Right, it's rad mounting theory time!
I want to mount the rad on the off-side panel. Let's call it spaghetti side (as opposed to window side)
but I want to still be able to open the panel on its hinge. I'm not going to count on the hinge to support the full weight - although if it does, it's a bonus. I plan to mount the rad at the exact height (hopefully) so that if I put the feet on, they'll take the weight and stop the case tipping.
Now the difficulty is connecting the loop to the rad in such a way to keep it openable.
I was thinking QDCs (for obvious reasons) but there's only 20mm between M/B tray and door - enough (just) for an EK 12/10 fitting ring but not a QDC. I was thinking through the panel and then 90 degree fitting. There isn't space for a bulkhead and then 90 but if the fitting stuck through the panel it might work as long as I could find exactly the right size extension - which is unlikely.
Then I thought a swivelling fitting exactly in line with the hinge...but that would mean cutting chunks out the back of the case and having fittings sticking through.
I looked at mounting it backwards (fittings to the front of the case) and it could be done either by going through the front panel into the drive bay area (resulting in an overhang of rad at the back) or even through the wider spaces at top and bottom of the front panel (with some modification to the top panel mount connection). I thought this would be really neat for a minute....but then realised the panel couldn't be opened if connected at the front.
My current plan is a piece of hardline through the panel with a 90 bend as soon as it's through. This is much more slimline than a 90 fitting and, bending skill permitting, should be exactly the right dimensions. I looked at making the loop parallel so that input and output are at the bottom of the case but I'm not comfortable assuming that flow will be even vaguely similar through go and cpu. I can take hardline out the cpu, through the top grommet and then 90 downwards.
I looked at various combinations of swivelling fittings but I don't have the space or the layout is wrong to make a hinge. So I'm thinking of shoving some soft tubing onto the end of the hardline, running it downwards for a bit, 90, short length, 90, back up and then onto the hardline into the rad. The flexibility in the hose (and Tygon is extra flexible) would give me the hinging effect so I could open the door without disconnecting the loop. The 90s are to make it a nice down and up drop with fairly narrow width rather than a larger radius loop.
The same would have to be done for the bottom connection.
The 13/10 Tygon I have does fit over the 12/10 E22 acrylic and I'm thinking a cable tie or a hose clamp or a jubilee clip (space being the decider) would secure it. The alternative would be a hardline fitting, female to female swivel fitting (XSPC make one) and then a 13/10 compression fitting. If need to check the ring for the 13/10 fitting fits in the 20mm space but I think that's probably over complicating it too.
Assuming this makes sense to anyone, can you foresee any problems with it? Can you think of a better solution?
Thanks for making it this far through his rather wordy post. There will be some more pictures forthcoming soon. Just need to get this clear so I can sleep at night without it going round and round in my head!