Looking for a good Water Cooling Solution for Graphics

1strail

New member
Member
Local time
5:34 AM
Messages
41
Location
Atlanta, Georgia
Because of my impulse buying habits and assisted by a one, Robert Mondavi, I have managed to buy a mother board for my i7-2600k CPU whose engineering department should be callocative taken out back and flogged. I am talking about the Gigbyte 67A-UD7. Don't get me wrong, this board has many redeeming qualities, but expansion board placement isn't one of them.
Long story short, I cannot position my 2 XFX-5870 (in X-fire) in any of the PCIe slots (16 or 8) that does not cause a high heat environment with the addition of a PCIeX1 sound card, The best configuration I can find, still has the sound card covering have of the fan on the primary graphics board.
The board isn't bad, but they left no concievable way of doing this so I am now in the market for GPU water cooling kit. Really don't ned the CPU to particippate in the new cooling setup beause it working perfectly fine OC'd to 4.2 with a corsair H-50 in push/pull config.
I am really looking for those of you out there who amy have done this already. My case is Silerstone TJ-10 and can support a 240mm radiator mounted nicely below the 2-120mm top case fans.
I would love to hear suggestions on VGA (GPU) coolers that will allow me to have 2 double slot graphics cards right next to each other with no problems. A kit preferably. Cost is important but not the big determining factor.

Any help would be greatly appreciated
 

My Computer My Computer

At a glance

Windows 7 Home Premium x64AMD Phenom II X6 1090T Black Edition8 GbXFX Radeon 5870
Computer Manufacturer/Model Number
Myself
OS
Windows 7 Home Premium x64
CPU
AMD Phenom II X6 1090T Black Edition
Motherboard
Asus Crosshair IV
Memory
8 Gb
Graphics Card(s)
XFX Radeon 5870
Sound Card
MB Sound w/Sound Blaster Xfi Platinum Drivers and Console
Monitor(s) Displays
HP w2207
Screen Resolution
1680 x 1050
Hard Drives
2 WD 600 Mg SATA 6G Raptors - No Raid
PSU
Corsair - Pro 850W
Case
Cooler Master HAF X
Cooling
Cooler Master H50 - Push/Pull
Keyboard
Thin Backlit Logitech
Mouse
Logitech G9x Laser - Wired
Internet Speed
12mb
your in the states theres these. http://www.koolance.com/water-cooling/product_info.php?product_id=1022

Getting a little hard to find now seeing the card is superseded....however you need to be careful buying waterblocks for cards, particularly full cover cards like the one above...that WB I have linked will fit a non reference design ATI card where most do not. Nearly all aftermarket full cover cards are made for use on refence design cards so CHECK it out with your retailer.
You will need to get a bridge to join the cards (Waterblocks) and quality compression fittings preferably (barbs will do tho)

Koolance have a good rep regarding quality and blocks that work well as do

DangerDen...AquagraFX (german) and EK.

cheers
 

My Computer My Computer

At a glance

Windows 7 Professional 64 bit930 i7 quad O/C 4ghzG Skill 3x2gb O/C to 1603mhz 1T timingEVGA 570
Computer Manufacturer/Model Number
home built
OS
Windows 7 Professional 64 bit
CPU
930 i7 quad O/C 4ghz
Motherboard
Asus P6X58D premium
Memory
G Skill 3x2gb O/C to 1603mhz 1T timing
Graphics Card(s)
EVGA 570
Sound Card
creative titanium
Monitor(s) Displays
samsung s23a950d..120hz 3D
Screen Resolution
1920x1080
Hard Drives
Western Digital 3X150 Velocoraptors in Raid 5
PSU
Antec Quattro 1000 watt
Case
Xigmatek Elysium
Cooling
Custom Loop..Kryos block.360rad..BP comp fittings etc
Keyboard
Razor arcosa
Mouse
Razer Diamondback
Internet Speed
Wireless so w/e I get at the time
Thank you Simmo for the info. I did notice your point about the blocks for reference designs as I was poking around on the various retail sites. That is partly why I went to the board, also to save time. Very good info and thanks again!
 

My Computer My Computer

At a glance

Windows 7 Home Premium x64AMD Phenom II X6 1090T Black Edition8 GbXFX Radeon 5870
Computer Manufacturer/Model Number
Myself
OS
Windows 7 Home Premium x64
CPU
AMD Phenom II X6 1090T Black Edition
Motherboard
Asus Crosshair IV
Memory
8 Gb
Graphics Card(s)
XFX Radeon 5870
Sound Card
MB Sound w/Sound Blaster Xfi Platinum Drivers and Console
Monitor(s) Displays
HP w2207
Screen Resolution
1680 x 1050
Hard Drives
2 WD 600 Mg SATA 6G Raptors - No Raid
PSU
Corsair - Pro 850W
Case
Cooler Master HAF X
Cooling
Cooler Master H50 - Push/Pull
Keyboard
Thin Backlit Logitech
Mouse
Logitech G9x Laser - Wired
Internet Speed
12mb

My Computer My Computer

At a glance

Main - Windows 7 Pro SP1 64-Bit; 2nd - Window...Main - Core i7 2600K; 2nd - Core i7 920Main - 16GB Corsair Vengeance; 2nd - 12GB Cor...Main - XFX Radeon 6870 1GB; 2nd - XFX Radeon ...
Computer Manufacturer/Model Number
Self
OS
Main - Windows 7 Pro SP1 64-Bit; 2nd - Windows Server 2008 R2
CPU
Main - Core i7 2600K; 2nd - Core i7 920
Motherboard
Main - Asus P8Z68-V Pro/Gen3; 2nd - Gigabyte GA-EX58-UDR3
Memory
Main - 16GB Corsair Vengeance; 2nd - 12GB Corsair Vengeance
Graphics Card(s)
Main - XFX Radeon 6870 1GB; 2nd - XFX Radeon 4870 1GB
Sound Card
Both: Onboard Realtek Azalia
Monitor(s) Displays
Main - Hann 25" + I-INC 25" + Acer 23"; 2nd - Upgrading Soon
Screen Resolution
Main - 1920x1080 (All Three Monitors); 2nd - Upgrading Soon
Hard Drives
Main - (1) Crucial M4 128GB (Boot)
Main - (1) Seagate 2TB 64MB Cache (Data)
Main - (1) Seagate 2TB 64MB Cache (Data Backup)
2nd - (1) Intel X25-M SSD 80GB (Boot)
2nd - (3) Seagate 1TB 32MB Cache (Data Backup)
2nd - (1) Seagate 320GB (Because)
PSU
Main - OCZ 600W Modular; 2nd - OCZ 600W
Case
Main - Thermaltake Element G; 2nd - NZXT something or other
Cooling
Main - Corsair H80; 2nd - Prolimatech Megahalems
Keyboard
Main - Razer Reclusa; 2nd - Old MS Keyboard
Mouse
Main - Logitech MX Revolution; 2nd - Old MS Mouse
Internet Speed
20Mbps Time-Warner Cable
This one got good reviews and will do the whole shebang:

Micro Center - Larkooler Universal High Performance Complete CPU Liquid Cooling Kit (BA2-241) EX-WAT-155

Also available online, if you're not near a MicroCenter. :)

The main thing is to check your hardware carefully before buying. Most video cards are standard and easy to find waterblocks for. The CPU is (usually) almost as easy, depending on the motherboard. The North Bridge is where it can get a little tricky.


Wouldn't touch that with a bargepole..

And fyi most cards released after the initial run of reference cards are not standard..soon as a manufacturer has added there own cooling solutions the cards have in most cases had the layouts altered and full cover W/B will no longer fit.

If you use a W/B made by e.g Danger Den then it's a matter of putting individual passive cooled blocks on the memory. Full cover blocks cool the memory actively and therefore work/cool much better than just a GPU block/passive cooled mem.

The factory made cooling solutions like your link and the Corsair H series and Antec Kuhler etc are second rate at best and serve as in introduction for ppl not used to watercooling. I have a H70 fitted atm to my CPU,it's been modded and quite frankly works no better than the TRUE 120 Extreme air cooler it replaced. I plan on replacing it with a Koolance block.
Secondly the pumps on the prebuilt ones are crap..they work sorta but dedicated pumps work much better. Same story with radiators...

cheers
 

My Computer My Computer

At a glance

Windows 7 Professional 64 bit930 i7 quad O/C 4ghzG Skill 3x2gb O/C to 1603mhz 1T timingEVGA 570
Computer Manufacturer/Model Number
home built
OS
Windows 7 Professional 64 bit
CPU
930 i7 quad O/C 4ghz
Motherboard
Asus P6X58D premium
Memory
G Skill 3x2gb O/C to 1603mhz 1T timing
Graphics Card(s)
EVGA 570
Sound Card
creative titanium
Monitor(s) Displays
samsung s23a950d..120hz 3D
Screen Resolution
1920x1080
Hard Drives
Western Digital 3X150 Velocoraptors in Raid 5
PSU
Antec Quattro 1000 watt
Case
Xigmatek Elysium
Cooling
Custom Loop..Kryos block.360rad..BP comp fittings etc
Keyboard
Razor arcosa
Mouse
Razer Diamondback
Internet Speed
Wireless so w/e I get at the time
If you want high quality and high guarantee, also high performance

EK

:)
 

My Computer My Computer

At a glance

Windows 7 Ultimate Service Pack 1 64bit 6.1.7601AMD Athlon™ II X2 240G.Skill Ripjaws DDR3-1600 CL9 (2x2GB)Sapphire Radeon HD 5770 1GB Reference
Computer Manufacturer/Model Number
◄║sesamology║►
OS
Windows 7 Ultimate Service Pack 1 64bit 6.1.7601
CPU
AMD Athlon™ II X2 240
Motherboard
Biostar TA870U3+
Memory
G.Skill Ripjaws DDR3-1600 CL9 (2x2GB)
Graphics Card(s)
Sapphire Radeon HD 5770 1GB Reference
Sound Card
Stock (OnBoard)
Monitor(s) Displays
LG Flatron L177WSB
Screen Resolution
1440 x 900 @ 60Hz, 5ms
Hard Drives
Seagate Barracuda 7200.10 160GB x2 (RaiD 0), LG DVD-R/RW
PSU
Corsair CX 600
Case
Infinity K50 Modded
Cooling
Cooler Master V6 GT
Keyboard
A4tech X7 G800MU
Mouse
A4tech X7 XL-747H
Internet Speed
is not to be proud of
Other Info
║ 2x Enermax TB. Silence Red ║ 4x Cooler Master 90 CFM Red ║ 1x Enermax TB. Apollish 14cm Red ║ Project RoLevel Q5 ║ SPC S-400 2.1 ║ Huawei E170 ║
If you want high quality and high guarantee, also high performance

EK

:)

EK are having issues with the nickel plating on the blocks coming off atm...OCAU guys are trying to figure out what is causing it...

EK say its the coolant but general consensus is it's shit plating.

Having said that EK have been in biz for a long time and their gear is used widely..I'd just be steering clear of the nickel coated blocks atm...they make straight copper ones also :)
 

My Computer My Computer

At a glance

Windows 7 Professional 64 bit930 i7 quad O/C 4ghzG Skill 3x2gb O/C to 1603mhz 1T timingEVGA 570
Computer Manufacturer/Model Number
home built
OS
Windows 7 Professional 64 bit
CPU
930 i7 quad O/C 4ghz
Motherboard
Asus P6X58D premium
Memory
G Skill 3x2gb O/C to 1603mhz 1T timing
Graphics Card(s)
EVGA 570
Sound Card
creative titanium
Monitor(s) Displays
samsung s23a950d..120hz 3D
Screen Resolution
1920x1080
Hard Drives
Western Digital 3X150 Velocoraptors in Raid 5
PSU
Antec Quattro 1000 watt
Case
Xigmatek Elysium
Cooling
Custom Loop..Kryos block.360rad..BP comp fittings etc
Keyboard
Razor arcosa
Mouse
Razer Diamondback
Internet Speed
Wireless so w/e I get at the time
Koolance nickel plates their blocks, but the inside is pure copper I believe (the nickel is more for looks on the outside)

~Lordbob
 

My Computer My Computer

At a glance

Windows 7 Ultimate x64, Mint 9Intel i5-2500k2x 4Gb Corsair VENGEANCE DDR3-1600NVidia GeForce N260GTX Twin Frozr
Computer Manufacturer/Model Number
Hera
OS
Windows 7 Ultimate x64, Mint 9
CPU
Intel i5-2500k
Motherboard
ASUS P8P67 Pro
Memory
2x 4Gb Corsair VENGEANCE DDR3-1600
Graphics Card(s)
NVidia GeForce N260GTX Twin Frozr
Sound Card
Realtek HD OnBoard Audio
Monitor(s) Displays
ASUS 24" Monitor
Screen Resolution
1920x1080
Hard Drives
G.SKILL Phoenix Series 60GB SATA II MLC Internal Solid State Drive (SSD)
SAMSUNG Spinpoint F3R 1TB 7200 RPM 32MB Cache SATA II
PSU
Cooler Master Real Power Pro 750W
Case
Cooler Master Haf 932
Cooling
Fans
Keyboard
Razer Tarantula
Mouse
Razer Lachesis
Internet Speed
not fast enough
Back
Top