Hi All, I'm looking for some advice on what size radiator to go with. This will be my first time watercooling, and I want to do it right. The hardware I'm looking to cool is my Q9450, currently at stock speed. Once I have adequate cooling, I'm looking for a modest overclock to 3.2 or so. I also want to cool my GPU, which at the moment I'm looking at getting a Radeon 4870 which is enough to suit my needs. And possibly at some point want to cool my northbridge as well. I'm planning on all 3/8" ID gear, as I have a CPU waterblock already as well as tubing and fittings. I have a Black Ice Extreme 1x120mm rad that I got a good deal on a year or so ago. It has been sitting in its box since I got it. I'm doubt if it will be enough. I'm fair certain I can get by with a 2x120mm, and I know I can get one to fit inside my case. I guess my question is will a 2x120mm cut it? and if so, which one would be recommended? Thanks in advance, BT rocks!
We have a thread for watercooling questions (I don't blame you though, it's not a sticky). From What I've heard 2x120mm should be fine.
depends what fits in your case really if you can get a (2x120mm) that will fit in your case for a good price then I'd go for it (on top of your current rad) if only two 2x(120mm) rads will fit get those
Do we? I have never seen it.... Anyway yes a 2x120 should provide a reasonable amount of cooling, but from my experience of reading about it and helping build one loop (so basically I am an educated noob on the matter) that a 2x120 with a quad core and a pretty hot gpu will provide so-so cool, probably on par with good (not amazing) air. You may want to look into the Black Ice radiators, and if you can I would use both your 120 and a 240 rad. Or just get a 360 rad.
Hmm... I hadn't thought of using the 120 and a 240 together... Two loops and two pumps I would imagine? Then to decide which gets which. 120 for the GPU only and 240 for CPU + NB or vice versa? At least with two pumps and two rads I'll get much better flow I presume.
Well you could do that, but it would be a lot of work and wouldn't provide the best results. You can just have both radiators in the same loop. You are going to need at least a 240 rad, so you might as well get one and use it as well as the 120, you can try it with and without and see how it effects temp and noise. A 240 rad will do the job, but I think its getting close to the limit of how much heat it can absorb.
Don't forget with every increasing radiators you get smaller returns and require a more powerful pump.
I'm beginning to think I'll have to take some measurements and see if a 360 will fit in my case. I'm sure it will, its a monstrous old server tower. I'll save the 120mm BIX for another machine.
