External 3x3 or two internal 3x1 radiators with 120mm fans
External 3x3 or two internal 3x1 radiators with 120mm fans
What is the optimal setup? The external radiator is a Mo-Ra 3 equipped with two 9x120mm fans that can be pushed or pulled, making it quite powerful beyond what’s necessary. I already own two 360 radiators, so there’s no additional expense involved. My main concern is the length of the tubes leading to the external radiator and the allowable height difference. Would this configuration negatively impact performance? I also have two Aquapumps (Ultima) that I previously connected in series. Should I consider mounting the reservoir directly on the radiator if I opt for an external design? The cabinet has ample space (Cooler Master Cosmos C700P). From my perspective, the advantage of an external radiator is easier maintenance and better drainage, reducing spill risks.
There is no such thing as the best. You clearly don’t mind the space required by computer parts. With an external radiator, you can relocate it to another room too. From my perspective, a system block should be self-contained if I need to move it for any reason. With an external radiator, it’s relatively simple to remove the tubes from the fittings.
Two 360-degree radiators are enough to cool two GPUs and a CPU (even high-end or overclocked ones). Most people mount the reservoirs on the radiator mainly because there isn’t enough space. Anything placed on the radiator increases resistance, which means you’ll need higher RPMs to move the same amount of air.
For maintenance, having a convenient drain port and fill port helps avoid spills—though I haven’t seen any spills kill anything in my systems.
There is no such thing as the best. You clearly don’t mind the space required by computer parts. With an external radiator, you can relocate it to another room too. From my perspective, a system block should be self-contained if I need to move it for any reason. With an external radiator, it’s relatively simple to remove the tubes from the fittings.
Two 360-degree fans are enough to cool two GPUs and a CPU (even high-end or overclocked ones). Most people mount reservoirs on the radiator mainly because of limited space. Anything placed on the radiator increases resistance—meaning you’ll need higher RPMs to move the same amount of air.
For maintenance, having a convenient drain port and fill port helps prevent spills. Although spill hasn’t ever caused any issues in my systems, I’ve had many with over ten years of custom looping. Just soak it with a paper towel, run a fan on that area for about 30 minutes, and that’s sufficient.
As for upkeep, having a convenient drain port and fill port helps prevent spills. Not that any spill has ever caused damage in my systems. I also had many of them with more than ten years of custom loop experience. Soak it with paper towel, then use a fan on that area for 30 minutes and that's sufficient.
I used to spray the affected area with large amounts of distilled water and then blow dry it using my dog's hairdryer (high air pressure, no heat).
I mainly rely on distilled water for my preferred cooling fluid.
I chose the external radiator because it reduces spill chances and drains easily. I drilled two holes in the backplate for the Koolance quick-connectors, and it looks fine. My current setup required airing in front of the first pump, but with a valve it functions well. The main issue is needing airflow ahead of the first pump; otherwise, resistance in the pumps prevents fluid from passing through. Even opening the loop at the top didn’t help, and the radiator outlet is higher than that point. Using 2.5-meter tubes lets me place the radiator on a nearby bench beside my computer table. With this arrangement, the fans—both inside and on the radiator—work much less.
Looks really nice !
Do you mind to add another one of how the loop looks inside the case ?
Clean appearance and excessive features – great! Just a quick question about connecting the GPUs in parallel?