Would this water loop work?

NomNom

NomNom

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Hi all I would like to know if this "design" would work in my Thermaltake Level 10 GT case.

water cooling plan.jpg


My worries are:
1. Would the pump be powerful enough?
2. Would it cool the system enough?
3. Is everything compatible?


If you can suggest different parts or method that would do a better job please do.


Main kit:
-XSPC RayStorm D5 AX240 WaterCooling Kit - Support Intel Sockets LGA2011, LGA1366, LGA1156, LGA1155, LGA1150, AMD Sockets AM2, AM2+, AM3, AM3+, FM1, FM2

-http://www.pbtech.co.nz/index.php?z...RayStorm-D5-AX240-WaterCooling-Kit---Support-


Extra radiators:
-XSPC AX120 Single Fan Black Radiator- high performance copper/brass radiator core with a compact and beautifully finished aluminium enclosure (Fan not include)

-http://www.pbtech.co.nz/index.php?z...AX120-Single-Fan-Black-Radiator--high-perform


Compression fittings:
-XSPC G1/4 to 7/16 ID, 5/8 OD Compression Fitting (Black Chrome)

-http://www.pbtech.co.nz/index.php?z...G14--to-716--ID-58--OD-Compression-Fitting-(B


Hose:
-XSPC HighFlex Hose 15.9/11.1mm, 7/16 ID, 5/8 OD, 2m, Clear/UV

-http://www.pbtech.co.nz/index.php?z...HighFlex-Hose-15.911.1mm-716-ID-58-OD-2m-Clea


Liquid:
-XSPC EC6 High Performance Liquid Cooling Premix Coolant - 1L - Blood Red (Made in the UK)

-http://www.pbtech.co.nz/index.php?z...EC6-High-Performance-Liquid-Cooling-Premix-Co
 
Last edited:
My only concern will be.

A. Can the pump move enough water to keep everything cool(to slow and water may heat up before it gets to the cooler)
 
Firstly, I have no experience with water cooling on PC's. However, I am very familiar with pipe systems in general. So looking at those pumps, the manufacturer states:
Together the pumps are so powerful they can pump to a height of 7.7 meters
Click to expand...

That is about 0,77 bar pressure, which is quite high. Without pump curves you cannot really say how much flow they give. Your setup is not very clear at the top, does the cooling go through the CPU first and then through the big radiator back to the pump?

The biggest losses will be in the GPU and CPU coolers, because that will be the smallest cross section, the radiators are big so they shouldn't cause too much of a pressure drop. If you do have problems you can always take out one of the radiators, 3 are probably too much.

Normally the GPU's should give off a lot more heat than the CPU, so I would try and have the big radiator after the GPU's to cool the liquid, then go to the CPU and then one or both of the smaller radiators. Or replace them with another big radiator if you have space.

Just clarify the routing a bit please.
 
A bit of background for the flow in pipes. According to the manufacturer, that pump has a max flow rate of 1200 lph and max head of 7,7m (pressure). Like I said before, you need the flow curves to see how the pump reacts over the flow range, but I have assumed the values below just for an example. The two pumps are put in series, so your max flow is the same as for one pump, but your max pressure is double. Any value inbetween you cannot say what the pressure and flow will be without the curves.

Here is an example of what your flow curves would look like:
flow curves.jpg

First, the blue line is for one pump. I used the given max flow and pressure and guessed values inbetween. Pumps normally deliver less flow as the pressure increases (centrifugal pumps). For the two pumps in series, you have the red line. The max flow is the same, but you can deliver a higher pressure. Also note these are the max values, these pumps have speed control so the curves can move down as well.

Now the system line (green) is a complete guess. The only practical way is to measure the system pressure at various flow rates, which is not really practical for a PC cooling system. So I guessed the values again just to illustrate the principal. As flow rate in the system increases, the pressure loss in the system increases as well.

So for a combined system, your pressure and flow will be the equilibrium between what the pumps can provide and what the system requires. So if you have two pumps running, in this scenario you will have a flow rate of about 1000 lph at a pressure of about 3,5m. If one pump should fail, the flow will drop to about 750 lph at a pressure of about 3m.
 
furpile said:
does the cooling go through the CPU first and then through the big radiator back to the pump?
Click to expand...

Yes.

...If you do have problems you can always take out one of the radiators, 3 are probably too much.
Click to expand...

I could take out the 120mm at the back to simplify the flow more.

Normally the GPU's should give off a lot more heat than the CPU, so I would try and have the big radiator after the GPU's to cool the liquid, then go to the CPU and then one or both of the smaller radiators. Or replace them with another big radiator if you have space.

Just clarify the routing a bit please.
Click to expand...

The flow is clockwise from the pump on the right, I can take out the back radiator so the flow will be from the GPU's into the 240mm radiator at the top then out of the radiator into the CPU then from the CPU into the res/pump.

The reason I am trying to use 3 radiators is I want to make sure the water cooling system will be good enough to cool CPU and 2 GPU's, apparently I can put a 240mm radiator to the right of the 120mm radiator at the bottom, people seem to have been able to mod it in.


Another option is for me to simply purchase closed loop water cooling such as the following:

1 x Corsair Cooling Hydro Series H100i (for the top of the case to be connected to the GPU closest to the CPU)
http://www.pbtech.co.nz/index.php?z...ir-Cooling-Hydro-Series-H100i-Liquid-CPU-Cool

1 x COOLER MASTER Nepton 140XL (to be connected to the CPU and mounted to the back of the case)
http://www.pbtech.co.nz/index.php?z...R-MASTER-Nepton-140XL-Watercooling-kit--dual-

1 x COOLER MASTER Nepton 120XL (to be connected to the bottom GPU closest to the PSU and mounted to the bottom of the case)
http://www.pbtech.co.nz/index.php?z...R-MASTER-Nepton-120XL-Watercooling-kit--dual-


I will use the following bracket to connect the closed loop water cooling kits to the GPUs:

Kraken™ G10
http://www.nzxt.com/product/detail/138-kraken-g10-gpu-bracket.html

It doesn't look at good as custom water cooling but it will be easier to install and maintain and might even be cheaper to get.
 
Like I said, I am not familiar with water cooling on PC's so I can't help with specific parts. However, think about the water temperature in the system. Starting with ambient temperature after the pumps, the GPU's will add a lot of heat to the water. Thus you have hot water coming out of the GPU cooler, and need the big radiator to cool this. Then once you have cooled this down you can send it through the CPU cooler, where it will absorb heat from the CPU. Then you need to cool it down again, and one radiator should be enough for the CPU load.

I would definitely have the big radiator after the GPU's before it goes to the CPU. You can keep the small radiator at the back if you want, and route from the GPU's to the small radiator, then to the big one and then to the CPU. But you don't want to send the hot liquid to the CPU before going through the big cooler.

Your second option of having a separate system for each part can also work. Only problem is if one pump fails that part will overheat, where with the big system you still have a backup pump. If you look at the flow rates of the three individual pumps you can compare that to the original pumps spec of max 1200 lph. The only thing I could find for the CM coolers you linked was this, which says:
Cooler Master says the “Advanced Silent Driver” in the Nepton pumps will offer extremely low vibration levels, providing a 120 L/hr flow rate at 11dBA.
Click to expand...

For the Corsair I couldn't find the specs in a quick search. Say it's the same as the CM ones, then you have a max total flow of 360 lph in the three systems. Compared to the max flow of 1200 lph in the original system or even half that at 600 lph you are still a lot better off with the original system. The CLC systems are pre-assembled however, and this will reduce the risk of leaks significantly.

Like I have said a few times, I am not familiar with PC water cooling, but from an engineering point of view I would go with the original setup (with the corrected circuit) if I had to choose for myself.
 
furpile said:
Like I said, I am not familiar with water cooling on PC's so I can't help with specific parts. However, think about the water temperature in the system. Starting with ambient temperature after the pumps, the GPU's will add a lot of heat to the water. Thus you have hot water coming out of the GPU cooler, and need the big radiator to cool this. Then once you have cooled this down you can send it through the CPU cooler, where it will absorb heat from the CPU. Then you need to cool it down again, and one radiator should be enough for the CPU load.

I would definitely have the big radiator after the GPU's before it goes to the CPU. You can keep the small radiator at the back if you want, and route from the GPU's to the small radiator, then to the big one and then to the CPU. But you don't want to send the hot liquid to the CPU before going through the big cooler.

Your second option of having a separate system for each part can also work. Only problem is if one pump fails that part will overheat, where with the big system you still have a backup pump. If you look at the flow rates of the three individual pumps you can compare that to the original pumps spec of max 1200 lph. The only thing I could find for the CM coolers you linked was this, which says:


For the Corsair I couldn't find the specs in a quick search. Say it's the same as the CM ones, then you have a max total flow of 360 lph in the three systems. Compared to the max flow of 1200 lph in the original system or even half that at 600 lph you are still a lot better off with the original system. The CLC systems are pre-assembled however, and this will reduce the risk of leaks significantly.

Like I have said a few times, I am not familiar with PC water cooling, but from an engineering point of view I would go with the original setup (with the corrected circuit) if I had to choose for myself.
Click to expand...

Thank you for all your help when/if I can eventually afford it I will go with the second revised option.
 
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