This is my second water cooling build, ever. I think it turned out really well. My temps are rock solid at full load, the GPU’s barely move up 5C when 100% in games. Idle around 27-30C on them. The CPU hits 35C on full load, but I have not overclocked it yet. best of all, I met all of my goals I set out to do with this build.
This is more of an ‘after’ build log, as the system is up and running now :).
Now to the parts :
CPU : i5 2500k
Motherboard : Asus P8P67 PRO
Case : Corsair 600T
PSU : Corsair HX1000
Memory : 4x4GB G.Skill DDR3 1600
GPU : 2x Reference 2GB XFX 6950’s shader unlocked and oc’d
Optical : 2x Asus DVD-RW/CD/R drive
Hdd : OCZ Solid 2 120GB
Hdd : 1TB WD Black
WC Parts :
Pumps : 2x Swiftech MCP-655-B
Res : Koolance RP-452×2
Hose : PrimoChill UV Blue (1/2 ID, 3/4 OD)
CPU : EK Supreme HF
GPU Block : 2x XSPC 6970 Reference coolers
Rad – Top : Swiftech MCR220-QP
Rad – Front : Phobya 200MM
Fans : 2x Scythe S-FLEX SFF21E 1x Antec COOLER MASTER Megaflow 200mm
Water : Distilled + pt nuke
Barbs : 1 x 90 bitspower, 8+ XSPC short barbs (1/2 ID, 3/4 OD)
QDC : 2 sets of Koolance QDC’s for easy GPU removal (6 month upgrades won’t require a major overhaul on the loop with these.
Specific links for the GPU setup :
This is the connector between the two cards :
Koolance VID connector
I got 2 male QDC’s – Koolance QDC – Male
2 female QDCs – Koolance QDC – Female
1 90degree barb – 90 degree rotary bitspower barb
I had 4 goals in this build
1) Reduce GPU temps
2) No cuts/drilling/100% stock
3) All internal , serial loop
4) quiet, low-no noise
5) Get my feet wet, and progress my PC hobby skills 🙂
Issues I ran into :
1) Bleeding the RP-452×2 with inserts/serial kit was almost impossible. What I did was pulled, all acrylic inserts out, and put hte connector up top. I slowly overfilled the right side of my res with a barb-hose(roughly 14 inches), and just stop/start/stop/start as it filled the rads/pushed air out. It took about 2 hours to get it done, but now it’s silent.
This was my set up to bleed it, you really don’t need this long of a hose either :
[zp src=”P1000084.JPG” album=”vivi/600T” width=”500″]
2) The top rad was in the way of my 8 pin CPU connector, so I purchased an extender, and snipped the top off, so I could make room, you can see it in this picture :
This is where I snipped (in red) so it could fit :
[zp src=”chopchop.jpg” album=”vivi/600T” width=”500″]
[zp src=”P1000079.JPG” album=”vivi/600T” width=”500″]
[zp src=”P1000078.JPG” album=”vivi/600T” width=”500″]
3) My second issue was mounting the front 200MM rad, without having to drilled/cut anything. I managed to actually use the 200mm fan clip/mounting system that the 600T comes with … relatively ingenious if I do say so myself. I only have one fan in pull, but it works perfectly fine for me, no need for a second fan to push.
[zp src=”P1000103.JPG” album=”vivi/600T” width=”500″]
[zp src=”P1000104.JPG” album=”vivi/600T” width=”500″]
Here’s the little contraption mounted :
[zp src=”P1000082.JPG” album=”vivi/600T” width=”500″]
This was very helpful, I was able to take the rad out, and pound on it a bit, to get ALL of the air out, I could remove it entirely from the case, without having to take off any bolts. The only thing you have to do, is be very precise with the location of the stock clips, because they seem to be finicky if they are off by even a centimeter or two.
4) This was my first time ripping a part GPU’s, so I took some screens of what they looked like after I pulled the stock coolers off. Apparently taking the stock coolers off voids the warranty (says the little stickers on the screws for the mount) :D.
[zp src=”P1000081.JPG” album=”vivi/600T” width=”500″]
[zp src=”P1000080.JPG” album=”vivi/600T” width=”500″]
For reference, this was the original build, before water :
[zp src=”P1000014.JPG” album=”vivi/600T” width=”500″]
Here were my pre loop thoughts :
[zp src=”proposedWC.jpg” album=”vivi/600T” width=”500″]
[zp src=”proposed2.jpg” album=”vivi/600T” width=”500″]
Here is a little pre-tubing shot :
[zp src=”P1000083.JPG” album=”vivi/600T” width=”500″]
Some leak testing :
[zp src=”P1000085.JPG” album=”vivi/600T” width=”500″]
The complete/final build :
[zp src=”P1000118.JPG” album=”vivi/600T” width=”500″]
[zp src=”P1000115.JPG” album=”vivi/600T” width=”500″]
[zp src=”P1000116.JPG” album=”vivi/600T” width=”500″]
[zp src=”P1000117.JPG” album=”vivi/600T” width=”500″]
**Updated and added full acrylic side :
[zp src=”P1000125.JPG” album=”vivi/600T/acrylic” width=”500″]
[zp src=”P1000121.JPG” album=”vivi/600T/acrylic” width=”500″]
[zp src=”P1000123.JPG” album=”vivi/600T/acrylic” width=”500″]
Sweet dude, looks rippin and those temps are insane!
I know, the only thing I want to do is to OC the shit out of my CPU and GPU’s now.
That looks fucking awesome dude! Do you know anywhere where I can learn or know what to get for watercooling because I want something like that in my system! I have experience with building, just never tried watercooling.
I just browsed/read on a LOT of forums … looked what I liked, made a few mock ups and just started building/buying stuff. Once you get started, you really can’t stop, haha!
How much money/time do you think you spent on just the watercooling? Because it seems interesting.
time, probably a good 10-15 hours or so…and maybe another 10 or so at work in the free time. Took me about a month or two to build up what I wanted to do, read a lot of how to’s and maintenance guides. Money … totally depends on the case, build, blocks, and what you’re expecting out of your loop(s). I met a few contacts in the WC design industry that helped me out a lot, and just posting/reading threads all around the web. Start off with these 2, for sure :
http://www.xtremesystems.org/forums/index.php
http://www.overclock.net/
I’ll be sure to check it out, I myself have the i5-2500k, and my temperatures at idle are the same as yours at full load. I’m someone who is always monitoring my temperature because I am paranoid so this should be a good decision.
Yup, water that beast :).
I am sure I could get some better temps with some tweaking of my tubing set up, or running two loops, but it’s well under insane….and I can’t even hear my fans spinning around 8dba~. I haven’t had to crank them up, if I do .. temps drop another 5C-7C~
[…] You can view the rest of the rig here : http://vivithemage.com/2011/04/water-cooling-a-corsair-600t-case-i5-2500k-2×6950/ […]
Congratulations on a great build. I’m planning something of the same kind myself, but I plan to put a 120.1 radiator at the back for extra cooling (if it will fit).
I’m a little curious what you acctually did to the 12V CPU Extender cable to make it fit. I’m getting the Asus P8Z68-V Pro, and this board has the same layout for the CPU power connector as your board. From the look of the pictures, it seems that the radiator overlaps with the connector (it could just be because of the viewing angle). Do you mind explaining some more details about how you did that? What extender cable did you get?
You’re right, it does overlap, just slightly. This is the 8 pin I used : http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16812170008
You have to shave off the top portion that clips into the socket usually, and it squeaks right in, even with the rad up top. This is the part that I chopped off (marked in red)
Thanks for clearing up the 8-pin issue for me! I was worried that I had to go for a thinner radiator, but now I’m going for the MCR220-QP too 🙂
Yup, it sneaks right in :). Looks good black as well. My connector is defaulted at a red color which wouldn’t have worked out so well.
yo,bro how come ur 600T got extra mounting on the front of the fan while my 600T white edition dont have..???
I have not seen a white 600T in person to clarify. Do you have any up front shots of it?
bro vivi the 600T white edition is exactly the same as the black version the only diff is the color of coz and the comes with see thru side panel but i see urs i was stun that i still remember the fan were not secure by any fan bracket like urs..issit possible to find and purchase is separately..???coz im goin to get the 200mm rad too but if i dont have the bracket it will pain in the brain to install it unless i modd the front part that will of coz void the warranty of my case…
I would shoot an email to corsair, they’ve been very good at giving me replacement parts/test parts in the past on my case.
hmm…i wonder issit bcoz of my distributor who remove the parts but outside the box it illustrate that the piece of fan bracket is there or issit it only came with the black case only and not the white one…??
Oh yeah, sounds like they took something out, who was it? Ask them to give it to you, if not, talk to Corsair directly, they’ll do it I am sure.
This is an awesome set up man, now if I only had the money to do it too, haha.
Can you test a EK water block next time, instead of the XSPC?
If I only had some EK water blocks, sorry!
bro Vivi..how do i approach corsair…..by email..???
I would email them from this area : http://www.corsair.com/support/
Vivi, question for you:
What parts are you using between your 2 video cards to interlock the water cooling. I like how you just stream it from card to card but haven’t been able to figure out the pieces from your pictures. 🙂 I’m building my own water setup right now, so this would be valuable info! Thanks man.
Good question, the water blocks come with caps, so those you wouldn’t need to get. I then just have QDC’s connecting the top, and the bottom + a 90degree rotating barb on the bottom with the QDC.
This is the connector between the two cards :
Koolance VID connector
I got 2 male QDC’s – Koolance QDC – Male
2 female QDCs – Koolance QDC – Female
1 90degree barb – 90 degree rotary bitspower barb
hellfire PC is awesome, they’re who i purchased them from. They’re a certified reseller of Koolance products.
Hi, nice watercooling set-up there. Was wondering if you had to do any modding to fit the Koolance RP-452×2 in the Corsair 600T.
Not at all. Not cutting of the case at all.
Do you think a 280 rad could fit in the top instead of a 240 ?
Without cutting, no. You wouldn’t be able to fit passed the front bays.
Very nice work!
I’m planning to move my water-cooled rig to a 600t sometime, so this is an excellent reference (and motivation)!
I have a question, if you don’t mind:
Did the top 120mm fan holes work without any modification for the rad and fans? I have an MCR220 rad, and am trying to decide whether to mount it internally or not.
Also, did you purchase your acrylic panel from somewhere, or did you make it yourself?
I know this guy locally : http://mnpctech.com/ I had him fab me up an acrylic panel.
I did not have to modify/cut my case at all in this build, so your 120mm slots will allow for your MCR220 rad to be mounted internally. The ONLY thing I had to do, when I mounted mine, was cur a bit of plastic off my 8 pin CPU port, because it was so close to it. Depending on your mobo, you may have to as well. There should be pictures referencing how/where I cut.
Good to know, thank you! 🙂
Good luck!
Do you recommend 90 degree fittings where your radiator is? How do you think straight compressions will turn out?
Which radiator? 90 degree fittings make routing much cleaner. If you could get by with a straight or a 45degree, I would do that. There is a site that reviewed a loop with 6 90 degree fittings, and replaced them with all straights, and they saw negligible results, so 90 degree’s are not horrible to have. IF you need them.
Where are the two pumps located amazing setup
The two D5’s are in the koolance res, in the 2 x 5.25″ bay up front :).
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