GPU Heat Management and Watercooling

[Reggie]

I wouldn't take the risk to modify a H series, whatever the model...The example above seems to work, but I've digged the closed loop CPU cooler quite a bit and stumbled upon much more failures than success when it comes to modding these products.

On top of that, all of these products are designed to cool one GPU or one CPU, not sure that they would do the trick with 4 or 5 cards in a row.

I don't think anyone was thinking of using one H70 for 4 cards and a CPU, I was referring to the use of one H70 per video card and the CPU can be whatever. That wouldn't require any mods to the closed loop system

That being said, PNY apparently already did it with that GTX 580, so that makes that idea obsolete. If anyone wants to go with 4 cards and liquid cooling, I'd say get those PNY cards, it'll save a lot of time and money and it's a closed loop system that is a lot more reliable and typically quieter than DIY setups.

[Leiurus]

@Jurweer

Hey, I might PM you as the rig I'm putting together is very close to yours (Intel 3960+Quadro 4000+3-4 GTX580s)

I don't think anyone was thinking of using one H70 for 4 cards and a CPU, I was referring to the use of one H70 per video card and the CPU can be whatever. That wouldn't require any mods to the closed loop system

That being said, PNY apparently already did it with that GTX 580, so that makes that idea obsolete. If anyone wants to go with 4 cards and liquid cooling, I'd say get those PNY cards, it'll save a lot of time and money and it's a closed loop system that is a lot more reliable and typically quieter than DIY setups.

I got it wrong because to be honest, I didn't even know that it would be possible to fit the cards in the PCI slots with such big coolers (DIY GPU Waterblocks are much slimmer than the closed loop systems waterblocks)
Also, I didn't know that such products were still available: Kool It had one, but stopped production after bad reviews and being bought by Corsair (Corsair's H series has actually been developped by Kool It)
On top of that, I'm not sure about the cost/space efficiency of piling up separate closed loop systems when you go above 3 cards.

Even though I'm keen at all toward jumping into DIY watercooling I confess that I find the neat and tidy outlook of these quite sexy

[Refracty]

I would recommend a serial cooling path (image 2) instead of parallel cooled cards (image 1).

[Reggie]

I would recommend a serial cooling path (image 2) instead of parallel cooled cards (image 1).

What are the advantages / disadvantages of the two?

[glimpse]

I would recommend a serial cooling path (image 2) instead of parallel cooled cards (image 1).

What are the advantages / disadvantages of the two?

In serial the water gets hoter for the last card than it was for the first one & thus it doesn't take heat from it so effectively ( so that's a disatvantage when You have multiple cards, like 4+) but if You have just two or three, it doesn't matter so much..

In paralel flow warter stream gets divided, so the pump can act a bit easier, but because of lower flow through cards the heat might be a bit higher on the units because of lower velocity.

bottom line ----- if You use same components just different conecting method the difference is not so evident, it could only be few 3-5 degree C., but it depends way much more from You radiator constructions, pump and waterblock construction - you have to keep in mind their design if You want to have optimal performance.

It's an open topic what type is actualy better, but it seems noOne has any clear answer why, just a prefered way to do it..cos there's no much of a difference between this & even more often it is desined around the availability of components, price or simple estetics. Pluss you can not say it's better or worse without knowing other factors..other components of your loop.