Beginner in liquid cooling - concerns about pump/fan settings and extra water blocks for the motherboard
Beginner in liquid cooling - concerns about pump/fan settings and extra water blocks for the motherboard
Okay, so this is my first build for a liquid cooled PC. I'm not entirely unfamiliar with liquid cooling- I use it a fair amount in high-end drones and R/C aircraft that I sell, so I'm fairly familiar with the physical mechanics and basic components of a loop. I'm not deluding myself into thinking the similarities end any further than that.
I appologize if I seem like I'm just shotgunning questions. I've read the guides and theres a few specific details that I'm concerned about, going forward. I have read the stickies, and will probably re-read them several times more yet. I greatly appreciate people taking the time to look at this and lending their advice.
I've recently had reason to begin a series of upgrades on the rig, which on the high-load end, I use to run CFD, tapping the GPU's for running the math problems. The chip is running hotter than I would like, and the only real change I could make is going to a Noctua NH-D15, but it's too large for my case to be practical, and I was going to make the switch to a custom loop rig when I did the next series of upgrades any how, which is to go for SLI 1080's, and I'm going to be getting parts that can handle that expansion.
My current air-cooled rig is as follows:
Spoiler
Phanteks Entho Pro case (split window, if it matters)
MSI z370 gaming M5 motherboard
Intel i7 8600k currently throttled to the base 3.7ghz, which under modest load maintains a temperature at 40-50 deg. c.
64 gig corsair vengeance ram, 2400 mhz.
MSI geforce 1060 6gb aero, not overclocked currently.
I have two intake fans- a 200m front fan, and a 140 bottom fan mounted forward with a duct redirecting the flow towards the back of the case- about a third the air flow is under the PSU cover, while the rest is above..
I've four exhaust fans- a 140mm rear fan mounted high, and 3 top mounted 120's. the CPU cooler fans are programed to just go constantly on full.
I generally run Debian as the OS, though occasionally boot into win 10 (eww) and ArchLinux.
ambient temperature in the room is about 20-22 d. c, while case temps are about 24-ish, but this case does go to do exhibits with me, were temperatures may be higher. (but I'm almost never running high loads here. certainly not if it gets past 30c.
Okay. onto the questions.
First, the methods of controlling pumps and fans. my expectation is to set the pump to an appropriate flow rate that does the job, and leave it there, which is why I'm looking at the pump with the on board controls, for convenience.
This leaves the fans open to question. the 'easy' option I'm looking at is to plug them into a system-fan header, forked by a fan-hub providing additional PSU power to it, running them at an acceptable static speed. Is this basically how it's generally set up, or am I missing something?
Second important question is about adding auxilarly water blocks to the motherboard. The northbridge is now handled by the CPU. That leaves the southbridge and the mosfets.
The z370 has some fairly extensive cladding over them- which looks to be at least sheathed in plastic, though I assume it has some heat sinks and such like on it. the southbridge has glowy LED's, too. Provided enough airflow, should I even consider replacing these stock coolers with waterblocks? right now they're staying cool enough, but I'm concerned about loosing the air flow from the CPU fans and plugging the top three with a radiator.
I'm not even certain what the standard 'acceptable' temps are on the mosfets and southbridge, or memory- though I'd assume the sticks are okay.
Third, I've not settled on resevoir type. On one hand, I care more about functionality... and for a res that means ease of filling. Are drive bay res's- specifically the ones visible on the front- any more convenient in that regard? is there a certain minimal volume the resevoirs should hold, and do the larger resevoirs hold any substantial advantages?
In my R/C set ups, having a larger res means they can 'hold' more heat, but I'm pretty sure in pc's that's not the problem.
Fourth, does the hard tubing provide any useful benifits past looking neater? this will be a displayed case, so neatness counts, but, not that much.
and finally, because bling is important, do they make LED uv's that put light into the tubes? (I.e. making the tubes themselves glow more) or is that effect strictly from UV lighting in the case?
Edited to add another question: is there a functional difference between acrylic and coper-topped waterblocks?
I greatly appreciate your advice- and that this was possibly a giant wall of text.
The fans and pump connected to the MB header work perfectly fine. You can set their speed based on CPU temperature. The ideal choice would be to add a temperature sensor for the liquid and use those readings to adjust fan speeds. However, this MB lacks built-in thermal probe connectors, meaning you’ll need external USB devices (such as Aquaero or Vision Touch from Aquacomputer) to monitor it. Since you’re using Linux, there might be difficulties in reading data from these external tools.
I personally prefer not using PWM pumps; instead, I opt for a D5 Vario with manual control.
Most additional cooling for the MB or RAM isn’t necessary and is usually done for appearance or enjoyment. VRMs could gain benefits from liquid cooling in extremely hot conditions (above 30°C ambient/room) without airflow over the heatsinks. Even then, it would demand significant CPU overclocking and a substantial load of around 150W through the VRM for at least 30 minutes continuously. The MOSFETs are built to handle temperatures up to 105-125°C (internal package), so there’s little cause for concern. With this particular MB, the 10-phase VRM should function properly without extra cooling, even under stress.
The best reservoirs are tube types, preferably longer than 10cm. If you want the most adaptable option, consider Singularity Computers reservoirs and pump tops—it’s likely the most versatile choice available.
Bay reservoirs often recirculate air into the loop, making air filling and bleeding the loop a much longer process. You’re right that the liquid volume isn’t crucial; it mainly affects how quickly the loop reaches maximum temperature or cools down. It won’t influence the maximum temperature at all.
Some advantages of using hard tubing include:
a. Shorter tubes result in a cleaner appearance and no airflow obstruction.
b. No kinks are possible.
c. 100% non-clogging—some soft tubing might release debris that eventually blocks CPU microfins.
d. Harder tubes are more resistant to chemicals; the main risk is polypropylene glycol, which can dissolve soft tubing and some hard ones like PETG.
d. Harder tubes are also more durable, offering better scratch resistance and longevity.
That’s why I chose glass tubes—no scratches, no staining, and no chemical concerns.
There are fittings and reservoirs with built-in lighting.
In theory, there may be a difference in heat transfer, but it’s negligible in modern designs. The only real practical benefits of metal over other materials are durability for CPU blocks and the flexibility to adjust geometry, as seen in:
https://shop.aquacomputer.de/product_inf...ts_id=3561
For GPUs, these advantages are minimal due to weight and cost.
Thank you for your thoughtful response. It mostly addressed all my concerns. The remaining points are... quite surprising. For example, how many rads would be needed to run without radiator fans... or what the most common attempts for coolant are? I saw a YouTube video showing someone using milk, PowerAid, and orange juice. It was part of a hypothetical question about using mountain dew. That made me think. Because, you know. ...well, I should have waited. How much liquid is in a typical bottle? I guess a standard coolant bottle with a liter of fluid is more like a top off for a 0.6x10cm reservoir, which makes sense since a 3-fan radiator has a different capacity. Distilled water seems to be becoming more affordable, especially when you consider that introducing my system to sub-freezing temperatures would be a waste—unless it’s for the sole advantage of glycol coolants. ...Hmm... why would anyone need LN2? It’s winter...
There exists a liquid substance that can be propelled through the loop swiftly enough by a pump, expanding the possibilities of what can be placed inside. however, practical limitations restrict its use over extended periods for various reasons. creating a passive loop is feasible but demands special components; standard ones won’t function under pressure. sufficient airflow through the radiators is essential for success. on the positive note, a concept loop without a pump was demonstrated some time ago. my setup holds more than 1L of liquid, with radiators and blocks holding a relatively small quantity, while most of it resides in reservoirs and tubes. the glycol serves mainly to prevent corrosion and act as a biocide; running the loop with distilled water is perfectly acceptable. it remains a cost-effective option, especially considering the investment of 350 to 1000 dollars in the loop itself.
but who cares about the cost of liquid when you spend between 350 and a thousand dollars on the loop itself?
people are funny like that?
actually, i was just thinking about performance. By the time i add biocide and all the good stuff, i'll imagine it'll turn out to be even sufficient.
again thank you for your information.