Cooling Issues with top mounted radiators?

Does having the radiator as the highest component in the system canuse any problems?

Having been inspired by Nexxo's Multiversa, I'm now working on a design for a WC system for my next computer using a full tower case. The only suitable location for a dual 120mm fan radiator is in the very top. It doesn't seem like the best place, but then there aren't a lot of places you can stick a 10" radiator, even in a case that size.

Also, does anyone have a source for digital flow meters at a reasonable cost? I found exactly the widget I need, a 1/2" combination flow meter and temprature probe, all for only $895. If no one makes a decent one for less than that, maybe I'll go into business!

Thanks, Chris

 

Top mounting's fine, as long as you work all the air out of the system. If anything it makes for great airflow.

 

I know Nexxo has a pretty good and apparently pretty accurate flow meter but I can't remember where he posted the link for it. So if you drop in Nexxo could you give us the link and how much it was?

 

It is the Swissflow SF800. It costs 50 Euros and is best bought directly from the company. On WizdUK forums I am looking at arranging a group buy.

 

Thermochill have a bleed valve to let air out,got one on my 120.3.

 

The only thing I would suggest about a top mount rad is to suck air into the case so the rad gets cool air rather blow the warmed air in the case through the rad. However, I would assume that if you have good airflow through your case the temp difference would probably only be a few degrees or so.

 

Also, when filling/bleeding initially, don't have the rad actually attached at the time, just make sure the tubing is long enough. Leave the pump running, but rotate the rad around a bit so water can push all the air out before actually mounting it.

 

i personally prefer bottom mouted rads if u have the space and ur case has feet to raise it well enough to get good airflow.

 

Well, in a perfect world I'd prefer a bottom mounted rad too, but...



This is the case I'm working with and as you can see it would at the very least block a couple of PCI slots, if not interfere with the mobo itself. The current plan, subject to a better idea, is to put the pump in above the PSU, the rad under the top plate for the 5 1/4 bays, and the resevior in the 5 1/4 bays. I plan to slice out the metal crud you see above the sill there both for the fans and also for fill ports, auxuilary power input, switches, etc.

Below is a (bad) schematic of how it's all supposed to fit together.



In a perfect world the mobo tray would be in the top half of the case and the cooling gear would go in the bottom, but...

 

What about removing the lower bay cage (FDD and HDD?) and putting the radiator in the lower frontplane?

 

That's possible, though it would require fabricating an entirely new frontplane. The rad I have in mind (Black Ice Pro 2) is almost 5x11" and so it does tend to limit one's options.

 

That's true, but the potential benefits in airflow management make it the obvious (to me, at least) choice, if possible.

Just on a theoretical basis, I try to keep as much of the water below the electrical bits as possible.
In the (slight) possibility of a leak (slow or catastrophic) ALL of your water will rain down on pretty much everything.
Makes for a really bad day.

 

Front bezel, No probs. Gives you an opertunity to use some antivibration mounts for HDs too.

Here is my BIXii in a much smaller case than yours.



Just cut a hole and remove drive cages like this.

 

...and then integrate the pump into a mounting bracket that also holds the fan/shroud/radiator assembly in place. This bracket would connect to the bottom of the case and the bottom edge of the 5.25" drive bays cage. Simple.

 

Much like Nexxo did on Project Metaversa Now he's giving away all his personal ideas. BTW Nex I want that computer.

Edit: Picture

 

You may be on to somthing there. I finally pulled the frontspiece off this case and it turns out that the 3 1/2 drive cage is removable. With that out of the way there is room for the rad in the front, and the pump behind it. The cage can (with a little cutting) be relocated to the space above the PSU, or I could put the hard drive(s) in mountings in the 5 1/4 rack.

I'm not thrilled with the idea of drawing warm air into the case, but then again the rad will only warm it a few degrees. I'll still probably put at least one 120mm ehaust fan in the top to ventilate the case.

Does anyone know of a standard figure for how much the rad reduced flow from the fans? Is one unrestricted 120mm fan going to move about as much air as two drawing across the rad?

 

It all comes down to noise Cthippo.

I have my push/pull setup on a 120.1 BIX that is controlled via a fan controller thus allowing me to make it quiet when surfing and crank it up when play games etc.

It all comes down to performance v noise (getting the balance is an art!)

[edit] I had just got up lol [/edit]

 

A little off topic but I found a Canadian distributor for the SF800 but they are $325CDN, a little off 50 euros. I think I'm gonna look at DIYing a unit as I dont think I need 1% accuracy. Nexxo do you have a thread somewhere showing how you used speedfan to monitor/translate flow rate?

 

The SF800 was hooked up to a motherboard fan header. As such its output shows up on Speedfan like the RPM of any ordinary fan. I know it puts out 100Hz per litre/min. flow, which would show in Speedfan as 6000RPM per litre/min (because RPM works in minutes, not seconds, so the Hz is multiplied by 60). It put out something like 10400RPM, so I knew the flow is 1.7 litres/min.

Now it is awkward to keep having to mentally divide your Speedfan data by 6000 to get litres/min. Luckily Samurize can perform mathematical operations on any data it displays (and it works with Speedfan). So on my 5" TFT LCD I simply have Samurize displaying the Speedfan output divided by 6000. Et voila.

 

Thanks for the info! I dont think I'll mind doing it in my head but if i ever want to get fancier I'll have to remember Samurize. Thanks again.