# Looking at water cooling



## Indoril Nerevar (Jan 7, 2006)

Hi guys,

The house I'm moving into doesn't have air conditioning in the room where my computer is going, so I'm looking at getting water cooling instead (been considering it for quite a while anyway).

The temps I get with my system are:

GPU1 idle - 54C (winter) to 65C (summer)
GPU2 idle - 57C (winter) to 69C (summer)

GPU1 load - 72C (winter) to 82C (summer)
same for GPU2

CPU temp doesn't show, but the fan idles at 3000rpm, and gets up to 6000rpm under load, so it's getting reasonably hot.


I haven't used water cooling before, so I don't know what's good and what's not, and how much load the systems can take. I was looking at the Zalman Reserator 1 V2 (don't have a direct link). Is that the kind of thing I should be going for?

I'd like the system to cool my CPU and two GPU's. Will I need to put some kind of cooler on the video card RAM once the stock coolers are off (Zalman have water coolers for that as well)? Is there anything else I need to consider?

Money isn't really an issue, but I'd of course like to keep it as cheap as possible. Any help here would be appreciated, as this is new ground for me. Thanks.


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## pharoah (Aug 28, 2006)

indoril i dont know exactly what your budget is for water cooling,but im going to tell you this.if you want an excellent water cooling system its  danger den all the way.


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## dai (Jul 2, 2004)

i got this one recently very happy with it
http://www.pccasegear.com.au/prod3062.htm


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## pharoah (Aug 28, 2006)

those big water systems arent bad,but keep an eye on the pump those tend to go quicker than anything else of course only moving part,however what im saying is most people really into liquid cooling say those pumps are cheap.


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## forcifer (Nov 20, 2005)

vantec stingray if you really wnat to save some cash. kept prescott at 30c. my aircooling had it at 35c, but that was with zalman 9500, 5 fans. search cantec stingray or vantec stg, at school so i cant do that sorry


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## Indoril Nerevar (Jan 7, 2006)

Thanks for the replies so far. I'll look into the various brands.

What about these questions though?


Indoril Nerevar said:


> I'd like the system to cool my CPU and two GPU's. Will I need to put some kind of cooler on the video card RAM once the stock coolers are off (Zalman have water coolers for that as well)? Is there anything else I need to consider?


Also, is there a maximum load for a water cooling system? Is there any limit to how many things I can cool from the one unit, or any particular way they should be arranged?


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## dai (Jul 2, 2004)

i don't have it on the video but i believe if you get those parts it includes h/sinks for the ram ask blackduck


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## forcifer (Nov 20, 2005)

there isnt really a limit, but performance will go down a little bit the more stuff you have, because less coolant gets cooled...etc.


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## Kalim (Nov 24, 2006)

Indoril Nerevar said:


> GPU1 idle - 54C (winter) to 65C (summer)
> GPU2 idle - 57C (winter) to 69C (summer)
> 
> GPU1 load - 72C (winter) to 82C (summer)
> same for GPU2


Wow. Now those are hot! Yes WC units will normally cover the GPU too. Dangerden and Thermaltake WC systems are very very good.


> CPU temp doesn't show, but the fan idles at 3000rpm, and gets up to 6000rpm under load, so it's getting reasonably hot.


I'll have to know the CPU temp before advising anything TBH.. also let us know which one it is as some heat more than others naturally and so we can know of the VCore. Many CPUs models are exactly the lower model with overclocking and thats the reason for excess heat.

Run Sensors View, Motherboard Monitor, Sandra Lite, Hmonitor or Speedfan for the temps. I've got a feeling your PSU will also be warming up high if your internal temps are booming that much. Best to have at least two of them readings just to compare. :wink:

The CPU fan can be high RPM or low, it won't be the indicator you want to look at preferably. If anything, it indicates more about the fan itself. What you'll need to see is if it can cool at full load to ~50C or below. Generally WC is for OC'ers. You can get *many* HSF and GPU coolers that will cool any CPU/GPU out there that is even OC'd. My Kents (fastest I have) CPU can easily be cooled by a Coolermaster Geminii, Ultra X, Scythe Infinity, Zalman 9700, Noctua NH-U12, TT Volcano 12, and most heavy CFM yet loud 70-190CFM Delta's.

Scythe Ninja Fanless Heatpipe CPU Cooler is a good one if your CPU is supported.

Hows your case setup? How many front, back, side fans, which ones, size, CFM if you know it, case size (SFF i.e. mATX are no good here)?
Very crucial to cooling.



> I haven't used water cooling before, so I don't know what's good and what's not, and how much load the systems can take. I was looking at the Zalman Reserator 1 V2 (don't have a direct link). Is that the kind of thing I should be going for?


Maybe.. much of it is preference. If just to get your system cooled is what you want and you prefer less hassle then there are better options elsewhere :sayyes: Thats not to say that it won't cool your setup, it most likely will.


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## agentRed (Nov 7, 2006)

If I were you...I'd stay aWAY from Tt watercooling. There have been countless reviews of their WC'ing products that leak/fail/just plain eff up. And...if their WC'ing is anything like their fan controllers, you'll get 6 that don't work before you get 1 that does. Don't take that kind of risk...it's not worth it, especially if for some reason it did start to leak, that might take your nice GFX cards with it. Baaaad...bad bad bad 

I know I've plugged this thing a lot...but I mean it's just too good of a deal to pass up! The CoolerMaster Aquagate: 

http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.asp?Item=N82E16835103006

I personally own one of these...it's a great deal. However...don't use their thermal paste, do yourself a favor and get some Arctic Silver or its equivalent. That's for your CPU only though, if you want additional cooling power, ie, enough for TWO GPU's, get yourself a 120mm radiator from Swiftech or whoever it is that makes the Black Ice...both are great. I've personally got a Tt Radiator and it's nice but...I wish I had spent a little more and gotten the Swiftech...


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## Kalim (Nov 24, 2006)

Sorry Indoril theres a typo in my previous post. Its the Thermalright HSFs that are superb (non WC) and Thermaltake/Asetek Waterchill/Swiftech/Alphacool Cape I meant are the excellent WC choices. :embarased 

Swiftechs are indeed good, near enough all of their equipment, especially the Apogee waterblocks, and the ViaAqua pump is another I use being excellent.

Have a look over these when you get time please: 
http://www.silentpcreview.com/article186-page1.html
http://www.cooltechzone.com/reviews/cooling/947u_5.php

Good stuff there :wink:

With all WC the danger is any leakages or failures while you think all is going good, can destroy a lot. Most users build there own modded to achieve the best mix as the retailed setups are expensive yet compromised in at least one manner unless going highest end. IMHO, according to others who've used both, the CoolerMaster Aquagate linked above doesn't compare at all with the Zalman you're originally contemplating for CPU cooling. Maybe agentRed can report his CPU setup and temps idle/load for a better comparison but there's hardly any reviews of it and the previous Aquagate was well outdated. The ones who have tried it report too many problems (high temps at idle with P4's (50C+), loud fans at 2/3 etc), like 2 of my work colleagues and look here too.

Here's an old roundup of WC systems: http://www.xbitlabs.com/articles/coolers/display/16watercooling.html

Much reading I guess :grin:


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## agentRed (Nov 7, 2006)

Ahhh sure, I tried to find the old thread I made but I guess it's gone. 

*All temps are in °C. Ambient case temperatures were no greater than 27°C*

OK...so I've got this heater of a CPU...Pentium D 805. With the stock heatsink and fan running at 100%, my CPU was idling at 40 or so degrees. Under load it would break 60 sometimes. I got worried so I replaced it with a generic aircooler with a much higher RPM and CMF rating. It was -worse- than the stock. Now my CPU was idling at 45 and got to nearly 70 and cut off due to thermal shutdown. I took that cooler back (thanks to my local computer shop) and replaced it with one of those cylindrical Zalman heatsinks and the equivalent of Arctic Silver (it's a generic thing you can get from bestbuy, the specs are the same within .01% of each other). The Zalman was alright at first, it -seemed- to be working because my idle temp (fan @ 100%) was 38 and under load it didn't go over 48. Slowly but surely my idle and load temps rose to the point of actually being WORSE than my original, stock heatsink.
After that I returned that cooler as well and went with one of those Scythe Ninja 120mm's. Those HUGE ones...aaaannnd right off the bat the idle temps were at 40 again. I started to get really, really irritated. I couldn't have my CPU heating up like that, it was totally unacceptable. 

Now that I have the Aquagate, my CPU never breaks 30, no matter the conditions. Right now it's idling at 17. Hours of gameplay, second life, doesn't matter, it won't go over 30! I was very, very impressed by the Aquagate system, and at the price of one of those supposedly good Air-Coolers too!

As far as the fan is concerned, 90% of the noise created by the fan in the unit is caused by a mesh-like grille in the front of the unit which can be easily removed without voiding your warranty. I took mine out the first day I had it and replaced it with a regular chrome grille. In my opinion, it even looks better. Even on setting 3, it's still no where near as loud as a Vantec Tornado. Setting 2 is the compromise. It's still very very quiet but it's not SILENT but you still get decent cooling. 

All in all, I think the Aquagate would be an excellent choice. Hope it goes well for you


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## Indoril Nerevar (Jan 7, 2006)

Thanks for all the info, guys. Looks like I have a bit of reading and thinking to do.

In the meantime, my specs are on the left (under "My System"), and the CPU temp shows in the BIOS as being about 50C (60 seconds after being turned on).

Cheers


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## Kalim (Nov 24, 2006)

If thats at system startup, then it'll be 55-57C during regular idling and much more under load - like 70C.


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## pharoah (Aug 28, 2006)

hey indoril this is something coming out soon that may be worth a look.

http://www.hexus.net/content/item.php?item=8142


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