[Timechange01]

My rig as of Summer 2011

 

[Willanhanyard]

Sounds kewl.

 

[Timechange01]

My hardware:

I just sold my GTX 480 recently so Im currently using an 8800GT as my temporary GPU:

Water cooling setup
Reservoir: Swiftech MCRES Micro Rev 2 (29$ shipped, new from sidewinder)

Rad: Thermochill PA 120.2 ($55 USD shipped, used)
(Going to go for a new 120.3 instead)

CPU block: EK Supreme HF full nickel (not ordered yet)
Pump: MCP655 (not ordered yet)

Loop will be cooling only CPU at first. I just ordered the rad this weekend. Its used. Ive read that its a good idea to clean a rad before using it. How do you clean it?

EDIT:

The CPU block:

Finally started assembling everything this Saturday (November 13). Cut out the tubing sizes I needed and then washed and rinsed everything with distilled water:

 

[GfhTattoo]

Ya the 800d can fit a 360 rad. Jut could help with cooling, let me know if you can put push pull on the top. Would be nice to know. Good stuff tho.
Tip. get 1/2 inch barbs and get 7/16 tubing . Get a hot pan of water to heat up the tube , then you can use fasteners, mp 655 i a nice pump. I got a 360 rad an its cooling i7 and 2 480, in sli. 56 on hottest gpu and cpu @ 70 @ 4.2 ghz core on gpus is 850 ,700stock.

Good luck . 24 hour test run is nice, i only did 10 mins

 

[Timechange01]

So just dump the rad in hot water? Somebody mentioned isopropyl alcohol to me once

 

[R00ST3R]

This is how I choose to clean my radiators.
Mix a solution of 1 part distilled white vinegar with 4 parts of distilled water. Pour into the rad. Plug the inlet/outlet holes and shake it vigorously for a few minutes. Repeat. Then rinse the rad with plain distilled water a few times.

 

[rent.a.john]

Quote:

Originally Posted by GfhTattoo Ya the 800d can fit a 360 rad. Jut could help with cooling, let me know if you can put push pull on the top. Would be nice to know. Good stuff tho. Tip. get 1/2 inch barbs and get 7/16 tubing . Get a hot pan of water to heat up the tube , then you can use fasteners, mp 655 i a nice pump. I got a 360 rad an its cooling i7 and 2 480, in sli. 56 on hottest gpu and cpu @ 70 @ 4.2 ghz core on gpus is 850 ,700stock. Good luck . 24 hour test run is nice, i only did 10 mins

with the fatter rads on top, it is a very tight fit, to the point where its uncomfortable aesthetically, I have it only on push up top currently. You can always get slimmer fans I suppose.

 

[GfhTattoo]

Well , slimer fans = less cmf/db , i like my r4 fans lil loud but gets job done, Mite swap or for 3000 rpm crazys + fan controller.

 

[Timechange01]

Im planning to do only push using 2000RPM/90CFM fans. Im having seconds thoughts about the CPU water block. Many people here mentioned the EXPC Rasa performing very close to the EK Supreme full nickel. I would like to get the Rasa copper block but will it oxidize? How often would I have to flush my loop for maintenance?

 

[chuckycheeze]

you chose alot of stuff similar to my build. good taste

may i recommend a res for that pump for possible future ref?
i love that res as it cleans up the rest of my build

 

[chuckycheeze]

Quote:

Originally Posted by Timechange01 Im planning to do only push using 2000RPM/90CFM fans. Im having seconds thoughts about the CPU water block. Many people here mentioned the EXPC Rasa performing very close to the EK Supreme full nickel. I would like to get the Rasa copper block but will it oxidize? How often would I have to flush my loop for maintenance?

i switched from push to pull and thought i got better airflow... just a general observation tho as i didnt do any temp tests etc.

 

[Timechange01]

Well the rad (Thermochill pa 120.2) finally arrived this week. I knew I was buying a used rad but this looks quite old IMO:

I guess this is what a used rad should look like? There is also green stuff inside the openings. Kind of hard to see in the shot:

 

[Timechange01]

Decided to get a new rad and going for triple rad instead

 

[Rona]

Quote:

Originally Posted by GfhTattoo Ya the 800d can fit a 360 rad. Jut could help with cooling, let me know if you can put push pull on the top. Would be nice to know. Good stuff tho. (

I did a push/pull up top on the 800D w/ a GTX 360 - No shrouds of course but it fit. There wasn'nt much room left, though... I have since put a stealth x flow up top w/ shrouds so essentially it's about the same size - I put the pull fans on the outside of the case on the top.

 

[Timechange01]

If I get all new water cooling components, can I just do a distilled water rinsing instead of bathing the components in alcohol and etc. ?

 

[RatDog]

I have a 700d and I am running a swiftech MCR 320 up top (34mm) and have 2x 25mm fans in push / pull . I have about 31mm between the bottom of the push fan and the start of the mobo..

If you get new, yes, you should still flush any new Rad several times to flush out anything left from manufacturing. Run tap water through it for a few minutes then flush with distilled a few times. All good.

 

[Timechange01]

If I have a nickel CPU block in my loop, will having a copper motherboard block in the same loop cause issues?

EDIT: nevermind, found out it should be fine

 

[Timechange01]

Well this is probably the worst build log of all time since I never updated it. But Ive been ordering the items last month and this month and I finally put everything together the day before yesterday. But I still want to share my build so here it is:

Ordered the following from Sidewinder:
1. Bitspower G 1/4 Matte Black barb 1/2ID (x1) - (ended up not using this)
2. Bitspower Matte Black Compression fittings 1/2ID, 3/4OD (x3) - (ended up using 2 of these)
3. Breeze miniature hose clamps 7/16 in. to 25/32 (x4)
4. EK LED 5mm TWIN ULTRA green
5. ThermoChill PA120.3 radiator with EK High flow G3/8 to 1/2ID fittings
6. Durelene PVC clear tubing 1/2ID, 3/4OD (5 feet)

Ordered the following from frozenCPU:
1. Primochill 1/2ID 3/4OD white tubing (9 feet)
2. 12" Cold Cathode Kit (Dual Ready) - Red

Ordered the following from Performance-PCs:
1. EK Supreme HF Full Nickel water block
2. Swiftech MCP655 Pump
3. Bitspower 5.25 bay reservoir POM

Here is my stuff (The items from performance-PCs just arrived Wednesday. The rest of the items came between end of last month and earlier this month).

The CPU block:

Finally started assembling everything this Saturday (November 13). Cut out the tubing sizes I needed and then washed and rinsed everything with distilled water:

I then assembled the loop a few hours later and filled it with distilled water.

Leak testing using old power supply:

And finally, the loop assembled and running:

I decided to get rid of the the Swiftech MICRO res. It looked easy to fill but I really wanted the bitspower bay res. I was able to fill the bitspower res using a plastic cup. And also I decided not to add green dye to my loop. I was worried that the green LED light would go right through the clear water but it actually doesn't which is nice. I was also having trouble getting the tubing onto the compression fitting (I wanted to see how compression fittings worked before actually installing it) and people here suggested dipping the tubing end into boiling hot distilled water and it worked like a charm. So thank you guys!

Please be gentle, this was my very first water cooling loop ever. Im currently working on getting the air bubbles out. I used the bit of clear tubing because I really wanted to see the water getting pumped (I didnt know what to expect so I wanted to be able to see what went on in the loop lol). Anyways, hope you guys like it!

 

[charliehorse55]

Looks awesome, good work! Nice photos as well, they really bring out the awesome colors in this build.

 

[Timechange01]

Thank you!