14x120mm external rad

[grandpatzer]

Well I want to run completely passive my system and wonder if it can be done with 3 external radiators, is there any problems?

I want to use Quick disconnecst on the 2 tubes going out of case so that I can easily move case without draining system.

Here is what I want to do:

Here is what I have currently:

 

[rubix_1011]

I don't believe that full passive is a viable option in most instances and it doesn't have the potential it once did several years ago.

The amount of radiator space you have drawn up is immense and costly. You could easily cool that loop with the 360 alone (depending on actual GPUs) or going high end and just the 1080 alone. Either way, with low speed fans (<1000 rpm) it would be nearly silent and you'd still get better cooling potential than just passive alone. Remember, radiators only work as well as the air movement around them.

You could even go the 360 with push/pull of low speed fans and end up with a very quiet, well performing system. Magicool Rads are pretty thick and perform well with low speed, push/pull (as do most lower FPI rads).

 

[Guest]

It's a very messy build if you go with it. I'm not sure what you're trying to accomplish here when the picture shows that you're not running a monster set up.

I saw this build from an Australian guy at overclock.net who spent about $12,000 with (4) GTX 580 on quad SLI. Even his build doesn't used that many of rads as yours.

 

[Guest]

You probably can use this Monsta rad instead.

Feser Monsta

 

[grandpatzer]

It's a very messy build if you go with it. I'm not sure what you're trying to accomplish here when the picture shows that you're not running a monster set up.

I saw this build from an Australian guy at overclock.net who spent about $12,000 with (4) GTX 580 on quad SLI. Even his build doesn't used that many of rads as yours.

I want a silent computer, I'm not entirely sure if 240 rad + 360 rad with 500rpm fans will cool 2x 7970 (400w in total) and 1x 100w cpu.

 

[rubix_1011]

Why wouldn't it?

And you really aren't going to hear fans at less than 800 rpms...it also depends on what your idea of 'silent' is. Silence is a very subjective term.

 

[grandpatzer]

Why wouldn't it?

And you really aren't going to hear fans at less than 800 rpms...it also depends on what your idea of 'silent' is. Silence is a very subjective term.

Well alot of ppl claim that the 360 rad that I have is too thin to cool 2 7970 and 1 cpu.

Also I actulaly decided to go for 3 gpu's, so I'm looking at 600w for gpu's and 100w for cpu, so in total it is 700w heat.

 

[rubix_1011]

It depends on heat output on the 7970's. It kind of depends with MC 360 rad you have.

Regardless, the 360 and 240 would be ideal in a loop like that, but you woudn't need that Phobya. Passive just isn't as feasible or as logical as you might think.

 

[boiler1990]

I want a silent computer, I'm not entirely sure if 240 rad + 360 rad with 500rpm fans will cool 2x 7970 (400w in total) and 1x 100w cpu.

There are a number of fans that push a lot of air at under 20 decibels (dBA). Xigmatek makes some good fans that run under 20 dBA and push 50-60CFMs (which is on the high end for low noise fans); best part is they're $10/ea vs. ~$25/ea for AP-15s.

For reference (not exact, but gives you a good idea):

 

[Guest]

I used & highly recommend this Enermax T.B. Silence than any other silent fans I've used in the past. It's rated at 53 CFM with 14 dBA at minimum.

What you're planning to do is very messy. You've got 3 (large, medium, small) rads placed externally. Even without fans (passive) it still will look messy. If you decide to put silent fans it will be extremely messy. You have to run 14 fans in parallel to create the minimum connection (this is for real). Wiring it will be a pain in the rear.

I never saw a regular bare rad being used as passive liquid cooler before (maybe there is). Commonly, for passive liquid cooling some people will use Zalman Reserator, Aqua Computer Aquaduct 360 water cooling system or XSPC 250mm passive aluminium reservoir. I saw at overclock.net a guy using cooling rod being buried below the soil. Your plan is something new to me.

You really doesn't need multiple rads to cool (2) Radeon HD 7970. They're hot but not as hot as the dual GPU GTX 590. The Radeon HD 7970 is comparable to GTX 580. PNY just used a single 120 mm rad to cool a GTX 580 + GPU.

Your plan is so grand that you really need to look at it & maybe lower it a little bet.

 

[rubix_1011]

PNY just used a single 120 mm rad to cool a GTX 580 + GPU.

I wouldn't recommend throwing this around as advice to cool components- the jury is very much still out on the viability of this review on many forums, not just here. I understand that 'it's possible' to do but in practice, it isn't something I'd hedge my bets against. You'd need a very thick 120mm and some very good, high speed fans in push/pull to win anyone over with this setup that currently doubts this is possible via LCS coolers (myself included).

 

[Guest]

PNY just used a single 120 mm rad to cool a GTX 580 + GPU.

I wouldn't recommend throwing this around as advice to cool components- the jury is very much still out on the viability of this review on many forums, not just here. I understand that 'it's possible' to do but in practice, it isn't something I'd hedge my bets against. You'd need a very thick 120mm and some very good, high speed fans in push/pull to win anyone over with this setup that currently doubts this is possible via LCS coolers (myself included).

Though I was not recommending for him to use the PNY but only using it as an example that he can cool his rig without going to that extreme idea of his. Hence you brought the PNY to the table & I know for a fact that you're one of the people here at Toms as will us some kids at overclock.net who doesn't like the idea of liquid cooling using tiny rads. I might as well show you a video for you to see. I don't need to show you a written review by real experts cuz I think you know that they highly recommend the PNY product.

PNY Liquid Cooled GTX 580

 

[rubix_1011]

51°C is mind-blowingly low for a card at these speeds.

You would expect about 10-15C cooler with actual watercooling.

Again, it's about expectations and delta. Yes, it 'cools the card', but not very well compared to actual watercooling.

Your condescending tone doesn't sit well with me-- just because you have opposition to what most of us commonly reference in the watercooling community as common knowledge, does not mean that you need to attempt to talk down to those who have differing ideas than you do. I'm all for those coming in to debate and offer new ideas, but you've done nothing but add inconsiderate banter to members here as well as on other forums that don't agree with your thinking. And to extend this even more, this isn't even about your disagreement with what I typically offer or agree with- you have this tone towards 'the man', regardless of who they might be. That's fine, but your arguments do not hold up to what you seem to make them out to be, such as the example below.

I'll reiterate- 51C at load ***IS NOT*** a valid comparison with an actual watercooling loop, yet you are determined to place these on the same plane. This is incredibly skewed comparison that doesn't make light of the temp expectations of this cooler vs the expectations of an actual water loop. 'Working good enough' is a lot different than 'working with expectations of actual watercooling' are completely separate concepts.

Also, if you'll recall, my major beef was on the CPU+GPU cooler, which not only cools this card, but also is cooling a CPU that is adding over 100 watts to the cooler as well.

 

[Guest]

Stay cool & watch the video guys...

 

[rubix_1011]

I did watch, and in fact- it shows a max of 53C in one of the screens.

Just trying to show you that your arguments of not listening to anyone 'who's an expert' and going with your minimalistic/simplistic ideas are simply going to suggest that people start half-assing everything based on your incomplete suggestions when they actually might not want to go that route.

You might want to start mentioning this when attempting to debate these concepts so that newcomers are getting all the factual data to make the best decisions for themselves.

 

[Guest]

I don't think I'm half assing. My set up is way better than yours.

 

[rubix_1011]

Really....? We're resorted to playground tactics?

This doesn't add anything to the discussion or debate.

But yes, your hardware is better- I haven't upgraded yet...components should actually be arriving at my door sometime today and rebuilding this week. My watercooling gear is at least 4+ years old...every bit of it with the exception of tubing and my new reservoir...it still performs great.

 

[wolfram23]

There's a huge difference in design between passive cooling and a rad meant for active cooling. Basically for a rad to work effectively as passive cooling, you need much, much bigger spacing between tubes with low FPI so there is a lot of room for heat to dissipate out and move on. Passive cooling doesn't need to cost a lot, but it will need to be done custom most likely. For example I saw a really cool passive system that was literally loops of copper tubing on a wall, like an art piece.

 

[rubix_1011]

^I actually thought about doing a case like this and then realized how much of a pain it would be to do it like I wanted. This was like 5-6 years ago, and didn't have the patience.

Now, I think I could do this, but you still run into an issue where the majority of your water volume isn't making contact with the walls of the tubing for any great length of time. This is why rectangular tubes in most rads are common- it forces more water to make more contact with more surface area of the tubes. However, if you had enough tubing, this is negated, as wolfram stated, since your surface area is much higher as you add more and more tubing.