Water Cooling Basics Guide

[ForceOfN4ture]

::’What To Buy’::
NEVER buy a kit. There is no reason whatsoever to do this.
Kits are either way overpriced or contain very weak components. They are extremely hard to upgrade, so you’re better off with good aircooling than a weak watercooling kit.

When using a double heatercore and two 80cfm 120mm fans with the following components, you can expect CPU idle temps around 5C above ambient and load temps around 10-15C above ambient. Lower temperatures will allow you to raise voltages without worrying about heat. If your overclock was limited by voltage because heat prevented you from raising voltages, then your overclock will increase; if your overclock was limited by the chip itself, overclock will not increase.

Keep in mind that a liquid cooling setup can be transferred from PC-to-PC over time; even switching between Intel and AMD and their various models usually only requires the purchase of a new mounting bracket, readily available from the manufacturers.

Be prepared to spend $200+ to cool both the CPU and the graphics card;
You can cool just the CPU for under $150.

[[For an ultra-cheap system, scroll to the bottom of this post]]
Here are my personal recommendations. Everything is from www.VoyeurMods.com:

Swiftech MCP655 Pump
http://www.voyeurmods.com/index.php?...=2&prevstart=0

Swiftech Apogee CPU Waterblock
http://www.voyeurmods.com/index.php?...=2&prevstart=0

Low-Profile Acetal Maze4 GPU Waterblock
http://www.voyeurmods.com/index.php?...=2&prevstart=0

Single/Double Heatercore, Single/Dual-Pass: (Single or Double, the biggest you can fit! Single-Pass are better than Dual-Pass)
http://www.voyeurmods.com/index.php?...&id=2&subid=14

Clearflex 60 (½” Internal Diameter)
http://www.voyeurmods.com/index.php?...=2&prevstart=0

Black Nylon Tubing clamps
http://www.voyeurmods.com/index.php?...=2&prevstart=0

Polypropylene 'T' fitting
http://www.voyeurmods.com/index.php?...=2&prevstart=0


Total: $241.80 + plus $11.64 Shipping
[[Includes 20’ of Clearflex (more than enough) and 15 hose clamps (enough), as well as a double heatercore (single-pass) with shroud]]

For a fan shroud, you can build your own:
http://www.overclockers.com/tips1138/ or http://www.xtremesystems.org/forums/...514#post484514
Alternatively, add one from the dropdown menu when you purchase the heatercore.

For a fan, provide your own or check these out:
Panaflo Ultra-High Speed
Panaflo Medium Speed
($10.95 each, plus $4.80 shipping)
These are awesome prices. Worth the shipping cost of ordering here separately.

If you want an idea of what this thing is going to look like, here it is:
http://img251.imageshack.us/gal.php?...apsmall5vg.jpg
Note that I used a Swiftech MCW-6002 CPU Waterblock (which is just as good as the TDX)
Here are tons more pictures: http://forums.extremeoverclocking.co...ad.php?t=95998

The only additional things you need are:
-Arctic Silver 5 (If you're out, pick some up while you're at it)
-Coolant (use a 10% solution of antifreeze in distilled water)
-Something to cap the T-line with (I used a 3/8” copper pipe cap (http://img70.echo.cx/img70/184/dscn05390bc.jpg). A 'AA' battery can also be used, but the battery casing is composed of aluminum, so make sure it's not in contact with the water to prevent galvanic corrosion. If you're going for fancy looks, for $12 DangerDen sells a Fillport that installs into the roof of the case.


::Alternative Component Selection::
These are good parts that can be subbed in for those listed above.
_CPU Waterblocks_
Swiftech Storm (Also available here)- Swiftech's brand new flagship block, it beats the MCW6002 with almost any pump. If you want to spend the money, GET IT ($76).
Swiftech MCW6002 - Excellent performance (up to 2C better than the TDX), best price ($45). Plain-looking, but very easy to mount and very high performance. The ‘6000’ is the 3/8” tubing version.
DangerDen TDX - Third best, usually more widely available in Europe ($52). Loses slightly to the Swiftech MCW6002 and Storm G4 on any pump. Get the brass top, as the acrylic top can crack (+$6). Only reason to get this block now is convenience (can be ordered from DangerDen); otherwise, bite the bullet and pay shipping from Swiftech for one of the other two.
>>>Use this to compare waterblocks: http://www.procooling.com/html/pro_testing.php
Lower lines are better performance; left to right shows increasing pump pressure. Keep in mind that the 3-barb blocks perform with a slight handicap. This graph doesn't take block restrictiveness into account.

_GPU Waterblocks_
All of these blocks perform about the same.
DangerDen Maze4 - Most readily available, excellent build quality, mounts to just about everything
Swiftech MCW50- Slightly cheaper, contains anodized aluminum (which can eventually corrode)
Silverprop Fusion- Often hard to find, prices vary; good quality
DangerDen's NV68 (cools both GPU and memory): I didn't bother linking to the blocks' page for a reason... DON'T BUY IT. High cost, high pressure drop, no overclock improvement... You could set up a Peltier block for this cost! Get ramsinks and position a fan to blow over them if you really want to keep your ram cool.

_Pumps_
READ THIS: http://forums.extremeoverclocking.co...d.php?t=176893
DangerDen D5 - Compact, quiet pump. Most powerful of the group, it is quieter and stronger than the older D4. Highly recommended for all kinds of systems!
Swiftech MCP655- IDENTICAL to the above
DangerDen CSP-MAG- Very Compact, silent pump, 1/2 the power of the D5. Often run in multiunit series or parallel loops. Lacks the startup problems of the current batch of DDC's; a major improvement over the CSP750's (that were defective). I NOW RECOMMEND THESE FOR SMALLER SETUPS AND DUAL LOOPS!
Eheim 1250- An AC-powered pump. Quite, but larger. Recommended for external use.
DangerDen DDC- Very Compact, silent pump. Provides relatively high pressure, but has low flow and only uses 3/8" barbs, and is crushed by the D5 using 1/2" ID tubing. The early batches have startup issues; must be jostled to ensure a clean start. Can be modded to 1/2": http://forums.procooling.com/vbb/sho...stpage&t=11890, http://modtown.co.uk/forum/index.php...T&f=25&t=3532&
Swiftech MCP350- IDENTICAL to the above

>>>Pages 3 and 4 of this review compare pump power; higher plot points on the first set of graphs are good, and higher flowrates are good: http://www.systemcooling.com/csp-mag-03.html
The MCP350 only looks good because it's a 3/8" pump; it's still not recommended.

Radiator: Black Ice Pro and Black Ice Xtreme (if there is no way in heck that you can fit even a single heatercore, go with one of these. They are thinner then a heatercore, so you're probably going to want a longer one; the 2*120mm and 3*120mm versions are recommended for systems that cool both the CPU and the GPU. The Pro are designed for smaller pumps and fans, the Xtreme for larger ones.)
Tubing: Tygon (clearer, more expensive, no additional benefits)
Hose Clamps: Metal worm-drive clamps (more expensive, overtightening can damage tubing)
Water Additives: Swiftech HydrX, Zerex racing fluid, etcetra... (more expensive, no additional benefits)
Water Replacements: MCT-40 and MCT-5 (Do not conduct electricity, will not harm computer components, more expensive. Use these in place of water. Comes premixed, you do not add distilled water. Just pour it in and forget about it!)

::Places to buy all of this stuff::
Here's another sticky that lists good places to buy from, located all over the world!

::Things to Avoid::
-Liquid cooling KITS (<<<BAD)
-Radiators that aren’t heatercores
-Reservoirs
-Cooling the motherboard’s Northbridge
-Cooling the video card’s RAM
-Cooling Hard Drives, Power Supplies, Your Dog, Your Best Friend's Mom...
-Tubing that isn’t Clearflex (overpriced Tygon or cheapo vinyl Home Depot tubing)
-Things that reduce flow (90-degree elbow fittings and excessive unneeded tubing)
UPDATE: -Waterblocks with Aluminum or Acrylic (Poly) tops [They break or corrode!]

You cannot use a minifridge (in any WAY, SHAPE, or FORM) to cool your computer! Believe it or not, they don't have the capacity to deal with these quantities of heat. For chilled liquid cooling, things like gutted AC units and Peltier Devices (also known as TEC's, or ThermoElectric Converters) are used.


:::Component-Specific Information:::

::Fans::
'Static pressure' is more important than CFM when looking at a fan for a radiator; the higher the pressure, the better.
Overshoot on fan power when you order, then hook them up to a fan controller. That way, you have complete control over temperatures and noise levels.
If you have the choice between 25mm- and 38mm-thick fans, go with the thicker ones. They’re quieter and generate more pressure, and are ideal for use with heatercores.
Just make sure that your fans are pulling air through the core, not pushing.
Aluminum fans provide no additional benefit.

::Heatercores::
The heatercore is often significantly cheaper than Black Ice or Thermochill made-for-PC radiators, but it easily outperforms them. The double heatercore has the highest heat dissipation ability of any radiator available.
Minor modding with a dremel can enable most cases to fit a heatercore in the very front of the case. Air is drawn through the front grating (which should should be modded to improve airflow) and through the heatercore. Other options include external mounting [http://forums.extremeoverclocking.co....php?t=172561] and mounting to the roof of the case.
Why heatercores are the best:
-Lowest cost
-Highest efficiency
-Smaller size
-Least flow restriction

Heatercore Dimensions:
Double = HxWxD = 11" x 6 1/8" x 2".
Single = HxWxD = 6 1/8" x 7 3/8" x 2"

You can save money by modding your own heatercore; you can buy a ’77 Bonneville with AC core at Autozone for only $18 (make sure you get a copper one, not a brass one). Follow this guide to sweat on the copper barbs and make yourself a quality modded heatercore: http://www.xtremesystems.org/forums/...ghlight=Weapon
If you're paranoid about your welds leaking, just spend the ~$38 and go with a DangerDen premodded core (or contact Weapon about his cores [info below]). There are workarounds that'll give you more confidence, though:

Go to any good hardware store and ask for 'JB Weld'. It's a 'cold weld', meaning it works chemically; you mix the two parts together, apply it to whatever you want to 'weld', and it does the rest.
This stuff is rated for several thousand PSI. It can be used to repair the engine blocks of heavy industrial machinery. It is frickin' indestructible.
Put a little around each fitting after you sweat the barbs onto the heatercore, and that thing ain't coming out any time soon.

Here's another workaround:
Don't sweat barbs on. Just dremel off the heatercore's pipes wherever you see fit, deburr and smooth the edges with the dremel, attach your tubing, clamp it, and THERE YOU HAVE IT! A modded heatercore, with no fittings that can possibly leak.

For info on the best radiator assembly available, Weapon's Premodded double heatercores with paintjob, shroud, fans, and mounting hardware, scroll down to the 'Advanced Topics' section of this guide.

::Shroud::
A shroud is basically a venturi (box-shaped) spacer that fits between the fans and the radiator. The additional space created between the fans and radiator serves to reduce fan noise, increase airflow, and increase efficiency by directing air over the entire surface of the radiator (if the radiator is slightly larger than the 120mm fans used to cool it).
Here are some good pictures of shrouds: http://www.xtremesystems.org/forums/...ad.php?t=45687
Shrouds vary in cost and complexity. The simplest is composed only of cardboard and ducttape, and another costs only a dollar and is made out of a Rubbermaid container (http://www.overclockers.com/tips1138/). A more complex design can be assembled out of Plexiglas or folded out of aluminum sheeting; instructions can be found here: http://www.xtremesystems.org/forums/...412#post331412

To mount them, follow the instructions in the link directly above. I have found that 4x40 threadsize rods fit much easier through the heatercore’s fins than 6x32 threadsize rods. Neoprene, cork tape, foam tape, and that moldable weatherstripping stuff work great to make airtight gaskets. Shrouds can also be attached or sealed using silicone, JB Weld, a soldering iron… or just good old ducttape!

::Waterblocks::
If you can't get your waterblock to mount correctly, check the manufacturer's website for additional mounting hardware. This can be purchased, usually at a reasonable price.
Stick to all-copper waterblocks as much as possible. Introducing additional metals to the system runs the risk of creating an electrolytic cell and rapid corrosion.
Cooling the motherboard's Northbridge or the video card's memory will not improve overclocks, and additional waterblocks serve only to reduce flow. If you want to lower the temperature of these area, invest in ramsinks or active aircooling.

***DangerDen's RBX and TDX waterblocks have an option to include additional Accelerator Nozzles to futher customize flow patterns through the blocks. Whether or not these will actually improve cooling performance is dependent on a variety of factors; the only way to find out which works best for you is to test them all.
I recommend buying the nozzles if you want to experiment with them in the future. They're fairly cheap (~$6.50).

::Pumps::
READ THIS: http://forums.extremeoverclocking.co...d.php?t=176893
It turns out that pump power isn't as important as was once thought!
http://forums.extremeoverclocking.co...3&postcount=45
Nicedad:

I appreciate that not everybody has a handy pond in which to cool the coolant, but I hope that I [have] added substance to the argument that high flow rates are not essential in achieving good performance. I think the performance has been achieved by having a lot of water in the circuit and an excellent heat exchanger/radiator/cooler/copper pipe. .. call it what you like.

'Gallons per hour' and other flow ratings don't matter much when selecting a pump; look for one with a high 'head pressure'. Keep in mind that each waterblock can have a 'pressure drop' (pressure subtracted from head pressure) of up to 18", and each foot of tubing adds an additional ~1" of pressure drop.
The D5 and MCP655 pumps are identical.
The D5 pump is DC-powered, and hooks directly into the power supply, where it draws 1.5Amps. The Eheim pumps are AC-powered, and plug directly into the wall. The DC-powered pumps will come on with the computer; the AC pumps can either be run 24/7, or you can purchase an 'AC pump relay' that installs in a PCI slot and powers up the AC pump when the computer turns on.
It is often recommended that you run the pump 24/7; most pump difficulties occur on startup.

::Reservoirs::

jsimmons:
A t-line is used to fill a watercooling loop. It consists of a t-fitting positioned somewhere in your loop (most of the time, just before the pump inlet), with a short length of tubing coming off the "t" part. This tubing section is typically capped off with a stub fitting, a quick-disconnect fitting, or a DangerDen fill port.

T-line pros?
1) The t-line requires much less room in your case than a reservoir.
2) The t-line imposes no real restriction in flow.
T-Line Cons:
1) Takes longer to bleed system.

Reservoir pros
1) Easier to bleed system of air.
Reservoir Cons:
1) Provides no benefit in terms of cooling efficiency.
2) Cost (as opposed to a t-line).
3) Takes up a lot of space.

Switch32763:
Quote:
4. If not level it can put air in to the loop.
5. It has a higher chance of leaking than a t-line.
6. Harder to fill without drive rails.


Fader: "then whats the point to sell resivors at all. and more expensive... there has to be somthing to it"

n00b of l33t: "Really for show. Thats the only point."

Switch 32763: "I got one because I thought it would be easier to fill and to bleed, the bleeding was a little quicker but I have to re bleed it every time it dumps air into the loop after the case gets bumped or something similar."

jsimmons: "The benefit is that they know a lot of people will buy them under the same assumption - they must serve a purpose, otherwise they wouldn't be selling them. I think we have reservoirs today because people thought they needed them back when watercooling was new and cooling loops were highly inefficient. Considering that t-line costs about $4 to setup, I'm surprised more people don't opt for it, especially since they're so interested in modding a $20 heater cores instead of using purpose-built PC radiators (that cost more)."

Jimmer411, on closed-loop systems:

personally i go with a closed loop, just use a containter that i can fully submerge the pump in and leave the inlet side of the pump open. during that time i just tilt the heatercore and the case around and tap on my pump some to remove air in the system. i put my ear to the top of my rad to listen for air as well (sounds like water swooshing and trickling if there is air) and when its out i connect the hose to the inlet of the pump and dry it off with dry washcloths. imo this is the cleanest setup and works perfectly well if you have an externally housed setup

::Coolant::
A 10% antifreeze solution is best, but the concentration should be increased to ~25% if aluminum is included in the system, to prevent galvanic corrosion.
If you're super-paranoid about leaks, you can spend ~$20+ for some MCT-5 or MCT-40 . They freeze at extra-low temperatures (-5F and -40F (-20C and -40C), respectively) The liquid is nonconductive, so if it gets on your computer components, it shouldn't burn them out. Leaks are exceedingly rare and easily prevented with hose clamps and a little common sense, but tests indicate that this stuff cools just as well as water, and you might as well go with it if you think the peace of mind is worth the money.
'Distilled' and 'Reverse Osmosis' water are both available in grocery stores, and both work equally well.
Pure, deionized water doesn't conduct electricity, but it can quickly corrode metal and become conductive again.
Adding dyes, even UV-reactive ones, will not damage your tubing or adversely affect cooling performance. At worst, certain dyes may stain certain tubing.


:::Building the System:::
::Layout::
People may recommend that you set up the loop in all kinds of different orders, but they are generally incorrect.
Order doesn’t matter!: http://forums.extremeoverclocking.co...d.php?t=177218
Because the water temperature is fairly even throughout the loop, order isn’t important. The rule of thumb is to set things up to minimize the number of sharp bends and the total length of tubing. Avoid 90-degree elbows whenever possible! They kill flow and make the pump work harder.
For a T-line, place it as close as possible to the highest point of the loop. This positioning will simplify filling the loop with liquid and bleeding out the bubbles when you first set everything up.

::Leak Testing::
Here is what I did, and I definitely recommend it:

Install everything in the computer case, but don't tighten the blocks down or anything like that. Then, measure and cut the tubing and install it on everything (pumps, waterblocks, radiator, everything!). Now, install tubing clamps.

Next, take everything out of the case (which is easy, because nothing was tightened down completely!), fill it up with the 10% antifreeze solution, and leak test it beside the computer by jumping the PSU (make sure to keep the PSU under slight load, as the guide directs [http://forums.extremeoverclocking.co....php?t=118964]).

Leak test outside of the case for, say, a day, then install it all back in and leak test some more (still with the PSU jumped).

If you do get a leak and you get some water on your components, don't worry; as long as they're off, they won't be damaged. Turn everything off, unplug the power supply, soak up what you can, and blowdry the rest. Let everything dry off for 24 hours before you try again. Reattach hoses and retighten tubing clamps, just to make sure it won't happen again. Start over, until you get it right!

When you're 100% confident that everything is secure and no hoses are going to blow off or anything exciting like that, un-jump the PSU, hook the power connectors back into the motherboard, and run it as you normally would.

I much prefer this methodology, especially because you know that the tubing is going to be exactly the correct length and bent exactly the way you want it to bend.

::Maintenance::
The liquid cooling setup is a closed loop, so no water can evaporate out of the system at any appreciable rate. The only maintenance necessary involves changing the coolant once or twice a year, to keep everything fresh.


:::ADVANCED TOPICS:::
::Extremely high-heat setups::
(Including SLI video configurations, A64 processors, Intel Prescotts, and dual-core chips)

'Weapon', a member of the XtremeSystems forum, premods heatercores and sells them to interested parties. His cores are simply the best available, and are both extremely high-performance and extremely good-looking. Here are examples of his work: http://www.xtremesystems.org/forums/...ad.php?t=45687
To contact him for further information, join www.xtremesystems.org/forums and send him a PM. Premodded double heatercores start at ~$35; super high-quality shrouds, high-performance fans, an awesome stealth-black paintjob, and mounting hardware are all available for extra. If you want THE BEST, this is what you want. Contact Weapon!

Here are some things to keep in mind with an SLI setup:
-Use two DangerDen Maze4 Low-Profile GPU blocks, or they just won't fit in the space available
-Forget about wimpy BIX-style radiators; for a heavy-duty job, consider a Double Heatercore or a Weapon Premodded Double Heatercore.
-Make sure that you can get a pump that can handle the load of pushing through two GPU blocks; the D5 will do just fine.
-Another option is building two liquid cooling loops, one for the SLI'ed video cards and one for the CPU. This often yields excellent results, but can take up a ton of space and can be quite expensive, as you need two pumps, two heatercores, two... of everything!

For an overclocked high-heat setup, powerful fans for the radiator are also important for keeping temps as low as possible.
The 38mm-thick 120mm Panflo fans are excellent for this application.
For deaf users (or those who don't care if their fans deafen them), there is the power-hungry, high-performance Delta fan series. These things are LOUD, vacuum-cleaner-loud! They have a nasty habit of blowing up cheap fan controllers, so make sure that your controller can match their wattage and amperage requirements BEFORE you plug them in. You have been warned!

::Additional Resources::
The best pump overview I've ever read: http://forums.procooling.com/vbb/showthread.php?t=10825
A review of the CSP-MAG; pg 3-4 contain performance comparisons of various pumps: http://www.systemcooling.com/csp-mag-01.html
Analysis of Waterblock Performance: http://www.overclockers.com/articles373/wbsum.asp
Great all-around liquid cooling resource; Check out their reviews!: http://www.procooling.com/
Waterblock roundup: http://www.procooling.com/html/pro_testing.php

Thanks to AngryAlpaca and everyone else who's ever contributed anything that ended up in this FAQ (I'm working on a list!)!

This post will be updated fairly soon as I gather additional information.
I'm _very_ open for suggestions, this is just a rough starting point
-BC

---------------------------------------------------------
[[[My personal editing section, where I cook up new ideas]]]
::Alternative Setups, By Flavor::
(I will be including additional information in this section on different configurations that work best for different situations)

ULTRA-CHEAP
Wanna watercool just your CPU on the cheap?
Here’s the setup for you!
(Ordered from www.VoyeurMods.com):
Mod-Your-Own radiator ($20 @ Autozone)
Build-Your-Own shroud: http://www.overclockers.com/tips1138/ ($2)
Any old 120mm fan you have lying round

CPU: Swiftech MCW6002 $43
Pump: DangerDen CSP-MAG $55
Clearflex 60 (1/2” ID), 10’ $7.50
‘T’-fitting (1/2” OD) $1.25
Black Hose Clamps (15): $6.75
TOTAL: $133.50 + Shipping

Cap the T-line with a dead AA battery
Use a 10% solution of antifreeze in distilled water as a coolant
(I assume you have some Arctic Silver 5 Thermal compound; if not, add $6)
(No 120mm fans? $10 w/shipping for two here: http://www.goldmine-elec-products.co....asp?dept=1047)

Here are some good upgrades to that basic system:
Get the D5 (the best pump available) instead: ADD $16
Cool the graphics card! (DD Maze4 Acetal Low-Profile): ADD $43


The LUDICROUSLY POWERFUL liquidcooling setup:
No expense spared! No real budget? Go for it.
CPU: Little River Silver G5 (http://www.employees.org/~slf/lrwb/)
[[If the $200 is too much of a hurt, try the Swiftech Storm G4 for $76!]]
GPU: DangerDen Maze4 Acetal Low-Profile block
[[Two of those, because you obviously run an SLI system!]]
Pump: DangerDen D5
Radiator: Weaponized(TM?) Premodded Double Heatercore w/Shroud and SanAce Fans
10’ of Tygon Tubing (1/2” ID)
[[3.5X as expensive as Clearflex and the only benefit is additional clarity, but why not?!]]
15 Hose Clamps (Nylon or Worm-Drive, your choice)
Polypropylene ‘T’ fitting
Arctic Silver 5 Thermal Compound
10% Antifreeze/Distilled Water coolant
Some kind of awesome water dye (if you feel like it!)
TOTAL: Umm... Ow. Plus Shipping.


All designs include these as standards:
10' of Clearflex Tubing (1/2" Internal Diameter)
15 Nylon Hose Clamps
Polypropylene 'T' fitting
Arctic Silver 5 Thermal Compound
10% Automotive Antifreeze solution in Distilled Water [coolant]

[n00b 0f l337]

Nice little guide, I geuss your as sick of the noobie crap as I am?

I VOTE STICKYYYYY

[tw33k2514]

Originally Posted by n00b 0f l337

Nice little guide, I geuss your as sick of the noobie crap as I am?

I VOTE STICKYYYYY

i second that notion

[XT-ChAce]

Reported it for stickyness, "good addition to AngryAlpaca's guide", as I said there...

[ForceOfN4ture]

This is mostly an aggregate of my own posts over the last three weeks, but I orginally learned all of my stuff from Angry, and many of these specifics came from a huuuge range of different people.

I'll get started on a 'Credits' section...
Thanks for the votes of confidence. I'll continue to improve it as I have time.

-BC

[eboy0]

I disagree one thing in that guide. The part on the reservoirs, i agree on the fact that the reservoirs they sell at directron and xixiod and stuff are trash cuz they hold no more than a pint of water, but homemade reservoirs OWN! (Pictures included) You can build one for no more than 10$ and they DO help in cooling. They hold the water longer, the hot water stays at the top while the cold is being pulled from the bottom. I'll try and find the guide on how to make reservoirs out of PVC pipe.

STICKIFY THIS!

[ForceOfN4ture]

Three things:
Moreso than most reservoirs, that takes up a ton of space.

If you spring a leak with that volume of water in the system, it would compound your problems quite a bit.

I'm not sure that even a larger reservoir like that would help temps (the water is already very close to ambient so it would cool slowly anyway, and the surface-area-to-volume ratio is quite low, so heat transfer out of the reservoir would be limited).

I have no idea if it would affect flow rates. It still remains that t-lines are cheaper, leak much less often, don't restrict flow, and take up much less room, so I'm going to stick with my current recommendations. I may add an 'Advanced Topics' section later that would discuss various mods and homemade designs that are out of the ordinary, like this reservoir.

-BC

[eboy0]

You can stick to what you first said, i'm just saying i disagree with it. The flow rate isn't affected because it's always at top level. When i was draining the water out once, i could feel the water getting warmer as i went down because the water level was dropping, meaning the hot water stayed at the top. The only thing i do agree with you is by the size, this thing is 15" tall 4" in diameter but see that's the difference between this one and the lil 1 pint ones they sell at websites, size matters because there's more water in the loop, giving it more time to cool off before hitting the GPU/CPU once again. I say it works... some guy used a gallon sized(bucket) "reservoir" and it helped his temps aswell.. This thinger easily holds 2-3 liters of water.

[madmaxx]

the coolant in the reservoir will eventually heat up negating any (if any) improvement in temps. nice thread force

[eboy0]

Originally Posted by madmaxx

the coolant in the reservoir will eventually heat up negating any (if any) improvement in temps. nice thread force

That's wat the heatercore is for... to cool the water lol, the longer the water stays out of the loop the better.

[madmaxx]

is the res not part of the loop?

[ForceOfN4ture]

If the water is only really being cooled when it's going through the radiator, then wouldn't increasing the amount of time required to go through the entire loop have no real effect on overall temperatures?

I have no idea if that's correct or not, I'm just throwing ideas out there.
As always, feel free to disagree. The guide in it's current form is designed for new people, so I'm going to try to keep it fairly basic (until I have more time).
-BC

[switch32763]

Sadly we'll probabaly still see "can I go 6 GHZ with a Kingwin Arctic Liquid Cooler?" But good guide Force Might want to add info on SLI, a lot of people show up here to look into watercooling when two 6800 Ultras (or 7800 GTXs now I guess) and an FX55 don't go under 40 C in a case with one fan. Like add stuff about how two loops is a good idea or one ub3r loop with something like a weapon monster core and a decent pump.

Edit: Also regarding coolant, thing like Zerex and Hydrx technically should be a little better than AF. I'm mainly thinking of this as a source.

Edit 2: Don't forget you can cap off a 1/2" ID T-line with a AA battery

[ForceOfN4ture]

Okay, adding the 'Advanced Topics' section now!
Thanks for the input, keep it up!

-BC

[eboy0]

Originally Posted by switch32763

"Don't forget you can cap off a 1/2" ID T-line with a AA battery"

Or, you can buy a Danger Den filltop for looks.

[switch32763]

He already mentioned that Just adding a cheap, available option.

[ForceOfN4ture]

I've included everything that you guys just mentioned.

Let me know as you think of things!
-BC

[eboy0]

This is something picky i guess but i've been told to give the fan/heatercore a 1" clearance for best performance. (for those of you who think you can just ziptie your fans to your heatercores )

[switch32763]

Can a double handle the load of two GPUs and a CPU? I was thinking more towards a Monster core (the quad fan one) or two doubles.

[eboy0]

I'd think so, well i donno you'll have water at high 50's maybe 60's. This is where a nice BIG RESERVOIR would come in handy to lengthen the loop.
And i don't think the double heatercore works any worst than the Quad Black Ice one, depends on if the black ice is made of.