RADIATOR/FAN
Warm water enters the radiator and is
squeezed into small aluminum columns
that have fins soldered to them. The
water transfers its heat to the columns
and fins as it passes through, eventually
exiting through the radiator outlet port.
Usually, a fan is mounted to the radia-
tor, to blow cool air over the fins, which
transfers the heat from the fins to the air
outside the case.WATER BLOCK(S)
Cold water escapes from the
radiator and comes rushing into
the water block’s inlet port. The
water block transfers heat from
the CPU or GPU core to the water,
which it then sends on its merry
way. There are dozens of differ-
ent water-block designs, but the
basic rule is that the more surface
area of block exposed to water,
the more heat it will transfer.MA XIMUMPC SEPTEMBER 2006
Water-Cooling Walk-Through
Join us for a step-by-step look at what happens in each stage
of a water-cooling circuitJust as PC enthusiasts often
wonder whether to build their
own PC or go with a hassle-free
prefab rig, the same dilemma
exists in the water-cooling uni-
verse. And though we always
recommend you build your own
PC rather than buy one, things
aren’t so clear-cut when it
comes to water-cooling.
A prefab kit is a pre-assem-
bled collection of cooling parts
sold by a manufacturer such
as Swiftech or Koolance. When
you buy a prefab kit, you are
paying a small premium for
the peace of mind that comes
from knowing the kit will have
everything you need to get up
and running, as well as a thor-
ough manual that walks you
through the entire installation
process. The DIY route, how-
ever, leaves you totally on your
own to decide which blocks,
pump, tubing, and other parts
to buy. It takes some know-how
to match the tubing size to the
fi ttings on the blocks, to know if
the pump’s specs are appropri-
ate, and most importantly, to
know how to put it all together.
A DIY kit includes instructions
for each part, but no guided
tour on how to assemble it.
So, which is better? In
the early days of water-cool-
ing, the kits were crap and
DIY was the only way to get
a kick-ass setup. That’s no
longer the case. Water-cooling
has entered the mainstream,
and stiff competition has led
to powerful prefab kits from
Swiftech, Danger Den, Corsair,
and others that rival the best
DIY packages available. While
building a DIY kit can be a lot
of fun, there’s no shame in
the prefab game, especially
if you’re anything less than a
water-wizard.DIY vs. Prefab Kit
RESERVOIR
The reservoir is a large container of water,
and is the only place in the circuit where
air bubbles can easily escape the system.
Water velocity inevitably drops when it
enters the reservoir, because the water
is no longer contained in a thin tube, so
reservoirs are designed to suck the water
through and push it out quickly in order to
maintain a decent flow-rate.PUMP
The pump sucks the water into one end
and shoots it out the other end. Inside
the pump is an impeller, which is a small,
rotating cylinder with blades that direct
the water-flow. Pumps are rated by their
head pressure, as well as their flow-rate,
which is typically expressed in gallons per
hour (gph). A pump’s “lift” is how high it
can push water vertically.