Would it be beneficial to set up two separate water loops for multiple GPUs to enhance overclock performance?
Would it be beneficial to set up two separate water loops for multiple GPUs to enhance overclock performance?
Hi all,
Here are the components I currently have:
- i7 7700K CPU (aiming for overclock up to 5Ghz)
- Barrow CPU water block (nickel plated)
- Asus ROG MAXIMUS VIII HERO ALPHA ATX (Z170 will update bios) Mobo
- Corsair Vengeance (LPX or RGB RAM)
- Galax GTX 980Ti x 2 GPU (overclocked for continuous use)
- Barrow full frame GPU block (nickel plated)
- 120mm + 240mm + 360mm radiators each x 1 (aluminum)
- Coolant Mayhem Aurora Silver concentrate (mixed with distilled water, 500-700ml)
- 1250w PSU
I’m considering using three radiators and am unsure whether to run two water loops to maximize performance. Should I opt for two loops to get the best out of this setup?
Estimate the performance improvement.
Also, should I combine nickel-plated radiators with aluminum ones since the concentrate includes chemicals to prevent corrosion?
Don't stress about the air intake through the rad. It will slightly increase the internal temperature of the case, but not significantly. And SSDs behave oddly - the controller on SSDs doesn't get too hot, while the memory chips actually perform better and last longer at higher temperatures. If you're concerned, there are heatsinks available for SSDs.
I also live in a room around 33°C most of the year, and both front and top rads are pushing air into the case—everything is fine.
The ideal setup would be having all components draw air from inside, but that's not possible here because of the limited space.
The push/pull method seems unnecessary and wasteful on thin rads with low fin density. So if you're planning to use 30-40mm thick rads with...
I wanted to use two radiators and create a figure 8 single loop. Since the CPU and GPU don't usually run at full capacity simultaneously, the one that was working harder would get cooler water from the other. Just a thought. My idea was with a single loop any extra cooling capacity would be available. But with two radiators nothing would be in line behind the other. Both would draw straight from a cooler. Three radiators? I can see why you're confused.
the only real justifications for separate loops are:
1. to enhance liquid flow when the pump is insufficient.
2. for simpler handling of swamping parts.
now regarding your loop, replace the aluminum rads or use aluminum for everything else.
aluminum doesn’t work well with copper or brass; mixing them in one loop will cause rapid galvanic corrosion.
after considering this, for a 2x980ti you should have at least 4x120 rad surface (more is ideal) and around 2x120 rad surface for the CPU loop. the rads are more effective when used in a single loop.
when there is one loop containing three parts and one radiator, two of the parts will receive warmed coolant from the ones in front of them in the loop.
What I mentioned is certainly accurate. It might not "count" if the loop's efficiency matches your expectations, but it remains true.
There must be a temperature increase somewhere; otherwise, cooling wouldn't occur. In the single loop, adding components will raise the temperature of the entire loop. GPUs can operate at higher temperatures than CPUs and generate more heat. Therefore, placing them on a second loop with a larger radiator is the optimal approach.
the only practical reasons to have separate loops are:
1. enhance liquid flow when the pump is insufficient.
2. simplify the process of swapping components.
now regarding your loop, replace the aluminum rads or use aluminum for everything else.
aluminum doesn’t work well with copper or brass; mixing them can cause rapid galvanic corrosion.
after considering this, for a 2x980ti you should have at least 4x120 rad surface (more is ideal) and around 2x120 rad surface for the CPU loop. the rads perform better in a single loop.
OP, I’d go with this suggestion. Also, Aurora is a show coolant and might not be the best option for regular use, particularly if this is your first loop.
https://mayhems.co.uk/mayhems-aurora-guide/
The idea of delta-T and liquid temperatures suggests the loop maintains a steady load/equilibrium condition. There aren't significant spikes in coolant temperatures between different points, and if such spikes occur, it usually indicates more serious problems than what's being addressed here.