Radiator selection help

ptrout · 10-19-2009, 05:22 PM

Build a 2nd system...more for looks/low noise than performance.

I am looking a rad for 3 120mm fans. Most likely GT-ap-14's 1450 rpm low noise fans. Or even AP-13's if I can get away with it.

The depth limits I have for rad+fan height is 3.25 inches.

I was looking at MCR 320 stackable for two reasons.

The dual inlet outlet, saves me a ton of extra work of routing the tubes; inlet coming from the top, and outlet exiting through the bottom. And its really thin, specs say 1.3" in depth.

The only problem seems to be fin density. at 14 FPI, its not really meant for low RPM applications.

Asking if there is something better suited that may meet my needs.
Thin is good(under 2" thick), low FPI, and finally if it had some flexibility in the routing (but not a deal breaker)

It will cool, either 920 or 860 (little OC, depending on low the temps fare) + 5850 single GPU.

Thanks for any help

shazza · 10-19-2009, 05:40 PM

Quote:

The only problem seems to be fin density. at 14 FPI, its not really meant for low RPM applications.

The MCR 320 does well with lower RPM fans ...

Check out this recent recent post by Vapor.

Neuromancer · 10-19-2009, 05:43 PM

Yah the swiftech is exactly geared at low rpm fans.

Now 30 FPI like the one black Ice rad.. .THAT requires loud fans

Top of heap after all these years is still the thermochill 120.3 And you are still going to pay through the nose for it. (for low speed quiet water cooling. )

ptrout · 10-19-2009, 05:44 PM

wow, thanks

That totally solves all my problems.

And I assume MCR 320 has the 15mm spacing ?

millertime359 · 10-19-2009, 05:47 PM

I'm not certain what you mean by top in bottom out. You plan to mount the rad horizontally?

I'm running the MCR320 with GT 1850s without a problem.

shazza · 10-19-2009, 05:48 PM

Yep on the 15mm spacing.

My assumption is the stackable version has the same performance as the regular one, just has the 2-sided barb option - but the barbs are both on the same end of the radiator, so not sure how that helps a lot.

overclocking101 · 10-19-2009, 05:51 PM

yeah the mcrw320 is great with low speed fans as it the thermochill pa 120.3

punkrockpolak · 10-19-2009, 06:01 PM

Yeah, at 1450 rpm the lower fpi radiators perform the same. Great deal as the MCRs are half the price of PAs, RXs and SR1s.

ptrout · 10-19-2009, 06:05 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by shazza

Yep on the 15mm spacing.

My assumption is the stackable version has the same performance as the regular one, just has the 2-sided barb option - but the barbs are both on the same end of the radiator, so not sure how that helps a lot.

Thanks again for the help.

This is for a steampunk comp build. The reservoir is an old miners lamp, ie the res will live on top of the case and feed the rad from the top side. Then it will exit bottom to the CPU and GPU and loop back up to the res.

I am going to make a worklog will have more detailed drawings on it.

Thanks, all.

shazza · 10-19-2009, 06:10 PM

Sounds good. Just wanted to make sure you weren't getting the config of the stackable radiator confused with the HW Labs X-flow configuration, where inlet and outlet barbs are on opposite ends of the radiator.

meanmoe · 10-19-2009, 09:39 PM

+1 Mcr320