A couple water cooling questions...

[mgj2345]

I am looking to start water cooling my system, as my temps are just too high for my liking, and I also am not able to overclock as much as I'd like. Anyway, I've read a lot about most of the issues and products...but I have a couple questions I just haven't been able to find an answer to.

I will be cooling my CPU, vid card, and mobo chipset.

I am probably going to go with the Swiftech MCW6000 cpu block, MCW50 vga block, and MCW20 chipset block.

So, based on those blocks...

1. Set-up: Can I just daisy chain this? Pump>CPU>Vid card>chipset>Radiator>pump? Or should I use some other method to set it up?

2. Tubing, and fittings on the blocks and pump: Should I use 3/8 ID or 1/2 ID tubing? Advantages/disadvantages to either one?

3. Radiator: Will a single pass 120mm radiator be enough? I'm thinking of This

4. Pump: Which one of these would you recommend? #1 or #2 ...or is there another one altogether that would be better?

Hmm...I think those are the only questions I have right now. Thanks in advance for your help. There aren't a lot of "guides" out there to help you build the proper water cooling system.

[Darthtanion]

Re: A couple water cooling questions...

Since you're already looking at strictly Swiftech products, why not get one of the kits? They contain most of the items you are looking at and also has all necessary tubing and hardware. You'll just need to add the VGA and chipset cooler to the base kit and you'll be set. This kit also comes with a very good instruction manual that offers a step-by-step installation guide and also provides series layouts for most configurations.

As far as tubing is concerned, I generally go with 1/2" OD tubing (that works out to the 3/8" ID tubing you mentioned above). This allows you a very good water flow rate but still maintains enough flexibility to make the water system work inside a normal case. If you go larger tubing it can be harder to get the tubes tucked away when you start the clean-up work after installation.

If you're using the system in your sugnature, then the 120mm radiator will work just fine. If your case isn't set up for a 120mm fan, make sure to get the RadBox kit with the water cooling setup. It allows you to attach the radiator externally to the rear of the case without modifying the box at all. Very handy.

As for the pump, I prefer choice #2 since it has a lot more water flow than the other one. The smaller pump is very reliable from all I've heard and is incredibly quiet, but it also offers about half the flow rate as the 650 series pump. Especially considering that you're looking at three waterblocks, go with the higher flow rate. It should serve you better in the long run.

For more information on a kit that offers exactly what I suggested, check out this review that I did last year on the 120mm kit using the 650 series pump. You'll want to make sure it is the Rev2 kit as the Rev3 uses the smaller pump design.

[mgj2345]

Re: A couple water cooling questions...

Since you're already looking at strictly Swiftech products, why not get one of the kits?

I wanted to do that originally...I can't find one of the rev 2 versions though...the only ones i can find to order right now that have the larger pump are the dual 120mm radiator variety. Plus, I figured that since I would have to order additional tubing, etc. I might as well just put the whole thing together. Do you know anywhere I can buy one of the single 120mm rev 2 kits?

[Darthtanion]

Re: A couple water cooling questions...

Not offhand, but you might try shooting an email to [email protected] (the technical support contact for Swiftech) and see if they can help you out. I believe they are still carrying the larger volume pumps so you might be able to get them to just switch it out in one of their single 120mm kits. Worth a shot at least.