Water Block:

     For the waterblock, Swiftech sent us their Apogee universal waterblock for Intel and AMD processors.

The Apogee comes with everything you need for mounting, including tools, directions and even a funnel.

     The mounting bracket appears to be chrome plated and of very high quality and precise workmanship. Quality like this is why Swiftech is still around today while most of the original water cooling companies are long gone.

     Copper baby! Swiftech is famous for their copper heatsinks and waterblocks and the Apogee is just another fine sample of their great products.

Installation & Mounting:

     The Quiet Power P180 comes with the water cooling kit installed for you, but the owner must install the water block themselves. For this reason we only recommend that only a professional or someone with a lot of experience installing computer hardware attempt this project. As with any water cooling kit, they are dangerous and even the slightest accident will destroy your computer. Remember, water and electronics DO NOT MIX so please do not attempt water cooling if you are a beginner.

     Before you begin, be sure to read the installation instructions from front to back. There are certain things you must know before you start installing your hardware. One of the first things you must do is relocate the water pump if you are using a larger than standard power supply such as those with removable power lines. These PSUs are longer than the average PSU and will come in contact with the water pump. Swiftech has pre-drilled extra mounting holes in the bottom of the case just for this reason. The directions will step you through this process so don't panic.

     Installing your hardware in the P180 takes time and patience so please take your time and do it right. One of the most common mistakes people make with these kits is they install the motherboard before they install the waterblock mounts on the motherboard. The only way to install the waterblock mounts is to do so before you install the board in the case. Again, just follow the directions and you'll have no problem.

     One of the biggest challenges with this kit is installing the motherboard. If you are using a full size ATX motherboard like I did, you're going to need a couple extra hands to help hold the water lines out of the way. Remember, the kit is already installed so you have these water lines in you way.

     The next little trick is to get the motherboard up under the radiator while holding the water lines out of the way. It's a lot like fitting a round peg into a square hole, but it can be done with the motherboard at the correct angle. Again, use caution not to damage your motherboard while doing this. I used the EVGA 680i SLI motherboard and it was a very tight fit. In the photo above you can see where your next little challenge will be, installing the CPU power cord. The connector on my EVGA board is directly under the radiator. The power cord will go in, but it's just another one of those frustrating moments you may run into depending on what motherboard you choose.

     As you follow along with the directions you'll eventually get to the part where you install the water block. The water block mounting plate holes have very close tolerances and I suspect that the chroming process didn't help matters. Because of the tight fit I recommend users drill out the mounting holes you'll be using with your particular processor. The mounting plate will fit over the bolts without drilling, but they are very tight. This reminds me of a similar problem the crew on "American Chopper" has just about every episode; when parts come back from chroming they never seem to fit right without tapping or drilling out holes that get filled in with chrome. To find a problem like this just isn't what I've come to expect from Swiftech. Normally their products are beyond perfect. Anyway, this is a small problem than can be easily overcome.

     Once you have finished with installing your hardware and waterblock, be sure you have connected the water lines and double checked all connections and clamps. Once you are certain you have everything installed correctly it's time to fill and prime the cooling system. Before you try to fill the reservoir, it is best that you loosen the mount shown above and slide the reservoir out as much as possible. It makes filling the reservoir much easier and will help prevent any accidents with water.

     Swiftech is nice enough to include a bottle of water treatment to mix with 1 liter of distilled water. The directions step you through the filling and priming process. Swiftech's system is well designed and very easy to prime, which we will cover on the next page. Now with the hard part out of the way we are just about ready to have a little overclocking fun!