Log Dual 280GTS Meshy-boi (5900X, 3080 FE, 14.6L) build log

[biopunk]

I transmit the link of these results on the Winter One thread. Thank you, it's perfect.

I'm not going to be able to use the 280 Xflow, but by using 240, it could be a good way ... My waterblock is very restrictive (165 microchannels of 0.1mm)

I don't think you should sacrifice radiator volume by going 240mm, that would affect heat dissipation way more than flow restriction would potentially affect CPU/GPU thermals. If you can't find a review of that block where flow rate dependence was tested perhaps you could do a temporary open bench build and test that block yourself at different pump speeds/flow rates? I wouldn't expect a ~20% drop in flow rate to make CPU thermals worse by more than ~1.5℃ with a standalone CPU block.

 

[biopunk]

Performance of EK blocks @ 1.1 GPM, 1.65 GPM and 2.2 GPM:

From this review.

1℃ difference between 1.1 and 1.65 GPM. They didn't test below 1.1 GPM unfortunately, that's where the difference should be a bit more noticeable.
I will test EK Velocity at 1.0 GPM and below around March when I tear down my current T1 build.

 

[biopunk]

New fans​

Last weekend I tested EK-Vardar 140ER D-RGB fans that I intended to use in ML.



The good:

1. Airflow is great
2. D-RGB cables are daisy-chainable

The bad:

1. They are 26.5-27mm thick even though the specs state they are supposed to be standard 25mm. That's quite a big manufacturing tolerance. With anti-vibration pads which these fans absolutely need the thickness would be 28.5mm-29mm. Those extra 1.5-2mm could cause a problem with fitting the side radiator.
2. They are unacceptably noisy at the minimum speed. Compared to NF-A12x15, Vardars are a few dB louder at the minimum speed and ~6 dB louder at the maximum speed. Having so much radiator volume to work with, I want my PC to be silent at idle.
3. 1 out of 3 fans I tested produced some rattling sound at any speed.

I decided to return all 4 of them and instead get 2x Corsair QL140 for the front rad and 2x Arctic P14 for the side rad.

Here's how QL140 look like when hooked up to Splitty4 and controlled directly by the mobo (without iCUE and Lighting Node):



Yes, rainbow mode is a bit messy but I prefer color cycle anyway. QL140 are very quiet, comparable to NF-A12x15 which I have in my T1!
I will keep them at a considerably higher speed than Vardars and hopefully, the performance will match. I don't intend to use Lighting Node, I'll just make a custom adapter cable for easier cable management.

The other two fans, Arctic P14 should arrive in the next few days and then I'll compare their noise levels with QL140.

 

[Uglobu]

Awesome project, I hope you can make the pump fit next to the PSU that seems really tight. Isn't cablemod.com offering custom non sleeved flexible cables with low profile connectors?

 

[biopunk]

Awesome project, I hope you can make the pump fit next to the PSU that seems really tight. Isn't cablemod.com offering custom non sleeved flexible cables with low profile connectors?

As far as I know, CableMod abandoned the idea of using low-profile connectors.
I'll be making my own custom cables either way and can use those low-profile connectors if I have to but I'll try regular ones first.

 

[findingmyfeet]

I'd love to do something like this one day. Figure I'd start off with an AIO first though and build up from there. Looks like yours is going to be fantastic when complete.

 

[Firebear]

Performance of EK blocks @ 1.1 GPM, 1.65 GPM and 2.2 GPM:

From this review.

1℃ difference between 1.1 and 1.65 GPM. They didn't test below 1.1 GPM unfortunately, that's where the difference should be a bit more noticeable.
I will test EK Velocity at 1.0 GPM and below around March when I tear down my current T1 build.

Be aware tho that Arctic P14s are also 27mm in depth so you need to be careful there as well with the siderad. I kept that in mind and I will probably have just 1 or 2mm of space between GPU block and siderad

Thanks for you radiator tests as well. I will probably get 2x alphacool 280 ST30 which aren't as restrictive, so I suppose a DDC310 will be enough.

 

[biopunk]

Be aware tho that Arctic P14s are also 27mm in depth so you need to be careful there as well with the siderad. I kept that in mind and I will probably have just 1 or 2mm of space between GPU block and siderad

Thanks for you radiator tests as well. I will probably get 2x alphacool 280 ST30 which aren't as restrictive, so I suppose a DDC310 will be enough.

I'm going to mod P14s to use countersunk screws and might also sand them down by 1mm.

Be aware that DDC310 is a 10W DC pump, it has lower had pressure and flow rate specs than DDC 3.2.

 

[cennis]

If you are in need of a few more mm off the thickness of the fan + rad, you can sand/grind the mounting corners of each fan such that the fan motor is recessed into the radiator shroud. This could gain you another 3-6mm depending on how far you want to go and how deep the radiator shroud is.

Here's an example of my TX240 side rad in a T1. The fan + rad combo is reduced from 35.5mm stock to around 31mm thick. The fan motor is sitting inside the rad shroud and is (almost?) making contact with the fins. No weird noises, but there could be a performance loss due to dead zone at point-blank range.

TX240