My Maze4 Review

[jaydee]

Originally posted by pakman


quote from the dangerden webpage"

"block does offer improvements over the MAZE3 - Less water flow restriction, improved peltier clamping, lighter block design, better cooling, improved look, and more"

Thought I would rub it in a little.

[Skeptic]

Jay, what's the best way to get air out of a system? The highest point in my box is the rad. I have 1 extra place I can place piping into my reservoir and run a tube out and up through the top of the case...is this optimal?

[pakman]

if the rad is the highest, best bet (if it's not too inconvenient) is to take it out and lay out WC system so the rad isn't the highest and let it run overnight. I've always had my rad highest, and its a bitch to get all the air out when installed in the case (I'm usually forced to leave the PC on its backside overnight w/ the T fill tube sticking up (rad is then sitting on its side with outtake barb highest). Either that or give the PC a good shake every once it awhile to get the air out of the rad.

[jaydee]

Originally posted by Skeptic
Jay, what's the best way to get air out of a system? The highest point in my box is the rad. I have 1 extra place I can place piping into my reservoir and run a tube out and up through the top of the case...is this optimal?

You want your fill tube/air trap to be the highest point. I been thinking about drilling and soldering in a barb on the rad on the oposite side the other barbs are on (or on top oif the rad if it is upright) and attaching a fill tube there. I think the rad itself would work fine for an air trap as long as the air has a place to escape.

[pakman]

Originally posted by jaydee116
I think the rad itself would work fine for an air trap as long as the air has a place to escape.

I think my rad sometimes thinks its suppose to be an airtrap instead of a radiator...

[Zhentar]

Originally posted by jaydee116
Also I got a Tbred A core 1700+ that doesn't OC near aswell asthe B cores (although over a 500mhz overclock isn't to shabby!) . It is the only CPU I ever had capable of 2gig and I just got the Abit KD7 a few weeks ago which is the first board I ever had that could take a CPU to 2gig. Thats why it was my first shot at 2gig. Everyone has a first time.

Hmm, that just made me realize... these two are my first 2 gig procs for that matter... not only that, but its my first time overclocking! well, actually I overclocked my vid card for about a week a year or two ago... but its my first time o/cing a CPU! I've been browsing overclocker sites so long I didn't even realize it

[Skeptic]

Well, I didn't really feel like taking all this apart again and pulling it out of the case. SO I basically put my comp on its back end so my res was the highest point. What I need to do now is figure out a way to install a removable fill tube(?) or think about it another way.

[SCompRacer]

Originally posted by jaydee116
I been thinking about drilling and soldering in a barb on the rad on the oposite side the other barbs are on (or on top oif the rad if it is upright) and attaching a fill tube there. I think the rad itself would work fine for an air trap as long as the air has a place to escape.

In my first water cooled case, I had a Chevette core mounted horizontally at the top of an old, narrow, cramped full tower. The inlet/outlet were pointing down, and the inlet/outlet tanks were slightly higher than the other end of the core. I cut a 1/8" NPT brass pipe coupling in half, drilled holes opposite the inlet/outlet and soldered the bungs to the tank. I would remove both pipe plugs for the initial fill with the pump off, and just the suction side plug with the pump running to top it off. Only drawback was no coolant reserve, but your idea solves that.

[jaydee]

Originally posted by Skeptic
Well, I didn't really feel like taking all this apart again and pulling it out of the case. SO I basically put my comp on its back end so my res was the highest point. What I need to do now is figure out a way to install a removable fill tube(?) or think about it another way.

You don't want it removable as you will be topping the system off now and then and you need to leave a place for air to get caught up in.

[winewood]

Isnt this thread for a maze4 review?
Back on topic
Last ontopic post was the ridicule of a DD claiming better cooling. If they did, couldn't we conclude that the marketing wasn't on the up and up? I just verified the claim from July 1st on their website. I frankly am dissapointed.

Another question: On their website, what is a DD Maze4 GPU? Is it just a cheaper run gpu coming out at the same time as the Maze4? Did anyone review this as well?

[jaydee]

Originally posted by winewood
Isnt this thread for a maze4 review?
Back on topic
Last ontopic post was the ridicule of a DD claiming better cooling. If they did, couldn't we conclude that the marketing wasn't on the up and up? I just verified the claim from July 1st on their website. I frankly am dissapointed.

Another question: On their website, what is a DD Maze4 GPU? Is it just a cheaper run gpu coming out at the same time as the Maze4? Did anyone review this as well?

Maybe that chipset cooler doubles as a GPU block...

[jaydee]

I wish I had a Maze 3 to compare with. The Maze 4 I have I thought did pretty decent. The air to CPU and water to CPU temps were pretty good numbers....

[Yo-DUH_87]

Nahh, I believe the GPU blocks winewood is referring to are these:



I'm also curious, anyone posted a review on one of these?

[Skeptic]

I just ordered a GPU block and it doesn't look anything like that. In fact it is this one:



I am waiting on testing it out until i see a definitive how-to for the GeForce FX 5900 Ultra card I have. This cost me $500 bucks, and there is NO WAY in hell I am going to try and experiment with getting the, what looks to me, a solid piece for ram sinks, and gpu cooler set.

I am afraid I might break something, so i will let someone else do some experimenting first. 8)

[pakman]

actually the maze4 GPU looks a little like the swiftechMCW-50 in design (I don't know how the inside/base of the maze4 gpu looks like). The swifty performs quite well despite its low profile.

edited: depending on which ever reviews choose you believe the swifty is as good as the old DD gpu block or slightly better. inside base has a nice diamond pattern notched into it.

[p0b0y]

Originally posted by jaydee116
Forgot to add I removed the worthless spings and crappy mounting hardware from DD and used my own hardware and no springs.

-----
Thermocoupler wires running under the CPU with the socket mod and the thermocoupler is attached to the bottom of the CPU.

----

The thermocoupler reader. It still isn't perfect but it is better then the onboard.

I ran CPU Burn for an hour and temps showed .5C warmer on the onboard and stayed the same on the TC. The TC only reads whole numbers so it probably did go up .5C on it to.

Also note these temps are with the HydroThruster 500GPH pump at full speed. Don't have a GPH measurment at this time....

Just for shits and giggles, what were your onboard readings?

[jaydee]

Originally posted by p0b0y
Just for shits and giggles, what were your onboard readings?

They are all posted. Onboard and TC.

[jaydee]

Copy and pasted from my previous replies:

XP1700+@1800mhz
1.75V
Abit KD7

Thermocoupler under CPU with socket mod: 43C
Onboard from Windbond software that came with board: 40C
Room temp: 26C
Water temp: 30C


XP1700+ TBred A
2.0V
2000mhz

Load Temps:
Room Temp: 26C
Water Temp: 33C
TC: 51C
Onboard: 47.5C

[p0b0y]

thx,

[babyeater]

I was wondering do you have to get a connector to attach the thermocouple to the multimeter Jaydee as i was looking at thermocouple's on the net and i was wondering will they come with a connector that i can use with me multimeter.

[jaydee]

Originally posted by babyeater
I was wondering do you have to get a connector to attach the thermocouple to the multimeter Jaydee as i was looking at thermocouple's on the net and i was wondering will they come with a connector that i can use with me multimeter.

You need to find a multi meter that will work with a TC. Usually the multi meter will come with the TC and the connectors and a dial position that says "C" or "temp". I was amazed to find one at Wall Mart for $17 with a TC. Most cheap multi meters do not have TC support.

Here is another example: http://www.techbuys.net/tm-108.html

Both of mine only have a 1C resolution though which means it round the numbers to the nearest whole number. In other words 4.51 will be rounded up to 5. or 4.5 will be rounded down to 4. Would be nice to have one that read 4.25 ect...

[babyeater]

Features:
• User selective resolution 0.18/1.08
• Accuracy:
±(0.3% +18C) -50 - 1000 8C
±(0.5% +18C) 1000 - 1300 8C
±(0.3% +48C) -58 - 2000 8F
• 200 hours life from a set of
carbon zinc
batteries
• Dimensions: 192x91x52.5 mm
A pair of truly superb meters used to give completely flexible measurement of ambient temperatures in 8C or 8F. They are built in a rugged case and come complete with a protective holster. They are highly accurate (< ±0.3% accuracy) using a K type thermocouple (supplied). Both meters have a 1999 count backlit display for use and bad lighting conditions and are able to take readings on a MAX and DATA HOLD basis. Both units are identical except for the fact that the 501 thermometer has a dual input function from two thermocouples.

They are dear enough tho the 500 one is Str£40/€56 and the 501 (dual inputs is ) Str£50/€70.

As i don't know a lot about this stuff is that what i am looking for.
Also am I being screwed on the price.

[jaydee]

Originally posted by babyeater
Features:
• User selective resolution 0.18/1.08
• Accuracy:
±(0.3% +18C) -50 - 1000 8C
±(0.5% +18C) 1000 - 1300 8C
±(0.3% +48C) -58 - 2000 8F
• 200 hours life from a set of
carbon zinc
batteries
• Dimensions: 192x91x52.5 mm
A pair of truly superb meters used to give completely flexible measurement of ambient temperatures in 8C or 8F. They are built in a rugged case and come complete with a protective holster. They are highly accurate (< ±0.3% accuracy) using a K type thermocouple (supplied). Both meters have a 1999 count backlit display for use and bad lighting conditions and are able to take readings on a MAX and DATA HOLD basis. Both units are identical except for the fact that the 501 thermometer has a dual input function from two thermocouples.

They are dear enough tho the 500 one is Str£40/€56 and the 501 (dual inputs is ) Str£50/€70.

As i don't know a lot about this stuff is that what i am looking for.
Also am I being screwed on the price.

Specs sound better than mine. I like the duel input one. You can monitor water and CPU temp with one unit at the same time. I am not sure what those prices equel in US dollars though. You really do not need an expensive one as the best your going to get is relative temps anyway. As long as it reads good linarily then it will be fine.

[babyeater]

I might try for something cheaper so as €70 is $80 . Things are dearer over here tho than America.
The whole dual input was swinging me towards it but it is very dear.