900D dream build... Help me spec the water cooling please

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kill8r

Limp Gawd
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Feb 27, 2014
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I could really use some help building my dream rig please. Given that current gen GPUs struggle to push 4k or multi screen 1440, I am taking a two step approach.

Stage 1: purchasing all long term components and a temporary graphics card/s pushing a single 27" ROG Swift

Stage 2: (Expected around Q3/Q4 2014): add next gen water cooled Maxwell cards to push a big 4k screen or 3 x ROG Swifts in Nvidea Surround

Here is my proposed spec of the stage 1 build so far:
CPU - 4960x Extreme
RAM - Corsair Vengeance Pro 2400 4x4gb
GPUs - R9 290x (possibly 2) - I want to play BF4, Titan Fall and Elder scrolls maxed out on a single ROG Swift
HD - Samsung Pro series ssd 512gb
PSU - EVGA Super Nova 1300w gold
Case - Corsair 900D
Cooling - Help Please

May I ask:
1) Will the Haswell-E have a big difference in gaming compared to a 4960X? If not I can start my build.

As a novice using the 900D case, I wanted to build a basic yet good looking and reliable liquid cooled system. I would like to include this in my stage 1 build.

2) What cooling components would you suggest for basic, cost effective, good quality liquid cooling?
The 900D case has 5 radiator mounting points that I found on the Corsair Website:
Front: up to 360mm
Top: up to 480mm (4 x 120) or 420mm (3 x 140)
Bottom side one: up to 480mm (4 x 120) or 420mm (3 x 140)
Bottom side two (with PSU installed): up to 280mm (2 x 140) or 240mm (2 x 120)
Rear: 140mm or 120mm

3) How are XSPC v3 radiators?

4) Is one loop sufficient

So far I have identified the XSPC radiators as candidates:
Top: 1 x XSPC RX480V3
http://www.watercoolinguk.co.uk/p/XSPC-RX480-Quad-Fan-Radiator-V3-Black_44239.html

Bottom Side 1: 1 x XSPC RX480V3
http://www.watercoolinguk.co.uk/p/XSPC-RX480-Quad-Fan-Radiator-V3-Black_44239.html

Bottom Side 2:
1 x 240mm XSPC V3
http://www.watercoolinguk.co.uk/p/XSPC-RX240-Dual-Fan-Radiator-V3-Black_44237.html

5) Is this sufficient for Radiators?

Reservoirs:

1 x 400mm for GPUS
6) Is this enough for the entire system including 4 GPUs down the line and will it fit in the case?
http://www.watercoolinguk.co.uk/p/FrozenQ-Reactor-Core-400mm_20604.html

Pumps:
2 (for redundancy) x 12V Alphacool Laing D5 Fixed Pump for redundance TPP644 - T12
http://www.watercoolinguk.co.uk/p/12V-Alphacool-Laing-D5-Fixed-Pump-TPP644-T12_1796.html
7) Is it wise to have two pumps for redundancy?
 
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Buy as much radiator as you can afford, because you'll be able to run all the fans at low speed, instead of having to crank fan speed up during load.

Get a fan controller for all the fans so that you can under/overvolt as necessary.

The radiators you've chosen should be more than enough though, 2x120 per part cooled is good, so each 1x120 gives you breathing room for overclocking and lowering fan speeds for a quieter system.

IIRC, the top dog radiators right now are from Alphacool, the full copper ones. Thicker is better for larger heatloads and Gentle Typhoons are still one of the top rated fans for noise/performance ratio.

One loop for all that should be fine and two D5s should be more than enough pump. DDCs are great though, especially the PWM Swiftech versions.

Reservoir size doesn't really matter since you have three radiators spec'd out, so whatever you think looks best.
 
ilal2ielli said:
Buy as much radiator as you can afford, because you'll be able to run all the fans at low speed, instead of having to crank fan speed up during load.

Get a fan controller for all the fans so that you can under/overvolt as necessary.

The radiators you've chosen should be more than enough though, 2x120 per part cooled is good, so each 1x120 gives you breathing room for overclocking and lowering fan speeds for a quieter system.

IIRC, the top dog radiators right now are from Alphacool, the full copper ones. Thicker is better for larger heatloads and Gentle Typhoons are still one of the top rated fans for noise/performance ratio.

One loop for all that should be fine and two D5s should be more than enough pump. DDCs are great though, especially the PWM Swiftech versions.

Reservoir size doesn't really matter since you have three radiators spec'd out, so whatever you think looks best.
Click to expand...

That is very helpful, thank you!

So if I am going with CPU and 3 x GPU liquid cooling = 2 x 480mm radiators should be sufficient?

Also regarding the cooling path on a single loop is this ok:
Reservoir > Pump > CPU > 480 Radiator 1 (Top) > 2nd pump > 3 GPUs > 480 Radiator 2 (Bottom)> Reservoir

If you went for a 3rd Radiator where would it go in the loop? Is it needed?

Is this path ok?

For this how many pressure fittings to I need? I though 22 but wanted to be sure. Also how many 90 degree fittings please?

Is there a fan controller you recommend?

Thank you for your the great help!
 
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2 480s should be fine, I run a 3770k with 2 GTX 670s all overclocked on one GTX 360 radiator in push/pull with GT AP15s, usually at 70% fan speed for noise.

Loop order should be dictated by case setup and whatever routing leads to less tubing and/or easier bends. As long as the reservoir feeds the first pump, the rest doesn't matter too much, as water temp will stabilize.

Adding another radiator will allow you to run less fans/lower speed fans and get good/great cooling for less noise.

As far as fittings, most blocks, pumps, reservoirs, etc need two per item (inlet/outlet).

90 degree fittings aren't recommended due to restriction added to the loop, but with dual pumps, it wouldn't affect flow too much. Use only 90s as necessary for routing tubing, if you can route without 90s, I'd do that.

I don't know too much about good fan controllers, as I just have a basic one that has one channel per fan. Buy a fan controller if you want to control fan speeds, higher priced ones can handle more watts per channel and have digital displays. Just make sure you check how many watts the fans you purchase draw and choose a fan controller based on that.
 
ilal2ielli said:
Buy as much radiator as you can afford, because you'll be able to run all the fans at low speed, instead of having to crank fan speed up during load.

Get a fan controller for all the fans so that you can under/overvolt as necessary.

The radiators you've chosen should be more than enough though, 2x120 per part cooled is good, so each 1x120 gives you breathing room for overclocking and lowering fan speeds for a quieter system.

IIRC, the top dog radiators right now are from Alphacool, the full copper ones. Thicker is better for larger heatloads and Gentle Typhoons are still one of the top rated fans for noise/performance ratio.

One loop for all that should be fine and two D5s should be more than enough pump. DDCs are great though, especially the PWM Swiftech versions.

Reservoir size doesn't really matter since you have three radiators spec'd out, so whatever you think looks best.
Click to expand...

Ok here is the kit I have identified so far:
1 x Switech MCP35Xc Dual Industrial Pump
2 x Alphacool NexXxos St30 480mm Quad Radiator: Full Copper
20 x Corsair SP120 Quiet Series Fans for £10 each (half the price Gentle Typhoons)
Koolance 380i CPU Block
14 x XSPC 1/4" Thread Compression Fitting for 3/8" ID - 1/2" OD Tubing : Black Chrome
20ft of Primochill PrimoFlex Advanced LRT 1/2" ID - 3/4" OD (13-19mm) Tubing - Bloodshed Red
1 x Mayhems 10ml Dropper Bottle : Biocide Extreme
1 x Mayhems Fine 99.999% Silver Kill Coil

Can you please advise of a good fan controller?
What cables I need to split from one port of the fan controller to 8 fans? This way I can control the 8 push pull fans on each radiator on a dedicated channel.

THANKS
Thanks again
 
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I run 1/2 ID 3/4 OD tubing and compression fittings, but there are a few other options out there.

There are pros and cons of using smaller and larger diameter tubing, but I don't really remember what all the arguments for them were, and with two pumps, you'll hardly run into any restriction, so tubing choice should be up to your personal preference.

I use straight distilled water with two silver kill coils and haven't had any problems over the years with that combination. Best heat dissipation will be with straight water, but you can add anti algae and anti corrosive additives if you want. Bare minimum, I would add silver kill coils.

Haven't kept up on which of the newer blocks are best, but here are a few resources to get you started on choosing good parts:

overclock.net - go to their water cooling forums section
xtremesystems.org - same as above
martinsliquidlab.org - reviews
skinneelabs.com - reviews

For your proposed loop with the 4960x and three R9 290x's I'd go with the Alphacool UT60's and higher speed fans than 1450RPMs. At that speed, you're not nearly dissipating enough heat for the heatload you're aiming for, which is approximately 1000-1200w depending on overclocking. The TDPs I've found show that the CPU should be anywhere between 150w-200w if overclocked and about 300w for the 290x's, so adjust according if you'll go with less GPU.

I calculated your ST30 and the 1450RPM Corsair's giving you about 600w of heat dissipation, so your water delta would be nearly 20C, While 20C water delta itself isn't horrible, if your ambient temp gets anywhere near 30C, running your water temp at 50C is a bad idea for longevity of the pump and tubing. Most pumps are rated to 60C and tubing can go to about 60C - 70C, but I'd be more comfortable leaving more headroom for the pump than 10C.
 
If you are going to run one CPU and two GPU watercooled, and I suspect overclocked, two 120x3 radiators will be plenty.

Example, I have a 4770K OV and OC plus two 290X OV and OC running in a loop with a single MCP 655 pump and three XSPC 120x2 radiators and the loop temp never goes above 45C. I use three 120x2 radiators due to the space constraints of the case I happen to use.

I use a pump top reservoir, for space reasons. I've never been a big fan of giant reservoirs, they seem to only take up space, unless you are going for some kind of look.

I recommend Heatkiller waterblocks. Built with very high quality, low fluid restriction, and nice looking.
 
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Don't know why you edited your post after I replied, I wouldn't have noticed normally. Best to just keep the thread going.

Anyway, the fittings and tubing need to match, you're not going to be able to use larger tubing on a smaller fitting. ID/OD need to match up when using compression fittings.

You'll need regular fan splitter cables, 3 pin splitters if the fans are 3 pin, 4 pin splitters for 4 pin.

Seems like you should start by reading a basic water cooling guide to get the basics down if you've got this many questions on setting up a loop and choosing components.

kill8r said:
Ok here is the kit I have identified so far:
1 x Switech MCP35Xc Dual Industrial Pump
2 x Alphacool NexXxos St30 480mm Quad Radiator: Full Copper
20 x Corsair SP120 Quiet Series Fans for £10 each (half the price Gentle Typhoons)
Koolance 380i CPU Block
14 x XSPC 1/4" Thread Compression Fitting for 3/8" ID - 1/2" OD Tubing : Black Chrome
20ft of Primochill PrimoFlex Advanced LRT 1/2" ID - 3/4" OD (13-19mm) Tubing - Bloodshed Red
1 x Mayhems 10ml Dropper Bottle : Biocide Extreme
1 x Mayhems Fine 99.999% Silver Kill Coil

Can you please advise of a good fan controller?
What cables I need to split from one port of the fan controller to 8 fans? This way I can control the 8 push pull fans on each radiator on a dedicated channel.

THANKS
Thanks again
Click to expand...
 
I think you are getting a bit overzealous for your first adventure in watercooling.

I have the same advice as ilai2ielli......

1) compression fitting ID/OD needs to match exactly the ID/OD of the tubing you are using.
Primochill LRT is great tubing, but you'll probably need far less than 20 feet.

2) tubing diameter is personal choice, I use 3/8 x 1/2 primarily because that's what I started with and I have a ton of BitsPower compression fittings now. Smaller dimension is a little cheaper.

3) I gave you my 2cents about the type and number of radiators in my other post. I'm a fan of the XSPC EX multiport radiators, they are quite thin and the port choices are nice. Those alphacool rads are expensive, the EX 120x 2 is under 60 dollars.

4) fan controllers are a dime a dozen. depends on what you want. I use one of these, merely because it has 8 controllers. http://www.frozencpu.com/products/1...minum_Rheobus_-_Black_FC-8.html?tl=g47c17s286

Keep in mind you will have to run a cable from the controller to the fan for each fan. Since I sleeve everything in my case, it was a lot of extra work, plus the included cables are very long and many times need to be shortened, if you can solder.:D
 
I did my first build recently doing a 900D.

I would definitely go with 2x480mm radiators. The 900D has perfect spacing for them and you don't want to go to small and wish you had gone big earlier. I have 4 290's watercooled and 2x480+1x240 is perfect for cooling them. There's quite a bit of heat coming out when they're mining. People recommended the Alphacool 480mm UT60, which is 60mm thick. I wouldn't get the ST30, I'd go for the UT60 or the monsta which is 80mm thick. The case can handle it, and the thicker ones have better cooling. Just order them from performancePCS or FrozenCPU with a coupon. XTREME gives 5.1% off at frozencpu.

I don't think your loop setup is going to work as it is. There is no room to go from the top radiator to a pump and then to your GPU's. What would be better is just to buy two pumps that are as a unit. I bought a XSPC kit that came with the dual D5/reservoir combo, and it greatly simplified tubing. The kit had a lot of stuff with it, and the dual D5/reservoir combo is usually $250 by itself. I'm sure there are cheaper dual D5/reservoir combos that you can get. The dual pumps actually lowers temperatures by quite a bit in my setup. I turned one pump off and the temps rose by a few degrees so I keep them both running full speed now.

Depending on the tubing you get and how prone it is to kinking, you may want to get one or two 45 degree fittings for going from your top radiator to your GPU block. It really makes it a lot easier. You also may want to get a 45 degree fitting for the bottom of your GPU block going to your bottom radiator. It makes the angle better and lessens kinking.

I would also highly recommend making a air bleed and water bleed line. I attached some spare tubing to an extra port on my top radiator, and I put on a stopped and clamp around the free end, and it let me bleed the air from my top radiator MUCH faster than without it. Otherwise it's very difficult to get air out of the top radiator when you're filling. I put another such line on a spare port of my bottom radiator which lets me drain the system easily.

Also, after your first purchase at frozencpu you can get a 10% one-time coupon if you write a review of them on resellerratings and link it to frozencpu. My advice is order something cheap right now from frozencpu, write your review, get your coupon, and then order every single watercooling item at once and use the 10% coupon. You can save a lot of money that way.



This thread shows my final parts list

http://hardforum.com/showthread.php?t=1799525&highlight=


Here are pictures of my completed rig.
http://postimg.org/image/6g0k348i1/
http://postimg.org/image/n6bxsg6x5/
http://postimg.org/image/yu5zmzw21/
 
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ilal2ielli said:
For your proposed loop with the 4960x and three R9 290x's I'd go with the Alphacool UT60's and higher speed fans than 1450RPMs. At that speed, you're not nearly dissipating enough heat for the heatload you're aiming for, which is approximately 1000-1200w depending on overclocking. The TDPs I've found show that the CPU should be anywhere between 150w-200w if overclocked and about 300w for the 290x's, so adjust according if you'll go with less GPU.

I calculated your ST30 and the 1450RPM Corsair's giving you about 600w of heat dissipation, so your water delta would be nearly 20C, While 20C water delta itself isn't horrible, if your ambient temp gets anywhere near 30C, running your water temp at 50C is a bad idea for longevity of the pump and tubing. Most pumps are rated to 60C and tubing can go to about 60C - 70C, but I'd be more comfortable leaving more headroom for the pump than 10C.
Click to expand...


allen5055 said:
I did my first build recently doing a 900D.

I would definitely go with 2x480mm radiators. The 900D has perfect spacing for them and you don't want to go to small and wish you had gone big earlier... I wouldn't get the ST30, I'd go for the UT60 or the monsta which is 80mm thick. The case can handle it, and the thicker ones have better cooling. Just order them from performancePCS or FrozenCPU with a coupon. XTREME gives 5.1% off at frozencpu.

Depending on the tubing you get and how prone it is to kinking, you may want to get one or two 45 degree fittings for going from your top radiator to your GPU block. It really makes it a lot easier. You also may want to get a 45 degree fitting for the bottom of your GPU block going to your bottom radiator. It makes the angle better and lessens kinking.

I would also highly recommend making a air bleed and water bleed line. I attached some spare tubing to an extra port on my top radiator, and I put on a stopped and clamp around the free end, and it let me bleed the air from my top radiator MUCH faster than without it. Otherwise it's very difficult to get air out of the top radiator when you're filling. I put another such line on a spare port of my bottom radiator which lets me drain the system easily.

Also, after your first purchase at frozencpu you can get a 10% one-time coupon if you write a review of them on resellerratings and link it to frozencpu. My advice is order something cheap right now from frozencpu, write your review, get your coupon, and then order every single watercooling item at once and use the 10% coupon. You can save a lot of money that way.
Click to expand...

I already ordered the Alphacool ST30s, but I am going to exchange/return them. The Monsta 420s, 480s or UT60 420s and 480s are available.
The price difference between the Monsta and UT60 is only £40 total for both radiators, so should I just go for the Monstas?
Does going with Alphacool Monstas eliminate the need of higher rpm fans?

Having a silent rig is the main reason I wanted to go for water cooling. I will cancel my order for the Corsair Quiet fans if they wont cut it.
Do I need fans in push pull or can I get away with just pull? Cleaning the radiators would be much easier in a pull configuration so this is my preference.

 If the Corsair Quiet at 1450rpm won't provide enough heat dissipation in a pull configuration,what is an acceptable rpm and what is a close to silent db guide for a more powerful fan?

I will buy 3 x 45 degree fittings.

Thanks on advising on how to get a good discount, but as I live in the UK shipping makes this prohibitive. I have to go with Amazon UK Prime as I get free shipping ;-)

I will 100% take your advice and make an air and water bleed. Do I just need 2 plugs and 2 clamps?

THANK YOU FOR BEING SO HELPFUL!!!
 
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Go for the Monstas. They'll fit for sure in the top, but not quite so sure on the bottom. The next best would be the Black Ice SR1s or Alphacool XT45s. The ST30s are just too thin.

With two thick low FPI 480 radiators, you'll likely only need fans in the 600-1200 RPM range. At that low speed, virtually all fans are identical.
 
I would get the Monstas. They'll definitely fit in the bottom and top. You're going to lose a 5.25" drive bay no matter what though.

You're going to need very small washers to mount the Alphacool radiators. The screws that come with the Alphacool have a very small screw head and go right through the Corsair 900D case mounts. I did my bottom radiator in push configuration and the top one in pull configuration because Alphacool only supplies screws that fit through fan+case to radiator. They don't supply short ones to let you mount the radiator directly to the case. It hardly makes a difference anyways.

For fans, I would get the Gentle Typhoon AP-14's. Best static pressure/noise ratio. If you get a fan controller you can get the AP-15's. I run the AP-15's with no fan controller and I don't mind the gentle hum. You won't need push/pull with the Gentle Typhoon fans. The Corsair SP120's are too weak. The most annoying fan on my rig is the PSU, which is a Lepa G1600. Nothing I can do about that. I'll buy a Corsair AX1500i when it comes out.

For the air bleed and water drain line just make sure you get stoppers that are the right inner diameter to match your tubing, and get clamps that are the same size as the outer diameter of your tubing to go around the outside.




What kind of pump/reservoir setup did you get? If you get a dual pump/reservoir combo like I did then you lose 2 drive bays. The 900D only has 4, and the radiator takes one.
 
allen5055 said:
I would get the Monstas. They'll definitely fit in the bottom and top. You're going to lose a 5.25" drive bay no matter what though.

For fans, I would get the Gentle Typhoon AP-14's. Best static pressure/noise ratio. If you get a fan controller you can get the AP-15's. I run the AP-15's with no fan controller and I don't mind the gentle hum. The Corsair SP120's are too weak. The most annoying fan on my rig is the PSU, which is a Lepa G1600. Nothing I can do about that. I'll buy a Corsair AX1500i when it comes out.

For the air bleed and water drain line just make sure you get stoppers that are the right inner diameter to match your tubing, and get clamps that are the same size as the outer diameter of your tubing to go around the outside.



What kind of pump/reservoir setup did you get? If you get a dual pump/reservoir combo like I did then you lose 2 drive bays. The 900D only has 4, and the radiator takes one.
Click to expand...

I went for the Phobya Balancer 450mm Black Nickel Reservoir and the Swiftech MCP35X2 Dual Industrial Pump 12 V black. I am going with 2 SSDs

The most common Gentle Typhoon AP-14 I have come across is 1450rpm which is the same as the Corsair fans, They do also make a 1850rpm and a 3000rpm Gentle Typhoon. Can you please confirm which you meant?

http://www.overclock.co.uk/product/Scythe-Gentle-Typhoon-12cm-1850RPM-Case-Fan_25732.html
 
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kill8r said:
I went for the Phobya Balancer 450mm Black Nickel Reservoir and the Swiftech MCP35X2 Dual Industrial Pump 12 V black. I am going with 2 SSDs

The most common Gentle Typhoon AP-14 I have come across is 1450rpm which is the same as the Corsair fans, They do also make a 1850rpm and a 3000rpm Gentle Typhoon. Can you please confirm which you meant?

http://www.overclock.co.uk/product/Scythe-Gentle-Typhoon-12cm-1850RPM-Case-Fan_25732.html
Click to expand...

The AP-14 is the 1450rpm one. It gets about 80% of the air with 50% of the noise of the AP-15 (1850rpm). The AP-15 isn't bad either, I don't mind it's sound, it's kinda like a low woosh that sounds like a quiet table fan.
 
kill8r said:
I already ordered the Alphacool ST30s, but I am going to exchange/return them. The Monsta 420s, 480s or UT60 420s and 480s are available.
The price difference between the Monsta and UT60 is only £40 total for both radiators, so should I just go for the Monstas?
Does going with Alphacool Monstas eliminate the need of higher rpm fans?

Having a silent rig is the main reason I wanted to go for water cooling. I will cancel my order for the Corsair Quiet fans if they wont cut it.
Do I need fans in push pull or can I get away with just pull? Cleaning the radiators would be much easier in a pull configuration so this is my preference.

 If the Corsair Quiet at 1450rpm won't provide enough heat dissipation in a pull configuration,what is an acceptable rpm and what is a close to silent db guide for a more powerful fan?

I will buy 3 x 45 degree fittings.

Thanks on advising on how to get a good discount, but as I live in the UK shipping makes this prohibitive. I have to go with Amazon UK Prime as I get free shipping ;-)

I will 100% take your advice and make an air and water bleed. Do I just need 2 plugs and 2 clamps?

THANK YOU FOR BEING SO HELPFUL!!!
Click to expand...

If you go with a radiator as thick as the Monsta, you'll need fans that can actually move air through the radiator, or do push/pull if you go with slow speed fans.

My recommendation would be be GT AP15's with a fan controller, you can slow them down when not running things at full load to lower the noise level and crank it up if you need to. You might not even need to go full speed with the fans, but at least you'll have the option to.

If running very quiet is your goal and with a lot of parts that dump a lot of heat, you'll need to go overkill on the radiators. If you can stand some noise, you can go less on the radiators.
 
allen5055 said:
The AP-14 is the 1450rpm one. It gets about 80% of the air with 50% of the noise of the AP-15 (1850rpm). The AP-15 isn't bad either, I don't mind it's sound, it's kinda like a low woosh that sounds like a quiet table fan.
Click to expand...

I can't get the Gentle Typhoon anywhere in the UK... sucks

If it has the same RPMs as the Corsair quiet edition is there still a difference?
 
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kill8r said:
I can't get the Gentle Typhoon anywhere in the UK... sucks

If it has the same RPMs as the Corsair quiet edition is there still a difference?
Click to expand...

Design makes a difference. RPMs only tell you how fast the fan spins, not how much air is pushes through a radiator. Corsair lists the pressure that the fan puts out, but I don't know off the top of my head if its any better than the Gentle Typhoons.

Check the links I gave you before, someone out there must have tested the fan already against the Gentle Typhoon.

Worst case, you'll need to go up to the higher speed Corsair and use a fan controller to slow it down.
 
On another note.....your build is going to weigh a shit-ton.

Make sure you have a way to move it around when you are done.

I have a similar build in an 800D and I can't lift the case off the ground. I had to place my case on large felt pads which I slide onto an upside down carpet remnant to transport the computer to my workshop if it needs anything.

I would guess the thing weighs in excess of 75 pounds and is just too large to get a grip on.

Good luck with the watercooling.
 
The Corsair SP120 quiet-editions have very low static pressure. Maybe if you do push/pull on them. Otherwise I'd get the performance editions SP 120's and use a fan controller.
 
Like I said, you're fine running sub-1000 RPM fans. In the sub-1000 RPM range, the differences between the vast majority of fans, including the Gentle Typhoon, are miniscule.
 
I can't get the Gentle Typhoons anywhere in the UK and I have tried and tried.

I am returning the Corsair fans as the 23db is just too loud for me, I really need a close to silent fan. Any other good recommendations for fans in pull configuration?

Thanks everyone
 
Tsumi said:
Like I said, you're fine running sub-1000 RPM fans. In the sub-1000 RPM range, the differences between the vast majority of fans, including the Gentle Typhoon, are miniscule.
Click to expand...

So you think with 2 x 480 Monstas in a quad SLI setup I can get away with sub 1000rpm fans?

If so that is great news as I suppose most fans turned down that low will be very quiet.
 
Here are the options I have found fo available fans that show low DBs:

1) Noiseblocker ITR-B12-2:
Air Flow 51.4 CFM
Static Pressure
Noise 16.7 dBA
Speed 1300 RPM

2) BeQuiet Shadow Wings
Air Flow 50.5 CFM
Static Pressure 85 mm H2O
Noise 17.9 dBA
Speed 1500 RPM

3) Bitfenix 120 x 120 x 25mm Spectre PRO
Air Flow 56.22 CFM ±10%
Static Pressure 1.24 mmH2O
Noise 18.9 dBA
Speed 1200 RPM ±10%

4) Cougar Vortex PWM
http://www.cougar-world.com/products/fans/vortex_pwm.html

Any experiences with any of these fans? Any recommendations?
I think I am leaning towards the cougar vortex.
 
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Rated dBs don't really mean anything, as there is absolutely no standard for measurement and testing. The only reliable method of comparing dBs is bearing type and RPM. Just like rated CFM and static pressure doesn't mean much, companies have been known to exaggerate and lie about those specs.

I would recommend making sure you get something that doesn't use sleeve bearings. Other than that, use aesthetics to guide your decision making (which fans do you like the look of best).
 
Tsumi said:
Rated dBs don't really mean anything, as there is absolutely no standard for measurement and testing. The only reliable method of comparing dBs is bearing type and RPM. Just like rated CFM and static pressure doesn't mean much, companies have been known to exaggerate and lie about those specs.

I would recommend making sure you get something that doesn't use sleeve bearings. Other than that, use aesthetics to guide your decision making (which fans do you like the look of best).
Click to expand...

Do you think that if I keep the Corsairs and use a fan controller to turn down the voltage to a level that still keeps things coolI will be able to achieve close to silent performance?

Is there a fan that you can recommend?
 
Yes, you can definitely use a fan controller for that purpose. I do the same with my Gentle Typhoons.
 
magoo said:
On another note.....your build is going to weigh a shit-ton.

Make sure you have a way to move it around when you are done.

I have a similar build in an 800D and I can't lift the case off the ground. I had to place my case on large felt pads which I slide onto an upside down carpet remnant to transport the computer to my workshop if it needs anything.
Click to expand...

For my 800D build, I built a "skateboard" out of wood, with casters like this:

http://www.uline.com/Product/Detail...gclid=CM2J7a2T_bwCFa07MgodgSUAVQ&gclsrc=aw.ds
 
allen5055 said:
I would get the Monstas. They'll definitely fit in the bottom and top. You're going to lose a 5.25" drive bay no matter what though.

You're going to need very small washers to mount the Alphacool radiators. The screws that come with the Alphacool have a very small screw head and go right through the Corsair 900D case mounts. I did my bottom radiator in push configuration and the top one in pull configuration because Alphacool only supplies screws that fit through fan+case to radiator. They don't supply short ones to let you mount the radiator directly to the case. It hardly makes a difference anyways.
Click to expand...

Forgive my noobness please.

Can you please advise what sized washers I need so I can order them?

Can you also please advise what screws I need to order so I can mount radiator directly to the case for pull configuration on the bottom radiator?

Thank you for being so helpful!
 
kill8r said:
Forgive my noobness please.

Can you please advise what sized washers I need so I can order them?

Can you also please advise what screws I need to order so I can mount radiator directly to the case for pull configuration on the bottom radiator?

Thank you for being so helpful!
Click to expand...

Washers are cheap and readily available, I'd just wait until you get the case and see what you need.
A packet of #6 washers is less than a dollar.

You should go to the Monsta website and look for what screws are included in the kit.
Most radiators use US 6/32 bolts, either 1/2,1 or 1 1/4 inch length. For a direct mount 1/2 inch should suffice. You need to check carefully, if the screw contacts the radiator it will damage it and cause a leak.

What I typically do if I'm concerned, I place a nut at the top of the bolt so it's effective length is reduced, thus reducing the chance of damage.
 
magoo said:
Washers are cheap and readily available, I'd just wait until you get the case and see what you need.
A packet of #6 washers is less than a dollar.

You should go to the Monsta website and look for what screws are included in the kit.
Most radiators use US 6/32 bolts, either 1/2,1 or 1 1/4 inch length. For a direct mount 1/2 inch should suffice. You need to check carefully, if the screw contacts the radiator it will damage it and cause a leak.

What I typically do if I'm concerned, I place a nut at the top of the bolt so it's effective length is reduced, thus reducing the chance of damage.
Click to expand...

Yeah, I think I used the number 6 washers.

Also for fans, the quietest fans with high static pressure are the Noctua fans. Super expensive.
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16835608026
 
I would recommend you do the same thing I am. 2 480 radiators and your done. Pump into T with drain valve / bottom of the bottom radiator, thjen from bottom radiator with tube routed behind the MB up to the top radiator. You will want to pickup a few 90's, but the routing was very clean.

It comes out clean and simple and will cool just about anything. No need to get a 3rd or fourth radiator unless you need to in the future for some crazy reasonm, but you should be ok even with 4 290x's mining away. I would NOT recommend Monsta radiators for this case IMO, there just isn't enough space if you want to do quads. Instead go for the UT60. Technically you can fit a Monsta in the top but you will get about the same performance from XSPC RX or UT 60 because you will not be able to run push/pull or stronger 38mm fans that others have confirmed would be optimal. I suppose you could run loud 25mm thick fans and still gain a little performance over others if thats your thing. In fact you may likely get less performance with a monsta if you want to keep the PC quiet. On the bottom you will have clearance issues with the PSU, so if you get a monsta I would suggest getting a 360 instead of a 480 for the bottom AND running push/pull so basically it's just not worth it IMO. Actually the Monsta WILL fit on the bottom and you can run 2 of the fans in push pull, so it is an option if you really want to go that route, but to me it wasn't worth it. With most radiators like XSPC RX the included screws with the case will mount up 25mm thick fans perfectly, if you get the alphacool it will not mount as cleanly unfortunately, but you can make it work with some washers. The holes will just be a bit oversized. And the included bolts (with the radiator) may protrude a bit. I don't think it will cause any interference problems but I don't have an alpha-cool in that PC. I just finished mounting an alphacool radiator in another PC and it baffles my mind why they decided to go with this size screw. The radiator itself is great quality, better than XSPC in finish and a slight edge in performance at lower speeds although it will cool about the same as others in the end.

Alphacool does have some protection against using screws that are too long, but if you really tighten them down it will still leak. Still I think all manufacturers should have this bottoming out plate that protects the fins, although it is especially important for alphacool due to the strange screws they provide :).


The case is super heavy, I really with it had wheels like my old Stacker STC-01 had. I REALLY miss those wheels.

Heres a good review of current radiators. As you can see the thickness of the radiator when using lower speed fans does not make much difference.
http://martinsliquidlab.org/2012/04/14/360-radiator-shootout-summary/
Heres the UT60 review
http://martinsliquidlab.org/2012/04/12/alphacool-nexxxos-ut60-360-radiator/4/
 
Last edited:
Justintoxicated said:
I would recommend you do the same thing I am. 2 480 radiators and your done. Pump into T with drain valve / bottom of the bottom radiator, thjen from bottom radiator with tube routed behind the MB up to the top radiator. You will want to pickup a few 90's, but the routing was very clean.
Click to expand...

Thanks for the advice!

Any pics of your build?
 
Well some components have already arrived but here is the list of what I have purchased so far:
CPU Hardware
Case - Corsair 900D
Motherboard - Asus Rampage Iv Black Edition
Processor: - i7 4930k
RAM - Corsair Vengance 2400mhz 4x4gb
PSU - Seasonic X-1250
HD - Samsung 840 Series Pro 512GB
GPU - R9 290 x2 Crossfire
Audio - Logitech 2.1 Z623 System

Cooling
Fan Controller - Aerocool Touch 2100 http://www.aerocool.us/peripheral/touch2100.htm
Fans - Corsair Quiet Edition Fans (might be changed)
Radiators - 2 x Alphacool Monsta 480mm Radiator
CPU Block - Koolance CPU-380i
Reservoir - Phobya Balancer 450 Reservoir Black Nickel and Primochill Zen Coils
Pump - Swiftech MCP35X2 Dual Pump
Fittings:
12 x Bitspower Shiny Black Compression fitting - (3/4 inch OD - 1/2 inch inside diameter) with the nut in black nickel finish.
3 x Bitspower 45 degree Compression Fittings
3 x Bitspower Plugs
3 x 3/4OD Clamps
Tubing - Primochill Advanced LRT Red
Agent - 2 x Mayhems 99.999% kill coil
20 x M3 Washers

Other:
Phobya Molex Fan splitter
Black Cable Ties
Teckflex Cable Sleeves
Thermal Paste

If there is anything that you think I should add or change please let me know.

YOU HAVE ALL BEEN A GREAT HELP SO FAR!!! THANK YOU
 
Last edited:
kill8r said:
Well some components have already arrived but here is the list of what I have purchased so far:
CPU Hardware
Case - Corsair 900D
Motherboard - Asus Rampage Iv Black Edition
Processor: - i7 4930k
RAM - Corsair Vengance 2400mhz 4x4gb
PSU - Seasonic X-1250
HD - Samsung 840 Series Pro 512GB
GPU - R9 290 x2 Crossfire
Audio - Logitech 2.1 Z623 System

Cooling
Fan Controller - Aerocool Touch 2100 http://www.aerocool.us/peripheral/touch2100.htm
Fans - Corsair Quiet Edition Fans (might be changed)
Radiators - 2 x Alphacool Monsta 480mm Radiator
CPU Block - Koolance CPU-380i
Reservoir - Phobya Balancer 450 Reservoir Black Nickel and Primochill Zen Coils
Pump - Swiftech MCP35X2 Dual Pump
Fittings:
12 x Bitspower Shiny Black Compression fitting - (3/4 inch OD - 1/2 inch inside diameter) with the nut in black nickel finish.
3 x Bitspower 45 degree Compression Fittings
3 x Bitspower Plugs
3 x 3/4OD Clamps
Tubing - Primochill Advanced LRT Red
Agent - 2 x Mayhems 99.999% kill coil
20 x M3 Washers

Other:
Phobya Molex Fan splitter
Black Cable Ties
Teckflex Cable Sleeves
Thermal Paste

If there is anything that you think I should add or change please let me know.

YOU HAVE ALL BEEN A GREAT HELP SO FAR!!! THANK YOU
Click to expand...

Why only 20 washers? You need 16 per radiator, 32 total...
 
Erasmus354 said:
Why only 20 washers? You need 16 per radiator, 32 total...
Click to expand...

You the man!

Another order of 20 washers inbound.

If anyone in the UK is reading this thread, NEVER buy form wcuk (http://www.watercoolinguk.co.uk/) they are the worst online business I have ever dealt with! I highly recommend specialtech (http://specialtech.co.uk/). They have great customer service, a phone number that they actually answer and they have expedited shipping options
 
Last edited:
Justintoxicated said:
I would recommend you do the same thing I am. 2 480 radiators and your done. Pump into T with drain valve / bottom of the bottom radiator, thjen from bottom radiator with tube routed behind the MB up to the top radiator. You will want to pickup a few 90's, but the routing was very clean.
Click to expand...


Ok so I went with dual Monsta 480s hoping to cool them in pull configuration. I will possibly add push pull if the fans are not strong enough and there is enough room or maybe even upgrade the fans.

I am now planning the plumbing and could use some guidance please. At the moment I have ordered:
10 x Straight compression fittings 1/2 ID 3/4OD
3 x 45 degree fittings
3 x plugs
3 x clamps
100 x washers

So if I am understanding you right and please correct me if am wrong, this is the best route:
Reservoir > Pump > T Fitting At Bottom of Bottom Radiator > 2 way Ball Valve (Drain) at the Bottom of the T> Bottom Radiator > Top Radiator (via the back of motherboard) > CPU > GPU > Reservoir

Won't performance be reduced due to the fact that there are no radiators at all between the CPU and GPUs? I would think the water would be getting quite hot by the time it got to the 4th GPU, but maybe not.

Are there any other fittings that you think I may need?

Will the T and valve (drain) fit if I have a 480 monsta on the bottom and fans in pull configuration?

Please confirm which type of T joint I need. Is it:
1) http://www.aquatuning.co.uk/product...-thread-1x-outside-thread---black-nickel.html
or
2) http://www.aquatuning.co.uk/product...w-on---2x-outside-thread-1x-inner-thread.html
or
3) http://www.aquatuning.co.uk/product...-G1-4---compact---knurled---black-nickel.html

Is this ok for the valve: http://www.aquatuning.co.uk/product...ugelhahn-G1-4---ger-ndelt---Black-Nickel.html

Thank you so much for sharing your experience and knowledge and I hope my very noobish questions are not to annoying for you.
 
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Personally, I don't think you need a T-fitting at all. The Alphacool radiators have 6 slots for compression fittings. You need 2 to run your lines, which leaves 4 extra. I attached an extra piece of hose to my top radiator and bottom radiator and just put on a stop plug and those work great for air bleed lines and drain lines.

Second of all, if you're running your watercooling line behind your motherboard it's going to be a really tight turn for the tube when it gets to the top and has to go into the radiator. It may be too tight and it may kink. Also, if you do that, you're definitely going to need a 90 degree fitting so that it goes into the side of the upper radiator.



By the way, did you ever get a bridge for your gpu waterblocks? What type of wateblocks did you get?
 
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