Zalman Reserator 1 V2 and Fan Kit

[PAGETITLE=Introduction] Zalman has been around in the enthusiast arena for quite some time. At first they made those kooky flower coolers without fans that performed on par with factory offerings. Eventually they started adding optional fans that hung on the case. Recently though, Zalman started adding integral fans to their coolers which put them into the good graces of the overclocking community. Many felt that Zalman's designs were great for the silent computing crowd who rarely overclocked but weren't advisable for a PC running balls to the wall with heavy overvolting. Yes, yes I know this is a water cooling review but I'm leading somewhere with this, I promise. Eventually Zalman came out with a passive water cooling rig that relied on overall size to perform the function of a fan cooled radiator. At first the Reserator wasn't widely held as being the overclocker's darling as it was still a bit on the inefficient side. The blocks used weren't as well engineered as the aftermarket blocks sold by their competition, they were very simple in design. In fact the GPU block was a straight through design with nothing to break up the flow. Zalman has been continually upgrading their block designs though. With each redesign the Reserator has undergone a facelift and has been refitted with the new blocks. Let's see what Zalman has to say about the Reserator 1 V2 shall we? RESERATOR 1 V2 The Reserator 1 V2 incorporates Zalman’s HCET(High Capacity Extrusion Technique) technology, high efficiency cooling technology, and optimal heat dissipation design for exceptional cooling performance even through natural convection cooling. The Reserator 1 V2 is a fanless water cooling system that unites the functions of a reservoir, radiator, and water pump into one system for easy operation. It is anodized and comes with a custom coolant to prevent corrosion. The new CPU Water Block (ZM-WB4 Gold), VGA Water Block(ZM-GWB3), and the optional Northbridge Water Block(ZM-NWB1) and VGA RAM Water Block (ZM-RWB1) enable the setup of a complete Water Cooling System with excellent performance. Features & Specifications Reserator (Reservoir+Radiator+Water Pump) “Reserator” is a compound word derived from ‘Reservoir’ and ‘Radiator’ - it acts as a reservoir while radiating heat. This product works well with natural convection and integrates a water pump inside for convenience. - Dissipation Area : 1,274m2 - Weight : 6.5kg - Dimensions : 150(L) x 150(W) x 592(H)mm - Material : Anodized Pure Aluminum - Coolant Capacity : Max. 2.5L - Integrated Water Pump : 5 W, Qmax 300L/h (A type: 230V-50Hz, B type: 120V-60Hz, C type: 220V-60Hz, D type: 110V-60Hz) - Maximum Lift : 0.5m CPU Water Block (ZM-WB4 Gold) The CPU Water Block incorporates a pure copper base for excellent heat transfer, and has gold plating to prevent corrosion. It supports Pentium 4 Socket 775/478 CPU and AMD Socket AM2/754/939/940 CPU, and is designed to be light weight and easy to install. - Weight : 135g(Water Block) - Dimensions : 63(L) x 63(W) x 16.5(H) mm - Material : Polycarbonate Cover, Gold Plated Pure Copper Base - Compatibility : Intel Pentium 4 (Socket 775/478) AMD Sempron/AMD64 (Athlon 64/Athlon 64 FX/Opteron) (Socket AM2/754/939/940) VGA Water Block (ZM-GWB3) The VGA Water Block incorporates a light weight pure aluminum base for high cooling performance, and is anodized and coated to prevent corrosion. It also incorporates revolving fittings that provide freedom in direction when connecting them with the tubes, which further allows simple installation. - Weight : 100g - Dimensions : 60.4(L) x 60.4(W) x 30(H) mm - Material : Anodized Pure Aluminum - Compatibility : Graphics cards with heatsink mounting holes Anti-Corrosion Coolant (ZM-G200) This coolant contains a high quality anti-corrosion agent for various materials including copper, aluminum, and plastic, that prevents corrosion for long term operation. - Material : Propylene Glycol & Anti-Corrosion Agent - Weight : 500ml - Freezing Point : -9°C - Exchange Cycle : 1 year Flow Indicator This component is connected in-line with the circulation tube for checking the circulation of the coolant. When the coolant is actively circulating, the cap inside the flow indicator shakes rapidly, providing easy indication of the circulation status. Quick Coupling The Fittings incorporate valves that prevent leaks when disconnecting the PVC Tubes allowing quick, convenient separation and reassembly of the Reserator for transport and coolant replacement. [PAGEBREAK] [PAGETITLE=Close Look] Zalman has also created a the ZM-RF1 Fan Kit which is a top hat that that sits atop the Reserator and has a 140mm fan that forces air down the length of the Reserator's body. I'll be taking a look at it and see if it makes any difference to the overall performance of the system as a whole. The Reserator comes packed in a huge box that shows full color shots of product and lists the various features on the ends. As you can see the box was compromised in shipping but fortunately the packaging is more than adequate at keeping your investment safe. The Fan Kit is also packed in a full color box that also outlines its features. Happily the Fan Kit made the trip unscathed. Opening the box for the Reserator exposes the tubing and instructions and the top layer of foam packing material. The blocks, fittings and coolant are in the next layer foam and the bottom layer is molded to cradle the Reserator itself. This adds up to a fairly bulletproof shipping system that keeps the Reserator safe from everything but the most extreme damage. [PAGEBREAK] [PAGETITLE=Fan Kit] The Fan Kit is packed in a more environmentally friendly cardboard cradle. It includes the instructions, wiring, clips to affix the wiring for the fan to the Reserator, Fan Mate 2 and double sided tape to affix the Fan Mate 2 to your case. I would've liked to see a 4 pin to 3 pin adaptor included since Zalman expects you to power the ZM-RF1 from a fan header on your motherboard. Its power consumption of 5W at full speed might be more than some motherboards are capable of handling easily and could damage the header. Here's a look at everything included with the Reserator 1 V2. The blocks are in retail packaging while the rest of the parts are in poly bags. In the bags are the PCI pass-thru and quick disconnects, the flow indicator and the plug for plugging the power cable pass-thru inside the body of the Reserator in the event that you pull the stock pump and use an external pump. One thing I like about the pass-thru for the tubing is that the holes are radiused so that the tubing won't be chafing on a thin edge. I am not impressed that here is no provision for the wiring for the ZM-RF1 to pass through. This means that you have to leave a PCI cover off to run the wiring through unless you drill a hole in the case. The coolant is blue ethylene glycol based coolant. No, it's not pre-mixed, you have to mix it with 2 liters of distilled water. The base of the Reserator is etched with flow directions, the "out" port is the exhaust from the pump and is where you'll place the line going to the flow indicator and then to the blocks. Zalman recommends running from the Reserator to the CPU block then to the GPU block and from there back to the Reserator. Looking down into the Reserator we can see the pump and we can also see where the plug goes in the event that the pump is removed. Due to the glare in the second picture it looks like the pump itself screws directly to the base. It's actually a stainless steel bracket over the top of the pump that holds the pump in place. I took the pics this way due to the fact that removing the base is a task that basically requires a bench vise, two men and a small boy to accomplish. Since I'm lacking three of those things I was unable to pull the base for a closer look at the pump. This begs the question of exactly how difficult it would be for someone to remove the base in the event that the pump did fail. [PAGEBREAK] [PAGETITLE=ZM-RF1 and GPU Block] Here's a peek at the ZM-RF1 on the Reserator. It simply sits atop the top of the Reserator and the body acts as a duct directing the air down through the fins of the Reserator. The ZM-GWB3 (hereafter known as the GPU block) is made entirely from aluminum. It's basically universal in that it fits almost every card out there with the exception of cards lacking holes for their heatsinks and the 7800GS and certain Matrox cards. It uses a mounting system very similar to the VF900-cu. You mount the nipples to the card and then use screws through the top of the block into the nipples. I have to say, aside from the lack of a rear stiffening plate, this has to be the single most painless mounting system I've ever used. I really wish that the other block manufacturers could work some sort of deal with Zalman to get the rights to this mounting system. It would make life simpler on so many levels for the water nuts out there. One thing I really like about the GPU block is the pivoting inlet/outlet. They're great for a a couple of reasons in that you can route the tubing past any obstructions that might be in your tubing's way and avoid kinks and you can aim them towards the PCI slot the tubing's coming from. They're a downer in that you're tied to the 8mm size since they're a legacy part. You can't swap them out to run larger tubing should you want to. Up to this point you have the option to pull the quick disconnects from the Reserator and hard plumb the circuit with barbs to the reserator. The CPU block supports up to 10mm tubing so it is an option with it. The GPU block though kills this. You can see the mounting method used by the GPU block a bit better in the second pic and the third pic shows how the rear of the card is the only support for the block. If you are a bit heavy-handed with the tension on the block you can warp the card so care needs to be taken during the installation. The ZM-WB4 Gold (hereafter referred to as the...

Zalman Reserator 1 V2 and Fan Kit

Page 177 –