You're starting out with custom watercooling and looking for guidance.
You're starting out with custom watercooling and looking for guidance.
Hello everyone, I recently decided to switch away from the usual AIO cooling setup for my i7-6850k. I currently use a Corsair H115i cooler with both push and pull fan options. In my local gaming group, someone was offering a custom liquid cooling kit. The details of the kit are as follows:
Water Reservoir:
1 x EK-Multioption RES X2 - 250 Basic (EK-RES-X2-250-D)
Water Pump:
1 x Swiftech MCP655 Special Edition 12 VDC Pump With Speed Controller (MCP655-SE)
Fittings:
Bitspower Premium G1/4" Black Matte High Flow 3/8" (5/8") Compression Fitting (BP-MBCPF-CC3)
CPU Block:
1 x EK-Supremacy CPU Water Block - Nickel - CSQ (EK-SUPREMACY-NK)
Radiator:
XSPC AX360 Triple 120mm Radiator with Aluminum Enclosure - Black
I expect to receive it tomorrow. It comes with all the necessary tubing, fittings, and accessories. It also includes a good amount of fluid and fans. Fortunately, EK ships in my country, so I ordered an EK XE 360 Rad...
My question is whether I should consider getting a newer pump in the near future, given that the reservoir size seems sufficient for my custom setup. I’m confident about this CPU block—it looks solid, and I don’t plan to modify my GPU.
Thank you! I’m still relatively new to custom cooling systems. My current build includes:
- Corsair 900D super tower
- I7-6850k processor
- Asus v Rampage Edition 10
Swiftech MCP655 is an excellent pump
The EK-Supremacy CPU Water Block is also a top choice
and the reservoir works well
Mcnumpty23 shared positive feedback about the Swiftech MCP655 and EK-Supremacy CPU Water Block, noting their quality. They also mentioned the reservoir is satisfactory. Thank you for the response. I hope the older pump isn't causing any issues.
Durwesh Naeem shared his thoughts on the Swiftech MCP655, stating it's a very good pump. He also mentioned the EK-Supremacy CPU Water Block as another excellent CPU block, along with a reservoir, and expressed gratitude for the response. He hopes the older pump isn't an issue and praised Swiftech for producing quality products with minimal complications.
Durwesh Naeem shared his thoughts on the Swiftech MCP655 pump. He also mentioned the EK-Supremacy CPU Water Block as a solid CPU choice and praised its reservoir design. He appreciated the quality of Swiftech products and noted that these pumps generally have few issues. He suggested using PETG tubes and proper fittings for the impeller, emphasizing simplicity in construction.
Durwesh Naeem shared his thoughts on the topic.
mcnumpty23 responded with similar ideas.
Swiftech MCP655 is considered a solid pump,
EK-Supremacy CPU Water Block is also a good choice,
and the reservoir works well.
Thank you for your reply.
I hope the older pump isn’t causing issues.
Swiftech produces quality products,
and these pumps generally have fewer problems.
They don’t have many complicated parts—just a PCB and an impeller that spins.
I understand it’s a small motor, so I’m planning to use PETG tubes and proper fittings.
On the PCB, there are copper windings or magnets that help spin the impeller.
The fluid moves through it, separating and filling the space between the impeller and the housing, which reduces friction.
PETG should look nice, but it’s trickier to get it right than using soft tubing.
Most first-time watercoolers use soft tubing.
and small though the pumps are, similar to what swiftech has around 4m/13 feet of head or pressure, it's always wise to leak test your loop with just the loop powered, not the pc as well. Yesterday, everything failed because soft tubes were used before and cut too short, even though I have a 900D case. I was considering testing the previous part and pump separately.
Durwesh Naeem shared his experience discussing pump pressure levels, suggesting testing loops without powering up the PC. He mentioned issues arising from using soft tubes and cutting them too short, especially with a 900D case. He recommended replacing the tubing and testing components separately. The advice also included a method to leak test the loop inside the PC by connecting a pump to the PSU through a bypass loop, disconnecting certain pins, and using a paper clip or wire to simulate power.
sure, i can clarify the type of tubing and fittings you're getting. ek configurer is a bit tricky, but it's the only trustworthy water cooling site that delivers to my country.