ty_ger07

Including a drain is a good idea.  It still is a bit tricky to coax the fluid through the loop and to the drain (since there will be other high and low spots), but simply having a drain is the first step.

 
Any recommendations on this front? I was thinking the same thing, but I couldn't find anything that helped with sorting out the issue of draining ALL the liquid out of the system. There will obviously be liquid stored in the tubes and the water blocks...is there any way of getting it all out? I wouldn't be able to run the pump to pump all of it out...maybe just blow in one end of the tubes? 
 

ty_ger07 

I think you may want some faster fans.  1000RPM @ 37CFM isn't very much for cooling -- especially when having to blow through a radiator.  I don't know about their static pressure and everything, but unless they have some secret design technique that gives them awesome static pressure, I think you will want a fan with more airflow. 

 
 
My other options were the TC version (HERE) and the PWM version (HERE)...except I'm not sure what PWM does exactly and I'm not sure which of the two would be better...
 
Keep in mind I want to keep my system as quiet as possible, hence the low RPM fans.
 

ty_ger07 

Each GPU block includes two plugs.  You don't need to buy four more plugs.  That will save you $9.99. 

 
 
And this is why I post...thank ty_ger! I owe you one.....just one. 

Ok, PWM fans it is.
 
I'll attempt to skip all the technical mumbo jumbo and just dumb it down.  Basically, while it is possible to control the speed of three wire fans, not all motherboards or fan controllers support the capability to control three wire fan speed.  Even if you do have a motherboard or fan controller which is capable of controlling the speed of three wire fans, the precision of control is much less and there can also be other unwanted side effects which may inhibit your ability to operate the fan at the speed you want.
 
So, you preferably want to own four wire ("PWM") fans -- especially if you want to have their speed dynamically (and automatically) controlled by something such as your motherboard's BIOS.  Dynamic fan control is pure bliss in my opinion as far as being able to enjoy relative silence for the majority of the computer's operation and the peace of mind when it automatically speeds up the fans as necessary.
 
I have used fan controllers before.  You could use a fan controller with three wire fans -- or even four wire fans -- but I personally think that the motherboard's BIOS usually does a much better job of it.  With a fan controller, you will have to manually turn knobs whenever you want to adjust the fan speed.  This is fine, but it requires extra effort of having to monitor temperatures and make adjustments.  Fiddling is fun at times, but it also gets old after months and months of use.  Of course you could buy an expensive fan controller with thermometer sensor inputs and set it up to automatically adjust fan speed based on temperature inputs, but realistically, that is even more unnecessary work and expense compared to just using PWM fans adapted off the motherboard CPU fan header.
 
So, if you wanted to hook three PWM fans up to your motherboard fan header, you would have to first buy three PWM fans.  Then, you would have to buy a PWM splitter cable.  The splitter cable splits the PWM signal to three fans and provides power to the fans via a 4-pin molex connector.
 
Here is a splitter I recommend:
http://www.frozencpu.com/products/10350/cab-183/Akasa_PWM_Splitter_-_Smart_Fan_Cable_AK-CB002.html
 
I am sure you could find one on another website.
 
If you wanted to extend the fan wires so that the fans could be further away from the header, you would need a PWM fan extension cable.  You would place the extension cable between the header and the splitter.
 
Here is the extension cable I recommend:
http://www.frozencpu.com/products/11779/cab-371/Akasa_PWM_Extension_Fan_Cable_-_300mm_AK-CBFA01-30.html
 
If you want a more precise answer which explains the limitations of three wire fans and why four wire fans are used, ask.
 

looks great to me!

ty_ger07
By "dumbing it down" I don't mean to say that you are dumb.  It is just that the explaination here isn't really necessary and it would only confuse the point and complicate this thread needlessly.

To "dumb it down" to the lowest degree, use PWM fans if you are going to adjust the speed of the fans in the future.  If you don't plan to ever adjust the speed of the fans, just buy normal two or three wire fans and save a few bucks.

 
Lol I made no such accusations, and I wasn't being sarcastic. I really do appreciate the lack of technical lingo.
 
I wouldn't mind the fans being controlled by the BIOS...if the CPU temps go up (meaning the liquid temps go up), it would be great if the motherboard sped the fans up to cool better.
 
I kind of like the GeLid fans because they're pretty quiet.
 
EDIT: This fan looks ok...

Also, still REALLY hoping that EVGA release their boards before the end of tomorrow as that's when I will be placing my order for parts...
 
2 x EVGA 01G-P3-1371-AR GeForce GTX 460
1 x CORSAIR Professional Series AX850 850W
1 x G.SKILL Ripjaws X Series 8GB (2 x 4GB) (although, maybe I'll upgrade to 1666
1 x LOGISYS Computer CLK12UV2 12" DUAL UV COLD CATHODE KIT
1 x ASUS MAXIMUS IV EXTREME (REV 3.0) (Hoping to get the EVGA P67 FTW instead of this.)

Finally done my build and it's nice and steady. :)
 
Check it out and comment!
 
http://www.modsrigs.com/detail.aspx?BuildID=27078
 


lol Big Shadow. How you like it? :P