Pushing at half speed compared to pushing at full speed
Pushing at half speed compared to pushing at full speed
Hello,
I'm exploring water cooling for an upcoming project and wanted to know if using fans in push/pull mode at half speed offers any advantages over running them at full speed with the fans on.
Thank you,
Tom
Ah, okay, I see what you're saying there. A 3x140mm radiator should still be just plenty to keep things cool - normally you'd be able to get away with a 3x120mm radiator and a mild CPU overclock, so with over 25% more surface area...
...Ahh, see, that's the part that we were missing; a hex-core is a significantly higher TDP, as are a pair of AMD cards as opposed to a single
nvidia card. The second radiator would be warranted there. You could probably get a double for slightly cheaper, but if it doesn't make a huge difference, then yeah, go ahead and go with the matching pair.
Well, it will definitely be much quieter. If you're investing in a custom water cooling system, why not opt for a radiator area and reliable fans that handle both noise and cooling needs?
DarkSable :
It'll definitely be much quieter. If you're already investing in a custom water cooling loop, why not opt for the radiator space and decent fans to avoid noise concerns or performance issues? That was my main concern. I'm considering a 360 + 240 setup and think EKWB would be a good fit since they have a configurator for planning parts. Are there other brands you'd recommend swapping in?
For one thing, it'll be a lot quieter. If you're already investing in a custom water cooling loop, why not opt for a radiator space with quality fans to avoid noise concerns or performance issues? That was my main concern. I'm considering a 360 + 240 setup and plan to use EKWB because of its configurator, which will help me determine the necessary parts for this first custom loop. Are there other brands you'd recommend swapping in?
Branding in watercooling can become complicated. I've noticed disputes arising from it. 😛
That said, I really like the Black Ice Stealth radiators. They're hard to find now that FrozenCPU has shut down, but they offer a high fin density per inch and perform very well—especially with strong static pressure fans.
If your goal is maximum noise reduction, consider a PWM-controlled D5 pump—Swifttech has one, or the new VPP755? I think that's PWM controlled.
As for fans, Noctua or Scythe are the best options. Nothing else comes close.
Adopting a fully custom loop will increase cost slightly, but it definitely improves silence. If your case allows, using self-adhesive sound-dampening foam and cutting it to size can make a big difference without affecting temperatures much.
EDIT: A dual 140mm radiator offers nearly the same surface area as a triple 120mm one, and 140mm fans are significantly quieter. If you can fit three 140mm slots, it would be overkill for cooling an i7 and GTX 1080, but it could run almost silently. I have a custom loop with three 2x140mm radiators in a sound-dampened box, along with the pump and reservoir. The loudest parts are the motherboard capacitors and power supply.
DarkSable:
Tom_taylor97 shared some thoughts on the topic. He mentioned that a quieter setup would be preferable, especially if you're already investing in a custom water cooling system. He suggested sticking with a radiator space and quality fans to avoid noise concerns.
He also expressed interest in EKWB for configuration purposes since it's his first custom loop. Tom asked about other brands that could be considered for parts swapping and noted the challenges of branding in watercooling.
Regarding cooling performance, he recommended Black Ice Stealth radiators for their high fin density and good noise reduction, especially if paired with a PWM-controlled D5 pump or the VPP755 pump from Swiftech. He advised using self-adhesive sound-dampening foam to further reduce noise without compromising airflow.
He also mentioned that a dual-140mm radiator could match the surface area of a triple-120mm one and run much quieter, especially with 3x 140mm slots in a custom case. He shared his experience with a custom loop using sound-dampened radiators and noted that the loudest components are typically the capacitors on the motherboard and power supply.
Tom concluded by thanking for the advice and sharing his own plans, including potential GPU upgrades and overclocking considerations.
Pushing and pulling together work much more effectively than doing one alone. In most cases, choosing to pull is the superior choice.
Just as a caution, the industrial Noctuas, despite their more appealing color, don't spin down at lower RPMs like the standard ones, which means they won’t be completely quiet when idling. A pair of 3x140mm radiators is more than enough for most needs. A single 3x140mm radiator offers a surface area comparable to two 2x120s plus a bit more. To give you an idea, my watercooling tower uses three 2x140mm radiators and maintains both my computer and a friend’s system at ambient temperature. These are high-end gaming rigs that have been running for 2 to 4 years, so managing heat is crucial. I recommend checking the watercooling guide Rubix wrote; it contains valuable details and can assist in determining the right surface area required. Depending on the radiator type, a 3x140mm unit can handle up to around 850W of heat.
Honestly, the noise doesn’t bothers me much. Right now I’m using a H100i with Noctua NF-F12 fans and Akasa Viper case fans, all running at full speed. I was hoping a new build could lower it slightly.
I understand it’s a lot of extra effort, but it would let me keep the system quiet while still achieving some impressive overclocks.
Using an EKWB config calculator, the two 420mm radiators can handle around 1400 watts of heat. I wanted smaller 120mm fans and radiators to cut down noise, but I’m considering going with the EVGA DG-86 case for that reason.
If 120mm fans/radiators are actually better, I might switch cases, but for now I think I’ll stick with what I have.
I... wait, there seems to be some confusion. You mention the noise doesn't bother you, but then you quickly change your mind and express a desire for even quieter operation.
The explanation continues with details about radiator efficiency and heat dissipation requirements.