First watercooling venture in Fractal R6.

Too Tall

Too Tall

Too Tall

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This is something I've always wanted to do but just haven't had the time to do it.

My case is a Fractal R6.
CPU is I7 8086K
GPU is an MSI RTX 2080 Ti Gaming X Trio

From the research I've done i was planning on using a 360 rad in the top and in the front.

I'd like to use hard tubing also.

Things I've got are in bold

CPU Block - EKWB EK-Velocity RGB Intel CPU Water Block - Nickel & Plexi.
GPU Block - EKWB Classic EK-FC Trio RTX 2080 Ti RGB GPU Water Block - Nickel & Plexi.
Pump/Res combo - EK-QUANTUM KINETIC TBE 200 D5 PWM D-RGB PUMP.
Front Rad - EK-COOLSTREAM PE 360.
Top Rad - HWLabs Nemesis 280GTS
Fluid - Mayhems Pastel White.
Fans - ML120 Pro
Fittings - Barrow Black
Tubing - Barrow 14/10

Am I missing anything?
 
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Have you allowed clearance for the fans with your radiator choice?
Seems like it will be a tight squeeze, depending on the thickness you want.

In an R5, I managed to get a 45mm 280 rad and a 30mm 280 mm rad in, just. But I did keep the optical drive bay.

The list looks ok. Don’t forget you need something to cut the tube with a nice straight cut to it.
 
Too Tall said:
I've made a post, hopefully some pop up.
Click to expand...

Fingers crossed. Fantastic performance for slim rads, I've got a 240 and 360 in my current build. Love them.

If you have the space, the GTX may be another option. Still great, thicker and a bit less restrictive.

You can pick up so much on the MM for watercooling, I built my current loop entirely from there, and picked uo almost all the parts for my next project too.

Good luck.
 
Oh, for fans I can recommend ML120 Pros, theyve been fantastic for me; huge PWM range, decent pressure, whisper quiet if you want them to be.

Trying out some Noiseblocker Eloops soon.
 
WantoN said:
Oh, for fans I can recommend ML120 Pros, theyve been fantastic for me; huge PWM range, decent pressure, whisper quiet if you want them to be.

Trying out some Noiseblocker Eloops soon.
Click to expand...

I have some ML140's in my case currently attached to my Kraken X62. The only thing I dont like is the grey fan blades as they don't go with the rest of the case.

I currently have 3 Aer Rgb 140's in my case which I won't be able to use as the plan is to use 360mm rads.

I really like the lighting effect from them as its quite subtle.

ML120 Pro could be the answer, but I'd lose the RGB.
 
GPU and CPU blocks plus backplate for the GPU just arrived :D.

I might potentially see about using a 280mm Rad in the front of the case instead of a 360, just to save ordering new fans.
 
Too Tall said:
I have some ML140's in my case currently attached to my Kraken X62. The only thing I dont like is the grey fan blades as they don't go with the rest of the case.

I currently have 3 Aer Rgb 140's in my case which I won't be able to use as the plan is to use 360mm rads.

I really like the lighting effect from them as its quite subtle.

ML120 Pro could be the answer, but I'd lose the RGB.
Click to expand...

The ML140pro is a little noisier, I have them as the intake in my desk. Good fans, just the tone is more audible.

I did mean ML120 Pros, I have some non-LED ones. Don't much care for RGB as the case is internal. Suppose you could use those light frames if you're desperate for RGB. Personally find current implementation incredibly messy and muddled. We really need a unified standard, and a bus system to avoid all those cables.

Hope it goes well mate.
 
Another thing to add, if it hasn't been mentioned already, is how tall your ram heatspreaders are. I have a 360 rad in the top of my R6 and there is only just enough room to squeeze the ram in underneath. I've had to have the fans on the "inside" of the radiator in pull, as the radiator itself would foul against the ram, if that makes sense. (The fans are narrower than the rad is overall).

Some ram heatspreaders are ridiculously tall (especially with RGB) so keep that in mind!

The best I managed to achieve in this case was a 360 up top, 280 in the front and a 140 at the bottom.
 
If you're budget conscious with the fans, after being irritated by the quality of the EK Varders (I had 5 of them start making quiet grinding noises within 6 months) I tried going for "Arctic P12 PWM PST CO" fans.

They're quiet and doing the job really nicely. Plus they're great value, can't recommend them enough. Make sure you get the CO fans though as they are ball bearing and there is a cheaper version that isn't.
 
Parsley said:
Another thing to add, if it hasn't been mentioned already, is how tall your ram heatspreaders are. I have a 360 rad in the top of my R6 and there is only just enough room to squeeze the ram in underneath. I've had to have the fans on the "inside" of the radiator in pull, as the radiator itself would foul against the ram, if that makes sense. (The fans are narrower than the rad is overall).

Some ram heatspreaders are ridiculously tall (especially with RGB) so keep that in mind!

The best I managed to achieve in this case was a 360 up top, 280 in the front and a 140 at the bottom.
Click to expand...

Which rad are you using in the top of your case?

My ram is the 8 Pack Dark Pro, which are 46mm tall with the heatspreader fitted.
 
Ek Coolstream PE 360 in the top. If you're going to use one of those slimmer rads you mentioned you'll be absolutely fine. I have Trident Z Ram which is 44mm tall and I have space to juuuust about reinstall the ram if I need to. Tighter than I'd like though.

I have seen an XE360 in the top and a SE360 in the front, but I think that was without a rear fan by the motherboard IO. (And I think you'd need lower profile ram)

I have a Black Ice Nemesis 280GTS XFlow in the front but this is a very tight fit. Getting the screw holes to line up required a little force, the side of that particular rad hits the side wall of the case interior (with the blanking cover for the open configuration). But it does fit. I'm not sure how wide other 280s are compared to the one I have, but if they're narrower they'll fit! It's 153mm wide.

If you consider putting a radiator in the bottom, a 140 fits, It's just an EK CE 140 that I have. But consider the length of your power supply. I have a big old Antec High Current Pro 1300W that I got cheap, it eats a lot of space up, especially with the cables plugged into it. With that PSU and radiator it only just all squeezes in.

Just another thing to add, on the off anyone chance else has an Asus motherboard with VRM watercooling (Like the Maximus XI Formula), and google leads anyone here... the top will likely foul against a right angle connector going into that vrm cooling block. I used a Barrow 90 degree fitting for that, non adjustable. Fortunately the thread lined it up fairly well.
 
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