Swiftech H2O setup - is it workable...?

[Agrippa]

First-time poster - please be gentle...

I've decided to forego upgrading my system config in the forseeable future (can't really see the point anymore..), but to stave off boredom I'm seriously considering moving to watercooling. My Lian Li PC71 is a little pressed for space though, so I'm thinking of going for Swiftech's H2O-8500 kit with GPU cooling included, since it doesn't use a reservoir and the pump+fill&bleed system will fit in a drive bay. However, all the tests I've read suggests that with the single B.I. Micro radiator, the set does not provide terribly efficient cooling - as in good, but no better than a good aircooler. Since I'm currently using an Alpha 8942 with a 120mm fan, which cools extremely well and is barely audible, I'm kind of thinking that the H2O-8500 might just be a step sideways rather than forwards and upwards as far as cooling and noise is concerned.

Then again, I got the idea that I might use 2 or 3 B.I. Micros to improve the kit's cooling performance. Swiftech says that this can be done easily (which is rather obvious...), but does not provide any more info than that, so I thought I'd turn to the gurus in this forum for help. What concerns me, after reading some of the ProCooling articles, is the impact of, say, 3 BIMs on the flowrate of the kit. The cooling sequence I've considered for my particular case is; Pump - CPU - BIM - GPU - 2xBIM - Pump.

Would this be OK, or would it restrict the flow so much that I need to look for a different solution? If so, does anyone have any bright suggestions for watercooling in a case where there is no room for a pump/reservoir in the bottom and where the owner does not want to mod the case AT ALL (except possibly a switch or power socket, as required by the Swiftech kit)?

Basically, the space available to me is as follows:

19x12cm space below PSU
2 empty 5.25 drive bays

Pic of case included for reference. The striped areas are off-limits, due to cabling, HDs, optical drives or PCI cards.

Any and all information, thoughts, suggestions would be very, very welcome.

Agrippa

[The Spyder]

Here~ i would get a heatercore from a 86' chevey chevette and use it~

Heres how ive seen it done~

1. Pump

2. Fan/RAD

3. CPU

4. NB (northbridge if wanted)

5. GPU (videocard if wanted)

Plenty of space~ but you are REALY restricting yourself by NOT using the shadded area, anything is possible~

[Random Nonsense]

Ditto, heatercores are way more effective and much cheaper to boot.

[Agrippa]

Sure, I know heatercores are cheaper, more effective and all that, but like I wrote I'm not interested in modding the case, beyond mounting a switch or two. Hence the Swiftech solution.

If I wanted a kickass cooling setup and didn't mind mutilating the case, there wouldn't be a problem in the first place, but as it is the space and modding restrictions do apply.

So unless somebody's got a similarly space-saving alternative, what I really, REALLY, REALLY need to know is how 3 Black Ice Micros will impact on the system's flowrate and performance??? Suggestions as to the best sequence in which to connect everything together would come in handy too.

Anyone???

Agrippa

[Random Nonsense]

Um, if you mount 3 rads wont you still be cutting the case? :S

[Allan]

Hey Agrippa, don't I know you from somewhere? Welcome to AOA Forums. I hope you will like it. Always good to meet another fellow Scandinav here.

[Agrippa]

Of course you do Allan, although I hasten to add that there are other Agrippas out there... Watercooling appears to be pretty esoteric still, so I thought I'd move outside the cosy confines of the Microplex forum to see if I could get some good advice elsewhere - and this seemed lika a logical place to go. You wouldn't, by the way, have any thoughts on my question, would you?

Random Nonsense: Actually, no. My case has 4 80mm fan positions in the rear and the BIMs are, as far as I can see, designed to fit these without occupying significantly more space than a fan - so they ought to fit very nicely. At the very least, I'll have room for two.

Still no thoughts on flowrates and multiple radiators....?

Agrippa

[Allan]

Originally posted by Agrippa
Of course you do Allan, although I hasten to add that there are other Agrippas out there... Watercooling appears to be pretty esoteric still, so I thought I'd move outside the cosy confines of the Microplex forum to see if I could get some good advice elsewhere - and this seemed lika a logical place to go. You wouldn't, by the way, have any thoughts on my question, would you?

Good of you to come here to AOA, this really is a great place and I'm proud to call it my online home.
Supportforum is my second online home, but I always come here first.

As for your question, I'm pretty sure it wouldn't be a problem to use at least two radiators in that system. However, your case room IS very limited, and water cooling does take up some room. Perhaps you could cramp some of the stuff you already got a bit together, to make more room for water cooling?

Perhaps it would be better to use one big rad than two small? Aquacomputer (I think microplex sells them, I know studiedata does) makes some big rads, if you could just fit one of those ind your case it would be nice.

[Random Nonsense]

I reckon if you really wanna go multiple rads it should be fine. They shouldnt add a lot of flow resistance.

[SiGmA_X]

I hae to agree with Spyder, that's a great way to put the parts in the case. The heatercore does fit in the top - I have both a Lian Li PC-70 and a 86' heatercore.

[Agrippa]

Frankly, I'm a bit concerned about the cost of shipping an 86' chevey chevette heater core from the US to Norway... Could easily cost rather more than everything else put together, methinks. Certainly not much a chance of finding one over here.

Agrippa

[The Spyder]

Ohhhh... dint know that..... well in that case..... those BIM's in parallel with a good sized pump should be ok~ Like 2 for cpu and one for GPU? use Y splitters to set it up~ Ofcourse its probably cheaper to get a heatercore then 3 of those rads at $47 US each (or so)

[Agrippa]

Actually, I see that I've been a bit conservative on the drawing above - I do have a little more space than indicated. Anyway, I'll get the Swiftech kit and two BIMs (although, maybe a heatercore from an old Volvo would fit - what do you reckon, Allan...?) and take it from there. Feedback from elsewhere also suggests that two ought to work well and if that's the case I might just try three a bit later on. With fans Swiftech's BIM is rated at 32dB, which sounds a bit loud to me, so I'll also try them out with the 19dB Papst fans I've got running at the moment.

Worst case, after all, is that I'll have to use the kit as it comes, which in any case will provide about the same cooling performance I've got today.

Agrippa

[Agrippa]

Thanks for the input Spyder - much appreciated, although I definitely won't be getting a heater core... Should I really use Y splitters? I read an article over at ProCooling about maximising flow, which basically stated that elbows, Ts and Ys are all bad things which hamper the flowrate. I just kinda thought I'd connect up everything in a serial manner (Pump - CPU - BIM - GPU - 2xBIM - Pump OR Pump - 2xBIM - CPU - BIM - GPU - Pump. Just depends what comes out looking most neat)). I take it you are of a different opinion then?!

Agrippa

[The Spyder]

try this one :
Pump - 2xBIM - CPU - BIM - GPU - Pump
Best of luck to ya!

[Agrippa]

Right you are mate, I'll try that sequence. Thanks again for the input and the sentiments! I'll post back to say how it went when it's all up and running.

Agrippa

[Allan]

Originally posted by Agrippa
(though, maybe a heatercore from an old Volvo would fit - what do you reckon, Allan...?)

Well, you might as well rip one outta a tractor!

Actually, it just so happends that the rads from old Polo's do very well. It may be very easy for you to get hold of one i Norway?

[Random Nonsense]

Yup polo cores are BRILLIANT! but a little on the large side if you want to avoid cutting big holes in your case

But if you want to give one a try they are very easy to remove from the car. Here's my guide to removing them

One note, the valve should really be replaced with a hose barb, I'm working on a way to do this permanently without any leaks etc. I'll Update the article when I've accomplished that.

[Agrippa]

Suggestions gratefully received, but with 8 HDs, 2 optical drives and a floppy the sheer volume of drives and associated cabling totally rules out a heater core I'm afraid. Frankly, my only options appears to be the H2O-8500 or an external solution such as the Koolance Exos. For reasons of aestetics, the former is far more appealing, particularly since I really don't need world-class cooling performance.

Agrippa

[Mr_Glass]

Agrippa,
I'm using a similar setup on an AMS G-Tower 1009 (www.amselectronics.com) and a swifty H2O-8500AV. I've got 2 of the MR80 radiators (they are Black Ice Micro's) up front. My idle temps are 32 celcius and load is 35 celcius. I have seen it peak at 37 celcius but the consistent load temp is 35. I'm using the Vantec Nexus multifunction thermal probs for my temp readings. I'm running an Athlon XP 2400+ on an Epox 8RDA+.