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An easy guide for how to set up and install a water loop on your computer
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Building a custom liquid-cooled gaming PC allows you more precise temperature control over your CPU, even if you're pushing it to the limit through overclocking. Whether you want a basic water-cooling loop or something more elaborate, you might be surprised how fun it is to build your own liquid cooling system! Our guide will walk you through how to get started making your own water-cooled gaming PC.
How to Build a Liquid Cooling System for Your Computer
- Lay the system out first.
- Remove the previous cooling system.
- Install the water block(s).
- Install the radiator.
- Install the reservoir and pump.
- Attach tubes and tube clamps.
- Connect power cables.
Steps
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Understand the water cooling components. Below is a list of the most frequently used terminology in a liquid cooling system and what each part does.
- Water block
: The water block is attached to the component to be cooled (generally CPU, GPU, RAM, and Motherboards). It is responsible for transferring heat away from the component and into the liquid.
- Best performances by: EKWB, Phankteks, Alphacool, Corsair.
- Radiator
: The radiator transfers heat from the liquid into the ambient air. Radiators run water through pipes that transfer heat to metal fins and fans blow air to draw heat away from the fins. Radiators vary both in size and number of fans.
- Key points to get a good build:
- FPI - Fins per inch (FPI density is what you're looking for; a higher density is better).
- Size/Thickness
- Type of metal
- This plays a big role in how loud your system is; if sound is an issue for you, get an Alphacool's NexXxos radiator .
- Key points to get a good build:
- Fans push air through radiators, actively exchanging heat from the system with the ambient air. These vary in size ranging from 40mm to 200mm, but the most common fan size for radiators is 120mm.
- Reservoir
: The reservoir holds reserve liquid, provides a visual gauge for determining liquid loss in the system, and provides an easy fill point for the system.
- There are different types of these:
- Drive-Bay Mounted: These aren't very popular anymore and they used to sit where old DVD drives/floppy drives were located.
- Tubular: These have grown in popularity in the last few years. You can even buy kits of these to easily cool your system! Just attach them to your pump for great hydraulic pressure. They also look cool.
- Distro Plate: These are relatively new, and take a large amount of room in your PC case. However, this system serves a dual purpose: keeping the cooling system topped off as well as distributing water throughout the system.
- T-line: This isn't exactly a reservoir, but it is another way to move water around your computer to cool it. It can be tricky for an inexperienced user to set up.
- There are different types of these:
- Pump:
The pump pushes the liquid through the system. Though pumps are often incorporated into reservoirs, a separate pump may be needed for large or complicated systems.
- Best performances by: XSPC, EKWB (EK DCC, EK-Quantum), Alphacool
- Fixtures:
AKA barb
. There are two types of fixtures you can get:
- Compression - provides a smoother build that looks nicer. However, they can come loose and break if you fiddle a lot in the case.
- Standard Jubilee barb - the tube slides over the end of the other tube and is fasted with a jubilee clip. Good for beginners to learn to reduce points of failure and minimize the potential for leaks. You can screw the clip on really tight to ensure there aren't any leaks.
- Each section of tubing will, normally, have 2 barbs. Sometimes pumps will have barbs for you to use.
- Tubing:
Tubing directs fluid from component to component. Tubing is generally sold as flexible PVC, though other materials such as Neoprene and rigid acrylic are also used. Tubing is often labeled with two measurements an inner diameter followed by an outer diameter. The inner diameter is used for finding compatibility for tube fitting barbs which attach the tubing to each of the components and the outside diameter is needed to purchase compatible clamps.
- Getting flexible tubing is recommended for first-timers since it's more forgiving if you make a mistake.
- Water block
: The water block is attached to the component to be cooled (generally CPU, GPU, RAM, and Motherboards). It is responsible for transferring heat away from the component and into the liquid.
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Determine your cooling needs and set your budget. There is a massive range in the complexity, performance, and price of a liquid cooling system. Simple kits can consist of only a water block and radiator (pictured) whereas complex builds can contain multiple branches for CPUs, GPUs, and RAM. The following instructions assume a single-loop system with a single water block, radiator, pump, and reservoir.
- Liquid cooling installations can range in price from around $100 for a basic setup to several thousand dollars for high-end enthusiast builds.
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Take measurements of your case. Cases can vary in size ranging from MicroATX to ATX Super Tower. In some cases, a liquid cooling system can allow more compact computing systems by eliminating the need for air space, but such systems need to be designed carefully and go beyond the scope of this article. A case of at least ATX Mid-Tower is recommended. Also, ensure that your case will have adequate airflow after installation of your system. A good liquid cooling system will just become a water heater if air can't flow through the system.
- You can also use Corsair's site to choose your setup and get offered the best configuration.
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Determine what systems can work with your current setup.
- Power: ensure that your power supply can handle the additional load created, check the How to check a power supply for details.
- Socket: CPUs come in a variety of different sockets, ensuring that the water block in your system is designed to fit your CPU socket. Your socket type should be listed with your motherboard and CPU documentation.
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Design your entire system before buying any components. Sending back parts can be time-consuming and costly. A drawing, even a crude illustration, can assist in visualizing your build. Ensure that all parts in the system are compatible with each other and that you have all the needed power connectors available from your power supply.
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Choose a liquid. Coolants are the active carriers of heat in the system. Many systems use distilled water, which is cheap and easy to replace; however, water can cause an electric short if the system develops a leak, and organisms can grow in the system if a biocide is not implemented. If you desire colored or fluorescent liquid ensure that dyes are certified for use in liquid cooling systems or use a pre-mixed fluid from a certified vendor. Otherwise, the dyes and additives can congeal and clog the system.
- Osmosis (distilled water) is the best and cheapest cooling liquid available.
- Do not use water from your tap as the high mineral content can damage your system.
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Purchase everything you've decided upon. Many general-purpose electronics vendors sell liquid cooling kits and there are at least a couple of websites that have a wide selection of liquid cooling components for sale. Also many manufacturers allow you to purchase directly from their website.
- You can make this simple by going to Corsair's website , inputting your build information, and getting a suggested cooling kit.
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Lay the system out first. Any clear and clean surface large enough to spread the parts out will suffice, but a plain white bed sheet is especially useful as it will aid in keeping track of small parts. Ensure that all pieces are present before proceeding further.
- Remove the previous cooling system if the computer has one. The previous heat sink and thermal paste will need to be removed. Use a cotton swab and isopropyl alcohol to remove the previous paste.
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Install water block(s). Apply only the manufacturer-recommended amount of thermal paste—a single rice grain's worth should be enough. Then, clean up any excess when placing the water block onto the CPU.
- If the water block is secured by screws, tighten the screws incrementally in a cross pattern, otherwise, uneven pressures could damage the CPU.
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Install the radiator. Ensure a solid attachment to the case and double-check airflow from the front and back ends of the radiator.
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Install reservoir and pump. If your reservoir or pump is free-standing, ensure that they are properly secured to your case and do not impede airflow.
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Attach tubes and tube clamps. Slide tube clamps onto the tube "before" attaching the tube ends. Though the goal should be to minimize the total tube length in the system, your top priority is to ensure that the tube does not kink. Kinks drastically reduce system performance and will put undue stress on your pump. Always err on the side of using too much tubing as a length of tubing can always be cut shorter, but never made longer.
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Connect power cables. Ensure that the pump and radiator are connected to your power supply as well as any lights that may have come with your system. Use the paper clips tester from part 1 of How to Check a Power Supply to power the liquid cooling system without powering on the main computer. This way, if a leak is to form, the computer is at less of a risk of shorting out. But before you turn the system on.
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Tips
- Check, recheck, and check again making sure you have all your tubing, clamps, barbs, and enough spare Molex adapters for your system before starting assembly.Thanks
- Start simple, you can always add to the system later if you want to.Thanks
- It's a good idea to make sure your components (like CPU, GPU, and motherboard) are working before you add in the water cooling features. You don't want to completely install everything to find out your CPU is dead.Thanks
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Warnings
- Never use deionized water for cooling as this will corrode metal components.Thanks
- Do not test a pump without liquid in it as this can cause damage to some of the parts or heat damage to components.Thanks
- Be aware of the types of metals used in your system's parts. Mixed metals can create a corrosion risk, especially when using water as your coolant.Thanks
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Things You'll Need
- Flathead screwdriver
- Phillips screwdriver
- Scissors/shears for cutting tubing to length.
- Plan/diagram
- CPU/GPU/Ram Blocks
- Water pump
- Reservoir
- Tubing
- Fixtures/Barbs
- Mole grips
- Thermal Paste
About This Article
Thanks to all authors for creating a page that has been read 75,155 times.
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