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Help a Watercooling nooby :3? Hello all. So I've never done WC, but I have a big project coming up that I'm hoping to have done by the end of this year. I have been doing some research, but I still got a lot to learn. I have quite a few questions. 1) What tubing is usually recommended? I believe 3/8 and 1/4 are the most common? What is the pros and cons to each? I know the bigger tubing obviously cools more, but may look bulkier, and the bigger tubing also kinks easier..? Any other pros / cons? 2) What kinda fittings are there? Compression and barbed..? What are the differences, how do they work? I want to go for Matte Black Bitspower fittings as the color on them is just astonishing. 3) I want to get a cooling block for my upcoming 680, but I want a clear block, or a real nice black one. I've seen em on some cards, but can't seem to find the one I'm looking for. I want the blue coolant I'll be using (will be using Mayhem's Deep Blue dye) to show around the card. EX - http://www.murderbox.eu/_mdpc-murder...box-mk2-05.jpg 4) How do I know if a pump is powerful enough for my loop? Are there different kind of pumps? 5) How can I get a UV effect on my loop without the thing giving it the effect showing? I want a really clean build. I want to go for clear tubing so my colored coolant will show. 6) What are some popular reservoirs? I've only seen block kinda ones, cylinders, and the helix DNA looking ones. Isn't there more variety? 7) I'm in the US. What is popular other than Koolance, EKWB, XSPC, Bitspower? I feel like EKWB makes great quality blocks, whereas Bitspower has sweet fittings. Thanks for your time guys. I have so many questions. I'm all over the place haha. |
1/2, 7/16 and 3/8 in that order are most common, common users won't notice the difference in performance.. Most use compression fittings but its all up to your taste, how do you want it to look?? unless your running an extreme loop most pumps will do just fine . EKWB makes crap and not just with the recent run of plating, I wouldn't recommend any of their products...... if your in the US take a look at PCperformance, FrozenCPU , Aquatuning those stores will have a good supply to mull over . |
Tube size Larger flows easier and faster with less pressure. look at area of circle vs radius. Volume off a tube vs Radius. larger tube has less effect due wall friction on flow. Primochill Primo Flex 1/2" inner 3/4" outer is what I have. Rad have 1/2" G1/4 threads most of the time. I was not as careful as should have been in my first water cooling. Soon I Will try again :thumb: |
Hey Reaper. 1) The most common sizes for tubing are 1/2"id 3/4"od and 3/8"id 5/8"id. The difference in flow loss is negligible, so just go with the look that you prefer. Some cheaper tubing is more prone to kinking on sharp bends than others. I like primochill 1/2"-3/4" myself. 2) For fittings, barbed fittings with hose clamps are cheaper, compression fittings are better looking but more expensive. Compression fittings have an outer collar that "pinches" the tubing to seal it to the fitting. Some people like to use undersized tubing on barbed fittings with no clamps, but I would not recommend this for someone new to WC. 3) When buying a waterblock make sure the block will fit the card. If you have a reference card, you need a reference block. If you are buying a non reference card, first make sure that there is a block available for it. Not sure exactly which block you are looking for, but EK makes a nice looking acrylic block for the 680 EK-FC680 GTX+ - Nickel - GeForce GTX 6x0 Series - Full Cover for Nvidia GeForce - VGA Blocks - Blocks 4) Yes there are several different pumps available. Two types of pump are very common: Firstly, the Laing D5 (aka MCP655) this pump comes in a fixed speed and variable speed model and has been rebranded by several retailers. Several aftermarket tops and reservoirs are available for it. Secondly, the Laing DDC. This pump comes in many configurations like the MCP350, 355 and 35x. Several retailers have rebranded these pumps as well, so you will see them with different names. There are lots of aftermarket tops and reservoirs available for these pumps as well. In a nutshell, any of these pumps will be fine for anything but the most extreme WC setups. The "which is better" topic comes up all the time and there isn't a single right answer. From my experience and research: Positives of the D5 are that it is quieter, more reliable and pushes more volume at low restriction. Positives of the DDC pumps are that it is smaller, has more tops available, comes in PWM variations and pushes more volume with higher restriction. I personally use the variable speed D5 because it is quiet and reliable. 5) You can get leds or cathode lights. Cheaper leds are very directional while cathodes give off 360* light and are generally easier to position. To hide the UV lights just put them on the sides, top and bottom of the case up against the side with the window. This way they will throw the light into the case but will not be visible through the window. 6) Tons of reservoirs are available. Most commonly cylinder, integrated with radiator, square or 5.25" bay mounted. Some setups integrate the pump with the reservoir. Looking for something specific? 7) Those are some of the big names, but check out some retailer websites to see what else is out there. Performance-PCs.com, ... sleeve it and they will come Computer Liquid Cooling & Premium Air Products, Parts, Kits & Accessories | Sidewinder Computers FrozenCPU.com | 1.877.243.8266 | World's Largest Selection of PC Modification Supplies Jab-tech www.dtekcustoms.com Directron-Best Discount Computer Super Store-CPU Computer Parts Cases PC Hardware Software Power Supply Houston Motherboards Hard Drives Network Memory Repair Used Texas Compare Lowest Prices Cheapest Reviews Guide Petra's Tech Shop |
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What's wrong with EKWB? Looks like the most advanced in terms of their design/marketing, obviously I don't know bout the quality of their stuff but I don't want biased answers. Quote:
What are the popular tubing kinds/brands? Quote:
Will that 680 block show the liquid? Why does EKWB have circles all over their stuff? What do rebrands offer? How is one rebrand better than another? Pumps all look ugly, are they all just plain and simple and ugly like that or what? What do I have to look for in looking for a reservoir? |
Candy store http://www.hardwarecanucks.com/forum...re-thread.html He is Euro guy guy who reviews water cooling stuff. |
You'll definitely want a top for your water pump, a D5 / 655 is a good strong pump and very reliable.. I have seen EK stuff that was poorly designed and shorted out GFX cards and then of course the nickle plating...... but regardless of quality it was the response to the nickle plating and attitude of the company that has me turned off and now the whole bubble wrap look to every piece they sell makes it even less appealing.. |
Start here: Beginner's Guide to Water Cooling Your PC *** READ THIS FIRST *** - Overclockers Forums And other guides you can find. Having the knowledge on how WC works, WC parts, delta T, what to expect, etc will be beneficial to your project. Helps you avoid the common mistake most noob WC'ers. |
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