How do I install this CPU water cooler?

[Mar]

I bought this cheap one when it was on sale a couple of months ago and I'm just now installing it:
http://www.memoryexpress.com/Products/MX48039

It's a Cooler Master and doesn't come with a lot of instructions, is this everything I need to get it going? Do I need to fill it up with something? I've never done this before and none of my friends have neither.

[KRyn]

You purchased a self contained unit. No filling required. Just install the heat sink onto the processor (apply new supplied thermal paste) and mount the reservoir / fans as you would any other 120 mm fan. Make sure you are venting / in-taking correctly based on where you mount it.

[sputnik]

http://www.coolermaster.com/xresserver01-DLFILE-P1307220001acf5-F13072200028e0f.html

[firebane]

Originally posted by KRyn
You purchased a self contained unit. No filling required. Just install the heat sink onto the processor (apply new supplied thermal paste) and mount the reservoir / fans as you would any other 120 mm fan. Make sure you are venting / in-taking correctly based on where you mount it.

These should only be considered intakes if you have GOOD airflow in your case otherwise I set them as exhaust.

[Mar]

I got it all hooked up and it's even noisier than before if that makes any sense. The case fan they supplied me sounds like a jumbo jet. Can I just replace this with another 120 millimetre fan? Also I have the fan set to suck air from the case and blow it out except the radiator is in between the fan and the case. So it's just blowing air into the radiator, is this right? Should it be sucking air off the radiator and blowing it around inside the case? I usually keep the side off my computer as I'm always messing around inside it.

[firebane]

Originally posted by Mar
I got it all hooked up and it's even noisier than before if that makes any sense. The case fan they supplied me sounds like a jumbo jet. Can I just replace this with another 120 millimetre fan? Also I have the fan set to suck air from the case and blow it out except the radiator is in between the fan and the case. So it's just blowing air into the radiator, is this right? Should it be sucking air off the radiator and blowing it around inside the case? I usually keep the side off my computer as I'm always messing around inside it.

Depends on the unit but yes generally stock fans are quite noisy.

Its meant to be mounted that way but it would depend on how its mounted if you could replace the fan.

Ideal situation is air through the rad out the back of the case.

[Mar]

The fan is a completely separate unit so I'll pop it out and buy a quieter replacement.

[Vagabond142]

The best way for a radiator to be mounted, if going case air -> room air, is to have it go radiator -> fan -> case.

With it going fan -> radiator -> case, you run into issues with dust clogging the fins of the radiator after some time, and you will need to disassemble the whole set up to clean the dust out.

As well, with most of the fans that come with them, yes, they can be noisy as fuck.

Two really good fans to use would be:

Noctua NF-P12. (personal recommendation)

Noctua fans are what I use in my system above all else. Quiet, extremely durable, and are very well regarded among air cooling and water cooling circles alike for their performance to price ratio.
http://www.memoryexpress.com/Products/MX34320

Corsair SP120 HP

Corsair fans of this current generation are eons beyond their first attempts. These fans are meant to apply maximum static pressure just before and just after the fan blades, right where you want the radiator to be. Buddy of mine that works with Hardware Canucks swears hanging from his nuts by these fans, just like I do for Noctua fans. Also, if you're going for looks, Corsair fans are not brown and beige XD Also, you'd definitely want these in PWM mode so you could control the fan speed.
http://www.memoryexpress.com/Products/MX45115


The difference between the two is that the Noctua achieves pressure via static vanes on the fan blades going at a decent RPM (1100-ish), while the Corsair uses blade shape and speed, while using quiet motor components, to create pressure.

Above all else, though: research research research :D Go to overclocking boards, hardware canucks forums, hardforums (hardOCP), etc, and read threads on "what's the best fan to use?" :)

Also, why use a "pull" configuration? Watch this:
UyC3lZ5WFMk

[Mar]

Wow, you really seem to know your stuff! I picked up this fan at Memory Express this morning:
http://www.memoryexpress.com/Products/MX45027

It seemed to be the quietest rating out of all the $20 fans at 17.9 dbA and it's much quieter in my setup now that I've installed it. I'm very happy with everything though if I had my time back I would have bought a more expensive water cooling setup which wouldn't have required me to waste more money on a replacement fan.

I do have it mounted fan -> radiator -> case but I don't see a way to mount it any other way. Screws go through the case and screw directly into the radiator. Then the fan attaches on the other side with long screws which go through the fan and screw into the radiator. If I flipped it, I'd have no way of screwing the fan to the case unless I used the screws provided with it. Then I'd have no way of screwing the radiator to the fan. And I couldn't use the long screws to hold everything in place because they're not long enough to go through the case as well.

Lastly, for anyone considering a cheap water cooling solution, this one seems to work fine except for the need to swap the fan. Not only was it loud, it was catching somewhere and making a variably timed ticking noise all the time. Super annoying, I have my computer in my office and could hear it all the way in my bedroom last night. Now the only thing I can hear is the birds chirping outside and Biggie's Hypnotize coming out of my speakers at a reasonable level! :burnout:

[firebane]

Yeah cougar fans are decent fans.

Fan, Rad, Case is fine. Just keep an eye on the rad every few months and check for any dirt build up.. Its very common.

[ipeefreely]

Originally posted by firebane
Yeah cougar fans are decent fans.
I like them! :thumbsup:

I picked up a bunch when they were on sale at newegg for $9.99... very quiet and move a lot more air then my stock fans! :)

[Vagabond142]

Originally posted by firebane
Yeah cougar fans are decent fans.

Fan, Rad, Case is fine. Just keep an eye on the rad every few months and check for any dirt build up.. Its very common.

I would recommend every month in Calgary. We are a very very very VERY dusty city, it's ridiculous. Hell, when I helped a buddy of mine upgrade his computer and he asked why his video card (570) ran so hot... I got my can of air, stuck the nozzle into the heatsink, and gave it a squirt. Literal explosion of dust.

Now he has a can of compressed air always on his desk and cleans out his PC every month XD

[Vagabond142]

Originally posted by Mar

I do have it mounted fan -> radiator -> case but I don't see a way to mount it any other way. Screws go through the case and screw directly into the radiator. Then the fan attaches on the other side with long screws which go through the fan and screw into the radiator. If I flipped it, I'd have no way of screwing the fan to the case unless I used the screws provided with it. Then I'd have no way of screwing the radiator to the fan. And I couldn't use the long screws to hold everything in place because they're not long enough to go through the case as well.


Sometimes you need to get replacement screws. As in my post above, the way you have it is fine, just clean it regularly and you should be fine :) I was only recommending the rad -> fan -> case system as, while I am anal about de-dusting my computer, a lot of people aren't :P