I'm trying to write up a few things for a cooling FAQ on ArsTechnica. Before I post it over ther I was hopeing for some feedback from some the very knowledgeable readers here.
Quote:
Q. Which pump should I use to watercool my computer?
A. For most people a Danner or Eheim pump is best. Danner pumps are very reasonably priced and of good quality. Eheims are more expensive, but are considered to be the highest quality by many enthusiasts. Rio pumps are used as well, but are considered to be much less reliable for use in computers.
If price is an issue, go with the Danner. They are good pumps and to get equivalent flow from an Eheim will easily cost you twice as much. If you want a nearly silent pump you can put in and never have to touch again go with the Eheim.
Popular models of Eheim are the 1048 and 1250 rated at 158 and 316 GPH respectively. Popular Danner pumps are the Model 2, Model 3, and Model 5, rated for 250, 350, and 500 GPH respectively. Larger pumps are available from both companies, but tend to be less useful due to the large amount of heat they add to the coolant and flow rate limitations in the actual setup.
What size you need depends on your setup. Larger pumps are restricted more and more by the size of your tubing while adding more and more heat to the system. An Eheim 1250 pump heats the coolant as much an 866MHz P3 or dual Celeron 300As! Also consider the restrictions in your block and radiator. A maze block, and cooling cube would be better paired with a larger pump then a low restriction setup using an open block and a heatercore.
With that in mind we know that some setups are better with certain pumps then others, but any of the pumps listed on this page will flow enough for a basic watercooling setup.
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So, what do you think? Did I forget anything important?
Edit: I should probably link to stores for pumps. How does DangerDen and Petsmart sound?