Ek pump/res combo or
Ek pump/res combo or
I began purchasing my loop components today. I’m unsure whether to go with a pump/res combination or a separate pump and reservoir setup. I bought the EK Coolstream PE 360 and a primoflex tubing kit, but that’s about it. I’m deciding between adding a reservoir and pump or sticking with a pump-only approach. I need excellent flow capacity because I plan to integrate two GPUs into the loop later when upgrading my next GPU. I was considering the EK XRes 140 RevO D5 pump combo, but I’m worried it might not be sufficient. Will this fit in my Corsair Air 540D case? Also, I’ll add a 240 rad later, but right now I just want to start. Should I choose a pump/res combo or go separate? Which pump would be best?
there are numerous metals present in the loop. rad tubes, fittings, blocks, and even components in the pump. nickel remains neutral, which is why many blocks are nickel-plated.
This D5 model is a great option. You can easily modify it later by using a few fittings and a tube if needed. I don't know the specific GPUs you're considering, but generally, modern cards such as the GTX 1070 or 1080 are quite popular. I'm not sure why anyone would choose a dual GPU setup these days—it seems unnecessary.
I'm planning to wait until Volta next year before upgrading the GPU, which will likely be when I install the GPU blocks. I was told that a pump/res combo can't run separately, so I'm trying to decide whether a PWM pump controlled by software like the d5 I found is better than one I can manually adjust speed on. I don't want to rush into a pump decision. Ideally, I want the RGB visible in the 540 case and not mounted near the PSU. This is my first loop, and I want it to look great!
The one that's mounted to the reservoir says pwm but I didn't see like a manual switch on it. What's better? There is so much to a custom loop it seems like and I want to get what's best. I know once I get it done it'll seem easier. Just need to make sure I get the right pump and res
This person shares many helpful videos on water cooling, especially about pumps, reservoirs, and related topics. Once the liquid flows in your loop, speed doesn't really matter much. In my opinion, PWM for pumps offers no advantage and might be a point of failure. It also adds extra cost. Avoid being tied to one supplier. Most D5 pumps are made by Swiftech, while others just rebrand them. There are great combinations from XSPC and Alphacool. The ideal choice depends on your needs. My preference is a flexible loop that lets me swap components easily, delivers strong performance, is universal, and produces minimal noise. This approach uses flexible tubing and semi-universal parts for GPU cooling. I dislike paying 100-150 dollars for a block that fits only one card. This is my old GTX 570 and this new shiny GTX 1070 with the same parts. Also, the CPU block has changed only the retention bracket since the LGA 775. If appearance matters, it's a completely different situation.
I noticed some pumps come with a 1-5 setting while others use PWM control. I stick closely to Jay's recommendations, but I'm feeling a bit confused after watching his videos as I used to be. It seems like I might need a separate pump, which would be ideal if I want to mount it to the pump, but using that particular pump model won't allow me to run them independently.
Yes you are able to. You might need a new pump cover similar to this one.
https://www.ekwb.com/shop/ek-xtop-revo-d5-acetal
The pump inside matches exactly:
https://www.ekwb.com/shop/ek-d5-pwm-g2-m...pump-motor
Feel free to use it however you like.
I recently purchased these to modify my loop:
http://g03.a.alicdn.com/kf/HTB118CNKXXXX...305639ce10
just with a black metal cover like this:
http://g02.a.alicdn.com/kf/HTB1Z49qKXXXX...fdfcc09ba3
Eventually it will resemble:
http://g04.a.alicdn.com/kf/HTB1IzycKXXXX...5acce6c9a1
And I’ll stick with the same reservoir you saw in a previous image, just without the bottom.
That’s the excitement of custom loops – if it doesn’t work, change it.