Questions regarding first build

[MikPETN]

Guten tag,

I am new to watercooling and unfortunately I suck at written german too! (I am from Denmark), but I read it well. Hence, the english language.
I hope you dont mind, because this is the best watercooling forum.I have a few questions regarding my first watercooling build. Any help/suggestions will be greatly appreciated!

Components in loop (also see attached pictures, albeit before installation of flowsensor):

i7 3820 on Rampage IV Formula MB with Aquacomputer Kryos Delrin CPU block and Anfi-tec PWM block
GTX 670 with Alphacool HF 14 GPU cooler (and passive Vreg+ramsinks)
Aquastream XT ultra pump with aquainlet PRO 150 ml reservoir
Phobya Xtreme 200 - V.2 - Full Copper radiator (front) with Phobya G-Silent 18 700rpm Red LED fan
Alphacool NexXxoS XT45 Full Copper 280mm radiator (top) with 2x Noiseblocker BlackSilentPRO PK-2 fans
Aquacomputer Durchflusssensor "high flow"
Tubing: Tygon 2375 13/10
Fittings from Alphacool (some 45's and 90's angles)

Homemade red coolant (I am a chemist):
Benzotriazol (cas # 95-14-7): 1 g/L
Amaranth dye (cas # 915-67-3): 1 g/L
Deionised water

Algaecidic Cu-ions...well they come from the components...right?

The coolant has worked perfect for months. If you see algae or any precipitation in that, call me...

Fans on rads are all blowing into case through Demciflex filters (positive pressure). Fan (120 mm) at back is blowing out.

All in Corsair 650D case, see pictures.


Performance (fans+pump at max):
For ambient = 25C: water delta T = approx. 14-15C. So the water hits 40C.
CPU: Approx. 57C, GPU: Approx. 55C

Flowrate: 142 L/h

Questions:

1. Is my delta T too high, would you expect less? Do you suspect poor seating of waterblocks?

2. How can I most easily/cheapest improve delta T?
Obviously, faster fans would do something, but with more noise.
Please note that I am not flow limited!, since lowering flow manually to 100 L/h does not change temps (+-1C).
I have been considering going extreme and buying an external Mora3...

3. It seems strange that the GPU hits almost the same temperature as CPU. Poor GPU block?, or what do you think?
I will be getting full cover block for my next graphics card.

Let me know what you think.

Vielen dank!

 

[thegian]

Hi and welcome to the Forum

Is your CPU overclocked and are your Fans at max. RPM?
I'm not a watercooling-pro, but for me it looks like the radiator surface (1x200 / 1x280) is your limitation to gain better temps. 1x280mm for CPU only is minimum, and than you have another 200mm for your GPU.
I think a Mora3 can be a good solution to reach better temps.

 

[GliderHR]

Welcome too ,

Well I would guess that the Delta T of 14-15 K is a little bit high. If you would use only the 280mm radiator, it could be appropriate. But as far as I know, the 200mm Phobya has a better cooling capacity as a 60 mm 360mm radiator at low fan speed.
First check if all radiatorinlets are free of dust. Dust reduces the effectivity very much.
Did you check if there is air inside the 200 mm radiator?
You can reduce de Delta T with faste fans on the 200mm.
Did you know this review:
Flower Labs News - Comparison of Radiator Cooling Efficiency
Anywhere in the middle the 200 mm Phobya shows his possibilities under different fans.
Fan sandwhich helps as far as I know.

 

[MikPETN]

thegian, thanks, yes, the fans are at max speed. I think you may be right about the radiator surface...I need more.

GliderHR, also thanks, the push-pull you setup you suggest is easy to try out, and I will. I will check for air too.

 

[Vonali]

The first picture is a bid dark to be sure, but, is the top radiators air provided by the (warm) exhaust of the bottoms radiator?

The surface should be fine for your components, i have round bout the same delta, with a 360 only. (which is similiar to a 280) . Id recommend to check if theres any Air in the loop and if you can provide more fresh air to both radiators. This will lower your temp most. Mount the fans that they will pull fresh air from the outside into the radiator.

GPU temp is a bid high, i guess its the block too. Usually you should have lower deltas to water with small gpus

Regards

 

[GliderHR]

Good point Vonali regarding airflow. Rule for this: all air into PC through the radiators or all air out of the case through the radiators.
I use a i7 4960x and I have 43 to 49°C CPU temps. If the water becomes warmer (28°C) the CPU temp rises. My MoRa 3 4*180 has a Delta of 4-6K at the selected fan Speed.

 

[MikPETN]

thanks GliderHR. i do have fresh air coming through both radiators from the outside.
I want better fan for the phobya 200mm rad, but I am not sure which one.
At the moment I have a phobya 180mm fan mounted, see above, but it feels like very little air is coming through!
i am considering buying the Silverstone AP-182 fan for it.

 

[GliderHR]

thanks GliderHR. i do have fresh air coming through both radiators from the outside.

GOOD

I want better fan for the phobya 200mm rad, but I am not sure which one.
At the moment I have a phobya 180mm fan mounted, see above, but it feels like very little air is coming through!
i am considering buying the Silverstone AP-182 fan for it.

700 rpm is not much, but a second layer could improve airflow through the Phobya 200. I was so disappointed about the one layer preformance that I stopped to measurement.
But if you use two layers of the Silverstones you could improve the Radiator cooling Performance dramatically. Avoid to use a AP type fan on the push side, since it focuses the airstream in the cm behind the fan very stong and if the resistance of the Radiator is low, the airstrem around the aircylinder is very small, even if you have an additional pull fan.
Recommendation: both sides SST-FM181, 1300 rpm is faster than the Phobya and louder, but can also work at low speed. Some colleagues here say they are hearable at low Speed, but I think inside the case and with decoupling silicon/rubber shroud it should be acceptable.
The Delta T will decrease in anyway.

 

[Vonali]

thanks GliderHR. i do have fresh air coming through both radiators from the outside.

Doesnt look like it! Exact the opposite. Mount the Top Fans on the case, then the radiator. Your fans direction is from the inside to the outside with warm air from the bottom rad. Thats why the top radiator is kinda useless.

 

[MikPETN]

vonali, nope, the top fans are pulling air in from the outside not pushing, through the top radiator.

GliderHR, sorry but I disagree. you want focused evenly spread airstream on the rad. Watch the demonstration video on youtube of AP-182. If I find the AP-182 to be to close I will add a shroud. The Phobya fan does not give that plus it has low rpm. The Phobya radiator does not have that low fpi, and acc. to several benefits from faster fans.

- - - Updated - - -

martins liquid lab tests clearly show that the whole push or pull or push-pull with or without shroud discussion gives at most 1-2 degrees. what matters mostly for any given rad-fan setup is amount of airflow through the radiator, rpm.

 

[GliderHR]

The sandwhich fan usage gives most effect on delta T on radiators with a fine fin structure (need high air pressure).
I agree that fan speed increases the effect to lower Delta T much more.

 

[Vonali]

Could you change the Radiators and Fans Position? So they are taking fresh air straight from the outside and not inhibited from the radiator? I would try this first....