Alphacool Xtreme Pro WC Set review with video!, Water Cooling with Video Options

[Bob The Junkie]

Review: Alphacool Xtreme Pro Set 240 12Volt water cooling kit
Reviewer: Jon ?Bob The Junkie? Aubrey
Reviewed on: 02/08/2005
Product cost: £172.87 (?249.90 - $302.32)
Product provided by Alphacool (www.Alphacool.de)

Introduction:

Water cooling has always been regarded as the ultimate cooling method for the PC enthusiast, only beaten by the vapour compression offered by companies such as Vapochill.

Up until recently, water cooling was complex and difficult to fit, and it involved buying many components from different places. These pieces came in all shapes and sizes and it took someone with a fair amount of knowledge to be able to purchase the correct parts that would work together. That all changed when several manufacturers started releasing complete kits that contained everything a user needed to set up a full water cooling system, without the headaches of choosing all of the parts.

However as many users who haven?t actually used a water cooling kit will tell you, they are still expensive, a nightmare to fit, only for the extreme overclocker, and they want one!

Water cooling still carries a premium respect from enthusiasts, but is dismissed by many for the reasons above. Today we aim to disprove all of those reasons with the help of the German built Alphacool Xtreme Pro Set 240 12 volt water cooling kit.

Components:

Alphacool lists the following components as part of the Xtreme Pro Set 240 12Volt set, however ours came with a few extras:

1 x NexXxoS Xtreme II 240 mm radiator
1 x Alphacool NexXxoS XP processor cooler
1 x Alphacool AP1500 1500l/h 12Volt pump
1 x Cape Coolplex 25 radiator
4 meters of transparent PUR 10/8mm tubing
2 x 120 x 120 x 25 mm Papst 4412 F2/GL fans
1 x 1000ml Tec-Protect water additive
8 x G1/4 inch plug-in connections with 10 mm external screw thread
1 x Velcro 13cm long and 10cm broad strip for pump attachment in the case
1 x 2g Silmore thermal compound
1 x ATX power-on bridging adaptor
2 x 3 pin fan to 4 pin Molex adaptors
3 x manuals

As well as the above parts we also received mounting brackets for every type of processor you would possibly want to fit a water cooling kit to (one of which is included in the Xtreme Pro set, you specify which processor you have when ordering), an Alphacool NexXxoS GPX-A ATI X8x block for water cooling graphics cards, and a set of amplification sleeves which ensure a tighter grip around the hoses, and make sure they provide a maximum flow rate over a length of time.

Packaging: (4.6 / 5)

The Alphacool Xtreme Pro Set comes in a very attractive blue and purple box with a picture of a man created from water on the front. The box is covered on all sides in product information and hype ? both in German and English. On the rear side of the box is a list of components that are inside the box. These are list of items grouped into categories by type which an Alphacool employee ticks off or writes what was put in the box. It?s a nice touch and it shows that someone actually has gone through the effort to make sure all of your order is actually there.

Inside the box are two pieces of soft foam to prevent damage to components inside from shock to either the top or bottom of the box. Inside the components were fairly well laid out to avoid damage, but as the box cannot be designed around every set of components, there was some movement of parts. Practically everything was wrapped in several layers of bubble wrap to avoid damage in transit, and although our kit had come all of the way from Germany there was not a single scratch on any of the components.

All of the parts were arranged in the main box apart from the radiator which was housed in its own box, which was then placed in the main box.

Construction of parts: (4.7 / 5)

Just like a PC system, a water cooling system consists of a number of parts. And just like a PC if any of those parts are less effective than the other parts, the whole system will suffer. If the tubing is not flexible enough, it will kink and reduce the flow rate in the system. If the pump isn?t powerful enough then there will not be enough pressure in the system to add more water blocks later. If the water blocks are not well made, they will not effectively transfer heat from the PC to the water cooling system. If the radiator does not have an effective cooling area, heat will not be able to be removed from the system and all of the components will get hotter. Even the liquid used in the system is important, as if it isn?t very thermally conductive, the heat from the PC components will not be able to transfer into the water and thus be taken to the radiator for dispersal.

Luckily for Alphacool buyers ? Alphacool?s Xtreme Pro set is made from quality components.

Processor water block

Technical data:

Dimensions (without connections): 50 x 50 x 17 mm (L x W x H)
Weight: approx 330 g, Mounting frame 40g
Material: copper nickel-plated
Connections: 2 x 3/8 inch hose connections


Alphacool use the NexXxos water block to cool the processor. This measures roughly 2 x 2 x 0.75 inches and is a two part block consisting of a copper nickel-plated base and a chrome top. These are secured together using four screws and high temperature O-rings to stop the water escaping, which allow the block to be taken apart to clean it. The copper base has been glass-beaded, which is the process of firing tiny glass beads at a surface to manufacture it. The smaller the beads fired, the finer the surface. Our sample was well polished and didn?t require anymore sanding to provide better contact with the processor. On the top of the block there are two holes designed to accept screw-in G1/4 inch connectors, and both holes had been labelled with ?in? and ?out? markings so as to help simplify installation. The most interesting thing about this water block though is how it is mounted to the processor. As it does not have any clips ? the NexXxos water block relies on an external retention mechanism to secure it to the processor. This takes the form of a metal clip which connects to the motherboard. On our socket 939 platform the clip simply slipped over the existing retention frame on the motherboard, but this will vary depending on the socket used. Each different socket uses a different clip, but as the water block doesn?t change, you won?t have to replace it if you upgrade your system in the future. To make sure the water block maintains good contact with the processor, a screw is inserted in the middle of the clip and presses down on the block itself. To secure the water block, you simply keep screwing in the screw until adequate pressure has been applied to the processor.

Pump

Technical data:

Dimensions (without connections): 62 x 62 x 38 mm (W x D x H)
Engine: Electronical commuted ball engine
Power: 12 V DC direct voltage (from Molex connector)
Voltage range: 6 to 13.2 volt
Lifting height at 12V: 3.7m
Max lifting height: 420L/h
Transport media: water, water-/glycols-composites
Max system temperature: 60 degree C
Media contacting parts: stainless steel 1.4571, PPS-GF40, EPDM O-rings,
aluminium oxide, hard coal
Connections: 2 x 3/8 inch (10mm) hose connections
Operating noise: (24 to 26 dBA)
Operating voltage range: 6 to 13.2 VDC
Nominal power (@ 12V): 8.3 W
Nominal current (@ 12V): .69 A
Nominal head (@ 12V): 13.05? (5.7 PSI)
Nominal flow (@ 12V): ~92 GPH (350 LPH)
Maximum working pressure: 22 PSI (1.5 Bar)
Operating temperature range: Up to 140 F (60 C)
Weight: 7.3 oz (207 g)
Pump MTBF: 50,000 Hours

The pump is generally the single most expensive part in a water cooling system. The pump Alphacool include with the Xtreme Pro set is the Laing DDC 12 volt pump and at only thirty eight millimetres high this pump is tiny compared to some of the others on the market, which means it will fit easily in even the smallest case. The pump comes in two parts, the top which contains a plastic covering with two barbs on it to connect to the tubing, and the bottom which contains the pump motor and sealing rings. These two parts are connected together using four hex-screws on the underside of the pump. The Laing DDC 12 volt pump is designed to be used inline with other components, and so cannot be used in a submerged reservoir. The pump uses centrifugal force to draw water in and force it out and is not self-priming which means that the pump should never be run dry and will have to be flooded manually (you will have to flood it yourself by forcing water into it). The pump is powered from a 12 volt Molex connector which means two benefits to the user. The first is that the pump does not need an external power source, and so additional power cables do not need to be run into the computer case. The second is that the pump is activated and deactivated when the PC is turned on or off. This removes the need for the user to manually turn on and off the pump. This is a major problem with water cooling systems, as if the user forgets to turn the pump on with the PC then the heated water surrounding the water blocks will just get keep raising in temperature and thus the PC components themselves will get keep raising in temperature which may eventually damage them. Many users leave their water cooling systems permanently on to avoid this problem ? but this reduces the lifespan of the water cooling components, especially the pump. By turning the pump on only when the PC is on, the PC remains at a good temperature, and the water cooling components last for much longer before needing replacing. When running, the pump is barely audible even with the side of the PC case off, making it ideal for use in a quiet PC.

Pump housing

Technical data:

Dimensions: (without connections or pump) 80 x 80 x 24 mm (L x W x H)
Weight: 170g
Material: acrylic glass GS (casted)
Fixing: 4x M4 threads, 8x Decoupling receptacles
Connections: 3 x G1/4 inch threads

The Laing DDC watercool top is one of the most interesting items in the Xtreme Pro set. Made from acrylic glass, it is designed to extend the functionality of the Laing DDC 12 volt pump and make it more compatible with the rest of the components in the Xtreme Pro set. It is very simple to fit ? simply un-screw the top of the Laing DDC 12 volt pump, take the top off and replace it with the watercool top, securing it with a set of four screws. Due to the O-ring already present in the Laing DDC pump, a watertight seal is formed around the watercool top and there is no risk of water leaking out of the pump. The watercool top contains three G ¼ inch screw in threads, two for input and output of the pump, and a third which is sealed by a metal screw. This can be used to fill or drain the system if attached to an external reservoir. As the watercool top is made of clear acrylic, it is possible to see the water inside it, although it is not possible to see the water moving as there is no air in the system. The watercool top was designed so it could be fitted in multiple different places in the PC case, and due to its size it can be easily mounted in a two spare 3.5 inch drive bays (for both the watercool top and the Laing DDC pump) and secured using screw holes at the side of the watercool top. The top also has several LED bores so it can be illuminated.

Radiator

Technical data:

Material: pre-chambers of brass, lateral steel chrome-plated mountings
Dimensions: 315 x 135 x 46 mm (L x W x H)
Weight: approx 1550g
Mounting options: 8x M4 thread at the top (for 2 x 120 mm fan), 8xM4 thread at the bottom (for 2 x 120 mm fan)
Pressure tested: 8 pounds
Connections: 2 x G 1/4 inch threads

Alphacool supply the NexXxoS Xtreme II radiator to cool the water. This is a large twin-fan radiator, designed to remove vast amounts of heat from the water cooling system. It features sixteen M4 screw threads, eight on each side of the radiator, which allow the mounting of two 120 mm fans per side. The main fins on the radiator are made from copper and covered in a black powder covering. The input and output connectors are G ¼ inch threaded and are mounted on the top of the end of the longest part, which means the radiator can only have one side mounted against the side of the PC case. Along with the radiator, Alphacool supply two silicone fan mounts which are designed to reduce vibrations coming from the mounted fans. The radiator uses parallel switched channels to ensure low flow resistance, which means a less powerful pump is needed to push the water through the system.

Reservoir

Technical data:

Capacity: 250 ml
Installation height: 250 mm
Diameter: 50 mm
Connection: 2 x G1/4 inch and 1 x G1/8 inch for the lighting module
Sealing cap: G 1 inch, fastening inclusive

Even though it is a closed loop system, water cooling systems still lose water and still need topping up from time to time. This normally requires checking the system looking for air every few months, and has to be done as if a system is run without enough water, the overall temperature of the system will rise. If the water cooling system uses an inline pump (as the Xtreme Pro set does) the only way to enter water into the system is either using a reservoir or an inline T-piece. Thankfully Alphacool have decided to save you all of those filling and topping up problems by including a reservoir, which is arguably the best looking piece in the Xtreme Pro set. The reservoir included is a Cape Coolplex 25 (named because it can hold 250 ml of liquid) and it is made of Rohm Plexiglas and aluminium. Two G ¼ inch threads are set into one end of the reservoir, one of which leads into a ?climb-stencil?, which is effectively a small plastic tube, which prevents bubbles. Stand-alone the Cape Coolplex 25 looks amazing, but it also features a G1/8 inch screw thread where a lighting element can be inserted to light up the liquid stored in the reservoir. To help mounting the Cape Coolplex 25, Alphacool supply plastic brackets with screw holes that clip onto the reservoir, allowing it to be screwed into almost anywhere. The reservoir can be mounted vertically or horizontally, although if it is mounted horizontally it has to be filled to roughly eighty percent to avoid air bubbles being sucked into the system.

Fans

Technical data:

Dimensions: 120 x 120 x 25 mm
Weight: 175g
Connection: 3 pin
Airflow: 94 m3/h
Fan type: Sintec
Turn speed: 1600 RPM
Noise: 26 dBA

Two high performance Papst 4412 F2/GL fans have been included in the Xtreme Pro set, and we were suitably impressed by them. Measuring 120 x 120 x 25 mm, they can push approximately 55.3 CFM when running at 1600RPM, and are extremely quiet at 26dBA. As the fans are one of only two pieces in the water cooling system with moving parts (the pump is the other), using noisy fans increases the overall noise from the water cooling system considerably. Thankfully the Papst fans were nearly silent, even when drawing air through the radiator, and we could only hear them when we put our ears right next to them. The fans are powered by a three pin connector, but Alphacool supply a Molex adaptor (one for each fan) so the fans can be powered from a four pin Molex connector instead, which makes mounting the radiator and fans outside the case much easier.

Tubing

Alphacool supply four meters of 10/8 mm (outer/inner) transparent polyurethane tubing with the Xtreme Pro set. This is tough tubing and will difficult to damage with a sharp case edge, however we did manage to make several scratches in ours with a PCI slot, but these were not visible when water was pumping through the system. The tubing was easy to cut with a sharp knife even without using a large amount of force, which should help avoid nasty accidents. The tubing is very stiff, which means although it will stay where you route it in the case and not sag when water is passed through it, it may kink if bent at tight angles.

Liquid

Technical data:

Colour: clear
Suitable for: systems with copper and/ or aluminium mounting parts.
Contents: 1000ml

To transport the heat through the water cooling system, Alphacool supply a one litre bottle of Tec-Protect-Clear. This is a heat transfer liquid with distilled water and hydroxyphosphon carbon acid, which helps protect against corrosion. Alphacool used to only supply a 500ml bottle, and the rest of the needed distilled water had to be purchased separately. By including a 1000ml bottle, the user simply has to pour in the liquid, removing the messing around purchasing separate distilled water, or combining liquids. As well as the Tec-Protect, Alphacool sell other liquids can be added to the water cooling system, and we defiantly recommend the Ultra Violet water additives. These are clear in colour and so won?t discolour your existing liquid in normal light. Each bottle of UV water additive contains 50 ml of liquid and no more than 25 ml should be added per 1 litre of Tec-Protect. As the Tec-Protect should be replaced roughly every six months, each bottle should give a year worth of UV reactive liquid in the system. The UV water additives come in a variety of colours including green, red, yellow and blue, we tested the blue version. Without any additive added to the Tec-Protect under a UV light, the water did not react at all. In natural light with the UV additive added, the Tec-Protect in the system was completely clear, however when we turned on a UV light the entire tubing lit up with a light blue colour that distinctly shone in the case, and looked fantastic.


Manuals

Although the manual probably isn?t the first thing you would look at when getting a shiny new piece of equipment to play with, in a water cooling system, it should be. First time users should definitely follow instructions, and even experienced modders should glance through it to see if there is anything they didn?t know. Unfortunately that?s where the Alphacool Xtreme Pro set falls down ? the manuals are quite frankly, terrible. Although the manuals are in both English and German, they just don?t follow the products in the Xtreme Pro box. One manual explained all about the Laing pump and even showed its individual components in a diagram. It didn?t however explain that the Laing pump had to be disassembled and connected to the watercool top to be able to connect to the rest of the system. A second manual took us through the individual components in the system, explaining how to fit a radiator and fan, and connect the reservoir to the pump. The problem was, the reservoir was a single fan version that is fitted inside a normal case, and the pump and reservoir were connected directly together, and were not the same as the components in the Xtreme Pro set. Due to these manuals and our inexperience with water cooling kits, we had a few puzzled looks on our faces when first opening the box and trying to fit the components together. Luckily the Alphacool support staff were amazing, and after a few emails everything was set up correctly.


Graphics card water block

Technical data:

Dimensions (without connections): 54 x 54 x 24 mm (L x W x H)
Weight: approx 135 g

As well as the Xtreme Pro set, Alphacool also sent us a water block for the Geforce II/III and Radeon 8500/9xxx/9700-9800/Pro/X800 set of graphics cards. This took the form of a GFX Alphacool NexXxoS GPX-A ATI 9xxx. The GFX cooler comes as a standalone water block, with a set of small screws and springs for replacing the standard GPU cooler on most graphics cards. If a separate mounting mechanism is needed to keep the RAM cool, this has to be purchased separately. The water block consists of two parts, a copper base and a Plexiglas top, connected together using four screws and a high temperature O-ring. The Plexiglas block has two G ¼ inch screws holes for connectors and the copper base has two metal holes to connect it to the graphics card with a flat polished base. The water block uses cross channels that the water flows through to transfer heat from the graphics card, and these have been glass beaded to increase their surface area. As the Plexiglas block is clear, it is possible to see the liquid going through block and when you combine the liquid with a UV reactant the block lights up the graphics card with a soft glow.

Video:

To accompany this review we have made the first ever PlanetAMD64 video! This is a short video showing the basic steps that should be taken when installing the Xtreme Pro set into a new system. The video was created on our first attempt at installing the set into our test system and so does not exactly follow the installation guide we have provided here. Please note that in the video we have not cut all of the cabling to fit the case as we will be using the Xtreme Pro set in other systems ? when installing the set in your own PC, this cabling should be all cut to length.

Filename: AlphacoolVideo.zip
Filesize: 23.6MB
Compressed with (video): DivX 5.0
Compressed with (audio): MP3
Video bitrate: 812kb/s
Audio bitrate: 56kb/s
Video length: 4:00 mins
Video size: 720x576 px

Download from here:
AlphacoolVideo.zip


Installation guide:

Installation was both much easier and much harder than we thought it was going to be!

Here we?re going to walk you through the steps you should take to get this kit installed. Please note these instructions come from experience learned during out first time installing the kit, making mistakes and trying again and so won?t exactly follow the video. You should watch the video to back up what we wrote here, but follow these instructions.

1. Prepare prepare prepare. Find a large table or workspace that can fit your PC, all of the components laid out, and leave enough room for the water cooling system to be laid out when set up. If you haven?t got a table that large ? move the components to somewhere else nearby, preferably within arms reach.

2. Unwrap all of the components from their packaging and lay them out on the table.

3. Clear out your PC. Disconnect all cables so they aren?t in the way and remove all cold cathode lights and other components that are sat in the bottom of the case.

4. Place the pump, reservoir and radiator in the case where they are going to be placed when the system is completely set up. This is a critical part and a good deal of time should be taken undertaking this ? if you mess this up you will have to completely re-do it later on when you cut the tubing. Remember that tubing cannot be bent ninety degrees and needs room to bend around corners. Next place the water block on the processor and add other water blocks to other components if you have them. How to fit the water blocks will depend on what you are fixing them to ? but for reference, the NexXxoS processor water block should be placed on the processor and then the retaining mechanism should be carefully placed over it. The block should then be secured using the supplied screw. Keep screwing the screw into the water block until resistance is felt, over tightening this screw could lead to cracking the processor core.


5. Using a strong screwdriver (the screws are in tight) - unscrew the four screws on the base of the pump. Remove the top of the pump and place it somewhere else ? you won?t need it again. Making sure the ?O? ring that can now fall out of the pump is seated correctly inside of it ? take the watercool top (the clear acrylic square block) and place it on top of the pump. Now screw the two components together tightly ? tightening each screw in turn a small amount until they are all evenly tightened.

6. Place the rubber sealing square on the side of the radiator you wish to mount the fans to and place the fan on top of it. This is used to reduce noise from the vibrations coming from the fan. Carefully screw the fan to the radiator watching the rubber seal, it can move out from under the fan. You don?t need to screw the fan down tightly, all you will do then is compress the rubber further. Simply screw the fan down until it is secure. Repeat for the second fan.

7. Screw all of the plug-in connectors to the components (Radiator, Reservoir, Processor water block, VGA water block, Pump). These should be hand tightened only ? the rubber seal around the end will stop them from leaking. If in doubt ? get someone else with a stronger grip to tighten the connectors, you should never use a tool to do this as you might damage the rubber seals from over tightening.

8. Decide which order you are going to have the components connected in. As a water cooling system is a closed loop affair, the flow rate in the system is completely even throughout, and many people have commented that it doesn?t matter which order the components go in ? temperatures tend to stay the same. Therefore we have determined you should chose the order of connected components first by cable bending ? the less bending the better, to avoid kinks in the system. Second by placing the reservoir before the input of the pump. This will make life a lot easier when refilling the system as you just have to feed the water into the reservoir which will fill the pump. Then turn the pump on and it?ll do the rest.


9. Now is the time to cut the tubing, which in our opinion in the hardest part of water cooling. The general rule here is to ?measure twice, cut once?. We would change this rule to ?measure ten times, take a break for ten minutes, come back, measure five times, and cut once?. Cutting the tubing is the most difficult part of setting up a water cooling system, and once this is done its easy sailing. Unfortunately if you badly mess this up ? you can?t take it off and start again, you?ll have to buy a new set of tubing. Take the end of the tubing and place it next to the component it is going to be attached to. Now run the tubing to the next component in the chain. Measure from the component edge of the plug-in connectors making sure you bend the tubing as it would be bent in the case. Now add an extra inch to the length and mark it with a marker pen. Remove the tubing from the case and with a very sharp knife cut through it. This cut should be straight across, not at an angle. Repeat this for all of the components in turn.

10. Slide one of the amplification sleeves inside one of the pieces of tubing you have just cut. Press the tubing and sleeve hard into the plug-in connector until you hear a clicking sound. Now give the tube a little pull to lock it in place, and then an averagely hard pull to make sure it is actually locked in place. Now do the same for the other end of the tubing. If you have measured a little too long and have too much tubing at this point you can disconnect it and trim it a bit. Only trim around a centimetre at a time until you have the length right, if you cut too much off you will have to cut a new piece of tubing from any spare you have (and you should have loads of spare by this point). If you do need to remove a piece of tubing from a plug-in connector, depress the outer ring on the connector while slowly pulling on the tubing ? it should pop out with a little bit of force. If the amplification sleeve is stuck in the plug-in connector ? unscrew the plug-in connector and hold it upside-down so that the amplification sleeve is slightly hanging out. Now with a pair of pliers pull on the sleeve while depressing the outer ring and it should pop out with a bit of force ? then just screw the plug-in connector back in and try again.

11. All of the tubing should be the right length now and it should all be connected. Now here comes the fun part. Disconnect all of the tubing and take all of the components out of the case ? its time to do a ?dry? (if you?re lucky) run of the system.

12. With all of the components out of the case ? reconnect them back up in the same order as they were in the case. Check that all of the plug-in connectors are still screwed in tight and all of the tubing is tightly in. Now connect the pump to a spare Molex connector and the two fans to a 3 pin or Molex (using the adaptors) power source. Disconnect your PC from the power plug (if you?ve got it plugged in already) and disconnect the ATX power lead from the motherboard.

13. Now it is time to fill the system. If you followed our advice you will have put the reservoir directly before the pump ? so raise the reservoir up to a high level (air bubbles always rise to the highest point) and start pouring the water slowly in. At this point it is helpful to have a second person to move and wiggle the components and hoses to dislodge the air and help it on its way. When you?re confident that most of the air bubbles are out of the tubing ? gently tilt the radiator up and down ? you should find a lot of air is trapped in there. Remember that while you?re doing this the reservoir should still be kept higher than all of the other components so that the air can escape and stay in there, and the lid should be off so excess air can escape. While you are wiggling and moving components it is imperative that you keep an eye on the table you are working on for leaks, and not to twist or turn the cabling too much. During our testing we twisted the components too much which caused one of the plug-in connectors to unscrew and leak.

14. Now turn the power off at the mains and reconnect the power cord to the PC. Connect the supplied ATX power on bridging adaptor to the ATX power cable, making sure that the green wire and a black wire on the ATX lead are the ones bridged (if the bridging adaptor is on the right way they will be, but it is possible to put it on upside-down). Double check all of your connections again and then when you?re confident everything is ok ? flick on the power at the mains. Again it is helpful to have a second person at hand to turn on the power while you keep an eye out for leaks ? so they can turn the power off quickly as you stem the flow of water.

15. The whole system should now technically be left for a few hours to catch leaks, but we turned ours off after watching it for five minutes. If the system isn?t going to leak in this time ? it isn?t going to leak at all, unless you?ve got a faulty component which leaks over time, and if that?s going to happen, it could happen at any time.

16. Now comes, in our opinion, the second hardest part of water cooling - draining the system. Through our experience we found the easiest way to do it is this: First disconnect all cables and power from the PC so the water cooling system is completely disconnected from the PC. Now get the container you used to have the liquid in and take the lid off of it. Now put this in a place lower than the rest of the system ? it is helpful here if you can have a second person to hold the container. Now take the highest component in the system and tip it so that the input tube is facing towards the ceiling (so when you pull the tube off it is the end of the tube that faces the ceiling). Now gentle disconnect the input tube and put your thumb over the end. As the component is the highest in the system ? no water should come out. Put the component down again and very carefully put the disconnected tube into the container. Now disconnect the output tube from the component and blow in it. As it is a closed loop system the water will be forced out and into the container. Keep blowing until all of the water is out ? you may be forced to move some of the components ? especially the radiator - to get all of the water out of them. An easier way to do this process is to use a set of detachable ?quick connect? connectors that Alphacool also sell. These sit between components and when the system is to be drained you simply disconnect the connectors from each other. Alphacool state that when the connectors are disconnected they will leak around one to two drops of water, but this is much less than the flood of water that will come out if you accidentally drop one of the tubes or are not quick enough getting the tube into the bottle. These connectors have to be purchased separately from the Xtreme Pro set, but we definitely recommend you get a set.

17. Reconnect all of the components back in the PC case ? being careful that none of them drip. Remember when you?re fitting the water blocks to the processor and graphics card to add a thin layer of the thermal paste first. Reconnect all of the tubing and plug-in connectors, and make sure they are all tight and secure ? you should check each connector at least five times to make sure it is ok, if something leaks now you?re going to have problems. Once everything has been checked ? refill the system again and when all of the air bubbles are out, connect the power to the fans and pump ? connect the ATX power bridge and then turn the power on at the mains.

18. You should be watching carefully for leaks now ? although no components will be damaged if there are any leaks you will have to wait for the water to dry before you try again. Gently rock the case to remove all of the air bubbles and then leave the system for a few hours to run.

19. After a few hours the entire system should be checked again for leaks and connections checked to see if they are still tight. If everything is ok at this point, you should double check the processor and other coolers are to make sure they are on tightly and securely, if you try starting the system and there is not a good seal around these water blocks then heat will not be able to transfer into the water system and the components could over heat and burn out. When you are satisfied that everything is working correctly, unplug the ATX bridging connector and re-plug the ATX cable back into the motherboard.

20. Press your power button on your case and boot into the bios. Check your temperatures and if everything is ok ? boot into the operating system. If the temperatures are too high at this point, turn the system off and re-check the connection between the components and the water blocks, as this is the only place the problem could be at this point. If everything is ok ? congratulate yourself on a job well done, all water cooling projects from now on will be much easier now you have some experience!

Performance: (4.7 / 5)

Test system:

AMD Athlon 3000+ Venice core processor running at 1.8 GHz
OCZ EL DDR PC-3500 Gold GX Dual Channel RAM running with 2-2-2-5 timings
Optronix OP-K9A200G-MLF motherboard
Maxtor DiamondMax 7200rpm 2MB cache PATA hard drive
Enermax FMA EG465AX-VE 460W power supply
Enermax CS-718 Entry level server case
ATi Radeon X600XT graphics card
50x generic CD-ROM drive
Microsoft Windows XP 32 SP2
Catalyst 5.6 Drivers

Testing Tools:

Prime95
SiSoftware Sandra Professional 2005
ATiTool 0.24

To raise the temperature of processor we used Prime95?s torture test, which stresses the processor to 100% usage and produces maximum heat from it. Simultaneously we ran SiSoft Sandra Sandra?s "Burn-In Wizard" using the CPU and CPU Multimedia benchmarks to ensure the processor was completely stressed to 100%. These programs were run for two hours continuously to ensure the processor was as hot as it could get.

To raise the temperature of the graphics card we ran ATiTool?s ?scan for artifacts? test, which displays a 3D rendered image and scans it for visual errors (artifacts). This puts a great deal of strain on the graphics processor, causing it to produce maximum heat. ATiTool also stresses the processor to 100% when scanning for artifacts. This program was run for two hours to ensure the graphics processor was as hot as it was going to get.

To test the effectiveness of the Xtreme Pro set ? we first tested the system using Prime95 and SiSoft Sandra. After the programs had been run for two hours we measured the temperature of the processor using a temperature probe placed on the processor heat spreader, and the graphics card using the onboard temperature probe.

The system was then allowed to idle for an hour and the temperatures measured again.

We then ran AtiTool?s ?scan for artifacts? option for two hours and then measured the temperature of the graphics processor and the processor. This not only tested the effectiveness of the graphics card water block, but also the Xtreme Pro system as a whole, to see if it could cope with additional heat being added to the system.

We compared the Xtreme Pro set results against the stock coolers supplied with the processor and graphics card. This took the form of a AMD heat sink and fan on the processor and a fan enclosed in a metal casing on the graphics card. The memory on the graphics card was not cooled.

We tested the system first using stock fan and heat sink coolers. We then changed the stock coolers for the Xtreme Pro system which used the included thermal paste. We then re-tested the Xtreme Pro set using Artic Silver 5 thermal paste. Finally we added 25 ml of blue UV reactive water additives to the one litre of Tec-Protect liquid and re-tested the Xtreme Pro set. Temperatures were measured in degree Celsius. Ambient temperatures were kept between 25.6 and 26 C and AMD?s Cool ?n? Quiet feature was disabled.

Overclocking:

Unfortunately due to restrictions on our test motherboard we were unable raise the voltages or speed of the processor beyond its default values. Using air cooling we were able to raise the core speed of the graphics card to 540 MHz. When using water cooling we tried to raise this speed further but we were unable to, which suggests that this is the top speed this card is capable of. Due to these restrictions we decided to test all speeds at stock values.

Even at stock speeds the Xtreme Pro set manages to lower the temperature under load of the processor by 4 degree C using the Artic silver paste. This temperature is not affected at all when we added the graphics card under load to the loop which suggests the set is more than capable of dispersing heat from more components added to it (RAM, northbridge, hard drives) later on. At idle speeds the Xtreme Pro set is not able to cool the processor any better than air cooling, but this is most likely due to the cool running on the ?Venice? core of the processor, and the ambient temperature being roughly the same as the processors temperature. As water cooling relies on removing heat into the surrounding air, the temperature in the system will never be below the ambient temperature. It is interesting to note that the Artic Silver 5 thermal paste manage to drop the temperature of the processor even at stock voltages and speeds, which suggests that the Silmore thermal paste just can?t keep up with a silver based solution.

When we added some heat to the system in the form of an ATi X600XT the Alphacool Xtreme Pro set started to show its true colours. Stock temperatures were barely above ambient ones and under load the water cooling reduced the temperature of the card by a massive 27 degree C using Artic Silver 5. Adding the UV water additive made no difference to the temperature of the graphics card.

Price: (4.8 / 5)

At nearly £180, the Alphacool Xtreme Pro Set definitely is not cheap, when you consider a decent processor cooler is only around £30. However there are several factors you have look at before you consider this price unreasonable. The first is that this is the extreme set, designed for the overclocker who wants maximum cooling without going down the vapour compression route. For those that do not need such powerful cooling and prefer more rounded kit, Alphacool also supply the Complete Set Pro 120mm, which only uses a single fan radiator and a less powerful but more compact submerged pump and reservoir, and includes a graphics card and a north-bridge heat block for only £117. The second is that this is a completely reusable system, even if you purchase a completely new PC you can still use this system again with only minimum cost (sometimes the processor/graphics card will need a new retention mechanism) so you won?t have to buy this all again, and after a few new systems, the cost won?t seem that much at all. The third is that the set can be used as a base for upgrading the system to a completely silent PC ? using additional hard drive, Northbridge, graphics card, MOSFETs and other add-on cooling blocks. This is not a sealed ? non-upgradeable system.

Conclusion:

Water Cooling looks daunting ? and for a first time user it is. However with a bit of planning and patience the entire process can be made relatively painless and headache free. During our installation we experienced no leaks in the system at all ? in fact the only leak that did occur was when the system was out of the case ? and that was completely our fault for twisting the tubing. Temperatures were good in our test system - 31 degree C under load with the included thermal paste, and that didn?t change even when we added the graphics card cooler into the loop. Noise from the system was negligible ? even with all of the fans in the case turned off ? we couldn?t hear the pump or the Papst fans operating, and users looking for a silent PC should definitely consider going down the water cooling route. Although this system isn?t cheap - £172 and you only get the processor water block, it makes a great base for future upgrades including graphics cards, and hard drives ? which shouldn?t make any difference to the overall temperature in the system due to the large twin-fan radiator. When you also consider an equivalent Asetek Waterchill Processor Power kit is £182 and comes with less tubing, a smaller reservoir, and a less powerful pump ? the Alphacool Xtreme Pro set is a bargain. There were two little things we would have liked to seen added to the kit though. The first is a set of decent thermal paste. Users who will buy this set are looking for a high performance cooling solution, and if the heat isn?t effectively transferred from the PC components into the water cooling system, then the system isn?t able to do its job properly. Our own testing showed that even at stock voltages and speeds by replacing the included thermal paste with the kit with some Artic Silver 5, the temperature of the processor dropped by one degree C. The second is one of Alphacool?s ?quick connect? connectors. This would make draining the system, which in our opinion is the second hardest part of the whole water cooling experience, much easier. Hopefully in a future review we will have chance to test if this piece of equipment is as good as it should be.

Final scores:

? Packaging: 4.6/5
? Construction of parts: 4.7/5
? Performance: 4.7/5
? Price: 4.8/5
? Final score: 18.8/20

We would like to thank Taner Demirci from Alphacool for supplying us with this kit for review

[chriso_86]

Nice review! I have never done water cooling, and this really helped! I might think further into buying one of these for my new system now! Thanks for all your hard work that you put into this review! I think I can speak for everyone when I say that our site admins do a great job! Keep up the great work!

[guru]

Yes Bob, a job well done. I see that you chose to mount your radiator externally. Mjolnir (UGW64) was my first water-cooled system. I learned a lot from Phat and the rest of the members with their water-cooling experiences and I managed the trickier internal install on the first go.

[Pyr0]

Great review Bob, :thumbsup:

perfect timing mate. i'm a complete novice when it comes to modding, but i have been looking at water cooling recently (for silence and overclocking) so i really enjoyed reading this :D .... now i'm wondering if i could squeeze it into my little case :)

how much would the extra gpu and northbridge blocks be?
and what do you do about the gfx card memory chips?

also, how much can that pump handle? (it looks tiny ), i've read that if you want to use more cooling blocks that you need a powerful pump :shrugs:

thanks again

-P

edit: i just watched the video too... excellent :thumbsup: (is it interlaced?)

This post has been edited by Pyr0: Aug 8 2005, 08:26 PM

[Athildja]

Nice work Bob!! I like the pictures in this one and the video is great :D
Pyro, I believe the rule of thumb is no more than 1 cpu and 2 video cards on the same rig, unless you have a custom one like Guru.
I personally have 2 Coolermaster Aquagates one for each CPU and GPU in my system.
the Alpha cool looks very nice :)

[JBbons]

Nice review. :) Makes me wanna go with watercooling too.

I was thinking about doing it for someone who was suggesting me to build a new system, but since I haven't touched one, I should wait until I do one for myself and see how this goes.

How long did it take to finish everything? Looks like it may take a while but the results show that it's worth it.

This post has been edited by JBbons: Aug 9 2005, 02:50 AM

[PhatSOB]

Yes Bob, a job well done. I see that you chose to mount your radiator externally. Mjolnir (UGW64) was my first water-cooled system. I learned a lot from Phat and the rest of the members with their water-cooling experiences and I managed the trickier internal install on the first go.

great job BTJ, very informative and well laid out, I love the video very well done.

guru - we had the advantage of using a Stacker though, that big opening on the bottom of our cases is perfect for mounting a rad to.

[guru]

That's why I picked it. Research pays.

[Guest_m.oreilly?_*]

http://www.frozencpu.com/cas-307.html
saw this today.

[Zoomer]

that lian-li case looks well nice, wish I could say the same about the price tag.

nice article there bob.

[Bob The Junkie]

Thanks for the comments guys - this review took me weeks to do.

The radiator is mounted externally - as the test case I use for testing equipment is a CoolerGiant CS-318 which mounts the motherboard upside-down. This means that the CPU is at the bottom of the case - and the cables just wouldn't bend at tight enough angles to fit the radiator at the bottom of the case. When I move this kit into another case - the radiator will be mounted internally.

As this was my first go at water cooling - the entire thing took me an afternoon to do - but now ive done it once - it should take no more than two hours to complete from start to finish.

Phat's excellent review helped me quite a bit with this one - I wasn't sure exactly what to talk about.

I have spoken to the Alphacool rep - and he says that the pump in this set is the same one used in Apple's water cooling rigs, and it will quite happily handle a CPU, two GFX, and a northbridge waterblock with loads of pressure left.

-BTJ

[}SkOrPn--']

I'm just impressed with how clean Jon's tile floor is... WOW...

j/k bud, great review. Makes me want to do water cooling all over again... Carlos I dont think his radiator would have fitted in the case in the first place.

http://www.frozencpu.com/cas-307.html
saw this today.

Looks like a Koolance wanna be to me... The PC3-736BK looks exactly like it except Koolances comes with the kool LED face plate and MUCH better radiator setup.
http://www.koolance.com/shop/product_info....products_id=198

But I would prefer its little brother the PC3-725BK
http://www.koolance.com/shop/product_info....products_id=179

OR, the PC3-720SL in Silver
http://www.koolance.com/shop/product_info....products_id=167

BTW, wheres the video?

[Bob The Junkie]

The video is in the middle of the review - or here for quick reference.

http://images.planetamd64.com/btj/xtremepr...hacoolVideo.zip

-BTJ

[Zoomer]

I like the video makes the differaence to be able to see what people are actaully doing.

[}SkOrPn--']

Yes I liked the video too bud... Great work.

[kinda_fellin]

Anybody know of an american retailer that has alphacool products?

[Guest_m.oreilly?_*]

Looks like a Koolance wanna be to me... The PC3-736BK looks exactly like it except Koolances comes with the kool LED face plate and MUCH better radiator setup.
http://www.koolance.com/shop/product_info....products_id=198

it IS the same case, only with innovetek cooling (much better performance,
i have heard, then the koolance ). yeah, lian-li cases are cool.

[Bob The Junkie]

I've just spoken to Alphacool who say that Non-Eupoean people will have to order from their website and have it shipped from Germany for now.

However they will be setting up an American retailer soon for you guys.

-BTJ

[Anssin]

What's the distance between the outside edge of the screw hole and the side of the radiator? I'm interested in this kit and want to know if it'll fit in my case.

[Bob The Junkie]

Do you mean the width of the radiator?

Alphacool generally list all of their dimensions on the website (which i'm quite thankful about for my next WC project) so you should be able to ofind your answer there. If not, I'll see if I can do some measuring.

-BTJ

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