water cooling question

morgash

Golden Member
Nov 24, 2005
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ok so i'm soon going to be ordering my first water cooling setup and i have a couple questions for the veterans out there. all questions relate to the kit i am getting (Thermaltake Big Water 745)

1. I am buying the BigWater kit as well as a thermaltake GPU block. My question is can I tie the GPU (x1900xt) into the loop with the CPU and still be fine using the Big Water.

2. If i did tie the GPU in would the BigWater be able to handle both CPU and GPU on only the single 120mm radiator or would i need to use both?

3. Using one radiator or both what would be the best flow pattern for my setup. My system specs are as follows.

x2 3800+ @ 2.6ghz 1.45 volts
2 gigs G.Skill DDR400 2.5-3-4-6 @ DDR 416 2-3-3-6 2.8volts
eVGA SLI mobo
x1900xt (coming in Friday to replace my 7900gt)
e-Power Cheetah 520w 28a 12v
various others of little importance here

So throw me some knowledge and let me feast on it in preparation for my big jump. I have long been an air OC freak, now air can no longer hold me.

Morgash

 

thilanliyan

Lifer
Jun 21, 2005
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To be honest, I wouldn't put your CPU in the loop. I myself have a Thermaltake Big Typhoon on my A64 3000+ at 1.45v and 2.5GHz and it doesn't go above 43 celcius at load. I thought about putting the CPU in my loop but decided against it since temperatures are pretty good as it is and the CPU won't benefit much from lower temperatures cause most A64s hit the wall around 2.7GHz anyway regardless of voltage.

I decided to put just the vid card in the loop since increasing the volts on that sent my GPU load temps into the 90 celcius range, which was too high for me. Now they don't go above 60 celcius even with the overclock mentioned in my sig. Another thing for me against putting the CPU in the loop was the extra hassle and mess inside my case, as well as the extra heat in the loop.

If I were you I'd just put the vid card in the loop and use just the dual radiator and maybe put the CPU on some high end air cooling if the stock cooler temps. are unacceptable to you.

 

morgash

Golden Member
Nov 24, 2005
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as i said i am an air OC freak so of course i have a xp-120 as my CPU fan. i was thinking of having the water flow from res to pump to CPU to single rad to GPU to double rad back to res. would that not take enough heat from the CPU b4 it hits the gpu to make the system feasible? also i am positive this 3800+ can do 2.8ghz. it is stable at 2.8ghz with 1.5volts the extra volts just send load temps through the roof. Loading at 60C is unnacceptable to me so im hoping water can drop that temp some.

Morgash
 

nealh

Diamond Member
Nov 21, 1999
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Tt Big water is not a high performing kit and you will find it not very good for a gpu/cpu loop..in fact iwould not be surprised to find your air temps better..It may have trouble with just your gpu cooling
 

HardWarrior

Diamond Member
Jan 26, 2004
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What Neal said. ;) If you want to go water then spend a bit more money and get water that's worth having.
 

Elfear

Diamond Member
May 30, 2004
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Ditto what the last two posters said. The extra money you'll spend on a custom setup is WELL worth it. I have ~$210-230 into mine and with the specs in my sig it keeps the cpu at ~39-41C under load and my gpu at ~45C with these hot summer temps. During the winter months, with ambient closer to 60-65F, I got load temps of 39C on my gpu. IMO, watercooling isn't worth the hassle unless you get a setup that will actually make a noticeable difference over high-end air.
 

nealh

Diamond Member
Nov 21, 1999
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Originally posted by: Elfear
Ditto what the last two posters said. The extra money you'll spend on a custom setup is WELL worth it. I have ~$210-230 into mine and with the specs in my sig it keeps the cpu at ~39-41C under load and my gpu at ~45C with these hot summer temps. During the winter months, with ambient closer to 60-65F, I got load temps of 39C on my gpu. IMO, watercooling isn't worth the hassle unless you get a setup that will actually make a noticeable difference over high-end air.

Damn nice temps
 

thilanliyan

Lifer
Jun 21, 2005
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Originally posted by: nealh
Originally posted by: Elfear
Ditto what the last two posters said. The extra money you'll spend on a custom setup is WELL worth it. I have ~$210-230 into mine and with the specs in my sig it keeps the cpu at ~39-41C under load and my gpu at ~45C with these hot summer temps. During the winter months, with ambient closer to 60-65F, I got load temps of 39C on my gpu. IMO, watercooling isn't worth the hassle unless you get a setup that will actually make a noticeable difference over high-end air.

Damn nice temps

Yeah serious, even with 1/2ID tubing, my GPU IDLES at around 45-46C...guess my radiator sucks.
 

Elfear

Diamond Member
May 30, 2004
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Originally posted by: thilan29

Yeah serious, even with 1/2ID tubing, my GPU IDLES at around 45-46C...guess my radiator sucks.

What block and radiator are you running?
 

thilanliyan

Lifer
Jun 21, 2005
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Originally posted by: Elfear
Originally posted by: thilan29

Yeah serious, even with 1/2ID tubing, my GPU IDLES at around 45-46C...guess my radiator sucks.

What block and radiator are you running?


The block is the DangerDen acetal (not low profile). Don't know what specific radiator it is. Came with the kit I bought. Has a 120mm fan on it. I bought the kit cause it was pretty cheap and was 1/2inch. Only thing bad about the kit is the tubing is SOOOO stiff (I guess that CAN be good).

Which rad do you run? My ambient is about 25C by the way.
 

Elfear

Diamond Member
May 30, 2004
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Originally posted by: thilan29


The block is the DangerDen acetal (not low profile). Don't know what specific radiator it is. Came with the kit I bought. Has a 120mm fan on it. I bought the kit cause it was pretty cheap and was 1/2inch. Only thing bad about the kit is the tubing is SOOOO stiff (I guess that CAN be good).

Which rad do you run? My ambient is about 25C by the way.

I'm using a heatercore out of a '77 Bonneville with a pair of 120mm fans attached. My ambient temps are ~24C. Does your pump seem to be fairly powerful? I'm not familiar with that kit.
 

thilanliyan

Lifer
Jun 21, 2005
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Originally posted by: Elfear
I'm using a heatercore out of a '77 Bonneville with a pair of 120mm fans attached. My ambient temps are ~24C. Does your pump seem to be fairly powerful? I'm not familiar with that kit.

Hehe, I guess the heatercore explains the difference. Pump seems to be fine, says 400L/h and since it's 1/2inch pressure shouldn't be a problem. I think it's the rad...I should try a temp probe of the water after the rad.

Hmmm...the water temp. inside the tank is about 35C and the tank is only about 300mL.
 

Elfear

Diamond Member
May 30, 2004
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Originally posted by: thilan29

Hehe, I guess the heatercore explains the difference. Pump seems to be fine, says 400L/h and since it's 1/2inch pressure shouldn't be a problem. I think it's the rad...I should try a temp probe of the water after the rad.

Hmmm...the water temp. inside the tank is about 35C and the tank is only about 300mL.

That is still kinda weird. I didn't realize you don't have your cpu in the loop until I reread this thread. A single 120mm rad should be able to handle just the gpu, even if it is a rather hot-running card. Which 120mm fan are you using on the rad? Also, does your rad have a shroud?
 

thilanliyan

Lifer
Jun 21, 2005
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Originally posted by: Elfear
That is still kinda weird. I didn't realize you don't have your cpu in the loop until I reread this thread. A single 120mm rad should be able to handle just the gpu, even if it is a rather hot-running card. Which 120mm fan are you using on the rad? Also, does your rad have a shroud?

Fan is from the kit...120mm, 25mm deep. Not sure of the CFMs but I keep it silent. And yes the fan has a shroud, shroud encases the rad also.
 

HardWarrior

Diamond Member
Jan 26, 2004
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Originally posted by: thilan29
Originally posted by: Elfear
That is still kinda weird. I didn't realize you don't have your cpu in the loop until I reread this thread. A single 120mm rad should be able to handle just the gpu, even if it is a rather hot-running card. Which 120mm fan are you using on the rad? Also, does your rad have a shroud?

Fan is from the kit...120mm, 25mm deep. Not sure of the CFMs but I keep it silent. And yes the fan has a shroud, shroud encases the rad also.

Thin or thick rad?

 

thilanliyan

Lifer
Jun 21, 2005
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Originally posted by: HardWarrior
Originally posted by: thilan29
Originally posted by: Elfear
That is still kinda weird. I didn't realize you don't have your cpu in the loop until I reread this thread. A single 120mm rad should be able to handle just the gpu, even if it is a rather hot-running card. Which 120mm fan are you using on the rad? Also, does your rad have a shroud?

Fan is from the kit...120mm, 25mm deep. Not sure of the CFMs but I keep it silent. And yes the fan has a shroud, shroud encases the rad also.

Thin or thick rad?

Rad is about 1- 1 1/4 inches thick.
 

HardWarrior

Diamond Member
Jan 26, 2004
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That would qualify as a thin core. You can TRY a larger, more power fan, if you can take the noise.
 

thilanliyan

Lifer
Jun 21, 2005
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Originally posted by: HardWarrior
That would qualify as a thin core. You can TRY a larger, more power fan, if you can take the noise.


Thanx for the info...hehe, and no I can't take the noise...I'll stick with this fan for now.
 

HardWarrior

Diamond Member
Jan 26, 2004
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NP with that. We all make tradeoffs, and warmer temps won't kill you if silence is your preference. :)