Single loop - 2 x 4850s and a cpu?

[brightangelus]

Hi guys,

Almost a year ago I posted a topic about whether I could include a gpu block in my loop. I got some very helpful replies from the members of this forum (aigomorla particularly) and decided that it wasn't quite worth the effort.

A year later, and I felt that I could not ignore the attraction of two 4850s in Crossfire. So I just installed those and...well, they're ridiculously hot.

My airflow within my case is alright, I think, but under full load my cards soar to just over 100degC. I didn't dare try to see how high those temps went if I continued loading the cards. They don't really drop in temperature that much even if I leave the side of my casing open and they idle at 80deg at default fan speeds. I can bring the temps down to about 60 deg with the fans operating at 55% of max. BTW, my ambient is about 26degC

Yes, following the fan problems that people are having with 4850s, I've changed the cooling profile for the cards so the fans operate quite fast, but I'm beginning to think that the stock cooling solution just can't deal with the sheer heat generated by these cards.

So I'm thinking of water cooling them and I would be very very grateful for all your views on this.

I'm currently running the following WC setup:

NexXos II rad which looks something like this:

http://www.alphacool.com/shop/...me-II-Rev-2--4639.html

NexXos Highflow CPU block:

http://www.alphacool.com/shop/...-Socket-775--4986.html

and an Eheim 600 pump (600l/h with a lifting height of 1.3m)

Tubing is 10/8mm (OD/ID)

My rad is mounted externally with 2 fans.

Oh, and I have an E4300 which has been o/c'd to 3.2ghz (idles at 26 to 27degC).

I bought all the above as a kit last year, which explains why it isn't the best, but it's worked for me so far, as I'm only using it to cool the CPU. I realise that I could have probably done better by buying better parts myself, but I had to start somewhere.

Anyway, I'd like to be able to run everything on a single loop, so I was considering the following:

1. Changing the rad to a Thermochill PA120.3
2. Getting 2 x Swiftech MCW60 for the gpus.

The proposed loop is rad -> res -> pump -> cpu -> gpu1 -> gpu2

Please note that my considerations are not to overclock the gpus, but to just get the overall heat of those gpus down to somewhere far below there 100degC temps.

Is my plan possible, or are the three processors far too hot to cool in a single loop like this, even for a PA120.3? Is my pump too weak?

What if I want to switch to a Q9xxx or Q8xxx cpu in the future? Can the proposed loop take the heat?

Thanks in advance guys. I would really appreciate the help.

 

[aigomorla]

upgrade the cpu block to a low restriction block.

Also drop a better pump, and yea you can hold that.

However, why not split the loop up?

Use the first gear on your videocard and drop another loop for the cpu entirely?

 

[brightangelus]

Ouch...so altogether I'll have to change everything

I was hoping I could keep my pump and cpu block to save a bit of money.

If I go the single loop route, would you recommend the Fuzion v2, or the Apogee GTX?

Hmmm...I did consider a second loop, but I don't have a lot of room in my casing. I suppose it would cost a little less, as I'll only have to buy a smaller rad (PA120.1 enough for the CPU alone?) and the pump needn't be anything miraculous. The problem really is space. I have an NZXT Lexa which is pretty small. Most of the space I've got is taken up by the existing pump and res.

If I did go with a 2nd loop, would an Apogee Drive 350 do the job? At least I save space on the pump. I suppose the downside of this is that I end up with a wasted CPU block.

EDIT:

For a single loop, would an Eheim 1000 be enough to do the job? 1,000l/h. Lifting height 2metres. That would be paired with the PA120.3.