PC5-1326SL Installation and Operation
CPU-340 attachment hardware includes a base plate with mounting holes for several different socket types and four threaded pins. Unfortunately, we found out upon bumping one of the pins that the threads in our sample didn’t provide much support. A mere three threads are intended to hold the pieces together, and the fit simply wasn’t tight enough. Koolance promptly sent replacement parts with the tight thread fit needed to make its design work.
Not content to wait for shipping, we decided that it would be better to simply thread some long screws all the way through the plate from the back side. Screw heads provided two advantages over threaded pins in that they positively eliminate pull-through, and that they tighten into the plate, rather than working their way out of the plate, when spring-nuts are removed.
While the replacement parts were still in transit, the water block was installed using #6-32 UNC screws of 1.75” length rather than the stock threaded pins. A later test fit of the replacement parts proved that the threaded pins functioned identically, though we still have a little more faith in the added support that ordinary screws offer.
With the cooling block attached, we installed the motherboard into the case, followed by hard drives, a power supply, and graphics cards. The only added effort was to cut the coolant lines to length and “burp” the system.
“Burping,” or removing air from the system, was as easy as filling the RP-1000SL reservoir and powering the system on. But we didn’t want any power going to the motherboard before coolant reached the CPU. Koolance includes a jumper wire and instructions for turning on an ATX power supply without having it attached to the motherboard. The pump is capable of pushing air out of the radiator, even though the radiator sits above it, but getting the coolant moving at first required us to set the pump to its highest speed.
The RP-1000SL includes separate 10-step controls for pump and fan speeds, and both controls can also be set to automatically increase cooling power as temperatures increase.
At the lowest settings, the pump is nearly silent while the fans make a low-pitched whir at a noise level typical of pre-built systems. Setting the pump to its highest-speed setting results in a high-pitched whine, which is somewhat muffled by nearby components. Fans roar quite loudly at full speed, with an estimated maximum noise output of around 47 db based on the number and type of fans included in our kit.
While the fans are somewhat noisy, the case does a surprisingly adequate job of containing internal noises such as graphics card fans, in spite of its ventilated face and back panels. The noise reduction is likely due to the non-ventilated side panels, but Koolance prefers its buyers to select from the wide range of graphics and chipset coolers the company offers.
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I don't really see the point of reviewing these serious water cooling solutions if you don't test the additional coolers the companies offer. For example, why not test the Koolance rig with the chipset and graphics card coolers attached? This would have substantially lowered the chipset temperatures. The Koolance case was not designed to air cool internal components like an air cooled case. Koolance systems are for people who want to easily water cool as many components of their system as possible.
Also, you kept mentioning the Koolance's noise at maximum fan levels. In the 7 years I have owned a Koolance system (with CPU, Chipset, SLI Video card and RAM water blocks fitted), I have never seen my Koolance ramp up the fans beyond the low levels.
I purchased the Zalman LQ1000 in early September after reading the positive by xsreviews.co.uk review. Like Tomshardware I also had problems with the motherboard mounting holes and had to bend, twist and force the PCI Express cards into place as well as my PCI Audigy Sound Card. Really poor for a premium priced £400 case. Given that this looks like a general problem it is disappointing xsreviews.co.uk did not mention this and neither does the more recent bit-tech.net review.
Also I contacted Zalman through their web form with the following questions:
1) Looking into the case from the side, the hose coming out of the left side of the pump (factory preassembled), does not have a tube clamp on it. Is this a problem i.e. should this have a tube clamp fitted?
2) The other end of the same hose connected to the nipple near the radiator (factory default) does not have a clamp attached. Should there be one and therefore is it missing?
3) The CPU waterblock comes with Tube Clamp Size A (13.8mmx9.5mm) and Tube Clamp Size B (11.5mm 8mm). Which size tube clamps should I use?
4) The LQ1000-Z Machine manual advises not to use thermal paste with the CPU block. The CPU block comes with thermal paste sachet. Why would I not use thermal paste?
I posed these questions twice during September and have not received a response from Zalman either time. Again not good for a premium priced bit of kit. This lack of customer service would stop me purchasing Zalman again.
Apart from the mounting hole problems the case is superb and quite easy to set-up. It is very quiet and keeps my Q6600 CPU (o/c to 3.2Ghz) at 22C idle or 40C load (hottest core). Although my graphics card is air cooled it gains from the overall low ambient temp in the case. The left panel with the radiator and large fan does let a fair amount of dust in. The case is very heavy, even though it is aluminium.
Update, Zalman support in the UK is via QuietPc.com. So even though I didn't purchase through them they have arranged with Zalman for a new motherboard tray to be sent to me with correctly positioned mounting holes.
So my faith in Zalman customer service has been restored. Zalman never responded to my web form questions which is disappointing though.