A Watercooling Test

[ApacNTS]

heh, hey if you makes you feel better it took me close to a year to build my experiment, aka a decent computer. so one month is nothing, id equate it to thoughtful planning

Yeah, but this is just a case, not a whole PC.
(Well, not entirely true....I do want to get another mobo w/PCI-E and a GFX card.)
But I'm kind of not liking the gfx card options atm...
The only ones that seem worthy of consideration are the 7800-7900 or x1800-x1900 flavors,
and that means putting up some big bucks.

And I still need to decide on wether I want a water loop or air cooling.
I did buy some class air cooling from clocker, but I still have the gpu to think about.
The Zalman gpu cooler isn't living up to my expectations.
May have to go water for the gpu, and if I do...why not the cpu as well?
I just don't really know atm.

As far as video cards go, im trying to get the 7900gt, that's a sitituation all to itself, seems im always conveintly at work and they sell out. maybe i'll get lucky soon.

Clocker has some great toys, somewhere on this forum are probably the results from the test he ran with your newly acquired toys. he also has me considering a water loop in the event that this case runs hot, im not as much worried about the cpu as the gpu, that's where a great majority of the heat would most likely come from in my system.

[clocker]

OK, here is what the new pump looks like...

Photo from FrozenCPU but not hotlinked.
It's surprisingly powerful and very compact...only about 2 1/2" square.
Within days of the initial release last year, folks had already started modifying it to increase output and now there are several premade tops available which do just that.
Here's the version I just got...



Moving the plug to the original inlet channel and using a larger bore barb centered over the impellor increases flow approx. 20% (IIRC).

I plan on modding this piece by building the reservoir directly onto the center inlet port, eliminating two barbs and saving space in the bargain.

As soon as the DangerDen order arrives I can begin more detailed planning.

[ApacNTS]

ohhhh i like it! heh u never stop thinking about how you could squeeze a little more performance out of anything. look forward to the next set of updates

off topic: never..ever have newegg send a check to you fedex, it is the worst thing in the world, 4days and no check, supposed to be here in 3, cant buy my gpu because of it

[clocker]

This is not so much about "squeezing extra performance" as it is exploring different approaches.
Small-bore, low flow systems would make installation much simpler and some of the equipment (specifically the German engineered AquaComputer stuff) is undeniably sexy.

I have an analogy drawn from my youth (*ramble alert*)...
In the early 70's (1970's NOT 1870's...) I roadraced motorcycles.
At the time, the Kawasaki 900 was the big dog in motorcycling yet at most tracks (with the exception of Daytona and maybe Brainerd) the Yamaha RD350 could not only keep up but frequently beat it's much more powerful opponent. Smaller and nimbler was more effective in the real world than big horsepower.
I suspect that this might be also true in watercooling. (*ramble over*)

Right now Sprocket has been running for about two hours.
I've just been puttering around in Firefox and she's also running Prime95 (I've been Priming almost constantly in preparation for the switch...just getting an idea of my max temps).
With a room ambient of @ 13-15C (I have the patio doors open and am basking in the early spring balminess ) my CPU temp has stabilized at 33C.
The highest I've seen lately is 38C.
Stop Prime and the CPU drops almost instantly (all a64 chip owners will recognize this behaviour) to 21-22C.
In other words, my max temp is better than most people's idle temp.
I have lots of horsepower that really isn't doing me any good.

I'm guessing that my CPU temps are going to increase a few degrees (maybe as much as 5C...) and the GPU will remain the same.
My Storm CPU block utilizes the "jet impingement" design which is pretty restrictive and benefits from high flow. Replacing this with the less restrictive (but visually similar) Apogee block might be beneficial, we'll see how it goes.

[clocker]

Here is Sprocket's tribute for the month.
She used to demand nubile virgins but demand far outstripped supply, so now she's content with ravaging my wallet.
Not pictured (mainly because they haven't arrived yet) are the Neptune GPU waterblock (which may never show up) and the CoolFontz 20x4 LCD display.

My difficulties with StasisThermal (detailed here) are really screwing up my timetable. If it comes before Wednesday I can proceed as planned, if not, I don't know.

Either way, tomorrow I install the OS and start grabbing screenshots.

This is what the 64bit Pro "trial version" does to over half of my applications...very irritating.
Presumably the full (well, OEM really) version lifts this sort of restriction....

[ApacNTS]

wow that sucks, your patience are unbelievable. read that thread and thought how id probably gone with the "refund" option. hope u get it wednesday, and hope u also give your thoughts about windxp 64 bit, ive read varying thoughts, some saying the compatibility with less bit programs makes the transition to 64 bit worthless.

if all goes well tuesday i may actually be able to boot up my own system. cant wait for your screenies man. best part of the whole thing. btw i still envy your wiring configuration, i tried to make mine neat and tidy, but alas sprocket is a goddess to me.

[clocker]

... but alas sprocket is a goddess to me.

You are only feeding her sickness.

Much happened yesterday...
- I recieved a Click-n-Ship notification for the Neptune waterblock...might actually have it by Wed.
-the CrystalFontz display arrived...looks very cool, have NO idea what to do with it. Yet.
-When I sold the Lian-li case a few weeks ago I bundled the broken window panel and the replacement non-windowed panel into the deal. Since then I have repaired the window for the new owner in exchange for the solid panel, so I now have a nice large expanse of black anodized aluminum to play with.
New front bezel is what I'm thinking. I can easily dispense with the two fan controllers currently mounted as none of the Aerocool fans will even spin up at less than full voltage- I suspect the LEDs are the cause. Anyway, don't need em.
A nice, solid, black front panel to replace the mesh might look very nice, methinks...

Edit:
As I suspected (well, mostly hoped) the full version of XP64 works like normal...

Decided to really push my luck and installed the OS without backing down the clock...no problems so far.

[clocker]

After discusion with some gurus I've decided to alter my approach.
My current Storm CPU block is relatively restrictive, the jet impingment design requires quite a bit of pressure to work effectively.
Moving to a lower flow system will only highlight this (already well known) fact and I see no reason to reinvent the wheel here, so the CPU block is being replaced with the freer flowing Apogee, which should work better with the loop.

Also, I'm just lazy.
Basically, I'm just eliminating the gradual morph from the extant loop to the new, jumping in with both feet as it were.
With any luck I should have both new waterblocks in hand by this weekend (remember, I'm still waiting for the replacement Neptune GPU block to arrive) and can commence installation.
With the less restrictive Apogee in place and the MCP355 modified for higher flow, I'm hoping to duplicate the current loop's performance with a cleaner, less cluttered appearance.

Surprisingly, I'm still getting inquiries about all the waterstuff I was selling off last month.
If I can move out a few more pieces there's this other new part I'm considering...but we'll see how it goes.

[fkdup74]

With the less restrictive Apogee in place...

I was lookin at those the other day, along with a few others.
What's your take on the Apogees? Good? Bad? Ugly?

I also had a look at some Vantec blocks, and quickly decided against them.
The fittings are shit.

newegg linkage

A few years back I was working in a machine shop for an injection molding operation.
Some of the tooling had water fittings like those on the Vantecs.
One word: leaks.
And I wouldn't be bothered to change fittings. Laziness.

Plus, all I wanted were the blocks. Not the whole kit.

[clocker]

[QUOTE=fkdup74]

What's your take on the Apogees? Good? Bad? Ugly?

Dunno yet.
Reviewers have been kind to both designs with the Storm coming out slightly ahead if matched with the proper pump.
My concern is with flow restriction and the Apogee is undeniably freer flowing, hence the switch.
I can afford to give up a degree or two (or 10, really) and will do so gladly if the loop can be made more elegant.
That's really the crux of this experiment...sacrificing a bit of performance in exchange for looks.