# Liquid Cooling setup



## Aus_Karlos (Mar 10, 2007)

So im thinking about getting back into to liquid cooling, its been 10 years since i last did it and that was before any actual kit products came out.
At the moment ive having trouble designing the loop and where to place the radiators and pump.
I have the CoolMaster HAFX case which has 3 hole for tubing.
COOLER MASTER HAF X RC-942-KKN1 Black Steel/ Plastic ATX Full Tower Computer Case - Newegg.com

Basically i was thinking about designing the loop like so. 
Pump > Rad > CPU > Rad > GPU1 > GPU2 > Reservoir > Pump.....
Should i split to loop across the 2 GPUs so its in parallel or have them in series?
Or have the GPU's on their own separate loop with a pump and radiator? 

My goal is to overclock the cards as much as they can go, at the moment ive only been able to clock them at ~1400mhz on air (from 1310mhz), im hoping to aim around 1500-1550mhz with a mem speed of 7300mhz. Both cards have an ASIC rating of 86%..


Anyway where in this case would be the best place to mount the radiators without hindering the air flow for the rest of the hardware?
And what brand do people recommend or use?

Im currently looking at the XSPC range but ive come across something im a bit unsure on. In the description of their GTX980ti cooler they state. "Nvidia reference designs only." Is that relating to custom built cards that do not use a standard PCB or can it be used on my EVGA GTX cards? I might contact the company for that one.
XSPC - Performance PC Water Cooling

Awaiting input thanks guys.


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## gcavan (Aug 13, 2009)

> where in this case would be the best place to mount the radiators without hindering the air flow for the rest of the hardware?


Mount up to a 24 cm rad in the top. Anything longer will have to be external.



> "Nvidia reference designs only." Is that relating to custom built cards that do not use a standard PCB or can it be used on my EVGA GTX cards?


Correct. Refer to their compatibility list.


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## Aus_Karlos (Mar 10, 2007)

Thanks gcaven, any suggestions about the loop? As i will be Overclocking the cards quite far would it be beneficial to keep the GPU's separate from the CPU (CPU is already OC'ed to 4.6ghz on air) or will adding a radiator between the CPU and GPUs be sufficient and do you know the differences of running the GPU pipes in series or parallel?


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## Bill_Bright (Dec 17, 2004)

> So im thinking about getting back into to liquid cooling, its been 10 years since i last did it and that was before any actual kit products came out.


Make sure you really do your homework first. I am not saying this so you make sure you do it right, but so you are not disappointed in the ho-hum of it all today. 

I too was into alternative cooling and overclocking way back when you had to design and build your own system, calculate voltages and solder jumpers on boards. When you bought your parts at a hardware store! Back before card and board makers built in over clocking options and provided programs that included simple pre-set options. Before the makers built in fail-safe and safety circuits that prevented frying components. Before cases were designed with radiators and hoses in mind. 

Back when there was a real challenge to do it right, and make it look good too. Back when you did it, just to see if it could be done, and you took pride in your accomplishments. Back when earning your bragging rights really meant it. And this is my point. There's no challenge today. They took all the fun out of it - at least for me. 

Since this was something you did back in the day too, just make sure you are doing this for right reasons and realistic expectations. 

Not trying to be a buzz-kill. I am just saying if doing it because you need the extra cooling your case cannot provide, then great! But to see if it can be done? Nah! There's already a kit for that.


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## Aus_Karlos (Mar 10, 2007)

Well for me its not about bragging about having a liquid system. The fact is my GPU fans run at 3200-3600rpm when under full-load. Most the time i tune it out or let the cards run a little hotter but after about an hour of gaming even the room gets a little hot, that's Australia for you (open a window and you let more heat in ). The one thing i liked about my liquid system was the fact that it was quiet, the Rad fans all ran at about 600rpm actually had it mounted in the window and used a small fish tank DC pump. But also the kits that are out now look very aesthetically pleasing which wasn't around back then.


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## Bill_Bright (Dec 17, 2004)

Yeah, the noise would bother me too so I understand that. That said, radiator fans can make some noise too. 

It is important to note if your GPUs and CPUs are working just as hard, the exact same amount of heat will be dumped into your room. The water system just extracts it faster.


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## Aus_Karlos (Mar 10, 2007)

So to do 2 separate loops in the XSPC range is actually quite expensive... Almost like having another PC.

=========================
||Liquid Cooling Setup Parts and Prices||
=========================
XSPC Raystorm Intel CPU Waterblock $64
XSPC Razor GTX980ti GPU Waterblock $159 x2
XSPC Razor GTX980 / GTX980Ti Black Backplate $39 x2
XSPC G1/4 Black Chrome 90° Rotary Fitting $6 x4 = $20
XSPC G1/4 Black Chrome T Fitting $5 x2 = $10
XSPC G1/4 10mm 3/8" Black Chrome High Flow Barb Fitting $2 x12 = $24
XSPC G1/4 Black Chrome Male to Female Rotary Fitting $5 x10 = $50
XSPC Photon D5 170 Tube Reservoir (Includes Single D5 12V Pump) $179 x2
XSPC FLX 10mm (3/8") ID, 16mm (5/8") OD 2M Clear Tubing (5060175583758) $15
XSPC AX360 Triple Fan 360mm Radiator Black $119
EK Coolstream PE 120mm Radiator $64
Noctua NF-F12 120mm 2000RPM PWM IP67 IndustrialPPC Cooling Fan $39 x4
EK Ekoolant Pastel Blue 250ml Concentrate $21
Distilled Water 5L ~$20

Total - $1317


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## Bill_Bright (Dec 17, 2004)

Yeah, that is a big chunk of change. And then on top of that, you still have several fans and a pump making noise! 

Might want to check your prices on distilled water. Here in the US, you can get 1gal (~4L) for less than $1.


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## Aus_Karlos (Mar 10, 2007)

Yeah... The place i live is called Australia, water and coffee are worth 10x more than their weight in gold .

The cheapest i can find is a hardware store called Bunnings over here. They sell 4L for $6.


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## Bill_Bright (Dec 17, 2004)

$6 is a lot better but still seems a lot for water - even if distilled. Got any kids at home ready for a little science lesson? 

*How to make distilled water at home: *

1. Fill a pot half full with regular water (filtered/bottled water will leave less residue in the pot). 

2. Place a "clean" glass bowl in the pot, being sure the bowl does not touch the bottom of the pot. It should float. If necessary, use a small cooling rack (or a small layer of river rocks) in the pot to prevent the bowl from touching the metal bottom of the pot.

3. Cover the pot with a "clean", inverted lid filled with ice (Note: Ice is not mandatory, but it will speed the process). 

4. Heat the water to a boil. As the steam rises, it will hit the cold lid and condense into distilled water, roll down to the inverted top of the lid and drip into the bowl. 

5. Allow the pot, bowl and water in the bowl to cool, then transfer it to a "clean" container. Repeat process until you have enough distilled water for your project.​
Obviously, this will take awhile but I doubt you really need 4L to start. And if no kids, you can still do this yourself.


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## Aus_Karlos (Mar 10, 2007)

Think i'll just buy the water. Although it doesn't bother me if its unfiltered as i work on new homes all day i drink straight from the mains but the area where i live the water is quite hard. Hardness is in the range of 150-200mg/L (Calcium and Magnesium). So i wont be able to filter it all out, so i'd rather buy distilled water that has gone under reverse osmosis.

However in my design ive swapped out the flex tube for some of the XSPC straight tubing. This will however cost lots more in fittings as for every 90 degree corner I'd need a the following setup for every corner
compressor-ring to female > 90 degree connector > compressor-ring to male
Same as the T-junction piece to split the pipe to the GPUs.

I know i can use a heatgun and something to support the inside of the tube to bend it, but me personally i like the look of the 90 degree connections.
I think it will look great as anything. I'll be taking photos through the whole setup and i might get one of the article guys to write it up if they'd like to. Me Ingrish not so good.

I'll be buying all the parts after Christmas.


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## Bill_Bright (Dec 17, 2004)

I just mentioned unfiltered so the distilling process leaves less mineral deposits in the pot. You don't have to use unfiltered to distill the water. The end result will still be fully distilled. 

I drink from the tap too. 

90° bends are more restrictive to flow than gentle curves. Bends will result in less flow and more pressure on the pumps - and perhaps more noise too. Just something to think about.


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