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Advice on my first custom loop build.

1K views 43 replies 7 participants last post by  Alastair 
#1 ·
Guys I was wondering if you could provide some information for me. I am planning on building my first custom water build. I am trying to get a good price performance ratio. My local E-tailer only has XSPC stuff available to me so I can't really get hold of any other brands and I am very weary of international shipping. So based on that maybe you guys can provide answers for some of the questions I have.

Radiator: XSPC EX240 or EX280
Block: XSPC Raystorm CPU block with AMD adapter plate.
Pump/Reservoir: XSPC X20 450 pump/reservoir combo or XSPC X20 750 pump/reservoir combo. (I would like to know how much water they hold and which will be best?)
Tubing: Titan-Ice Flexible Tubing (1/2" ID, 3/4" OD)
Fittings: What sort of fittings will I need? These or These or These?
Coolant: Zalman G200 Coolant.
Miscellaneous: Silver Kill Coil.

Is there anything else I might be missing? I am really looking forward to building this! I have plenty of space in my case because I have a Phantom 820 case. Also is there any way I can use the radiator from my current Water 2.0 PRO and integrate it into my loop?

Thanks in advance guys!
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#2 ·
To start your links are broken.

Going the EX280 will give you the ability to get 140mm fans which are generally quieter.

The Raystorm block is a great block
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Out of the two pumps go the 750, but if the option is there get a D5 bay res/pump combo, understand it is more expensive but worth every dollar.

Tubing is a hit n miss with different results, as for fittings can't see what you have listed but simple barbs and hose clamps are great value for money.

As for coolant, if it is color you want, use Mayhem's or colored tubing, if it just for protection, use distilled water and silver
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The case you have is excellent, you could consider a EX360 rad so if you choose to cool your graphics card's you have more head room
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#4 ·
Quote:
Originally Posted by ginger_nuts View Post

To start your links are broken.

Going the EX280 will give you the ability to get 140mm fans which are generally quieter.

The Raystorm block is a great block
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Out of the two pumps go the 750, but if the option is there get a D5 bay res/pump combo, understand it is more expensive but worth every dollar.

Tubing is a hit n miss with different results, as for fittings can't see what you have listed but simple barbs and hose clamps are great value for money.

As for coolant, if it is color you want, use Mayhem's or colored tubing, if it just for protection, use distilled water and silver
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The case you have is excellent, you could consider a EX360 rad so if you choose to cool your graphics card's you have more head room
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It is odd that my links aren't working. They are working for me. Maybe south african websites don't work so nicely in other countries?
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Seeming the links aren't working Ill post pics of all the stuff.
XSPC X20 450 Pump/res


XSPC X20 750 Pump/Res


Coolant Zalman G200


Ok well that's the tubing. Its simple clear tubing with inner diameter of 1/2'' and outer of 3/4''


I dunno which fittings to pick. There are XSPC G1/4″ to 1/2″ ID, 3/4″ OD Fitting


There are XSPC G1/4″ to 1/2″ Barb


And XSPC G1/4" 10mm Male to Female Fitting


I'm not gonna post pics of rads or blocks as we all know what those look like.

Reason I am stuck between 240 and 280 Rad is simply because many people say 120 fans have better performance than 140mm.
I was thinking of getting Aerocool Sharkfan 140mm in push pull for the 280 rad as those seem to have good rpm and specs. Most 140 fans I see are low RPM and are aimed at silence. I want performance and then I can hook it up to the case's fan controller so i can find the best balence for noise/performance that suits me.

Will it be bad to use silver with the zalman coolant?

And can I make use of my rad from my water 2.0 in the loop?
 
#5 ·
That coolant contains Propylene Glycol, which is OK for water cooling but very bad for the enviroment and people. It is used in car coolant as well.

But I have no idea if silver would be OK with it. I am not that educated, sorry.

As for the fitting, go the G1/4" compression fittings, they will work fine, and look better
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140mm fans will move more air per revolution of the fan comparing to 120mm fans. They are more quieter in doing so. As for static pressure, they perform similar as well.

But the XSPC rads, have very low FPI (Fins Per Inch) and do not need masses of air, they are designed for slower spinning fans with lower static pressure as well.
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#6 ·
Awesome thanks. With that in mind I will start sorting out the pricing. Hopefully I can build this around April sometime! So distilled water with silver is the way to go?
 
#7 ·
Which are the compression fittings? These ones?
 
#8 ·
Sorry, yes they are
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And yes to the distilled water and silver
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Awesome April will be a nice month for you. It will be the start of the end for you
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I am meaning your money.
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#9 ·
Quote:
Originally Posted by ginger_nuts View Post

Sorry, yes they are
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And yes to the distilled water and silver
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Awesome April will be a nice month for you. It will be the start of the end for you
devil.gif
I am meaning your money.
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I won't use the D5 pump as it costs almost a third of the entire loop that I am proposing. That's why I am going the pump/res route!

Yeah I know what you mean!
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From the sounds of things once the bugs bitten you can't stop with water! I am already having visions of flange reservoirs with LED's and.... OH MY GOD THE MADNESS!!!
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I am glad I have a job now to feed my addictions!
 
#11 ·
Quote:
Originally Posted by SlideRulz View Post

That is correct, all you need is distilled water and a silver kill coil. Been running that way for over a year with no problems, I don't use dye's or any other additives.
Yeah the Phantom 820's HUE lighting can provide bright enough light to make my water appear blue so there should be no need for dies!
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#12 ·
Hey guys I am making the thread active again!
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Just a quick question. By my research it appears that the EX series of rads has a lower profile then the AX series but to make up for it, it looks like the EX has more fins per inch. So should I go for 240 rad with 2 corsair 120 SP Performance editions or 280 rad with Aerocool Sharkfan 140mm.

Aerocool Sharkfan 140mm. It does 1500RPM, 96.5cfm and 1.069mm/H20.

The Corsair 120mm Fan has 2350RPM, 62.74CFM 3.1mm/H20.

Now those two fans I would choose for the respective rad sizes. I have an array of 120mm fans to choose from at my local e tailers and am confused as which to pick. But the Aerocool seemed to be the only High performance 140mm I could find and they aren't even stocked by my e tailers but rather by my local shop! I am looking to get the best cooling performance possible, so if a 240rad/higher pressure fan will provide better performance than a 280rad/lower pressure fan then I will choose that. But the 280 rad should perform better as its got larger surface area. But a bad fan could ruin it! And I would prefer to use 280 rad because my logic is telling me bigger=better. Keep in mind I will be running push/pull.
 
#13 ·
Quote:
Originally Posted by ginger_nuts View Post

That coolant contains Propylene Glycol, which is OK for water cooling but very bad for the enviroment and people. It is used in car coolant as well.......
You can put that in your pipe and smoke it....literally
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Its not harmful to people. I am smoking it right now!! Along with Vegetable Glycerin it is the one of the main constituants of E-Liquid for electronic cigarettes as well as medical inhalers, food additive etc etc. The anti e-cig lobby always bring up its use in antifreeze as a scare tactic. Yes drinking a pint of antifreeze will kill you but not because of the PG.....nor the water
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You don't hear calls to ban water because its used in antifreeze.
 
#14 ·
If you plan to be running push / pull setup, go the 280mm rad over the 240mm rad.

My
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#15 ·
Quote:
Originally Posted by ginger_nuts View Post

If you plan to be running push / pull setup, go the 280mm rad over the 240mm rad.

My
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Yeah I just need to work out fans. Aerocool Sharks?
 
#16 ·
The only thing I don't like the look of them Aerocool Shark fans is the noise rating at full speed is 29.6dBA. That is pretty loud as fans goes.

Saying that if you lower the speed they could be OK.

Any other 140mm fans? Do you have a link for the e-tailer?
 
#17 ·
Quote:
Originally Posted by ginger_nuts View Post

The only thing I don't like the look of them Aerocool Shark fans is the noise rating at full speed is 29.6dBA. That is pretty loud as fans goes.

Saying that if you lower the speed they could be OK.

Any other 140mm fans? Do you have a link for the e-tailer?
The 3 ones I use are www.prophecy.co.za, www.rebeltech.co.za and www.titan-ice.co.za. I live in South Africa and all three of these shops are local and great. I am very weary of overseas shipping with Newegg, etc. as I don't trust our customs officials and worried my stuff I buy goes "missing" en-route.
 
#18 ·
I like the Bitfenix Spectre Pro (from HERE ) myself, I have read by others that some have a clicking sound at full speed, also not to sure if nearly 200 rand is expensive or not.

It sounds like alot.

For some reason I am unable to view the Titan ice store. I have had this problem before.
 
#19 ·
Quote:
Originally Posted by ginger_nuts View Post

I like the Bitfenix Spectre Pro (from HERE ) myself, I have read by others that some have a clicking sound at full speed, also not to sure if nearly 200 rand is expensive or not.

It sounds like alot.

For some reason I am unable to view the Titan ice store. I have had this problem before.
Most of the people here at OCN hate the specter Pros. Apparently the specs are misleading as the airflow is not great and they are loud and according to Tator Tot's 120mm and 140mm fan round up the bearings are also falsely advertised as FDB bearings when all they are, are glorified sleaved bearings. I was seriously considering the Specter Pro PWM's until I read Tator Tot's articles.
 
#20 ·
I have read similar things here on OCN, but I personal run the Spectre Pro 120mm fans which are perfect for me.

The noise is no issue and they seem to move enough air for the two different XSPC rads I have, RX240 and EX240.

A very great mate of mine runs the Spectre 140mm and 120mm fans on his CM Nvidia 690 II case which he has had no trouble either, which he agrees are very quiet as well.

As for miss leading labels, I believe most fans are miss leading. There is not enough independent testing done to keep the manufacturers honest.

You could always do what I have done, and that is spend a small fortune on fans looking for that great balance between noise and air flow, and always wonder if the next one will be any better
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Tell ya the truth, the best fan I have ever experienced is a $3AUD fan I got once from MSY (well known Australian outlet) for a customer, it was bloody quiet moved plenty of air for a 92mm fan and was super cheap. The only problem is that it was their last one and it had no stickers on it.
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#21 ·
What about these as push?
CoolerMaster BC 140mm fans @ 1800RPM.
Speed: 1,800 RPM ±10%
Air Flow: 77.7 CFM ±10%
Air pressure: 1.95 mmH2O ±10%
Noise: 31.3 dBA
Bearing Type: Dual Ball

And the Aerocools in pull.
1500rpm
96.5CFM
1.069mm/H2O
29.6dBa.

I know people say you should run the same fans in P/P. But my logic is to have the higher static pressure fans pushing air through the rad and then the higher CFM fan sucking it all out? It makes logical sense to me at least?
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#22 ·
I would run the Aerocool Sharks push / pull instead.

You logic is logical, but not. XSPC are well known for not needing a high static pressure rated fan or high speed fans.

More air with these rads would be greater, 96 CFM is a lot of air, IMO I think fans that high make to much wooshing sound, but others do not agree.
 
#23 ·
I found this in another thread!
Quote:
Originally Posted by nleksan View Post

I am using an EX420 for the primary rad in my loop, so same thing just 3x140 instead of 2x140. Just to clarify, the EX rads are 19fpi linearly but since they use split fins they have twice as many rows; this gives them the high performance at any speed from 1000rpm upward and it also is what allows them to scale so well with fan speed. This is how it is able to dissipate so much heat despite being 36.5mm thick instead of 60mm. For these rads, higher static pressure and using push+pull fans are a definite benefit.
 
#24 ·
#25 ·
Will the XSPC X20 750 pump/res have enough power to push 2 280mm rads, a cpu block and 2 GPU blocks?
 
#26 ·
Bump
 
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