Cooling Radiator placement

Is this good radiator placement?



The pump will be at the bottom of the case, its an aquarius II, with a cpu an gpu waterblock.

 

I would say no, but I might be wrong!

I have always used Black Ice rads, either pro or extreme will do.

 

It's a compromise solution. Many people position their rad there because it is the only space available. The upside is that all the warm air it generates is expelled right out of the case. The downside is that its top position can trap air bubbles, and that it sucks already warm air from inside the case through the rad, rather than benefiting from cool air straight from outside. Although you could always make a duct into the side panel.

 

if you're gonna do that, then put the res in one of the 5 1/4 bays.

 

With the aquarius II, the pump is inside the res, all one unit.

 

i'd be most worried that its almost touching the psu.....ur rad could get a lil toasty off that m8

my recommendations>
1- put a duct from the underside of the rad to outside the case (sidepanel, through bays, wat eva) - use as intake fan.
2- put fan ontop sucking air through and out the top...where i presume theres a blowhole.

 

What's the problem with sucking cool air from outside the case with the rad in that position??

Aside from the bubbles, I can't see any reason why that setup wouldn't be acceptable, though I'd have the fan on the other side of the rad, and suck air through the rad into the case, rather than blow air through the rad.

 

Warm air likes to go up, so it always seems more sensible to blow air up out of the case...

 

Heh, should've included these pictures in the first post.

Heres the fan



And the right side of the case, for ducting potential:



Considering the air bubble problem, couldnt I fill the system on its side to esnure there are no bubbles, then seal it and put it back upright?

Also, the fan pulls air into the case atm (I know, opposite of physics etc) but there is also a case fan on the top left of the window to take warm air out of the case. I'm not saying I dont want to duct, as I have spare fans, tools, and materials to do it, just letting you know where the air is coming and going.

 

You have the PSU fans too sucking air out the case. It shouldn't get too warm up there and the radiator will stay cool with air striaght from outside, which is the main objective.

 

Well, my rad is at the top of the case, but because of the size (120.3) i dont have too many options. You can always tilt the case a bit to free up any trapped air - or as its only a small rad, unclip it and fill the system with it being mobile - but that may be a silly idea.