what rad for 3960x + quad sli gtx 680

[nuhash]

Just need to know how many rads i will need to cool a 3960x and 4 680s

the heat output should be around 800 watts (900 watts if i want a nice headroom for ocing), just how big a rad would i need for this (i dont know how wattage correlates to rad size )

 

[whyscotty]

Out of interest what case is this going in?

 

[Freddie1980]

Well each GTX680 has a TDP rating of just under 200 watts so ideally you would want 2 120's for each card and for the CPU you could get away with just one 120 rad. Given you running 4 way SLI only the first two cards are going to be running at anywhere near to there maximum TDP the 3rd and 4th given the normal complications of multiple video card scaling will be at around 30% to 40% so there's a bit of let up.

If you want to watercool properly and want a quiet system with overclocking then your going to need a case that can support at least two of these , there are other options I know a lot of good ol boys around here are fans of the Hardware Labs Black ICE rad' as there slimmer and are better for clearance the draw back is the FPI is higher which means to get the performance from more FPi you need run your fans faster (at least that's the theory).

You don't have to get two 480's you could get a couple of 360 rads and and a single or dual rad in somewhere else but your aiming to get 7 to 8 120 rads in a case for that sort of hardware.

 

[nuhash]

caselabs t10, or whatever caselabs case i can fit it all in

EDIT:
Thanks Freddie, i should be able to fit three 360s into the caselabs t10

 

[andybird123]

a phobya 1080 will be loads cheaper than getting 3 seperate 360 rads, however mounting it might be an interesting proposition

 

[pgi947]

Phobya make a case that can hold the 1080 or 1260...

 

[andybird123]

they also do feet so it can free stand for a lot cheaper!

 

[pgi947]

They do indeed, I have a pair.

The case I was referring too is an actual full tower pc case though not the rad stand you may be thinking of Andy

 

[andybird123]

I know the phobya case but it looks like a giant meccano set thrown together by a 2 year old.

 

[zx|muppet]

meccano <3 dont mountin mods do some nice (but expencive) cases that can take some of these monster rads?

 

[pgi947]

They do and they don't, iirc the big MM case has room for 9x120mm (1080) at the front, but comes with 25mm spacing so it wouldn't fit unless you did some light modding.

Saying that I'm fairly sure some of the caselabs cases take upwards of 3 x 480 rads, it would be expensive, but a drop in the ocean for someone splashing out on a 3960x + 4 680's

Edit: yup the phobya case isn't pretty but it gets the job done.

 

[8 Pack]

two quad rads will do it easy.

I work on the rule of 2x120mm rad per component.

LD case would fit those or MM.