Watercooling

NomNom

NomNom

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So I was modding my Pc recently and actually have come to notice just how loud my Pc is and now I want to possibly do something about it, I want to get something custom for my GPU and something for my CPU (currently using a Coolermaster Hyper 212+)

...so long story short I want to know the following:

Is watercooling worth it, why?
Is it better to get an all in one kit or separate kits?
Which kits would you recommend and why?

Anything else you can add would be great. :)
 
Look water cooling involves fans just like air cooling, I'd rather get better fans for the CM hyper like the Skythe Gentle Typhoones And see if that helps.

It's worth it because it just looks so awesome and does lower your temps a good 10-20C.
All in one kit is hard to expand to include your GPU without some good modding of the system. I've got a custom loop.

I'd say for a custom loop either look at importing exactly what you want from performance pcs or a kit from landmark pc. I'd recommend the XSPC Rasa kit and a kill coil.
 
nakedpeanut said:
Look water cooling involves fans just like air cooling, I'd rather get better fans for the CM hyper like the Skythe Gentle Typhoones And see if that helps.

It's worth it because it just looks so awesome and does lower your temps a good 10-20C.
All in one kit is hard to expand to include your GPU without some good modding of the system. I've got a custom loop.

I'd say for a custom loop either look at importing exactly what you want from performance pcs or a kit from landmark pc. I'd recommend the XSPC Rasa kit and a kill coil.
Click to expand...

Awesome thank you :) What would you recommend for GPU though, seems like all the current CPU water coolers are crazy out dated.. I think I will rather look at better/quieter fans for my CPU cooler, thing is I need to make sure they will fit.
 
Worth it cause its near silent, while being anywhere from 10-30°C cooler than an air solution. Now yes, some people swear their air solutions are quiet, but trust me, they are not, especially once overclocked. I'm running a 4.5GHz OC, and max temps of 53°C, with fans running at 500rpm... Thing is, water cooling properly will cost you around R5k easy, but you can get a decent air solution, that wont be as noisy as stock (but not silent), for like R1500.

Some kits are worth it, some are not. EK makes some decent kits, so does XSPC. Most other kits are meh. Once you get serious check back here and we'll help you out.
 
I've been using a koolance kit for ~8 years... started on a P4, now on a i7... needed to modify a few things, I'm now using a thermalright 1366 HSF bracket to mount the waterblock but it works :)

In my experience, my kit is no quieter than an air cooled system - after all it needs fans to cool through the radiator.

Given the choice now, (assuming I didn't have anything) I wouldn't buy a watercooling solution - I'd go for a nice HSF, and some big, quiet fans to push/pull the air throughout the case.
 
With both water and air cooling the noise is purely down to the fans. I have water, a friend of mine has a 212+ with 2x120mm - I think scythes - and his pc is nearly silent whereas mine always has a slight hum. Also I'd say his temps are easily comparable to mine, perhaps even a bit better. Then again there's a lot I could do to improve temps on my kit now.
 
cerebus said:
With both water and air cooling the noise is purely down to the fans. I have water, a friend of mine has a 212+ with 2x120mm - I think scythes - and his pc is nearly silent whereas mine always has a slight hum. Also I'd say his temps are easily comparable to mine, perhaps even a bit better. Then again there's a lot I could do to improve temps on my kit now.
Click to expand...

What setup do you have?
 
Archer said:
What setup do you have?
Click to expand...

It's a bit of a mishmash: a Koolance Exos pump with an Aquagate Max rad and block in a modified cm690.

Currently it's cooling a 1055t (22c on idle, 42c in P95 @3.5ghz). 2 sickles on top and 2 indeterminate blue LED 120s on bottom, with another 2 in the case, front and back.
 
cerebus said:
It's a bit of a mishmash: a Koolance Exos pump with an Aquagate Max rad and block in a modified cm690.
Click to expand...

Thats why your temps may be a bit poor - that CPU block is not made very well... at all... :/ Couldnt find the specs of the pump, so cant comment there. And a 2.120 rad should be more than sufficient so thats good
 
a noctua d14 on a cpu is pretty quiet , would suggest that for cpu , keep on the stock fans of the d14.

for the gpu get A custom zalman cooler or , anything with custom cooling thats good, or buy msi twin frozr 3 cooled gpu.

water cooling is pretty expensive, and finding waterblocks for gpu in s.a is almost impossible.
 
Archer said:
Thats why your temps may be a bit poor - that CPU block is not made very well... at all... :/ Couldnt find the specs of the pump, so cant comment there. And a 2.120 rad should be more than sufficient so thats good
Click to expand...

Oh it's a very middling wc set. I got it for a steal from a friend of mine. I'll replace the parts slowly, for now it's just fine though. Tbh 42c @ 3.5 after 1/2hr of P95 is still pretty good as far as I'm concerned, on lowest fan settings. I just popped the chip in on Friday so I'm going to aim for 4ghz and see what happens.
 
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Can someone explain to me the impact of ambient temp on the water cooling setup.

My understanding is that water cooling is more reliant on the cooler air through the radiator to be effective. So some warm in (like in summer) means that the cooler will be a lot less effective?

Then lets compare vs a air cooled solution. Also on a hot day I imagine the temps would be effected.

the question I have is, which one is effected MORE?
 
Your understanding is backwards :p
Water cooled rigs rely LESS on ambient temps than air, but obviously ambient temps are going to affect everything
Air has a vert low specific heat capacity, hence it requires a large temperature differential between (in this case) the CPU and ambient air to cool effectively
Water however has a much higher specific heat capacity, so even with small differential, it cools effectively.
 
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thanks Archer, you seem to know your stuff :)

it would appear the RS240 and the RX240 would be what I would opt for personally, at $129 and $169 respectively.

So you say its a good kit hey? What would be the main difference between the two? Looks like the rad is different from the pic, but Im not sure. Must be something quite substantial for an extra $40

found this and

The RS is good for small cases, as it's only about 1/2 of the thickness of the RX.
Click to expand...
 
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RS = slim rads with 13 FPI (find per inch). Suited for medium speed fans
RX = normal rad, 8 FPI. Suited for low speed fans

The thicker the radiator, the better the cooling, but it sometimes restricts airflow a bit
The more fins you have the better the cooling. Same applies here, more fins = more air restriction and the more careful you need to be with your fans. 8-15 fpi is made for slow fans (silence). 15-23 medium speed, with decent static pressure. 23 and up you need pretty good fans, and you generally need to run them quite fast. Here you sacrifice silence for cooling potential.
 
Archer said:
RS = slim rads with 13 FPI (find per inch). Suited for medium speed fans
RX = normal rad, 8 FPI. Suited for low speed fans

The thicker the radiator, the better the cooling, but it sometimes restricts airflow a bit
The more fins you have the better the cooling. Same applies here, more fins = more air restriction and the more careful you need to be with your fans. 8-15 fpi is made for slow fans (silence). 15-23 medium speed, with decent static pressure. 23 and up you need pretty good fans, and you generally need to run them quite fast. Here you sacrifice silence for cooling potential.
Click to expand...

ah ok, Im learning a lot here...

Lets say I went with a RX240, that would allow for future expansion? Like Intel release a new socket, then I simply buy a new CPU block and then Im sorted?

Also wanna know, can I add a GPU block into the RX240 loop for my 6950? It isnt a ref board so I have no idea if I would be able to cool the card successfully or not... the options are limitless lol
 
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Most of the time the manufacturer will release a new mounting system (just like air coolers), so yes you can keep the CPU block despite changing sockets

Rule of thumb for cooling = 100W per 120 rad. So on a 2.120 rad you can cool 200W. Now your CPU will be around 100W on its own, and that GPU is 200W iirc. So that one rad will be too little to cool both. And getting a full cover GPU block for non ref boards is a bit trickier, but they will always state whats compatible when dealing with full cover blocks. The GPU only blocks should fit on just about every GPU
 
would you mind enlightening me to gfx cooling please.

there is the GPU, and the RAM chips... anything else on there? I mean what else gives off so much heat other than the GPU?

this creepin oke rips that RX240 apart... here
 
techead said:
would you mind enlightening me to gfx cooling please.

there is the GPU, and the RAM chips... anything else on there? I mean what else gives off so much heat other than the GPU?

this creepin oke rips that RX240 apart... here
Click to expand...

VRM's and mosfets can generate huge amounts of heat. if you don't cover them properly you will blow the card in no time.
 
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