External Kits and Copper Blocks

[charma]

I want to try water for the first time. I am building with a Lian Li PC-A05-B; the small size and back to front airflow makes an external kit necessary. The simplicity of the kits also aligns with my experience with water and as a modder in general.

I would like to use Swiftech cpu, nb and gpu blocks combined with an external rad/pump.

I am concerned about galvanic corrosion in a AL rad and CU block loop. I would appreciate hearing from anyone running a similar system. What coolant is used? Are water changes more frequent?

Thank you.

 

[DerwenArtos12]

Originally posted by: charma
I want to try water for the first time. I am building with a Lian Li PC-A05-B; the small size and back to front airflow makes an external kit necessary. The simplicity of the kits also aligns with my experience with water and as a modder in general.

I would like to use Swiftech cpu, nb and gpu blocks combined with an external rad/pump.

I am concerned about galvanic corrosion in a AL rad and CU block loop. I would appreciate hearing from anyone running a similar system. What coolant is used? Are water changes more frequent?

Thank you.

Welcome to Anandtech first of all!!

Now, on to the hard part. There are two ways to go about solving this problem.

1) Don't mix metals. I like this one, especially for ease of set-up. You could just assemble your own external unit using a Swiftech MCR-320 and some sheet aluminum or steel, it's easier then it sounds and use an internal pump like the swiftech MCR355 with an XSPC resevoir top and that would take care of everytihng. Guys like aigomorla run pure distilled water without issue.

2) use a form of antifreeze as they have the chemicals to help preven galvanic corrosion. The issue here is that they're denser than water so they're going to degrease flow slightly and that they are more thermally resistant than pure water. I use pentosin G12. I've actually got a gallon of it.

 

[aigomorla]

Originally posted by: charma
I want to try water for the first time. I am building with a Lian Li PC-A05-B; the small size and back to front airflow makes an external kit necessary. The simplicity of the kits also aligns with my experience with water and as a modder in general.

I would like to use Swiftech cpu, nb and gpu blocks combined with an external rad/pump.

I am concerned about galvanic corrosion in a AL rad and CU block loop. I would appreciate hearing from anyone running a similar system. What coolant is used? Are water changes more frequent?

Thank you.

pick out your parts first, and then we'll tell you want you need, or if your mixing metals.

And welcome to our forum!

 

[charma]

My build will include either a conroe quad or wolfdale and a single 8800GTS video card and a single hd.

I was looking at the Swiftech line of blocks: Apogee GT, MCW30, MCW60-R.

I was looking at the Corsair Nautilus and the Koolance Exos-2 LX for a pump/rad external kit.

Please keep in mind that I am really not a modder so my dremel skills are non-existent at this point.

The reason I thought the external kits were the answer was that as you look at the back of the PC-AO5-B case you can see that the inverted motherboard and small mid-tower design does not leave a lot of space to mount a rad.

Because the back fan is an intake fan, I thought it was not a good idea to mount a rad there, drawing warmed air into the chassis.

The schematic of the Swiftech radbox seems to show that you need four mount points the size of a 120mm fan. I can't imagine how to attach it not using the existing fan mount.

I am doing this build for myself for fun and chose to use the case for its size and simplicity; I have not had an aluminum case before and I had not used water before so I thought I would see what it was like.

I understand that I may have to accept the answer is 'no' to water cooling this case.

Thanks for your advice.

 

[DerwenArtos12]

There is always a way to make it work, we're really just limited by your comfort level. IMHO your best bet is going to be to to cool the CPU only and to use a swiftech radbox on the stock 120mm mounting holes with an MCR220 mounted externally to the case. If you mount it barbs up you can pass the tubing right through the case next to the expansion slots through some custom drilled holes with an MCP355 mounted internally to the bottom of the case.

 

[PCTC2]

There's also the WaterKeg.
It's a little large, but it is the best solution (most likely) for an enclosed external solution with no modding necessary.

On a general note, I would NOT go with anything Koolance. Especially if you use Swiftech blocks because Koolance uses Aluminum Radiators.
I do not believe the Corsair Nautilus would be able to handle a CPU, NB, AND GPU all by itself.

I would second DerwenArtos if you would want to externally mount the radiator. Another choice you have is drill (using a template for your radiator of choice) holes into the top and use long bolts to suspend the radiator above the case (using washers and 3 nuts per bolt). Then using either custom drilled holes to pass the tubing through or routing them to the back to pass through a PCI bracket.

And to the blocks. Those are fine.

 

[aigomorla]

Originally posted by: PCTC2
There's also the WaterKeg.
It's a little large, but it is the best solution (most likely) for an enclosed external solution with no modding necessary.

the waterkeg is an absolutely cream of the crop product for external solution. However!

Seth's metal guy went out of business so he can no longer get the metal shells.

I remember him talking about this in XS forum. His new cases will be made out of acrylic.

But so far i believe he has stopped taking orders, and wont take anymore until he's worked out the case issue.

 

[DerwenArtos12]

Originally posted by: aigomorla

Originally posted by: PCTC2
There's also the WaterKeg.
It's a little large, but it is the best solution (most likely) for an enclosed external solution with no modding necessary.

the waterkeg is an absolutely cream of the crop product for external solution. However!

Seth's metal guy went out of business so he can no longer get the metal shells.

I remember him talking about this in XS forum. His new cases will be made out of acrylic.

But so far i believe he has stopped taking orders, and wont take anymore until he's worked out the case issue.

Thats too bad! Though I don't think it would be too difficult to build one with some plexi and angle aluminum. Hope he gets a new manufacturer, and soon!

 

[aigomorla]

how about buying another small case to stack on the bottom of your computer case?

this way you can have only blocks in your case, have tubes run down to the lower case where all your h2o eq can be, and then back up.

You can use quick disconnects for easy assembly and dissassembly. The only thing you would need to do is cut up the inside. Woudlnt matter if you messed up because you want to hack it all alway anyways.

And it would give your lian some height now.

OR you could stack that small tower on top of your lian.

 

[PCTC2]

Originally posted by: aigomorla
how about buying another small case to stack on the bottom of your computer case?

this way you can have only blocks in your case, have tubes run down to the lower case where all your h2o eq can be, and then back up.

You can use quick disconnects for easy assembly and dissassembly. The only thing you would need to do is cut up the inside. Woudlnt matter if you messed up because you want to hack it all alway anyways.

And it would give your lian some height now.

OR you could stack that small tower on top of your lian.

For some Lian-Li's they sold custom casings for VapoChill Phase Units. If you could find those casings, then you could mount it under your Lian-Li, it would match, and it wouldn't be a whole other case.

 

[DerwenArtos12]

Originally posted by: PCTC2

Originally posted by: aigomorla
how about buying another small case to stack on the bottom of your computer case?

this way you can have only blocks in your case, have tubes run down to the lower case where all your h2o eq can be, and then back up.

You can use quick disconnects for easy assembly and dissassembly. The only thing you would need to do is cut up the inside. Woudlnt matter if you messed up because you want to hack it all alway anyways.

And it would give your lian some height now.

OR you could stack that small tower on top of your lian.

For some Lian-Li's they sold custom casings for VapoChill Phase Units. If you could find those casings, then you could mount it under your Lian-Li, it would match, and it wouldn't be a whole other case.

would still require quite a bit of modification to fit watercooling instead of phase change.

I would just build a 5" tall box with the same footprint as the A05B. Could just maek a big rectagle cut out of one side and use an AC ryan Radgrill with an mcr320 on it's side similar to in the bottom of a TJ07 with a topped 355 and a reservior. Pretty much just a 1 off waterket designed to match/fit that case. Would be fairly inexpensive as well. $50 in plexiglass if you use .093, $40 in aluminum tops, about half that if you used steel, $50 for an MCR320, $100 for a topped 355, $20 for an MCres, $13 for a fill port, $60 for a Fuzion, $30 for an MCW30, $40 for an MCW60, ~$25 for tubing, ~$25 for fittings, $7 in hose clamps, ~$30 for fans, ~$60 for shipping and cause something little will come up.

~$450 if you build it yourself and it'll perform quite well.