Can I install Corsair H60 on the side panel or just back?

[avadakedabra]

Hey everyone, here's my situation I just bought a new PC it's a midsize to full size ATX case with Asus motherboard, and Phenom II X4 955 Black processor. I want to overclock so today I went and bought the Corsair H60 on sale for same price as the H50.

When I got home, there's no way it will fit at all. Right now in my case on the back of it it has the vents for a large fan but there isn't one installed. The H60 is massive it fills that whole area and is way too big.

On the side panel that comes off the case, there's a vent with an internal tunnel that runs to the processor so heat leaves the processor out the top and out the side of the case. I can post photos after if that helps.

What I'm wondering is if it's possible to instead install the radiator and fan on the side panel vs the back or if it has to be the back? I realize taking the case off will be tricky but there's much more room here if I was to drill holes for it and then add extra holes to vent the fan and radiator. I hate to buy a new case since I JUST got this PC 2 days ago so that's out of the question. Not really sure how water cooling works, if it has to be venting out the back or if it matters. In the Corsair install video for H50 online it says they have the fan blowing cold air into the PC not out that that works better so I'm thinking it may not matter if the fan and radiator is on the side vs the back but wanted to check before I start drilling into the side panel!

Can someone also confirm for me what it will work before I remove my current fan and mess up the paste? I have AMD Phenom II X4 955 Black, says AM3, mobo is Asus M4N68T-M2 SKT.AM3 nVidia GF7025+NF 630A,2PCI/1PCI-E X16,2D.DDR3- 1333MHZ, SATA,GB LAN, M.ATX.

Just when looking at it quickly with the current fan in there I didn't see how it would attach on there but wanted to check. Says AM3 so I assume it will.

 

[benson733]

I'm no master but I believe if you have no room it should be okay if you mount the rad on the side of the case rather than the back. Just make sure you have sufficient airflow through the rad through the side panel.

This will also make upgrading a little more tricky because you would have to mount the rad to the side panel. Should be no problems though if you don't open your pc often.

Lots of people mount their rads in the front, side, back and even outside of the case if they have tubing long enough....




For the paste issue if you mean cpu paste, you would need to re apply any thermal paste that is remove or tampered with.

 

[avadakedabra]

Awesome thanks!! another forum someone had a similar question and they said it was okay. Like you said jus twill have to watch when opening the case can't remove the side then rip it away too fast!

For the paste I just mean I don't want to remove the fan to see how it attaches because I don't have extra paste to put it back on if I have issues with the H60. The H60 comes with it already on there is all.

 

[benson733]

I don't know what you mean by the fan paste... Do you mean under the heatsink/waterblock? If so then do not re lift it because you will need new paste.

 

[avadakedabra]

Yeah that's what I mean, like I don't want to remove the current fan and heat sink to see how it attaches and to see if the H60 will attach until I'm 100% ready to install the H60 because I don't have any more paste here to put the existing heat sink back on if I can't install the H60 is what I mean. Was just trying to see if it would fit before removing anything.

 

[avadakedabra]

If it says it works with AMD AM2 and AM3 and my processor and motherboard both say AM3, then there's no real way it wouldn't fit is there?

 

[benson733]

Yeah that's what I mean, like I don't want to remove the current fan and heat sink to see how it attaches and to see if the H60 will attach until I'm 100% ready to install the H60 because I don't have any more paste here to put the existing heat sink back on if I can't install the H60 is what I mean. Was just trying to see if it would fit before removing anything.

You said you have an AM3 socket. It will fit properly.

Warranty: Two years
Cold Plate: Material Copper
Fan Specification: 120mm (x1)
Socket Support: AMD AM2, AMD AM3, Intel LGA 1155, Intel LGA 1156, Intel LGA 1366, Intel LGA 775
Radiator Material: Aluminum
Tubing: Low-permeability for near-zero evaporation

 

[avadakedabra]

Perfect thank you!! The bracket it came with just didn't look like it could attach at all to it so wasn't sure. Also on youtube Corsair has a video intsalling the H50 and I belive the H60 is more advanced but it has less parts and seems much easier lol.

 

[benson733]

Perfect thank you!! The bracket it came with just didn't look like it could attach at all to it so wasn't sure. Also on youtube Corsair has a video intsalling the H50 and I belive the H60 is more advanced but it has less parts and seems much easier lol.

I have an h50 that I'm going to be installing soon. It looks basically the same from what little I have seen. Just read through the instructions and watch a video or two and it should be as easy as that. Make sure you plug the block into the cpu fan controller. I have also read about some weird gurgling noises on first time use, they are normal and should go away after about 30 seconds to a minute. Once installed you can run some tests and make sure your temp are at a safe level.

 

[iac31]

What case do you have or what size is the vent back there.Unless you have 80mm vent,the standard is 120mm wich is what the H60 is.If you install it on the side panel there is no way to open without removing the fan/radiator first.You will also be coming real close to your graphic cards if not touching them already.

 

[avadakedabra]

I have to check, this is basically the machine that I got but added 4GB ram:

http://cgi.ebay.ca/AMD-Phenom-II-X4-955-Quad-Core-3-2G-Barebone-Computer-/370485797465?pt=Desktop_PCs&hash=item5642aca259#ht_8765wt_1021

It sort of fits just super tight, starts to hit the PSU

1285 Deluxe ATX Mid Tower Case, 17"x 7"x 16"


Mid Tower Chassis
ATX /MATX
5.25" external x 4
3.5" external x 1
3.5" internal x 2
432*181*405 mm
17.0*7.1*15.96 inch
4.1 Kgs(9.04LBS)
Best performed 0.5mm SGCC chassis +
SPCC top/side panels construction
Folded Edge - for safety installation.
No sharp edges, deburred
Lockable side panels
90°wiveled HDD cage, for fast installation
Front access USB ports and audio jack
Optional IEEE 1394 port

 

[iac31]

By just looking at it,it seems very small.I tried to google it but couldnt find any inside pics.
Also,It says integrated video so if you plan on getting a card later,it might not fit with the radiator/fan on the side.
I suggest getting a 40$ case http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16811119227&Tpk=Cooler%20Master%20Elite%20430 and transfer your components.

 

[avadakedabra]

Yeah I have to check it all out I just bought the Radeon HD 6850 and it won't even work I think the PSU sucks apparantly. I hate spending more on another case now so will see. Overclocking isn't urgent for me I mean it's real fast already. Can take pics of the inside as well later.

 

[avadakedabra]

Checked out that case, how do I know if that will fit my motherboard? It looks pretty good though. Sort of frustrating now though since $69 for the water cooler, $45 for the case that's $110 for that just to get to 3.8Ghz on my processor now. I wonder what stock processor/system I could have got if I just paid $110 extra right off the bat vs overclocking lol Seems like this is something someone does later on when they want more speed vs a brand new machine.

 

[rubix_1011]

No offense, but you just ran into the classic issue of 'buying before you researched your stuff'.

That being said, you can still salvage your PC with a larger case if you wanted. I'm not sure what the setup of your current case is, but it looks small, like a small mid-tower. You definitely want that radiator to have access to fresh, cool air...find it a home.

 

[avadakedabra]

I do a lot of research normally, thing is with this one I had a budget in mind for what I wanted. Really the only issue I've experienced is with the overclocking which I didn't really intend to do so soon anyway. I figured I'd just use a normal overclocking fan instead but was a spur of the moment thing at the store yesteday say the H60 on sale for $69 so figured what the hell, kind of cool to say my machine is water cooled

For the extra I paid it looks like I could have got a Phenom X6 2.8Ghz. Now mine is X4 3.2. So for any applications that can't use all 6 cores, mine would actually be faster at 3.2 no?

 

[rubix_1011]

To be honest, it's probably negligible to you as the end-user. There might be a 1 second difference in the processing of say, burning a DVD or encoding a video...maybe more, who knows. Most people get so caught up in clock speeds in ghz, when in reality, if you did a blind test of 2 different system and was told both were identical, you might not notice a difference at all. It's the PC placebo effect.

 

[benson733]

To be honest, it's probably negligible to you as the end-user. There might be a 1 second difference in the processing of say, burning a DVD or encoding a video...maybe more, who knows. Most people get so caught up in clock speeds in ghz, when in reality, if you did a blind test of 2 different system and was told both were identical, you might not notice a difference at all. It's the PC placebo effect.

Very true.

I'm not trying to be offensive and I would like to continue helping you when I say this but if your having issues with the case, then Overclocking really might not be the best bet for you. For $110 you cant even buy the current processor you have in your system and I don't think you can buy a cpu any faster than 3.4ghz stock + all the turbo boost features and such.

 

[rubix_1011]

If you don't have the case airflow to run through the coolers to keep them cool, overclocking is only going to make this worse.

Pull the side of the case, blow a fan on high into the case...benchmark, game, etc.

If the temps are lower than with the side of the case on, you have an airflow problem. If the temps are close to the same, you can then look at your OC in your BIOS and make adjustments to address different coolers.

 

[avadakedabra]

K well I just bought a new case pretty much the one recommended it's much bigger and I bought a 650W PSU to hopefully get the Radeon working now. Here's the thing, the fricken H60 won't fit over the processor!!!!! I took pictures I can upload later.

On the motherboard's back side there's a metal plate that's rectangle shaped with 4 screw holes, and then on the front side of the processor there's a big plastic piece that screws into that. The current heatsink/fan snaps onto this black thing and locks in place.

With the corsair, it doesn't mention anything about the underside of the motherboard, only for Intel. it includes a bracket for th eunderside but it's too big and says it's for intel only.

Anyway for the AMD instructions, on the piece that goes over the CPU it has a screw hole on the top and bottom of it and shows in the instructions just using the big screws and screwing that down. The black piece that's in there right now doesn't have screw holes, the only screw holes are those 4 on the corners of the rectangle, and this wants me to do it on top and bottom. Doesn't make any sense. The screw holes are like this:

X........X
...........
...........
...........
X........X

So the 4 X's and that's where the big plastic piece is connected, but in the manual it says to basically put 2 screws like this:

...X....
.........
.........
..........
....X...

There's no screw holes there I don't understand?

 

[avadakedabra]

Omg never mind I got it the manual SUCKS, it came with these attachments in a tiny bag that it doesn't mention. Was basically a hook type thing with threads on the end that fit over that black plastic piece that was there. The manual just shows putting it down and screwing it on it doesn't say to go in the bag and take it out. Found some guys installation pictures online and got it working. So far so good, didn't overclock but it's running around 30c, did a cinebench test and it only went to 37.

Quick question, in one of the Corsair install videos for the H50, they set the fan to suck air in from outside and pull it into the case, so that's what I did, is that good?

Also on this case the PSU goes on the bottom of it. Normally the fan blows down if the PSU is on the top, so wasn't sure if I should still do that, or if I should have it now blow upwards. I was going to put it facing down but the one screw didn't seem to line up so I aimed it upwards so just wanted to make sure it's okay. Man what a difference between the PSU I had and the new one, I bought that Antec one you recommended, so far so good. Will try the Radeon tonight to see if it works.