you've got scope of huge heat exchange between the pipes and the air in the case?
I'm just curious?
Cheers
Greg
One of the biggest benefits is silence...
If you are anything like me you will have spent all this time and money only to find the noisiest component by far in your PC was the power supply, and that the silence you were hoping for is unfortunately absent. 
I'm currently considering my next PC purchase and wondering if it's worth moving the watercooling into it...
I'm currently considering my next PC purchase and wondering if it's worth moving the watercooling into it...
The advantages of water cooling are additional heat dissipation which leads to the ability to over clock components and also silence.
The few fans that a water cooled system need (1 on the radiator usually) can be run under voltage (i.e. rotating more slowly), PSU's as well can be water-cooled (although its better to buy those than DIY) and if you've already got drive silencers in play you can often attach a plate to the drive and again use the same water cooling system to dissipate the heat from the drives (which is apparently good for lifespan).
Whilst air cooling is simple its also often a question of "more fans = more air" the more air you push through the louder the thing will appear to become, water cooling IMHO whilst expensive allows you to get a little bit more creative with things
Edit: altrezia, congrats. Good job considering the tight fit! :thumbsup:
The few fans that a water cooled system need (1 on the radiator usually) can be run under voltage (i.e. rotating more slowly), PSU's as well can be water-cooled (although its better to buy those than DIY) and if you've already got drive silencers in play you can often attach a plate to the drive and again use the same water cooling system to dissipate the heat from the drives (which is apparently good for lifespan).
Whilst air cooling is simple its also often a question of "more fans = more air" the more air you push through the louder the thing will appear to become, water cooling IMHO whilst expensive allows you to get a little bit more creative with things
Edit: altrezia, congrats. Good job considering the tight fit! :thumbsup:
Edited by ThePassenger on Friday 17th November 13:10
Currently running reliably at 3.2Ghz from 2.6Ghz 
bobfrance said:
Wait till the Porsche boys turn up and start up with their air-cooled vs. water-cooled debate Whatever you do just don't fit a tiptronic gearbox to it!
Exactly, instinctively you know it's wrong, all CPUs should be aircooled and stuck in the back with a big fan, even if you buy a system that's actually been designed;- like the shuttle series, you'll see that heatpipes are merely the equivalent of finned rightness of cylinders. Whatever you do just don't fit a tiptronic gearbox to it!You should really consider changing the water for oil and adding a scavenge pump for true dry-sump cpu operation.
P.S. If you want a quiet PC then buy a shuttle - I went from a good imitation of a hovercraft to just being able to hear the (quiet seagate) HDD by doing that. It was also faster
. Edited by Globulator on Friday 17th November 14:30
My shuttle isn't quiet - case is too small and busy with wires to get good air moving about - graphics card sits on the case cover and gets hot/vibrates the case. Good for a small form factor pc , bad when it comes to making it silent.
Edited by dtmpower on Friday 17th November 15:54
Buy a Mac G5 with optimised air cooling and windows on it
I have an equivalent "PC" at work that gets all hair dryer sounding allthe time. The G5's around the room are almost silent in comparison.
Personally I think air is the way to go, it's just getting decent flow and optimising the case internals. My next case will be a CM Stacker with all low-rpm 120mm's...
Dave
I have an equivalent "PC" at work that gets all hair dryer sounding allthe time. The G5's around the room are almost silent in comparison.
Personally I think air is the way to go, it's just getting decent flow and optimising the case internals. My next case will be a CM Stacker with all low-rpm 120mm's...
Dave
Gassing Station | Computers, Gadgets & Stuff | Top of Page | What's New | My Stuff