Water cooling for PC: how to install yourself. Accessories for water cooling

The development of technologies inevitably leads to the fact that the main components of personal computers become more productive, and therefore, also "hot." Modern workstations require highly efficient cooling. As an excellent option for solving this problem, it is possible to offer water cooling for a PC.

Main advantages

Such a system has a number of advantages in comparison with traditional air cooling. First of all, one should remember the high thermal conductivity of water in comparison with air, and this has a positive effect on the entire cooling system. The next nuance concerns high-performance coolers, which create a lot of noise when passing through large air masses. With water cooling, the noise level is minimized during operation of the entire system. Modern water cooling for PCs is characterized by ease of installation with the highest performance. Given that such a system is quite expensive, it becomes the choice of so many, that is, its popularity is growing steadily.

general characteristics

The water cooling system for a PC is a combination of elements used to transfer water as a coolant. From the traditional air it differs in that all the heat is first transmitted to the water, and then to the air. When using such a system, all the heat generated by the processor and the remaining heat-generating elements is transmitted through a special heat exchanger to water. This component is called a water block. The water that has heated up in this way is transferred to the next heat exchanger - the radiator, where its heat is transferred to the air, leaving the computer limits. For the movement of water in the system is responsible for a special pump, which is usually called a pump.

Installing water cooling for a PC gives a lot of advantages due to the fact that the heat capacity of water is higher than air, which allows more efficient and quicker heat removal from the cooled elements, and hence, lower temperatures. For all the set of equal conditions, this type will always be much more effective in comparison with all the others.

The water cooling system (for PCs and so on) has proved to be a fairly reliable and productive solution for the entire period of its use. Even when used in various systems, devices and mechanisms that are demanding of the reliability and power of the coolers, for example, in internal combustion engines, radio tubes, high-power lasers, machine tools at factories, nuclear power plants and others.

Computer and water cooling

High efficiency of such a system allows not only to achieve more powerful cooling, which can positively affect the stability and overclocking of the system, but also lower the noise level of the computer. It is possible to assemble such a system to provide the overclocked computer work with a minimum level of generated noise. It is this reason that makes such systems especially relevant for users of the most powerful computers, fans of strong overclocking, wishing to make their PC quieter, but not willing to compromise with power.

Often gamers install themselves three or four chip video subsystems, while the work of video cards is carried out with a high temperature and frequent overheating, as well as with a strong noise of the cooling systems used. It may even seem that for modern graphics cards such coolers are designed, which will not allow the use of multi-chip configurations. That's why in cases of installing video cards one near the other often there is a whole series of problems, because they simply can not draw cold air anywhere. In the market there are alternative air cooling systems designed for multi-chip configurations, however they do not save the situation either. It is the water cooling of the PC in this case that can radically correct the situation, that is, lower the temperature, improve stability and improve the reliability of the computer.

Components of water cooling

This system includes a certain set of components that are conditionally divided into mandatory and optional, that is, installed at will.

So, mandatory components for water cooling PC include: a water block, a pump, a radiator, fittings, hoses, water. While the list of optional elements can be expanded, it usually includes: thermal sensors, reservoir, drainage cranes, fan and pump controllers, meters and indicators, secondary water blocks, backplays, water additives, filters. First, you should consider the components, without which water cooling for the PC simply does not work.

Water blocks

The water block is a special heat exchanger, through which the heat from the heating element is transferred to the water. Most often, its design involves the presence of a copper base, as well as a plastic or metal cover with a set of fasteners designed to secure the water block on the cooled element. For all the heat-generating components of the computer, there are water polls, even for those for which they are not particularly required, that is, their performance will not increase greatly. The main and most popular elements include processor water blocks, water polls for video cards and system chips. Devices for video cards are of two types: the only ones that cover the graphic chip itself, which cover all the elements of the video card that heat up during operation.

While initially such elements were made from thick copper sheets, current trends in this area have made the bases of the water blocks now thin, so that the heat from the processor to the water is transferred much faster. In addition, an increase in the heat transfer surface is achieved through micro needle and microchannel structures.

Radiators

In water cooling systems, a radiator is a water-to-air heat exchanger that transfers air from heat to water, which is recruited in the water block. There are two subtypes of radiators in such systems: passive, that is not equipped with a fan, and active, that is, they are blown by a fan.

So, if you are interested in the installation of water cooling for a PC, it is worth noting that fanless radiators are not so common, as their efficiency is noticeably lower, which is typical for all types of passive systems. In addition to low performance, such radiators are characterized by large dimensions, which is why they are rarely placed even in modified enclosures.

Swept radiators, that is, active ones, are more common in computer water cooling systems, since their efficiency is noticeably higher. In the case of silent or silent fans, you can achieve silent or quiet operation of the entire cooling system, that is, to borrow the main advantage of passive cooling.

water pump

The pump is an electric pump, the task of which is to ensure the circulation of water in the cooling system of the computer, without it the entire structure simply will not work. The pumps can operate from 220 volts to 12 volts. At first, when there was almost no pump for such installations on sale, enthusiasts used aquarium pumps operating from the city network, which created some difficulties, since they had to be synchronized with the computer. For these purposes, a relay was used, which included the pump automatically when the computer started. The development of water cooling systems has provided opportunities for the emergence of new devices that, when powered by a computer 12 volts, had high performance with compact dimensions.

Since modern water poles are characterized by a very high coefficient of water resistance, which is a fee for high productivity, it is recommended to use powerful pumps with them. This is due to the fact that with an aquarium pump, even the most powerful, a modern water cooling system for PCs will not fully demonstrate its performance. Do not particularly pursue the power, applying in a single circuit a few pumps or pumps from heating systems, since this will not lead to an increase in the productivity of the entire system as a whole. This parameter is limited by the efficiency of the water block and the heat dissipating ability of the radiator.

Hoses

A PC with water cooling is simply inconceivable without the use of hoses or tubes, since it is they that connect the various components of the system to each other. Most often for computers using hoses made of PVC, in extreme cases, from silicone. The size of the hose does not affect the performance, the main thing here is not to choose too thin, that is, a diameter of less than 8 mm.

Fitting

With the help of fittings, hoses are connected to the components of the cooling system. They are screwed into the threaded hole on the component without the use of wrenches, since rubber rings are used as a seal for the connection. Now the vast majority of components are delivered without fittings. This is done to ensure that the user had the opportunity to choose a suitable option for themselves, because they exist different types and for different sizes of hoses. The most popular type are compression fittings, as well as fir-tree fittings. They can be straight or angled, but they are installed depending on how the water cooling installation on the PC is done.

Water

If you want to make a gaming PC with water cooling, you should understand that for these purposes you need to take distilled water, that is, rid of any impurities. On western sites, it is sometimes written about the need to use deionized water, but it differs from distilled only in the way of preparation. Sometimes water is replaced with special mixtures or additives. In any case, it is not recommended to use tap water or bottled water.

Optional Components

Usually, without them, the PC water cooling system works quite stably and without problems. The main point of using optional components is to make the system more user-friendly, or they serve as decor.

So, if you are interested in installing water cooling on your PC yourself, then you can use, in addition to the main components, additional ones, the first of which is the reservoir, or the expansion tank. Most often, instead of it, a fitting-tee and a filler neck are used to conveniently refuel the system. The advantage of an option without a tank is that when you install the system in a compact housing it can be placed much more conveniently. Installing water cooling on a laptop may require a reservoir to provide ease of charging and more convenient removal of air bubbles from the system. It does not matter how much the reservoir is characterized, since it does not affect the performance of the system. The choice of the size and shape of the expansion tank depends only on individual preferences and appearance.

The drain cock is a component that ensures the convenience of draining water from the cooling system. It is normally closed. This component can greatly enhance the usability of the service plan.

Indicators, sensors and meters are produced especially for those who can not stop at a minimum of components, and likes various excesses. Among them are electronic water flow and pressure sensors, water temperatures, controllers that adjust the operation of fans for temperature, pump controllers, mechanical indicators and others.

The filter is found in some water cooling systems, where it is connected to the circuit. It is busy filtering out the various mechanical particles that have appeared in the system - dust that might have been present in the hoses, a sediment that has appeared due to the use of an anti-corrosion additive or dye, remnants of soldering in the radiator and so on.

Is it external or internal?

If you are wondering how to install water cooling on a laptop, then there is first to say about the availability of two types of systems. External are usually performed in the form of a separate box, that is, a module that connects to the water blocks with hoses. In the case of an external system, there is usually a radiator with fans, a reservoir, a pump, and sometimes a power supply for a pump with temperature sensors. It is clear that this option is optimal for a laptop, since the laptop's housing will not allow it to be placed in it. For a computer, such systems are convenient because the user does not need to modify the case of his PC, but inconvenient if you decide to move the device to another location.

There is internal water cooling for the PC. Installing the very system is quite difficult, if you compare it with an external one. Among the advantages of this system is the convenience when you need to carry your computer to another location, because it does not need to drain all the liquid. Another advantage is that the appearance of the case does not change at all, and with proper modding, such a system will also serve as a decoration.

Ready systems or personal assembly?

You can make water cooling of your PC with your own hands, using separate components for this, or you can use ready-made solutions that accompany the detailed instructions. Most enthusiasts are convinced that decisions "out of the box" are characterized by low productivity, but this is not so. Many brands produce kits with high performance, for example, Danger Dan, Alphacool, Koolance, Swiftech. Among the advantages of ready systems, convenience is noted, since in one set there is everything necessary for installation. In addition, manufacturers are often aimed at helping users in all circumstances, so the kit includes a variety of elements and attachments. However, it is inconvenient that the user does not have the opportunity to select exactly the components that he needs, the systems are sold only in collection.

You can make water cooling for your PC on your own. The feedback of most experienced users suggests that in this case the system will be more flexible, as you will be able to find the components that are right for you. In addition, if you compile a system of individual components, you can sometimes save. The disadvantage of this approach is the complexity of the assembly, especially for beginners.

conclusions

The main advantages of water cooling systems include the ability to assemble a powerful and quiet PC, expand overclocking capabilities, improve overclocking stability, long life and excellent appearance. This solution allows you to build a powerful gaming computer that will work without unnecessary noise, which is completely unattainable for air systems.

Among the disadvantages is usually noted the complexity of assembly, unreliability and high cost. However, such shortcomings can be called controversial and relative. In terms of the complexity of the assembly, it can be noted that this is not much more difficult than assembling the computer itself. The reliability of properly assembled systems is also not a problem, since there are no problems when properly assembled and operated.