First watercooling setup. 120mm rad enough?

mediamatt

mediamatt

mediamatt

Permabanned
Joined
15 Nov 2010
Posts
676
Hi,

Have a Thermaltake Core V1 case and thinking of doing my first watercooling setup.

Spec will be...

Intel 6600k overclocked to approx 4.2ghz)
Asus VIII Ranger Motherboard
16GB Ram
Nvidia 970 (overclocked to just before it starts to get unreliable)

I plan on having a 120mm radiator at the front with 2x 120mm intake fans. I also plan on putting a watercooling block on the CPU and the GPU and then a pump/reservoir combo where one of the 80mm fans would go and put an 8-mm exhaust fan in the other space at the back.

My questions is.. Will a 120mm radiator with 2 intake fans be enough to cool an overclocked cpu and gpu?

Matt
 
General rule of thumb is 120mm of radiator per item to be cooled + an additional 120mm
So I'd say a minimum of a 240mm & 120mm rad if your cooling a CPU & GPU.

A single 120mm rad won't be enough.
 
Hi,

Thanks for the reply. I only have space in this case for 1 radiator. Am i right in thinking, a 360 radiator is just 3x120mm stacked in one? If i could fit that in, would 1x360 radiator be enough for cpu and gpu? Or even better would 1x240mm be enough if i didnt overclock heavily?

Matt
 
Last edited:
yes in theory a 360mm rad would offer enough radiator space.

The water temp should even out over the loop regardless of where the water is cooled.
I'm sure someone with a little more experience with W/C will confirm if 1x 360mm rad would suffice, or if 1x 240 & 1x 120 would be better.

As a guide I'm cooling CPU & GPU, admittedly both overclocked & have 280mm & 240mm rads both 60mm thick. Slight overkill I admit but I like the temps it gives.
GPU rarely sees over 40c & CPU 50c

mediamatt said:
Hi,

Here is the case.. http://thermaltake.com/products-model.aspx?id=C_00002373
Click to expand...

Unlikley you'll get a 360 or even a 240mm rad in that case without some modifications.
An alternative might be to mount a radiator externally.
 
Last edited:
Yes the case isn't ideal, does say can support 240mm at top and front although would be a tight fit.
 
I have seen another case, the NZXT Manta that can take 2x280mm radiators. Could always upgrade the case if it will help the temps. Only problem is they do a kraken cooler for the cpu and can get one for the gpu which looks so nice lol

Would a custom watercooling setup be any better than 2 of them watercoolers (1 on each of the cpu and gpu)?

https://www.nzxt.com/products/manta-matte-black

Matt
 
mediamatt said:
Definitely nowhere to put a second radiator. Only 1 place and thats the front (apart from the little fan spaces at the back but only small)

Matt
Click to expand...

and the top. Look on the link you posted mate, scroll down and it shows you the places where rads will fit. Get a few thinnish 280mm rads and you are good to go.
 
Swagger187 said:
and the top. Look on the link you posted mate, scroll down and it shows you the places where rads will fit. Get a few thinnish 280mm rads and you are good to go.
Click to expand...

I think they mean if you rotate the case it will be at the top. I have this case here now and cant see anywhere to mount a rad at the top. Its just a side panel, no holes to screw to, nothing?
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Back
Top Bottom