A water cooling challenge

[endorphiend]

I'm new to water cooling, but have been reading up on it quite a bit the past month or two and feel like I know just enough to be dangerous. I definitely know enough to recognize that water cooling this rig of mine will be a challenge. I have an i7-930 @ 4ghz (currently sitting under a Noctua NH-D14), and a pair of 480's inside a HAF X. I'm estimating the total TDP around 650-750W at load depending on if I overclock further once it's under water.

 

I have every intent to "do it right" and get high quality parts for water cooling. However, my current problem is deciding how much radiator space I need and where to put them. I've heard as a rule of thumb to have a single 120mm radiator for 150W, double for 300W, etc. By this rule, I'd ideally want a triple and a double radiator to keep the temps down.

 

The HAF X has a spot to put a triple radiator, but I'm not sure what I would do with the additional double.

 

My goal for water cooling is to quiet down my system under load (this should be trivial considering the noise from two 480's with fans at 85%) and also lower the temperatures to a more comfortable level since I leave it folding most of the time. I also want to keep everything inside my case, so I'm not considering a radiator box to be an option.

 

A few questions for the pros:

 

• Would temperatures be terrible if I ran with only a triple radiator?
  
• Anybody have ideas as to where I could squeeze in an additional double?
  
• Thoughts on trying to squeeze a quad radiator up top (would have to move down my optical drive at the very least) and a single radiator where my rear exhaust fan is?
  
• And the question I probably don't want the answer to... one loop or two?
  

 

Thanks for the help all.

[El_Capitan]

From the short amount of experience I've had, from 120.2 to 120.4, a 120.3 (triple rad) is worth it. I have the 120.4 in the back, but could possibly fit a 120.2 up at the top, but have decided against it for now. From what I hear, more flow = better cooling as well.

 

Before putting in a 2nd rad, I'd upgrade my pump, even if it's noisier. Once you get to a certain temperature point, I don't think having extra radiator's will help dissipate too much of the heat. Though I always though of having a 2nd rad to dissipate heat before going back into the case, while the 1st rad dissipates heat right before heading into the CPU.

[Drdeath]

No question about it. You will need 2 loops for that setup. A 120.3 will not support the Fermi's and the GPU. A 120.4 should work but a second loop will be the best scenario.

 

the 120.3 rad can be installed internal and there is a mount that you can install a 120.2 external on the back.

 

You can use a rad mount like this to install an additional 120.2 or 120.3.

 

 

http://www.jab-tech....BK-pr-4404.html

 

 

Or simply do this:

 

Edited September 29, 2010 by Drdeath

[endorphiend]

Aha, I didn't know those mounts existed. Since it seems inevitable to have one external radiator with my setup, I'll start looking down that path. Thanks drdeath.

 

Still open to more ideas if anybody has any.

[SpeedCrazy]

Take a look at this. It might work.

[crazy8s846]

Aha, I didn't know those mounts existed. Since it seems inevitable to have one external radiator with my setup, I'll start looking down that path. Thanks drdeath.

 

Still open to more ideas if anybody has any.

You might be able to run it with one 140.1 rad mounted where the 140mm exhaust, have it cooling your cpu, then put a 120.3 in the top. It would go, pump to cpu block to 140.1 rad to video cards to 120.3 to res to pump. You could also put a 140.3 in the top. Thats what i would do is put a 140.3 in the top and a 140.1 where the case exhaust is, that way it is all in the case. A Monsta lite would look really nice in the top.

Edited September 29, 2010 by crazy8s846

[endorphiend]

Take a look at this. It might work.

Haha, nice, but I'm not replacing my case a month after investing in a HAF X

 

You might be able to run it with one 140.1 rad mounted where the 140mm exhaust, have it cooling your cpu, then put a 120.3 in the top. It would go, pump to cpu block to 140.1 rad to video cards to 120.3 to res to pump. You could also put a 140.3 in the top. Thats what i would do is put a 140.3 in the top and a 140.1 where the case exhaust is, that way it is all in the case. A Monsta lite would look really nice in the top.

I like that idea too. Having a 140.3 + 140.1 should give comparable cooling to a 120.3 + 120.2, based on the surface area at least. Keeping everything in the case is an ideal solution for me, both because I like the way it looks and would make it easier to move my case for maintenance.

 

Any more ideas to consider?

[Drdeath]

You might be able to run it with one 140.1 rad mounted where the 140mm exhaust, have it cooling your cpu, then put a 120.3 in the top. It would go, pump to cpu block to 140.1 rad to video cards to 120.3 to res to pump. You could also put a 140.3 in the top. Thats what i would do is put a 140.3 in the top and a 140.1 where the case exhaust is, that way it is all in the case. A Monsta lite would look really nice in the top.

 

 

A 140.1 will not cool 2 fermis IMO.

 

Use a 120.2 for the cards and the 120.3 for CPU. That is the best choice.

Edited September 30, 2010 by Drdeath

[endorphiend]

A 140.1 will not cool 2 fermis IMO.

 

Use a 120.2 for the cards and the 120.3 for CPU. That is the best choice.

I was thinking one loop for both rads, and invest a bit more in the pump rather than two loops. I saw a project a few months ago of a PC with very high heat output (same or more than mine), and they suggested one loop is enough as long as you add additional radiators and keep flow in mind. I will find the link after work if you want to see it, but I probably found it through these forums.

 

Two loops just makes it difficult since a 140.1 + 140.3 should cool my whole setup, but a 140.1 alone won't cool two fermi's or an overclocked i7.

[crazy8s846]

hhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhh

Edited September 30, 2010 by crazy8s846

[crazy8s846]

A 140.1 will not cool 2 fermis IMO.

 

Use a 120.2 for the cards and the 120.3 for CPU. That is the best choice. No one needs a 120.3 for a i7 930.

The 140.1 would be reducing the heat from the 930, the 140.3 would be cooling the cards. It would all be in the same loop. Dont know what your talking about. Lets see a link saying this will not work, and that the way you say is the only way, links please.

Edited September 30, 2010 by crazy8s846

[crazy8s846]

I was thinking one loop for both rads, and invest a bit more in the pump rather than two loops. I saw a project a few months ago of a PC with very high heat output (same or more than mine), and they suggested one loop is enough as long as you add additional radiators and keep flow in mind. I will find the link after work if you want to see it, but I probably found it through these forums.

 

Two loops just makes it difficult since a 140.1 + 140.3 should cool my whole setup, but a 140.1 alone won't cool two fermi's or an overclocked i7.

I guess he didnt see the 140.3