Case for Dual Loop Setup?

Associate
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Hi all,

Planning on building a high performance gaming rig which will also be used for video editing and rendering in HD.

What I want to do is Build the system with 2 loops.

First loop for the Motherboard and CPU using a 240 radiator with 4 fans in Push-Pull. May possibly consider cooling the memory on this loop but that will seriously complicate the plumbing I think but would use a 360 rad if I go that route.

Second loop for the GPU's Using a 360 radiator with 6 Fans in Push-Pull.

I was thinking of using 2 single 5.25" bay res/pump combo's (1 for each loop obviously)

Whilst I'm here I may as well ask what you kind people think of this plan and feel free to suggest any improvements.

On to the real problem. I can't seem to find a suitable case as I need space for -

Optical Drive
Fan Controller
2 x Reseviors
2 x SSD
1 x HDD (Possibly a couple more later on down the line)

Does anyone know of a case where the radiators can be efficiently positioned with the fans in place and not sacrifice too many drive bays. I would love to do a scratch build but I don't have a suitable work area yet. Would prefer cost to be kept below £200 and don't want to do much in the way of case modding just now.

Thanks in advance
G
 
Soldato
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Firstly, don't believe the hype, all push/pull is going to do as add a heap of noise for an extra 1-2c temp difference, in some cases P/P can even make temps worse! Far better off using the space available for a thick radiator + a single set of fans.

As for case, the Switch 810 seems to fit your needs, will take a 360 up top and a 240 down at the bottom with no modding. If you want more radiator then that (considerably more anyhow) you're going to have to start looking at Silverstones Temjin (spelling?) series or cases designed around watercooling (XSPC/MM/Phobya etc...) which are all well over double the cost of a switch 810 :)
 
Associate
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Push pull is not the best way of water cooling IMO as its makes a whole lot of extra noise for the sake of maybe 1-2 degrees, which wont allow enough headroom to make a difference OC'ing.

Instead go for a decent set of fans like the sythe gentle typhoons and a chunky rad.
 
Soldato
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As above push pull is over hyped!
Why going for dual loops? have you considered a single loop with a better pump(MCP35x?) or 2 pumps(MCP655?)
Most of the time it is easier and neater to have a single loop for CPU, 2 x GPUs and Mobo block with RAM blocks added in(although I think the later 2 blocks are just for show).
 
Associate
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I'd go for a single loop, with a 420 rad up top and a 240 down the bottom, I have this in my Elysium with a i5 @ 4.5 and a single 7970 for now and it keeps things chilly. I have push fans on the 420 and push/pull on the 240 but they will be changed to just push later as there loud and from what I can make out offer barely any advantage just noise although the fans aren't matched in each side.

With just single fans on each side of the rad and 3 case fans all set through the fan controller to low the loudest item in the case is the 2tb hard drive. With a very quiet rig max temps I get under load in prime is 45c and if I set all fans to max that drops to 40c although that's 50dbs of noise versus 36 on low.

I'd go for one big loop and go for a decent pump, D5 or even a double d5.
 
Associate
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You can comfortably fit 2 * 360 rads and keep all the drive bays in a Corsiar 800D. I've run mine very quietly for a couple of years with a single pump and 6 low speed fans running off a fan controller. I have just moved over to a mini case for a change though, so my 800D is gathering dust atm :)
 
Soldato
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You can comfortably fit 2 * 360 rads and keep all the drive bays in a Corsiar 800D. I've run mine very quietly for a couple of years with a single pump and 6 low speed fans running off a fan controller. I have just moved over to a mini case for a change though, so my 800D is gathering dust atm :)

Comfortably?

I want pictures.
 
Soldato
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Comfortably?

I want pictures.

It might be a bit cramped but I'm guessing 360 in the top and another in the bottom provided you don't have an oversized PSU. Wouldn't require a massive amount of modding.

I'll be going one step further then this in an 800D in the coming weeks with a 480+360 combination ;)

The amount of modding I'll be doing is somewhat unreal, I'm sure I'll manage to screw it up though. I'll be having 480 up top and 360 in the front., XL-ATX/SR-2 tray fitted with a custom mid-plate.
 
Soldato
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It might be a bit cramped but I'm guessing 360 in the top and another in the bottom provided you don't have an oversized PSU. Wouldn't require a massive amount of modding.

I'll be going one step further then this in an 800D in the coming weeks with a 480+360 combination ;)

The amount of modding I'll be doing is somewhat unreal, I'm sure I'll manage to screw it up though. I'll be having 480 up top and 360 in the front., XL-ATX/SR-2 tray fitted with a custom mid-plate.

Not comfortably, 360 in the top yes, easily, but even a 240 in the bottom requires modding, I seriously doubt you could even get a 360 in the bottom, without raising the 'floor' so it sits on its side.

I had a 800d last year lol :p
 
Associate
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Comfortably?

I want pictures.

inside%2520800d.jpg


The red looks so last year :D
 
Soldato
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^Yey I was correct :D

Not a chance of that fitting with an extended PSU though :(

A nice neat build though :) my builds usually end up in a frustrating mess of cables and tubing :(
 
Associate
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I think you should wait for more advice because a lot of people seem to run one loop for all their components . Maybe you should look into a single loop with some very thick rads because a good quality pump will easily run all the components of a pc with some high overclocks perfectly .
 
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