Doing a dual loop build for first time, need a little advice on airflow.

TonyTurbo78

TonyTurbo78

TonyTurbo78

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Hi everyone.

I'm currently building a little project, albeit rather slowly with stock levels. Now, I'm doing a dual loop system for this build and although I've been watercooling my rigs for years, done many systems, I've never done a dual loop system with 2 separate rads.

My question is really this. The top rad is always obviously exhaust out the top but if you've a rad in the bottom of the case, is it best to get the heat of the rad out the bottom of the case or to pull cold air in to cool the rad? The big downside of this way is that would obviously push hot air from the rad into the system which is always a big fat no no in my book.

So of these two examples, in your experience of running two rads or dual loop system, which is better to keep ambient temp in case to a minimum whilst also getting no or very little dust in the case.

Thanks in advance.

1st option
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Or 2nd option.
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I'm maybe wrong on this but I've never liked having hot air trying to go down. It's counter-intuitive. Hot air rises. If it's any help I would suggest having the bottom rad as an intake. Have another intake at least on the front if possible and the rear being an exhaust. The heated air (I won't say hot because it just won't be) from the bottom will get pushed to the rear by the intake cooler air and largely be exhausted by the rear. The front intake air will then be deflected upwards to the top rad. (is front intake even possible? Can't see whether the front is solid or not.)

With enough airflow through the case the internal temps won't be much elevated by the bottom rad being an intake. Assuming you're doing a gpu and cpu, use the top rad to cool the higher energy component.
 
MikeTimbers said:
I'm maybe wrong on this but I've never liked having hot air trying to go down. It's counter-intuitive. Hot air rises. If it's any help I would suggest having the bottom rad as an intake. Have another intake at least on the front if possible and the rear being an exhaust. The heated air (I won't say hot because it just won't be) from the bottom will get pushed to the rear by the intake cooler air and largely be exhausted by the rear. The front intake air will then be deflected upwards to the top rad. (is front intake even possible? Can't see whether the front is solid or not.)

With enough airflow through the case the internal temps won't be much elevated by the bottom rad being an intake. Assuming you're doing a gpu and cpu, use the top rad to cool the higher energy component.
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Cheers Mike for the input. I've always done front and bottom as intakes and rear and top for exhausts as just like you say heat rises, the colder air will always be at the bottom. I just wasn't sure with dual rads if things are different. I've always done single loop single rad systems so only ever had fans blowing cold from front and bottom.
 
I've done many dual rad systems (not dual loop though) and the air coming off the front rad is never what I would call "warm". But that's generally because the top rad is the first rad in the loop I suppose.

Build it how you think. In the end, it's not that hard to flip a few fans around to see if the change makes it better or worse.
 
Btw option 2 has worked best for me BUT with the rear as intake, helped knocked a few extra degrees off the cpu temps.
 
Jay85 said:
Btw option 2 has worked best for me BUT with the rear as intake, helped knocked a few extra degrees off the cpu temps.
Click to expand...

Interesting. So having 5 fans as intake and 3 as exhaust doesn't give you a dust problem?

I'll start one up in the project channel.
 
TonyTurbo78 said:
Interesting. So having 5 fans as intake and 3 as exhaust doesn't give you a dust problem?

I'll start one up in the project channel.
Click to expand...

My understanding is that more intake than exhaust, i.e. positive pressure, stops dust problems. The excess drawn air has to find a way out and does so through small gaps in the case. More exhaust than intake causes air to be drawn in through those small, usually unfiltered, gaps in the case.
 
TonyTurbo78 said:
Interesting. So having 5 fans as intake and 3 as exhaust doesn't give you a dust problem?

I'll start one up in the project channel.
Click to expand...
I've never had a dust issue with mine, the floor of the case is pretty much dust free. Can't say the same for the top exhaust fans though, they collect a fair amount but easy enough to get rid of.
 
TT158 said:
My understanding is that more intake than exhaust, i.e. positive pressure, stops dust problems. The excess drawn air has to find a way out and does so through small gaps in the case. More exhaust than intake causes air to be drawn in through those small, usually unfiltered, gaps in the case.
Click to expand...

Brilliant. Hadn’t thought of it like this. Thanks for the explanation.

@Jay85 nice. I’ll make the single fan position side and rear intake then.
 
I have 2 280mm rads with 140mms in my system the front is intake as is the one on the roof leaving a single 140mm fan as exhaust and this is working well as I have a set of custom DEMCiflex filters installed in my phantek evolvx.
 
I've literally just finished a build this weekend using option 2. Dual rad, not dual loop but the same intake/exhaust config.

I haven't actually got any fans actively exhausting but I've not tested temps properly yet and there's always the option to throw some in the top or rear.
 
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