Multiple radiators setups?

[oolon]

Looking around at mods people seem to be cutting big holes, to fit multi-fan radiators. I am presuming that one 12" fan/radiator is not enough to cool a modern graphics card and processor which is why they are doing it. An example of current thinking. Which I think looks ugly.



However cases often have more than one fan mount point. Any particular reason why people don't use multiple radiators? In an arrangement something like this. This would also cool after every hot component rather than get rid of lots of heat at the same time.

Pump (at bottom)
Graphics card
Radiator back of case
CPU
Radiator blow hole
reservoir
(Could do a Radiator front of case too), but would prefer a clean air intake.

[Main]

One of the main advantages of watercooling is the ability to harness a much greater fin surface area for heat transfer, so when you consider that a 1 x 120mm fan radiator has a similar surface area to most of the CPU heatsinks out there (in the region of 0.5 metres squared) it makes sense to go bigger to get a significant advantage.

Another reason is cost, radiator capacity gets cheaper the bigger you go, so a multiple radiator setup may be more flexible but might cost twice as much or even more.

By using a number of smaller radiators you are also increasing the number of plenum chambers (the bits at either end where water is distributed across the pipes) which is where a lot of the pressure loss in a radiator is. More of them means more pressure drop, which means a lower flowrate in your water loop. Lower flowrate for the same radiator surface area means you aren't getting your money's worth.

More radiators also means more pipes, so more space taken up with (and sometimes swearing in frustration at) plumbing.

There's ease of modding too, since a single large component will only need a few long straight cuts in one place to fit, which is easier to do neatly than say multiple circular cuts.


Of course there are still reasons to go for multiple single radiator. Maybe you're upgrading and have space limitations like me. The loop I've been using for the past few years (which is currently not installed because I need to replace a cracked reservoir...) has a pair of single 120mm radiators, because they were bought at different times. I originally had only one from a kit, but I added to it when I upgraded a while back. It's a pretty tight fit in the case, those two radiators are all it looks like it can take internally.


As far as loop configuration goes, I'd say you want the loop to go through all the blocks then all the radiators (or the other way around, it doesn't really matter because it's a loop, so the heat will go from blocks to radiator regardless). Heat transfer is driven by the temperature difference so you want the water to be as hot as possible* when it enters the radiator because the water to air step is the weakest link in the loop.

Don't worry about this setup making components run hotter because in all odds the differences in waterblocks will make a bigger difference than the slightly increased water temperature. To give you an example, my loop was:

pump -> radiator -> radiator -> cpu -> gpu -> pump

At full load the CPU would report in ~40 C or so, whilst the GPU only ever reached 37 C.


*take heed that since water cooling loops seem to be as unique as snowflakes the difference this makes has the potential to vary quite a bit.

[darkghost]

If it makes you feel any better I have three 3x120 and two 2x120 rads in my gaming rig

Don't be afraid of multiple rads.

Edit: the other thing you need to remember (and you prob know anyway) is not to mix blocks of different materials (copper, aluminium) in the same loop. This creats additional corrosion issues and also means you'll be changing your fluid more often.

[oolon]

Out of interest how often do people change the liquid in a water cooling setup?

[darkghost]

I would say on average, every 12 months.

[PeterStoba]

If it makes you feel any better I have three 3x120 and two 2x120 rads in my gaming rig

Don't be afraid of multiple rads.

Edit: the other thing you need to remember (and you prob know anyway) is not to mix blocks of different materials (copper, aluminium) in the same loop. This creats additional corrosion issues and also means you'll be changing your fluid more often.

I'd love to know what you are cooling that requires such radiators.

[darkghost]

I used to run a QX9650 heavily overclocked with 2 triple radiators. I now have an i7 920 @ 4.2GHz - the latest chips run a bit cooler, so I don't really need the second rad anymore.

Two 4870x2 cards running in crossfire are cooled with a triple and a dual - these give off a fair bit of heat, but this loops keeps them comfortably cool.

Final dual rad is for the motherboard chipset and mosfets.

[watercooled]

Wow that's some setup, is it all on the same loop with a powerful pump or do you have separate loops?

[Pob255]

I used to run a QX9650 heavily overclocked with 2 triple radiators. I now have an i7 920 @ 4.2GHz - the latest chips run a bit cooler, so I don't really need the second rad anymore.

Two 4870x2 cards running in crossfire are cooled with a triple and a dual - these give off a fair bit of heat, but this loops keeps them comfortably cool.

Final dual rad is for the motherboard chipset and mosfets.

That is one heck of a loop or loops, do you have pic's?

I would really like to see that and how you've squeezed it into a case.

[darkghost]

3 separate loops. As for the case - I cheated, I have 2 Lian Li PC343B cases bolted together.
This setup used to house 2 phase change coolers about 3 years ago. I'll have to take some pictures - what's the best thread for posting up case/watcooling setups?

[oolon]

Personally I don't mind you abducting this thread as I am finding it all very interesting. You could also consider posting a write up about your case (with pictures) in project logs.

[Pob255]

Probably the Case mods gallery
http://forums.hexus.net/chassis-syst...allery-14.html
Didn't you post some pic's before?
I'm sure I remember seeing a thread with two lian-li's side by side bolted together before.

[darkghost]

Probably the Case mods gallery
http://forums.hexus.net/chassis-syst...allery-14.html
Didn't you post some pic's before?
I'm sure I remember seeing a thread with two lian-li's side by side bolted together before.

I did have a setup that consisted of 2 V2000 cases joined together, but I don't recall posting any photos. The current "beast" has the Lian Li cube cases stacked one on top of the other.

[darkghost]

Took a few quick snaps this weekend and added them to the gallery here - http://forums.hexus.net/chassis-syst...ml#post1775206

[Biscuit]

Your definately the man im coming to for advise when i go underwater next year