Date: October 24th, 2006
Article by: Joe Anderson (Hardware Reviewer)
Edited by: Nathan Glentworth (Owner / Head Editor)
Product was submitted by: Zalman
<--SHOP FOR A ZALMAN RESERATOR 2 WATER COOLING SYSTEM HERE
PRODUCT COMPOSITION
For around $325 US you'll get a big, heavy box of stuff.
Inside the box, we find the CPU and VGA waterblocks in retail packaging complete with mounting hardware and instructions. Moving clockwise, we have four meters of clear PVC tubing, the Reserator unit, an AM2 mounting solution with instructions, the manual, and a “degassing tube” for bleeding air from the system. In the center of the group are the black aluminum supports for the reserator, a bottle of coolant and a bag containing the I/O bracket, clamps and a PSU jumper wire. The only other things you'll need to install this kit is a screwdriver or two and a liter of distilled water.
PRODUCT PICTORIAL AND WALKTHROUGH
The most noticeable difference between the Reserator 2 and earlier models is its shape. Abandoning the cylindrical configuration, Zalman has given the Reserator 2 a rectangular, yet sleek and stylish look. The reserator is fairly large at 17.5”L x 3”W x 14.5”H and is made up of aluminum extrusions that fit together to form an attractive unit that will look pretty good sitting next to a computer case.
Fifty fins (25 per side) are ribbed to increase surface area and widely spaced for optimum convection cooling. The black anodized finish looks good …
…in contrast with the silver finish of the end pieces. The reservoir cap is sealed with an o-ring and held in place with four small screws. A vent hole in the center of the cap allows air to escape from the system without loosing too much volume to evaporation.
The pump lives at the bottom of the reservoir section and is identical to the pump used in the Reserator 1 Plus. The pump is an Eheim 1000 series submersible unit, having a maximum output of 300 liters/hour (80 gallons/hour) with a maximum lift of 0.5 meters (1.6 feet). Given this spec, you'll want to place the reserator close to the same level of the highest block in your system. For example, I wouldn't advise placing the reserator on the floor if the computer lives on your desk.
