What water chiller setups have you used (or considered)? Pros & Cons?

[foibles 0]

I'm considering adding a water chiller to help with overclocking the rig I have now as well as whatever components I might pick up over the next 2 - 3 years. Reading through the threads this weekend, I noticed that several posters have mentioned that they are using water chillers or have tried them. I'd really like to hear specifically what systems you have tried and any tips you could give concerning them.

 

I'm leaning toward going with a Hailea chiller, along the lines as described in this article

http://www.bit-tech....hiller-review/4

 

 

(If it matters: Currently I have an i7-2600K at 4.0GHz & 1.30V, and I'd like to try to move up to 5.0GHz territory. It's always hot where I live, with temps at home typically running 27 degrees C (80F), plus I've got a GTX 590 that blows hot air into the case, so the CoolIT Eco ALC that's supposed to be protecting the CPU can't keep up with all the heat that is generated during stress testing. At my current settings, while running FSX, max core temps run around 65C; but during stress testing with IntelBurnTest, max core temps get up around 85C.

 

I'm not necessarily planning to put a block on the GPU itself, at least not at the beginning; with its very active internal fans, its own temps hardly nudge from their idle temps around 40C while running FSX, and the prospect of trying to put a block onto that huge brick of a component without damaging it is not something I am too eager to attempt at the moment. I also realize I could alternatively try to optimize airflow with more and large case fans and maybe a trial of something like the Noctua NH-D14, but I'd rather avoid the additional noise from the fans and I get the sense that that route would never achieve as much of a reduction in CPU temps as water cooling with a chiller potentially can.)

[BAW 23]

Ehh,

 

I have the Corsair H60 and it keeps my CPU down at 40. 45 is the max I have ever had. I don't overclock though.

 

BUT to keep things so cool it can make a bit of noise.

Liquid cooling all the way though- it will keep a processor nice and cool

 

Hope that helps

 

Alex

[foibles 0]

Thanks for replying, Alex. But I'm not just interested in water cooling per se. I'm specifically interested in cooling using a water chiller in the loop as opposed to a radiator. The Corsair H60 would be more or less on par with, just a little more effective than, the weakish closed-loop water cooler I'm already running. I'd like to take it to the next level (without spending a fortune).

[Paul J 349]

I'd really like to hear specifically what systems you have tried and any tips you could give concerning them.

 

Currently I have an i7-2600K at 4.0GHz & 1.30V, and I'd like to try to move up to 5.0GHz territory. It's always hot where I live, with temps at home typically running 27 degrees C (80F), plus I've got a GTX 590 that blows hot air into the case, so the CoolIT Eco ALC that's supposed to be protecting the CPU can't keep up with all the heat that is generated during stress testing. At my current settings, while running FSX, max core temps run around 65C; but during stress testing with IntelBurnTest, max core temps get up around 85C.

___________________________

 

I had the same issue, but with the 920, Vic - fsx was OK, but when IBT-tested the temps went up to 85+C - and I was also using the CoolIt Vantage ALC - which IMO - is nothing but junk) I gave it away, and then purchased this, below. I have not looked back: Quiet, maintenace (and leak) free.. and coooool. She sits at 30 - 32 most of the time, hitting 48 - 54 with FSX and perhaps 55-64 on IBT.

 

Products

 

1 x Slim Triple 120mm Radiator XSPC RS360 (RS360).............$54.99

 

6 x Feser Tube UV Hose 1/2"ID-3/4"OD).........................$8.94

 

1 x FrozenQ FlexTank MP Reservoir - Black Acetal (QFTR-A).... $34.99

 

1 x Swiftech MCP 655-01 Pump w/ Speed Controller CP655-D501)..$77.99

 

1 x EK-Supreme HF Performance- Full Nickel Water Block........$89.99

 

6 x 1/2" ID Tubing - Barb - Matt Black (BP-MBWP-C01)..........$19.74

 

Sub-Total: $286.64.

 

Purchased Aug 11, 2011, and not touched since. Very very happy!

 

All the Best,

[liamp51 541]

I just got a new rig and have an Antec Kuhler H20 920 cooling my Ivy Bridge i7 3770K OC'd to 4.6Ghz. I never get CPU temps above 50-55 with everything maxed out with addon scenery, traffic and weather at KATL, and I'm getting about 45FPS all the time. Here are my specs:

 

Intel Ivy Bridge i7 3770K @4.6Ghz

 

Nvidia GTX 670 2GB

 

16GB G. Skill Sniper RAM @1866Mhz

 

ASUS Sabertooth Z77 MOBO

 

Antec Kuhler H20 920 CPU Cooler

 

Thermaltake Chaser MKI case

[foibles 0]

Ehh,

 

I have the Corsair H60 and it keeps my CPU down at 40. 45 is the max I have ever had. I don't overclock though.

 

BUT to keep things so cool it can make a bit of noise.

Liquid cooling all the way though- it will keep a processor nice and cool

 

Hope that helps

 

Alex

 

Just to follow up on my previous reply, here are a few studies that compared what I have now (CoolIT Eco ALC) with models fairly similar to the Corsair H50. In each study, the improvement in temperatures gained with the CoolIT versus the Corsair was small.

http://benchmarkrevi...=1&limitstart=4

http://benchmarkrevi...=1&limitstart=3

http://www.overclock...eco-alc-review/

 

The one thing that the Benchmarkreviews studies suggested, though, was that it might be possible to further lower the temperature improvement by 7 to 14 degrees C by switching the fan that is included with the CoolIT Eco ALC to a higher-powered (and louder) alternative fan, like a Yate Loon or Panaflo.

 

The Overclockers' reviewer also found an improvement by switching out the stock fan, but by a much lesser degree, no more than 3C. There could be several explanations for the difference between the studies -- notably, apart from their having used different CPUs, the Overclockers reviewer ran the tests with the computer case open and with the cooler fan mounted completely outside the case, while it seems that the Benchmarkreviews reviewer used a closed-case setup that would be more typical of how a user would normally operate the computer.

 

In the end, though, I want to gain more than just 7 - 14C improvement. So I don't think this path would help me enough.

 

___________________________

 

I had the same issue, but with the 920, Vic - fsx was OK, but when IBT-tested the temps went up to 85+C - and I was also using the CoolIt Vantage ALC - which IMO - is nothing but junk) I gave it away, and then purchased this, below. I have not looked back: Quiet, maintenace (and leak) free.. and coooool. She sits at 30 - 32 most of the time, hitting 48 - 54 with FSX and perhaps 55-64 on IBT.

 

Products

 

1 x Slim Triple 120mm Radiator XSPC RS360 (RS360).............$54.99

 

6 x Feser Tube UV Hose 1/2"ID-3/4"OD).........................$8.94

 

1 x FrozenQ FlexTank MP Reservoir - Black Acetal (QFTR-A).... $34.99

 

1 x Swiftech MCP 655-01 Pump w/ Speed Controller CP655-D501)..$77.99

 

1 x EK-Supreme HF Performance- Full Nickel Water Block........$89.99

 

6 x 1/2" ID Tubing - Barb - Matt Black (BP-MBWP-C01)..........$19.74

 

Sub-Total: $286.64.

 

Purchased Aug 11, 2011, and not touched since. Very very happy!

 

All the Best,

I just got a new rig and have an Antec Kuhler H20 920 cooling my Ivy Bridge i7 3770K OC'd to 4.6Ghz. I never get CPU temps above 50-55 with everything maxed out with addon scenery, traffic and weather at KATL, and I'm getting about 45FPS all the time. Here are my specs:

 

Intel Ivy Bridge i7 3770K @4.6Ghz

 

Nvidia GTX 670 2GB

 

16GB G. Skill Sniper RAM @1866Mhz

 

ASUS Sabertooth Z77 MOBO

 

Antec Kuhler H20 920 CPU Cooler

 

Thermaltake Chaser MKI case

 

JP and Liamp51, if I am reading your posts right, it sounds like neither of you has used a water chiller though. A water chiller is a separate component that can actually lower the temperature of the pumped fluid to a degree below the ambient room temperature (in theory). The typical water cooler setup that does not include a chiller can't lower the temperature any lower than the ambient temperature, so it can't go as low as a loop that includes a chiller. The Hailea-type chiller, which is made for aquariums, would also substantially increase the cost of the setup since it would be by far the most expensive component of a (simple) loop, running $300 - 600 by itself.

[Bob Scott 7,764]

Use great caution, because the single biggest risk with a below-ambient cooling solution is condensation, which can quickly ruin energized components.

 

Honestly, though, 65C while running FSX is pretty reasonable. The intel burn-in test is not representative of any app you're likely to run, so not sure I'd engineer to that. But a good water cooling loop like PJ describes above will probably give you a 10C drop, if that's important.

 

With high ambient temps and too much hot air in the case, I'd be more worried about how hot the voltage regulator MOSFETs on the mobo are getting.

 

Regards

[Sara Louise Capon 21]

Or you could go the whole hog and do this

[KingGhidorah 209]

Is this case made out of wood, or am I looking at this picture incorrectly?

[Sara Louise Capon 21]

It is wood, Painted white (Not quite finished the outside), And just a varnished top.

Still got the fan guards to put on aswell.

[KingGhidorah 209]

You don't see something like that every day, for sure. Talented person you must be to make that. I would most certainly end up electrocuting myself on that thing.

[Paul J 349]

Aaahh... I understand the concept, Sarah. If the cpu overheats, a fire starts, the wood burns, the water pipes melt and the water puts out the fire... very interesting... v-e-r-y interesting... Hmmmm.. I like this... B)

[KingGhidorah 209]

I think it is really cool, but in a very strange, umm...steampunk way. It almost seems like there ought to be cogs and gears inside there instead of expensive electronic components. B) I would be a liar if I said this wasn't one of the stranger things I've seen this week, but then again, I don't know much about elaborate cooling solutions, with a bunch of pumps and all, so maybe this kind of thing is more common than I think. I'm water cooled too, if you could call it that, but I just took the easy route with a corsair h-50, because all those hoses confuse me. Nice work.

[Sara Louise Capon 21]

It's basically a big wind box, with 8 slow speed fans, 4 in, 4 out, so practically silent.

it uses a 24" x 24" radiator, or a car radiator would do with the right fittings,

2 pumps, 1 for supplying the components (In Parallel through a manifold on the pump discharge)

1 for feeding the water on a separate cooling loop through the radiator.

The whole system takes about 9 litres (2 gallons) with a lid on the header tank (Acrylic Fish Tank) to prevent evaporation.

The rest is all standard blocks, CPU, GPU, MB, & Memory.

The MB sits on a PC Acrylic Test Platform, with the PSU Drives securely hidden Underneath.

Everything sits 1.5" off the bottom, so even with a leak, the PSU will be above water so to speak.

Also a drain at the very bottom of the casing so you can drain the system without having to fiddle around inside.

[Sara Louise Capon 21]

Regarding the original post,

The down sides would be noise and power consumption,

if you integrate it with a radiator system then you can get a smaller chiller if really needed.

The larger the radiator, the more the cooling, the less the noise.

 

Running an I7 990X, hyper threading on, during burn tests with 12(HT) cores running, then it only hits 65 in Summer Time.

 

The radiator is very cool, so slight over kill there, but as this system is for FSX only, it is large enough to add another pump and computer into the cooling system for home cockpit setup & external programs.