My First W/C system & some questions
 

Well after doing a lot of research, asking questions in forums and slowly purchasing parts yesterday day I finished my first w/c system.

With posting in this forum and other forums about setting up a dual loop system I've finally decided against the idea and looked into a more simplistic set up.

I originally purchased a Coolermaster Stacker 830 then decided it wasn't quite what I was after so I also purchased a Lian Li V2000B+ (fantastic case I must add).

Well, with my changes to the 2 loop set up and having already purchased the Stacker as well as 2 pumps I decided to w/c my original computer (as a bit of a learning curve) until I purchase everything for the Lian Li (7900GTX vid cards & intels new cpu when available etc). I'll finish the Lian Li later on this year.

OK... back to my w/c set up.

Specs
Case: Coolermaster Stacker 830
Mother: Abit IC7-G
CPU: Intel P4 3.4G Prescott
Memory: 2x Corsair TwinX1024-3200CT PRO 512MB DDR400 - 4 Sticks
Video: nVidia 6800GT
PSU: Antec True Blue 480W
H/Drive: 74G Raptor & 36G Raptor
Sound Card: Creative Fatal1ty X-FI
Controller: Coolermaster Aerogate 3
Drive: Pioneer DVD-R/RW 110 DBK
PCI Extra: Netgear Wireless adapter (for when I build next comp I'll move to another room)
Monitors: 2x Samsung 930BF 4ms 19" LCD's
Keyboard: Logitech G15
Mouse: Razer Copperhead
Speakers: Creative Gigaworks 7.1
Router/Modem: Belkin F1PI241EGau

Cooling
Radiator: Thermochill PA 120.2
Pump: Swiftech MCP655 12V
Reservior: Swiftech MCRES-MICRO
CPU Block: Swiftech Storm G4
GPU Block: Swiftech MCW60
Chip: Swiftech MCW30 (I wanted to keep noise down as the air cooler is noise as hell)
Tubing: Tygon 7/16" ID
Rad Fans: Tricod Science 12V/.12A
Coolant: Distilled water with Swiftech HydrX Coolant
Clamps: Stainless Steel worm type
Res Support: Sunbeam Wherever PCI Rack

Pics:
http://i22.photobucket.com/albums/b3...1/CIMG0759.jpg
http://i22.photobucket.com/albums/b3...1/CIMG0767.jpg
http://i22.photobucket.com/albums/b3...1/CIMG0773.jpg
http://i22.photobucket.com/albums/b3...1/CIMG0795.jpg
http://i22.photobucket.com/albums/b3...1/CIMG0781.jpg
http://i22.photobucket.com/albums/b3...1/CIMG0787.jpg
http://i22.photobucket.com/albums/b3...1/CIMG0789.jpg
http://i22.photobucket.com/albums/b3...1/CIMG0791.jpg
This is the only modification I had to do with this case. Drill two clearance holes in motherboard tray to attach pump.

http://i22.photobucket.com/albums/b3...1/CIMG0790.jpg
http://i22.photobucket.com/albums/b3...1/CIMG0799.jpg
Leak test. I decided to go Rad>GPU>Chip>CPU>Res>Pump>Rad due to a using least amount of tubing and I had read it doesn't make a lot of difference in temps which order they are.

http://i22.photobucket.com/albums/b3...1/CIMG0808.jpg
I need to make some brackets to fix hard drives in place or come up with a better way.

http://i22.photobucket.com/albums/b3...1/CIMG0810.jpg
I had shorter tubing coming from GPU to Chip, Chip to CPU & CPU to Res. I had to lengthen them as they were closing/kinking.

http://i22.photobucket.com/albums/b3...1/CIMG0812.jpg
http://i22.photobucket.com/albums/b3...1/CIMG0814.jpg
http://i22.photobucket.com/albums/b3...1/CIMG0822.jpg
I may take out mesh and relace with an acrylic window.. not sure at this stage as this doesn't look too bad and quite transparent.

http://i22.photobucket.com/albums/b3...1/CIMG0823.jpg
http://i22.photobucket.com/albums/b3...1/CIMG0811.jpg
http://i22.photobucket.com/albums/b3...1/CIMG0826.jpg
http://i22.photobucket.com/albums/b3...1/CIMG0832.jpg
I may need ot fill in the gaps on each side of the rad. The fixing of the rad worked out quite good. I attached 5mm rubber to bottom of rad and the side bay holes lined up perfectly with the shroud holes in the PA120.2, no drilling necessary. I used 4 off 30mmx6G Pan head screws to attach.


Comments:
Noise - The system is quite silent but the things that make most noise is the memory, Hard drives & most of all the Antec power supply. (I have purchased a Seasonic S12 600w for my next system but didn't want to waste it on my current set up).

Overclock:
I have kept the o/c the same as when it was air cooled so I can compare temps.
CPU - Stock: 3400MHz - O/C: 3706MHz
GPU - Stock: Core 350MHz, Mem 1.0GHz - O/C: Core 410MHz, Mem 1.11GHz
DRAM Ratio: 1:1
CPU Coret: 1.3875v
DDR SDRAM: 2.7v
AGP: 1.55v

Temp - I'm a bit dissapointed with temps as I don't find them much different than my previous air cooled set up. Unless theres something wrong it's not that great. Just by using MM5 (i know it's not the best but it's how I guaged temps with air so as a direct comparison) - CPU Idle 42 - 42C, Load 52-55C case temp being 28.5C and room temp being 22C.

Questions:
A) I can fit a shround to rad on the inside of case - will this make much difference?
B ) I can fit 38mm or 25mm 2x fans to front or rad for a push/pull set up as well a shroud on inside will this be a waste of time/money & unnecessary noise or will it make temps a little better?
C) I have placed 4 off temp probes:
- 1. On the top of storm block as close to cpu as possible with block pre-fitted. I have it attached to a small part of the copper.
- 2. Attached to tubing at outlet of radiator.
- 3. Top of 74g Raptor.
- 4. Attached to case frame
Now with these placement of probes I'm not sure if I have them in the best spot/s? Getting close to the CPU is difficult.
D) Anyone have any suggestion as how I can better place or secure my two hard drives. I have considered getting a 150g Rapter and dropping down to one so not so cluttered.

Thanks in advance to any helpers.

Re: My First W/C system & some questions
 

Nice looking system. I can't comment too much on whether the temps are bad, though, since I don't have that CPU to play with.

For diagnosis, try looking at water temp. Is it cool? If so, your block mounting is probably poor and the heat isn't making it into the water. Is the water warm? If so, try more CFM. Those are the high probability things.

Lower probability is that the storm is getting insufficient flow. Check that it is mounted correctly (one guy mounted it so the flow went backwards!). Ensure that the jets are not clogged. Etc...

Take a look at the charts for the storm block and compare that with your overall system C/W of around 0.31 (assuming 80W CPU and air coming into rad at 22C and CPU temp of 52C). That does seem high to me, but Intel Prescott's run hot, and they do have that IHS firmly attached, so hopefully someone else will speak with more experience for this build.

Re: My First W/C system & some questions
 

I put a probe on the tube going into rad it read 35c also the one coming out of the rad was 41c so that wierd. Don't know how accuate these temp probes are....

Anyway.... I've decided to:

1. Put the pump on the case floor maybe this will help and be better for the pump.
2. Reseat the Storm (bad seating may be why my temps are high. I used artic silver 5, I'll just re-do it.
3. Put two fans on the front of rad to be controlled by aerogate. I got 60mm to play with so maybe some 38mm thk fans. Might get some LED for the bling bling factor and lower the volts so as to lower noise.
4. Put a shroud on the rad back.
5. Make some sort of HD bracket and fix hard HD's where pump is now so any heat will rise to top fan blow hole.

Re: My First W/C system & some questions
 

... and try pump->storm instead of pump->rad .

Re: My First W/C system & some questions
 

Set up take 2:

I changed a few things around.

1. Put a shroud on PA120.2 and changed fans to push instead of pull. Also, put in some Panaflo M fans in but this doesn't change much from Tricods. Just give me the option to turn them up in really hot days.
2. Flipped rad to have barbs at top. Better to eliminate any air pockts.
3. Pulled Storm apart incase of any blockages from build shavings etc. Didn't see anything wrong with jet holes.
4. Storm now get first connection from rad.
5. Removed the chip block from loop, don't think it does much anyway. I'll just get a quieter HS or a passive one.
6. Put pump on case floor.
7. During leak test made sure I got all air out of components, a lot of shaking going on..

Same O/C
Overclock:
CPU - Stock: 3400MHz - O/C: 3706MHz
GPU - Stock: Core 350MHz, Mem 1.0GHz - O/C: Core 410MHz, Mem 1.11GHz
DRAM Ratio: 1:1
CPU Coret: 1.3875v
DDR SDRAM: 2.7v
AGP: 1.55v


OK Temps.... We'll I'm now ecstatic about the temps I'm getting. Gone from one extreme to the other.
CPU
Probe - Idle: 26.5, Load: 30.5
MM5 - Idle: 30, Load: 37
CASE
Probe - Idle: 23.5, Load: 24.5
MM5 - Idle: 28, Load: 31
GPU
Core- Idle: 39, Load: 42
Abmient- Idle: 35, Load: 38
RAD Tube out
Probe - Idle: 24.5, Load: 28

Room Temp: 18
A few more pics
Storm
CPU Probe
Case Side
Case Close
Rad Close
Case Front - Rad

Now I'm a happy camper.

Re: My First W/C system & some questions
 

Take look and see what temps changed though. I bet it was either bad airflow or air pockets in your rad. See how much the water temps changed?