[Rukkee]

Ive just ordered a 745 , and was wondering if anyone is using this setup. Im a noob to water ,and decided to go with a kit . To me it looks like it would take a gpu block without any problems. Compaired to a regular big water , the pump seems good 400/lph and the dual radatior setup seems enought to run a gpu /cpublock . Any comments /suggestions? thx for a great fourm . Rukkee

http://www.frozencpu.com/ex-wat-86.html

 

[ThaWaxShop]

too much money for what your getting.. you can build a real nice 1/2 in tubing setup for that, and throw a GPU block in there too.

 

[DrDeville]

Seems like a heck of a deal to me. Pricegrabber shows it for $170. Google for reviews--the one I saw was very positive.

Not a good solution for those who want tweak-unique, but a simple way to get components that work together.

Hope this helps--stay cool.

 

[Snerp]

Quote:

Originally Posted by DrDeville Seems like a heck of a deal to me. Pricegrabber shows it for $170. Google for reviews--the one I saw was very positive. Not a good solution for those who want tweak-unique, but a simple way to get components that work together. Hope this helps--stay cool.

You can build a much better system for $170.

Quote:

Originally Posted by ThaWaxShop too much money for what your getting.. you can build a real nice 1/2 in tubing setup for that, and throw a GPU block in there too.

For some reason they just don't want to listen...

 

[ThaWaxShop]

Quote:

Originally Posted by Snerp You can build a much better system for $170. For some reason they just don't want to listen...

Well you know the saying.... "you can lead a horse to water..."

 

[Rukkee]

Well i know you guys dont like kits, but for a first time water user it easier to go with a kit imo . The 745 seems to do a decent job of cooling , from the reviews ive read, and it looks half way decent. Im just wondering if anyone that is using it has any tips or suggestions . Rukkee

 

[ThaWaxShop]

well i look at it like this... the kit comes dissasembled and with the PITA crush fittings (trust me i know they suck) and if your gonna go through allll that trouble for a prebuilt kit just get the custom one. Once you get all the parts in front of you its no harder then that kit. If you need help selecting the right parts or have any questions about installing when you have all the parts ask us well gladly lead you to the water holy grail. Im just saying go custom youll thank yourself in the future

 

[DrDeville]

I'm listening, I just have different preferences. Please forgive me for my nonconformity--I may need your help later.

For those who want an inexpensive, quiet, compact, turn-key system, the Bigwater SE and BigWater 475 have gotten very good reviews.

To wit:

http://www.overclockercafe.com/Revie...745/index.html

I'm not saying it's the best for everyone, just offering another option.

Rukkee--I'm currently installing a BigWater SE in a P180 case. So far it seems pretty straightforward, and I don't have any tips other than the general ones for most systems--I suggest you look at the ***s in the stickies about installation, location, etc. I'll let you know if I learn anything, and feel free to PM me if you have any questions.

Stay cool!

 

[Snerp]

They aren't worth their money. If you took a nice custom and a Bigwater I'd bet that you get more cooling per dollar with custom. I could put together a kit for $150 with ok parts and get better results with it as compared to either the thermaltake systems.

 

[DrDeville]

Quote:

Originally Posted by Snerp They aren't worth their money. If you took a nice custom and a Bigwater I'd bet that you get more cooling per dollar with custom. I could put together a kit for $150 with ok parts and get better results with it as compared to either the thermaltake systems.

Okay, you have me intrigued.

What would you spec for $153 or less complete, including tax and delivery, that would:

1. Have both CPU and GPU waterblocks (Athlon64 x2 and 7800 GT).

2. Easily mount internally in an Antec P180 case.

3. Have a silent pump--so quiet that you have to put your ear against it to hear it running. (This means either a silent high-flow pump or--if going with a silent low-flow pump--radiator & waterblocks that are optimized for low flow operation, unlike the high-flow units that custom folks usually use.)

4. Run with inaudible fans--say a 12cm fan at 1700 rpm.

5. Cool a 3GHz Pentium to below 37C under load.

Thanks for your offer--you could help out the silent-PC crowd.

 

[Highly-Annoyed]

Rukkee/DrDeville,

I've got a BigWater SE kit - It shaved 9°C or so off my full load temps (3.0GHz Pressy @ 3.6GHz) compared to my previous air cooling, which was an XP90 with a 92mm SilenX fan on top with another 92mm SilenX feeding that with cool air from out-side the case. It has also lowered my idle temps (not that they're really all that important) to (sometimes) as low as 30°C.

I know the water cooling guys on here know their stuff and know that, performance/price wise, it's better to build a custom set-up, but their seemingly profound dislike for off-the-shelf water cooling kits isn't entirely justified IMO.

If you're new to water cooling (like me) and just want to try it out without concerning yourself too much with the multitudinous minutiae of custom kits, off-the-shelf kits are a good option. They will (in my experience) yield better performance than even very good air-cooling and are simple enough to set up, so that the majority of noobs will have no trouble. If, at a later stage, you decide water cooling is going to be a permanent feature of your current and future rigs, you can always upgrade to a custom build, or simply upgrade your existing kit, bit by bit.

Good luck with the new water cooling Rukkee!

Highly-Annoyed

 

[Snerp]

At no point did I say that I was going to meet those requirements, but I will stick to them as close as possible and give you a system that will out perform a Bigwater. I did not add a Video block in to the $150 because the Bigwater doesn't come with one.

RAD: 1986 Chevy Chevette Heater Core $18 from auto parts store.

Fan shroud: $2 Tupperware

From jab-tech.com:
Fan: Yate-Loon (under volted if you must have silence) $5.95

Tubing: Master Kleer 10ft $4.90

Fillport: Danger Den Fillport $11.95

CPU: Swiftech Apogee $40 with coupon code.

Comes to $71.03 shipped

Pump: Hydor L35 45.99 + shipping (I'm figuring $8)

Water: $1

Water add: $3

T fitting: $2

=$151.02

Sure a MAZE4 is going to cost you $45 more, but considering the fact that the average price tag on the normal Bigwater SE is $129.99 + 29.99 (the average price on the VGA block), I think that if I was given the time to wait for sales as you had, the price would be lower and I'd bet that I could add a waterblock to that for the same price. As an example, I got my Eheim 1250 pump for $32 shipped from ebay. So I think that making a decent custom setup for about $150 is possible.

If that pump wouldn't work for you, take a look at the swiftech MCP350. Transonic had a FAQ on how to increase the flow of it. It is more expensive then the BW pump, but guess what? It doesn’t fail and it works ALOT better.

 

[Rukkee]

Thx Highly-Annoyed, im sure i will be happy with it . Rukkee

 

[DrDeville]

Quote:

Originally Posted by Snerp At no point did I say that I was going to meet those requirements, but I will stick to them as close as possible and give you a system that will out perform a Bigwater. I did not add a Video block in to the $150 because the Bigwater doesn't come with one. RAD: 1986 Chevy Chevette Heater Core $18 from auto parts store. Fan shroud: $2 Tupperware From jab-tech.com: Fan: Yate-Loon (under volted if you must have silence) $5.95 Tubing: Master Kleer 10ft $4.90 Fillport: Danger Den Fillport $11.95 CPU: Swiftech Apogee $40 with coupon code. Comes to $71.03 shipped Pump: Hydor L35 45.99 + shipping (I'm figuring $8) Water: $1 Water add: $3 T fitting: $2 =$151.02 Sure a MAZE4 is going to cost you $45 more, but considering the fact that the average price tag on the normal Bigwater SE is $129.99 + 29.99 (the average price on the VGA block), I think that if I was given the time to wait for sales as you had, the price would be lower and I'd bet that I could add a waterblock to that for the same price. As an example, I got my Eheim 1250 pump for $32 shipped from ebay. So I think that making a decent custom setup for about $150 is possible. If that pump wouldn't work for you, take a look at the swiftech MCP350. Transonic had a FAQ on how to increase the flow of it. It is more expensive then the BW pump, but guess what? It doesn’t fail and it works ALOT better.

Hey Snerp,

Thanks for the detailed recommendation--I'm sure it it a good example of an entry-level custom rig, and provides a basis for comparing a good basic kit with a good basic custom rig.

My comparison kit system, based on reviews, is the Thermaltake Bigwater SE, and Thermaltake Aquarius CL-W0038 GPU waterblock. These are available for $115 + $38 from ZipZoomFly, for a total of $153 delivered for CPU and GPU cooling, versus $151 for your custom system with GPU cooling alone.

Also, I doubt that nice big car heater core you're using will fit internally in most cases' stock fan locations without some modding. And I doubt that high-flow pump of yours is silent--my understanding is that one has to pay about $100 for a super-quiet high flow pump.

As I have all along, I concede that a custom system like yours offers superior cooling, and is the best choice for hard-core overclockers (that bigger radiator alone has got to be a big advantage). However, this comparision shows that a custom system isn't necessarily superior in all aspects.

Here are the relative advantages, as I see them:

Snerp's Entry-Level Custom Rig:

Superior cooling--ideal for extreme overclockers
Custom--user has many more choices
Satisfaction and accomplishment of a unique and personal build.
Educational--builder will learn more with a custom kit

DrDeville's Entry-Level Kit:

Excellent cooling--great for stock speeds, and mild overclocking
Compact--fits internally in most mid towers.
Cheaper--$153 for CPU and GPU waterblocks, versus $151 for GPU only.
Easier--only two things to order, and comes with instructions for the specific components.
Quieter--pump and fans are near inaudible--hard to hear over a quiet hard drive.

My point is that both alternatives have something to offer and, despite prevailing prejudice, a good basic kit has some advantages over a good basic custom rig.

Thanks for taking the time Snerp--I hope prospective buyers find our efforts useful.

 

[Rukkee]

Well , im up and runing with the 745 ,with a light overclock of 200mhz my temps are 22c idle, 38c load .Ambient is around 23c . Dropped 10c off of both . The radatiors are sitting right on my window sill , so im sure its getting some outside air. Now if i just crack the window it runs 19c , and 35c load , buffalo ny weather is good for something when its around 0c . I am very happy with this setup , it was easy to install (besides removing the board to replace the backing plate ) and is nearly quiet with the fans set to low. Thx for all the replys. Rukkee

 

[Some_Idiot2]

Quote:

Originally Posted by Rukkee Well i know you guys dont like kits, but for a first time water user it easier to go with a kit imo . The 745 seems to do a decent job of cooling , from the reviews ive read, and it looks half way decent. Im just wondering if anyone that is using it has any tips or suggestions . Rukkee

Well, if you buy a kit, it is going to be the same setup procedure as if you were assembling a custom WC setup, you are going to waste your money on that kit, build a kit. My current W/C setup was my first ever attempt at W/Cing, and it turned out GREAT!! And cost me $205, total with shipping and taxes all included, nothing used, all parts are brand new.

 

[Rukkee]

lol i wasted my money already , did you read the last post? I am very pleased with my setup. Temps are great , and it looks good. I dont consider it a waste at all . rukkee

 

[Some_Idiot2]

Quote:

Originally Posted by Rukkee lol i wasted my money already , did you read the last post? I am very pleased with my setup. Temps are great , and it looks good. I dont consider it a waste at all . rukkee

Well, good luck, you could have done a lot better for the price though.