Curious about Side Mounts.

[orangejuice789]

*I am not looking to do this in the near future i am just curious about how it works*

If someone were to mount say a 1080mm rad on the side of their PC on the door, how would they go about this? I know they would need to drill holes into the door but how many holes/screws are enough? Do these holes need to be threaded? are there any cases of a side mount putting too much pressure on the screws that hold it or warping the door at all?

Also, when they mount a larger one like a 1080 i have seen images but no detailed logs yet (link if you know of any please), and i am curious at to what kind of performance one gets with an "extreme" rad like this, when compared to smaller standard radiators like a 3x120mm?

Are there any reviews comparing the larger rads?

 

[rubix_1011]

Most of those rads are similar in performance for an equal number of rads that would add up to the same surface area. So, for instance, those Nova rads you are likely talking about are really similar in area to 3 -3x120 rads...a total of 9x120mm. The biggest thing to take into account with a side mounted rad is the weight of it when filled with water...that thing is going to be rather heavy, so you'd want to have as many mounting points as possible. If you can find some machine screws that thread your radiator mounting holes, you can get them in various lengths and then make or buy standoffs for the rad.

I have both of my rads side mounted and it works for me. I know not everyone likes that look, but when you start running a bigger loop and need more rads...not everyone wants to drop the cash on a Mountain Mods case (which are awesome btw for watercooling builds).

 

[orangejuice789]

Thanks Rubix. I have a couple more questions... When people run a rad like this and have 9 fans attached how do they power up all of these fans? Do many people just use one larger internal power supply? If they just use their internal power supply, what wattage would likely work to run all of these fans at their maximum potential?

Also, with maybe 1 or 1/12 inch spacers between the radiator and the door, would one likely need to add counterweight to the opposite side of the case?

 

[rubix_1011]

I have mine spliced into a single fan header that I run off a molex. Fans don't typically pull much power so you can easily splice many into a single header and connect this way...or via a fan controller. HOWEVER...fan controllers have their limitations on how many volts they can handle and some are known to be a little more beefy than others.

You wouldn't need a new power supply for this unless you are really close to maxxing out your main PSU as it is. Considering that most flagship GPUs pull 100+ watts, pulling the 3-5 volts per fan you are creating a pretty minimal draw on a PSU.

I have my spacers at 5/8" long which works out pretty well for offset. Depending on how far offset you go, you may need to consider mounting it as low as possible, or consider a wide base or different feet/outriggers. My case has folding feet that swing out, so that helps, but you can see it lean a little if they are folded in.

 

[orangejuice789]

5v for fans? even if it is running at a high RPM? (say 2000RPM)

Do the 5/8" spacers give enough room for the air to flow away from the rad?

W/ your setup, does the air flow out on all sides of your 2 rad setup?

Also, do you have the screws you used to mount the rad to the side of the case pushed right up against the inside of the door or do you have something to keep the end of the screw from tightened right up against the door?

 

[rubix_1011]

5v for fans? even if it is running at a high RPM? (say 2000RPM)

Yeah, those fans are rated 12v, but almost always run lower than that. Their biggest power draw is the initial spin up at start. Maybe 3v was low...5v-9v might be a more reasonable draw depending on the amps and thus watts being pulled. They run at a lower amperage and the total watts being used at startup and then to sustain speed while running will initially higher and lower later, thus the lower power draw while running.

Do the 5/8" spacers give enough room for the air to flow away from the rad?

Yeah, those spacers give me a decent amount...I've run the fans in both push and pull on that setup...there is enough space for either airflow direction.

W/ your setup, does the air flow out on all sides of your 2 rad setup?

Not sure I follow you on this one...are you meaning in push or pull or...?

Also, do you have the screws you used to mount the rad to the side of the case pushed right up against the inside of the door or do you have something to keep the end of the screw from tightened right up against the door?

I made a very accurate template from the mounting holes on my rads and used it to drill holes in the side panel of my case. I used machine screws and chose a length that would be good for the spacer size so I didn't run the risk of hitting any tubes in my rads. I think Swiftech staggers their tubes and mounting holes so you don't encounter this problem, but other rads may or may not. Just BE CAREFUL. I cut my spacers and ran the machine screws through and used 2 washers: 1 smaller to fit the head of the screw better, and then a larger one to help displace the weight much more. You don't want the weight of the rad to sag and pull through the side of your case (mine is aluminum and would likely do so quite easily).

 

[orangejuice789]

When i mentioned your airflow i was assuming you ran those fans in push, sorry for the confusion.
Also, how big is your washer that is pushed up against the case?

(screwhead][washer1][washer2](case)(spacer)[rad][<fan<]


^Is this the setup you have?^

 

[rubix_1011]

Yes, that's it I believe. It's been a long time since I made the setup so I'd have to look for sure.