Watercooling noob help?

[Smoblikat]

So my 470's are way too loud and my CPU gets fairly hot during the summer so I figured why not blow some money on WC. I have no idea where to start, I know about XSPC RASA and all that but I want to cool two GPU's as well. I have a budget of 300$, hopefully this will be enough. Also, I want my tubes and water to be UV green 😛. If anyone more experienced than me can help id appreciate that. My new case is huge so dont worry about space annd pumps, i can fit a triple 140mm rad, a triple (maybe quad) 120mm rad and a dual 230mm rad just in the top.

 

[BrightCandle]

Waterblocks for GPUs go for about £80 in the UK. Each card effectively requires 2x 120mm to cool and your CPU needs the same (grand total of 6x120mm or 2x 3x120) which is about £110. Then you have the CPU block, that is £40. I have blown your budget long ago and I haven't yet added a pump, fans, reservoir, barbs or tubing. All of which you also need.

So unless you want to go for a universal block and risk burning out your VRMs with stuck on fan cooling I don't think you can remotely afford to cool your rig with water on that budget. Not with 2 GPUs in the loop.

 

[bookwormsy]

For the parts, I'd say look at the classified of forums, like here, Toms Hardware, Overclockers.net, etc. I recently saw people selling new pumps, rads, tubing, blocks, etc for pretty cheap. For how to, look on youtube. NCIX has a series of videos that I thought were really nice.

 

[OVerLoRDI]

Two GPUs and CPUs for $300? that is going to be near impossible.

Also fitting enough radiator for that hardware in a HAF 912 is going to be near impossible. In your situation I would suggest a bare minimum of a 3x120mm rad and some good fans. Your temps won't be great in this scenario, but it will work. I ran 2x6970s and a Phenom II X4 with a 3x120mm rad, it just wasn't ideal. This is why I say 3x120mm rad is bare minimum.

Sorry to rain on your parade, but I think you aren't going to have much luck. Maybe invest in a better CPU cooler and re-apply the TIM on your GPUs?

 

[dma0991]

360mm radiator would do the trick but it will not fit in a HAF912. A normal thickness rad wouldn't be good enough, double thick would be close but I'd rather go with a double thick 480mm rad.

 

[Smoblikat]

360mm radiator would do the trick but it will not fit in a HAF912. A normal thickness rad wouldn't be good enough, double thick would be close but I'd rather go with a double thick 480mm rad.

Like I said. I have a new case and it will fit anything you can think of.

 

[dma0991]

Like I said. I have a new case and it will fit anything you can think of.

If that is the case, a single 480mm double thick radiator or a 360mm+240mm radiator should nearly be good enough. Add in a high flow pump like the MCP655 or MCP35X2 and you're set. Unfortunately these parts will never fit in a $300 budget. Haven't included reservoir, blocks, tubes and fittings yet.

 

[WoodButcher]

I've got goodies to get you started. Check my FS thread. $300 won't afford you new full cover blocks on the vid cards so you'll need you to search the FS forum. I have the universal blocks, one listed and another I can pull, a rad and pump as well. You can buy separate sinks for the memory cheap. As bookwormsy mentioned search the FS threads, if your really lucky you may find the full cover blocks.

 

[T_Yamamoto]

What is your case? If its not a m10......lol

 

[Smoblikat]

What is your case? If its not a m10......lol

http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16811147157

I've got goodies to get you started. Check my FS thread. $300 won't afford you new full cover blocks on the vid cards so you'll need you to search the FS forum. I have the universal blocks, one listed and another I can pull, a rad and pump as well. You can buy separate sinks for the memory cheap. As bookwormsy mentioned search the FS threads, if your really lucky you may find the full cover blocks.

Thanks, ill check everything out once ive decided to buy.

 

[T_Yamamoto]

300 dollars....maybe a ghetto h60 mod?

 

[BrightCandle]

GPU TDP at stock clocks is 225W. The CPU is 95W TDP. Grand total needing cooling is thus 545W. Stated goal is quiet so lets assume 800 rpm fans means about 120 W per 120mm for thick rads @ 10C delta. Thus you are looking at needing a total of 5x120mm worth of thick rads or 6x120mm of thin rads.

 

[Smoblikat]

GPU TDP at stock clocks is 225W. The CPU is 95W TDP. Grand total needing cooling is thus 545W. Stated goal is quiet so lets assume 800 rpm fans means about 120 W per 120mm for thick rads @ 10C delta. Thus you are looking at needing a total of 5x120mm worth of thick rads or 6x120mm of thin rads.

How would my temps be if I went for a triple 140mm rad? Noise isnt an issue, ANYTHING will be quieter than my current setup.

 

[dma0991]

How would my temps be if I went for a triple 140mm rad? Noise isnt an issue, ANYTHING will be quieter than my current setup.

It will work but I wouldn't recommend it, just because there are less choice when it comes to 140mm fans compared to 120mm fans. You will need more than a regular 360mm/420mm radiator for this setup but you could start off with a 360mm radiator and add in another 240mm radiator if you need it, I'm pretty sure you will need it. Just make extra lengths of tubing in your loop where you think the 240mm radiator might be placed, it'll save you a whole lot of trouble installing it.

 

[BrightCandle]

As far as I know the 140mm radiators are only about 30% better than the 120mm but with considerably less option on the fans. Presumably that would allow you to run with 2 less slots of fans, so 4x 140mm but I have never used 140mm myself nor have I looked at the recent reviews. You need 550W of cooling at 10 C Delta basically to be able to use the machine fully and all the reviews for the radiators your considering should give you the details at those settings.