Mounting the fans outside of the case and the radiator inside?

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lkrattlehead

lkrattlehead

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It is not my original intent, and I've made a mistake of buying it without thinking, but I'm almost sure the cooling solution I intend to use will not fit my case. It is an H110 Corsair, and my case is the Aerocool Strike X-One.
Then I remembered someone saying here on a old topic you could mount one part outside of the case, and the other inside. That would make it way easier for me to fit it. Aesthetics are not my main concern, only for it to be cool and silent, that's why I bought it instead of the h100, they have 140mms instead of 120mms and the benchmarks show less noise.

Is it really safe to do that? Is it simple to do that too? I should mount the radiator on the inside, right?

I mounted all my PC alone, and I have a fairly good understanding of hardware, so, I can do anything that is not too hard, and if you have any videos or material to point me to would be great too.

Is my mission possible?
 
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thor220

thor220

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The only problem with mounting the fans at all is the H110 comes with 140mm fans while the case you have only has mounting holes for 120mm fans.

The only way to mount those fans anywhere on that case is going to end with drilling new fan mounting holes. Really, I would return the H110 for the H100.
 
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jossrik

jossrik

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The Website for that case says you have 2X12cm(120mm) fan spots on the top, so the 2X140mm(14cm) wouldn't fit in the top, plus, like my old case, the top seems to be raised where the fans sit, so you would have trouble with the normal clc out there. However, it does say you can fit 140s in the side, so you should be able to mount your radiator to the side of the case. Depending on clearance in the case between your video card(s) you might have to mount it so that the fans are on the outside, the only thing you would need to do then would be to drill a hole for the fan wiring/make sure your wiring is long enough on your fans. Don't take this as gospel, if some one else knows more, please chime in, cause I'm new to watercooling myself.
 
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lkrattlehead

lkrattlehead

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The thing is I have the slots on the side, not on top. On top the case has 2x120, on the side, 2x140, but my VGA stops it from being both pieces on the inside. My plan is to use this side slots to mount the radiator on the inside and the fans outside. The question is if it will ruin my performance. I saw some technicians do it on some foruns, seems okay to do it, but if not, I can probably cope with it entirely outside my case, fixated in another place, or even on top of my table or something like that.
 
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thor220

thor220

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Ya know what's weird, the official page for that case stated that it only accepts 120mm fans
http://www.aerocool.us/strikex/strikex_one.html

but looking at the newegg page
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16811196042

it says it accepts 120 or 140mm. Pretty bad when the official page's info is off

Anyway, it will definitely be possible to do, as it has 140mm mounting holes. You do have to mount the radiator on the inside though. Mounting it on the outside would mean disconnecting the tubing and voiding the warranty.
 
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4Ryan6

4Ryan6

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Apr 14, 2002
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It's case mod time!

I would mount the entire assembly on the rear exhaust area of the case, fans and all.

[strike]All that's needed since the case has 140mm rear exhaust mounting holes (according to someones discovery in this thread, or if it doesn't?, that's what drills are for),[/strike] = Wrong!

Your case is only 7.09" wide, meaning there's only room for a 120mm fan between the case outer and I/O plate.

However you can get a 120mm to 140mm fan adapter plate and rear mount the entire assembly.

http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16811995076

The way to do this is to completely cut out the case fan mesh grill, (easily done with metal cutting shears), leaving an open hole then cut additional water tubing and wire run slots off of the 120mm hole to accommodate the fitting of the tubing and wiring, mounting by bringing the entire water block pump housing through the rear hole you created in the case.

Then you use the 120mm to 140mm adapter plate, mount the adapter plate directly to the 140mm fan body in place of the fan grill of the H110, then mount the 120mm side of the adapter plate to the case, routing your tubing and wire into the slots you cut for them.

Note: I would do a trial fit and align the tubing so it's a straight shot into the case with enough clearance of the metal cut out as not to rub against the tubing or wiring.

It is a simple case mod, to me, but may be beyond your capabilities, and in that situation the solution I guess is get a unit that fits your case.

Edited again for the third time!!!, after researching!
 
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Motopsychojdn

Motopsychojdn

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I found this we wrote a while back Ry :) Modding guide and no need to remove the fanmesh at all dude, You simply remove the roofpanel, cut straight up the sidelines of the exisiting grommets, line them with uchannel, then slip the pump/block in the inside of the case (making sure the rads oriented correctly for mounting ofc) and replace the roof using flathead dive screws instead of the rivets you drilled out to remove it (4Mm drill bit)
Bishbashbosh external allinone rad and no effect on the warranty,
:)
Moto
 
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4Ryan6

4Ryan6

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:lol: Moto, the one thing I've never concerned myself with, is case warranty, I guess they do actually have a warranty on them though don't they, I was ready to get out the shears and do it for him! :)

The last case I bought the Azza 1000 was modded out of the box! :)
 
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4Ryan6

4Ryan6

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My suggestion does not affect the All in Ones warranty, just the case warranty.

 
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lkrattlehead

lkrattlehead

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Warranty not an issue. Bought it used, don't think I can claim warranty, even if still valid, for an used cooler, even more with me being in Brazil.
I sent an video to Moto, an idea I had when I saw it wouldn't fit was just place it on the side of the case, mounting the fans to the radiator outside of the case, like:

CASE - MOTHERBOARD - CPU - COOLER - RADIATOR - CASE - FANS

And then all I would have to mod is a way to pass the cables for the fans into the case, which wouldn't be so hard.
 
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lkrattlehead

lkrattlehead

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Or I could just try and find a blowtorch or something like that, and then remove the grids on the side of the case, opening a hole, and then widen it a little and then just put like rubber or something like that on the edges of the thing for it to keep the radiator and fans like that, so to eliminate the physical barrier. The rubber would also stop any noises from happening too.
I have a strong imagination, but never did anything like this...
 
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lkrattlehead

lkrattlehead

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I am so patient I might use tin snips to cut all the holes and stuff and then sand it with my own hands...
I do maintenance on electric guitars too, and it is a lot of sanding hahahaha
 
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