If you are thinking of watercooling your PC, either for aesthetics or to squeeze more speed from your rig, read on! They are more ‘Tips’ than a guide, although I may add to it ;)

1. Choosing Components

Firstly, before you buy anything, plan in your head or on paper where things will go. The worst thing you can do is to spend >£150 only to find that your radiator doesn’t fit!

2. Use The right size hose and connectors!

Make sure all your barbs (the things the hose connects to) are the same size as the hose….too small and they will be a poor fit and you will get leaks, too large and the hose wont fit over them! However this can be good if the hose is slightly smaller than the barb, to ensure a good fit. Personally I recommend 7/16″ Hosing with 1/2″ barbs, which gives a tight fit = no leaks!

3. Dont buy all in one kits!

Kits from ThermalTake (AVOID LIKE THE PLAGUE) Such as the Bigwater 790 and NorthQ Siberian Tiger are worse than the stock cooler. I’m not joking either, they are. They may seem easier for the first time user but they are pathetic and its a lot better to get stuck in with a custom kit, not only for your temps but your knowledge too.

also.. DON’T USE REGULAR WATER!
this will encourage algae and really really screw up your nice work. Use a specialised coolant such as Feser One instead.( pretty colours! )

4. Putting It together

Do a “dry run” first.
It may take a extra time but its better than finishing and deciding you don’t like how it looks and being, well, stuck with it that way till the next time you need to drain it.

Flush The Blocks
Heat up some De-Ionized or Distilled water (preferably microwave it) and pour it into each waterblock, and your radiator and give it a good shake and leave to soak for 15 mins.
repeat x2. this clears out all the gunk left of from the manufacturing process.

PUT A “T-LINE” AT THE LOWEST POINT AND A STOPPER IN THE END FOR DRAINING!
This will save you some serious headaches and draining becomes a breeze!

PUT THE RESERVOIR AT THE HIGHEST POINT YOU CAN!
Another effective headache treatment

Use this order of components if possible:
Reservoir–>Pump—>Radiator—>Waterblock(s)—->back to Reservoir.
This ensure the coolest water hits the block.

5. Fill it up
To power the pump without switching the rest of your system on, disconnect your PSU (from everything apart from the pump…duh)
Now switch it on. Nothing happening? Because the PSU is given a signal by the motherboard to start up the rest of the system. We need to fool the stupid PSU.
Unplug it from the wall. leave it a few mins to let it discharge itself and then put a paper clip (preferably one with some kind of plastic insulation) in the end of the ATX (motherboard 24 pin) connector connecting the green wire, and there is only one, to any black wire. It should now start.

PLEASE dont touch the bloody paper clip after you switch it on…but you aren’t THAT daft are we?

The good thing about this is that if you do get a leak it wont ruin your PC, you can mop it up, wait for it to dry, and start again.

When you switch the Pump on, don’t forget to keep topping the reservoir up with liquid, or you will run it too fast and it will suck air. They can burn out very very fast!

Once you have filled your system, put the stopper or lid or whatever back on the reservoir firmly. Now rock your PC! Back and forth that is. It will shake free all the trapped air. Leave it for an hour or so and eventually if your res. is at the highest point, the bubbles will simply get rid of themselves

Finally, check for leaks. big leaks will be immediately obvious. leave it a good amount of time (at least a few hours) and check for slow leaks by rubbing a paper towel around the barbs. leaking? tighten the clamps, or push the hose further on, whichever needs doing.

No leaks?

BOOT TO OS!
Check your wonderful temperatures!
Get your Processor To 4.2ghz!