Adding 2 290x's to my loop

darket · 24 Oct 2013 at 21:23

Hi all , my loop is as follows :-

XSPC dual bay D5 vario > EX280 rad > XSPC Raystorm block.

This was my first attempt at a watercooling loop and so far its been a fun and more importantly quiet experience.

I'm getting delivery of my 2 290x's tomorrow and i'd really like to watercool them , i know about the EK blocks ect etc but i'm not sure what else i'll need to add to my loop, I have a Corsair 650D case and dont really have the space to add another strand alone loop do would like to add them to my existing one.

What are my options ?

Many thanks

Ed.

Uncle Petey · 24 Oct 2013 at 21:35

Is the 280 rad up top? Can you get a 200mm rad in the front?

I'd hope that'd be just about sufficient /prays

darket · 24 Oct 2013 at 21:39

Yeah , 280 is up the top, and its a propper squeeze ! , but plently of space in the front , i moved the drive bays to the middle of the case to fit in a 200mm cm fan

pgi947 · 24 Oct 2013 at 21:42

Options:

1. 200/180 rad in the front and pray it helps
2. New case
3. External rad like a 1080/1260...

Avenged7Fold · 24 Oct 2013 at 21:42

You will need another case or mount more radiator externally.

The 290xs are hot and rjkoneill recommend a 240mm minimum for them (240mm rad per 290x). I will be adding my own 290x with EK block to my existing loop when i receive it. My loop will have a heavily CPU block cooling an overclocked 8350, VRM block, RAM block and will be sporting a 240mm + 360mm radiator with some extra large high SP fans cooling them. If that turns out to not be enough, i will mod it to also have a 240mm radiator in the PSU compartment of the case.

Your case is the current case i have but am changing to a corsair 540 just for this reason. You can fit a 200mm phobya Xtreme radiator with minor modding to the case, but you will probably struggle with heat when it comes to clocking.

The cheapest solution for you would be to forget the 280mm rad and get a external 1080 Phobya radiator. This is a hell of a lot of radiator to cool even a crossfire 290x set up. The alternative to having a external radiator is to do what i am doing and changing case to accommodate. The 750D/900D are big/really big but will offer plenty of radiator space and have the same steel frame and aluminium body as your 650D.

Uncle Petey · 24 Oct 2013 at 21:48

^What they said

External 1080/1260 is your cheapest option I reckon.

Bart_Hunt · 24 Oct 2013 at 21:58

I have a mini itx build and all my watercooling is outside.
You can get a radiator mounts for 12£, they work with 120 or 140mm wide rads.
You can put them anywhere you want.

Oh, and I have 360 rad for my 4770k and planing 360 for 290x as well.

Flying_Hellfish · 25 Oct 2013 at 12:31

New case or external, definitely. Putting the 200 in the front requires a mod and probably wont help too much.