Mount Eisblock XPX Aurora Pro Upside Down

[pioneersti]

I have an Alphacool Eisblock XPX Aurora Pro Plexi Digital RGB water block and I want to mount the block with the 'IN' at the bottom and the 'OUT' at the top, because of the way I have the radiator and pump/reservoir planned for my build. The plumbing will be correct, from pump OUT going to CPU water block IN, but the actually CPU block would be mounted on the motherboard upside down.

I think it is, but wanted to double check, is it OK to mount the CPU water block that way (upside down)?

I also have a question about the pump. I currently have an Alphacool VPP Apex Pump (13339), but I would like to order a spare pump. My loop will be Aurora Pro CPU block, 360 HPE 45mm thick radiator (14440) and pump/reservoir (15380), so I think the VPP Apex should be fine. However I was thinking of buying the VPP655 PWM Pump (13169) as it seems to have more flow and might be a good upgrade, and eventually switch to that, and keep the VPP Apex as an 'emergency' spare.

Should I stick with the original plan of keeping a VPP Apex as a spare pump, or would upgrading to the VPP655 PWM make a big difference?

Thanks.

 

[Christopher.W]

I have an Alphacool Eisblock XPX Aurora Pro Plexi Digital RGB water block and I want to mount the block with the 'IN' at the bottom and the 'OUT' at the top, because of the way I have the radiator and pump/reservoir planned for my build. The plumbing will be correct, from pump OUT going to CPU water block IN, but the actually CPU block would be mounted on the motherboard upside down.

I think it is, but wanted to double check, is it OK to mount the CPU water block that way (upside down)?

I also have a question about the pump. I currently have an Alphacool VPP Apex Pump (13339), but I would like to order a spare pump. My loop will be Aurora Pro CPU block, 360 HPE 45mm thick radiator (14440) and pump/reservoir (15380), so I think the VPP Apex should be fine. However I was thinking of buying the VPP655 PWM Pump (13169) as it seems to have more flow and might be a good upgrade, and eventually switch to that, and keep the VPP Apex as an 'emergency' spare.

Should I stick with the original plan of keeping a VPP Apex as a spare pump, or would upgrading to the VPP655 PWM make a big difference?

Thanks.

Hello pioneersti.

It is possible to install the CPU block upside down if you keep the correct flow direction.

The performance of the Apex pump is sufficient even with the expansion of your system. If you want to achieve better temperatures, it would be a possible option to switch to the larger VPP655. The difference won`t be extremly big but there will be one. The decision if you keep the Apex or switch to VPP655 is up to you as both would work.

 

[pioneersti]

Hi Chris,

Thanks for the info!

System is now up and running with the block upside down and everything is working great!

I think I will stick with VPP Apex Pump as everything is working well.

Scored 30,877 in Cinebench R23 with i7-13700k (no overclock), and max temp was 87º C, previously with 360 AIO cooler the CPU would hit 100º C and throttle.

I don't know if it's something with my setup (picture attached) or if it's something to do with the 15380 pump/reservoir, but when the VPP Apex pump was operating at full speed I couldn't get the air bubbles out. The turbulence in the reservoir created a lot of bubbles. After I started up the PC (previously using external power supply for the pump) and set a pump speed curve in the BIOS, which meant the pump ran at a lower rpm, the bubbles started to bleed into the top of the reservoir.