bit-tech.net — There are few things in the enthusiast computing world that are as misunderstood and feared as water cooling. When done right, it can be a beautiful addition to a case while keeping temperatures down and noise low.
Aug 23, 2007 View in Crawl 4
Closed AccountAug 24, 2007
I've been running a water cooler since 2004, no leaks, no issues. Processor runs pretty stable at 90-105 degrees.I like the idea of water cooling for one reason. The processor temperature is STABLE. When idle, most CPU's are"cool", then when you stress them, they get "hot", cool, hot, cool, hot. That has to have some effect on the CPU.Keeping the CPU at a more stable temperature, idle or full load has to be better in the long run.This is an old P4 HT processor, and they run hot anyway.
vandy404Aug 24, 2007
Hardly matters now does it?
unstablemindAug 24, 2007
Actually it's not usually water, most kits use ethyl/glycol. Also, water is not the conductor, it's the impurities in the water that make it act like a conductor.
gwolfAug 24, 2007
Using distilled water greatly reduces risk. Change every 6 months, you should be fine.
lkmsAug 24, 2007
it works at first. but once you forget to turn the water pump on, or - more likely - it breaks or its power supply malfunctions ... once the crappy water block overheats and leaks, the rig is screwed .. only the processor and dimms survived in my case.sure the system would be fine if the fans just stopped - processor would slow down and turn off the system with no damage. but the crappy water cooling killed the system in this case.Essentially, NEVER use junk water blocks made of organic glass or plastic, only get metal ones... oh and for the record, the CPU water block I was foolishly using was the one shipped with Zalman Reserator 1 v2 system, so I blame Zalman.The Reserator itself is not bad for what it is made for btw, their water blocks are.Oh and even if it works ok you should still consider some kind of case ventilation as lots of small stuff still generates small amount of heat which needs to be moved away somehow.also the water needs to be cooled somehow, this means another cooler.. also the pump does produce noise... so you see it's not all that quiet after all.
burnerAug 24, 2007
I just set up a swiftech system not too long ago, and I used something called PC Ice. It's not water, it's a non conductive coolant, so if it leaks you won't short out the system and risk frying your 8800. Definitely good insurance for only $20. (only used about half the bottle to fill my loop).
antebiosAug 25, 2007
I've been running watercooling since 2001 with the same hardware, water block, pump, radiator and fan (wow, 6 years!). I've only had one mishap that was in my favor. A few years later as I was changing a tube and putting fresh water I didn't seal a tube properly to the CPU block, and water leaked around it and fried the mobo and cpu. Good news for me since I could finally convince my wife that I needed to upgrade, yippie!! Since then I still have the same PC using it as a MythTV and File server. It's working like a CHAMP!!!!!!