8800gts WC blocks

[brightangelus]

Hi guys,

I posted this in aigomorla's WC for newbies thread, but I get the feeling that it's not the appropriate place for this post.

I'm a complete newbie. I don't even know how to drill holes in my pc, yet the guide and other posts in this forum have helped me greatly to decide on watercooling my pc.

I was considering a KL system and after reading a bit here and there, I decided against it and went with an external kit from alphacool (240mm rad, Nexxxos XP lite cpu block, eheim 600l/h pump with reservoir, tubing 8mm ID). Given that I'm not really clued in, I'm sure there's some degree of controversy over those parts, but, well, forgive this newbie.

Just for the record, I am running the following:

E4300 o/c to 2997mhz (9 x 333mhz)
4 gigs of Ram (nothing fancy)
8800gts 320 meg (currently o/c to 620mhz gpu and 900mhz ram)
Gigabyte P35-DS4
Thermaltake toughpower 750w.

My previous setup used a Thermalright Ultra-120. My idle temps were 38degC and full load (2 instances of Prime 95) was 70degC.

After installing the wc loop, my idle temp droped to 27-28degC (ambient is about 27degC) and full load moves somewhere between 48 - 53degC.

Now I'm even itchier and wish to cool my 8800gts, but I am having a devil of a time finding good comparison reviews. I've shortlisted EK, DD and Alphacool's blocks full board blocks.

I've got several questions...I'd be grateful for your views on them.

1. Based on my setup, would I be pushing things installing a gpu block? I'm intending to go with a Q6600 sooner or later and o/c that, so my temps are going to go up a bit.

2. Assuming the answer is 'yes' to the above, are there any views on which block is the best suited for my application? I don't want Swiftech's gpu specific block. I want something that covers the card. Alphacool's solution is extremely thin, EK's and DD's have very good reviews.

Thanks guys.

 

[Raider1284]

Installing a 8800gts to the loop will work, but you temps are going to go WAY up. You will basically be doubling the thermal power that gets dumped into your system. I would get bigger rad, if you replaced the stock rad with an mcr320 or a pa120.3 radiator it should be able to handle the added heatload. Even a smaller mcr220/pa120.2 would probally do way better then the stock rad.

If you add a q6600 as well as a 8800 you will def need better hardware. You have a link to the kit you bought?

 

[brightangelus]

Thanks for the reply Raider.

The link to what I bought is here:

http://www.alphacool.de/produc...Retail-Uni-12Volt.html

The only difference is that the pump is an eheim 600, not 1000.

I've been advised by another member that I'd need a better radiator, especially if I intend to go Q6600. I think this is exactly what you're saying, too.

There is no cheap way around this, it would seem...if I want to go cpu and gpu cooling, I need to make significant changes.

 

[aigomorla]

EK are the best full cover you can buy. But the most restrictive.

Next line would be swiftech stealth. But i dont think they fit the GTS. The stealth would give you the best temps with the least restrictions. However, im hearing the cooling on the mosfets arent that great.

Lastly the the worst, is most likely everything else. Stay away from koolance, and any other company. Dont get impatient because the EK is sold out and buy a DangerDen also.

 

[brightangelus]

Thanks! Before I went with my present set up, I was -> <- this close to buying KL, but stopped.

The EK really looks gorgeous.

Right, then. I think I'll sit on my setup for awhile...it's not even 2 weeks' old yet. I was just hoping to add to it, rather than overhaul it.

Perhaps, I should be thinking of a second loop...perhaps that's neater?

EDIT: I was mistaken, I had been advised that a single radiator may have difficulty with a q6600 and gpu...hence me now thinking about a second loop. Benefit of doing this is that I don't need to start cutting what I've already got set up!

And I've mounted my radiator externally.

Sorry, one more question, if you think a second loop is a workable solution, can a 120mm rad do the job?

 

[aigomorla]

most definitely. It will keep your card in check.

Remember video cards arent as senstive as cpu's. The cooler you run your card wont help you overclock it any higher because unless you volt mod it, you cant adjust your voltage.


For sli solutions i would look at a 120x2 solution tho. But i dont see how a single G80 would completely stress out a MCR120. And i dont see the difference between running the gpu at 45C vs 30C vs 60C. A larger rad might extend the life of your card, but by then, you'd replace it b4 it died. And even if it died, most nvidia's have lifetime warrenty.


But yes a single 120x1 rad would give you better cooling then any air sink on the market.

 

[brightangelus]

Thanks, aigomorla, that's really helpful.

Okay, I didn't know that about gpus and I was not aware of the fact that the temperature would not have an affect on a normal overclock. I wanted the card to run cooler overall, but your perspective has made me question the value of doing this. I wouldn't want to do this if there was no tangible benefit.

Sure I can get lower temps, but that isn't an end in itself if it has no real benefit. It's true: my gpu is likely to be changed far more frequently.

The money saved on gpu cooling is probably better put toward the Q6600, which I think my current loop should be able to handle.

All that being said, thanks for the advice. Watercooling isn't the easiest thing to read up on, and help like this goes a long way to planning what I'll do next with my pc.