First time water cooling..

[Stephen C]

Really stuck here, I'm on a budget of around £150 but really no idea where to start..

My case is a little full inside atm so I was kinda looking at external setups.. for pure ease of instillation and my laziness..

Still have really no idea what to get.

Kit needs to fit a 478cpu and would also be nifty if it fit a 6800 ultra also.. or I guess I'd have to buy a new block for that.

Any tips?

[Scarlet Infidel]

Well i assume you are after a kit rather than a build it yourself system?

Are you primarily after low temperatures or low noise?

For example you can get a Zalman Reserator 1 PLUS for about £150 which will cool the cpu and a graphics card in almost silence. However they wont stay as cool as with a system with fans and a radiator.

[fat jez]

The Reserator does have its uses as the basis for a more advanced watercooling setup. I'm slowly upgrading my system. So far I've added a Swiftech rad and rad box (dropped 4° from my load temps) and am going to be adding an Eheim 1250 pump, as spoon as it arrives from Coolercases (they were the only ones I could find who had one in stock). That will leave me with a reasonably high flow system with a large reservoir (which also acts as a radiator) and a reasonably decent CPU block. The only pitfall is that 0.5" ID tubing would have been better than the 3/8" stuff I am using, but never mind.

I'm still in two minds over whether to go for a different CPU block or not, but I'll wait and see. At the moment, my existing setup with the low flow Reserator pump (Eheim Compact 300) is keep my CPU at about 49°C full load (2.6GHz 4400+). I can also think about adding a block to my graphics card at some point too. Since most blocks I have seen can have their barbs changed, I could go 0.5" ID later and then change the reservoir, but that's a good way off.

In the meantime, the Reserator cools as well as a good air-cooled solution but is much quieter.

Cheers,
Stephen

[MD]

I would go with eithe rthe Corsair Nautillus (£100 at Scan) or the Reserator (£160 odd at Scan)

[Stephen C]

Primarily after low temps so I cajn push my cpu a little harder, noise isn't a factor in the slightest due to having anohter 10 or so pc's around me it's noisey as it is

Been looking at the internal kits, seem to be better value for money though I'm slightly worried about setting it up etc.

[johnny02004976]

I'm slightly worried about setting it up etc.

i can totally understand where your coming from, i sat and sweated for twenty mins before i dared fire mine up, all you need to do is make sure everything is tight, do a leak test for 24 hours to make sure its water tight and your in business

just take your time really make sure your totally happy with what your doing - trust me its def worth the initial worrying

[Stephen C]

Can you reccomend a kit? One that's easily setup and looks the business (yes I'm a cable hiding blue led tart )

[johnny02004976]

Can you reccomend a kit? One that's easily setup and looks the business (yes I'm a cable hiding blue led tart )

my first kit came from Alphacool, was nice and simple, comes pre filled, basically u attatch the CPU block and bolt/place the rad somewhere and switch it on, there basic but good for entry level

[ky2900]

http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/New-Watercooli...QQcmdZViewItem

this guy's kits are pretty good and such a bargin

[Syd]

I use a Asutek kit. It was my first and it has so far worked well (bout 1 year)Very easy to install and pretty quiet, very quiet when not under intensive load

[loafer]

http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/New-Watercooli...QQcmdZViewItem

this guy's kits are pretty good and such a bargin

that's the same pump as in my little fish tank, just mounted on it's back.
http://www.dropfiles.net//files/1186/newpump.JPG

That gives me an idea... I wonder if I could use the heat from the PC to heat a tropical tank?

[Deviate]

http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/New-Watercooli...QQcmdZViewItem

this guy's kits are pretty good and such a bargin

Yeah, that's really cheap for a full Watercooling kit. Looks good too..

[Syd]

[QUOTE=loaferThat gives me an idea... I wonder if I could use the heat from the PC to heat a tropical tank?
[/QUOTE]

Hmmm, what a good idea

[Scarlet Infidel]

Shame anything in the tank would clog up the waterblock, not to mention the algae issue.

[johnny02004976]

Shame anything in the tank would clog up the waterblock, not to mention the algae issue.

i fancy using my bath as a reservoir/radiator

[Scarlet Infidel]

Then you could add a jet impingement block to the tube leading into the bath, take off the base, and there you have a makeshift shower.