Of radiators and fans...

[ZeroAce]

I looks like I am nearly close to finalizing my water cooling set up, but a few things still remain to be worked out:

1. If I am trying to cool four waterblocks in my system, would a standard radiator be enough to cool all of that down?
I think it may need two radiators, but I have no experience to base this on.

2. Even with four waterblocks, how many fans will I need to retain proper airflow in my case?

3. Should I daisy chain my waterblocks with strait sequential tubing, or should I stick with my original idea of splitting the tubing into four channels to cool each block individually?
The latter causes me to worry about whether or not I can get sufficient and even waterflow.

4. What do you think would be the best place to be my radiator (or two) so that it will help the airflow of my case (allowing me to get rid of an existing case fan or two).

[Telexen]

1. Depends on the radiator
2. You're cooling everything that needs to be cooled, why do you need airflow?
3. I think it's a good idea to split them off and bring them back together, you might try doing both and going with the best results
4. on back or up front of the case.

[ZeroAce]

You're cooling everything that needs to be cooled, why do you need airflow?

Everything with a heat sink attached will need airflow to help draw the heat away.
Stuff like RAM chips, and in particular the power supply still requires airflow...

Unless the water tubing was able to maintain the ambient temperature in the case to the point where I don't have to worry about keeping anything else cool.
Particularlly the RAM, and the power supply still requires good airflow.


If I used two radiators, I'm thinking I would mount one on the back, one on the side, and then put a 120mm intake fan on the front.

[Siliconjunkie]

Thing that comes to my mind is, what are you cooling? CPU, GPU, Chipset and whatelse? What CPU/GPU? Radiator capacity will vary depending on how much heat you are generating. I am guessing that the 4th item is a HDD, and in that case I agree with Telexen that you shouldnt need case fans. Even with 1 HDD you should be ok with no case fans since alot of the heat that the other items used to dump into the case will be putting it elsewhere.

As far as placement it is possible to mount it somewhere outside your box if you prefer. The most common place is on the back of the case. I have seen a few on top (Koolance).

[PyroSama]

I would have the radiators out side of the case and two would cool the water better. You will still want normal air flow 1 in 2 out for all of your other parts. If you run the blocks in series then the next one will be hotter than the previos because it was heated by the other so run them in paralell.



PyroSama

[cube42]

I was jus wondering, what pump are you using? Also, mebbe you should look into getting a heatercore instead a radiator.

[ZeroAce]

Cuba - what's the difference between the two?

[ZeroAce]

For optimum waterflow, would it matter if I placed the radiator before or after the waterpump?

[Telexen]

It needs to go after for best flow. If you're going to use a reservoir then put it right before the pump, but a lot of people don't bother with them.

[Siliconjunkie]

I would say radiator after the pump. Then the water getting to your components is a cool as possible.