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Bring on the second loop!!!......or not?

M

masaville

Limp Gawd
Joined
Nov 6, 2006
Messages
401
Yesterday I took the plunge and ditched my CM Stacker 830 for a Silverstone TJ07. After carefully examing the two last night, it's evident that the TJ07 is designed much more efficiently than the 830. I did not realize how much space is wasted in the 830 until I compared them side by side. The 830 is a great air case and breathes well, but it's pretty much useless for watercooling, especially if you have an SLI setup.

Now that I've got an extra 3-4 inches in height and length I have a few more options at my disposal. Surprisingly, I can fit the GTX 480 rad with 4 fans fastened to it in the bottom of the case. So yesterday I mounted my 480 and got to thinking about using it for the 8800 GTX SLI loop and a PA120.3 for the CPU loop.

Before I start drilling holes in this badboy I was wondering if anyone has experience with cooling an E6700 and a set of very hot GPUs on two separate loops and whether or not it's worth it in temperature gains? Right now I'm getting load temps of about 40-41 for the CPU/MB and 55/50 for the GPUs. Using a single 480 rad would pretty much allow me to go internal, but I'm tossing up mounting the PA120.3 on top and running the tubes down through the top for a CPU loop if I can drop the temps even more. The main reason for doing this would be to keep the fans running at a low RPM to lower the noise and to keep the components as cool as possible.

On another note I was tinkering around with the two rads last weekend. I found the 480 rad to go a good job of cooling all components on a single loop. The PA120.3 however struggled with the same loop posting load temps an average of 5-7 degrees higher across the board. I tested both rads fans on full in the same ambient temps, all other conditions constant. Granted that the 480 has an extra 120 on it, it's still the bet choice if it's passive cooling and quiet you want on a monster rig.
 
Might wanna check the replies to your posting of this within the "GTX360 or PA120.3" thread over at XS fella - many suspect something else is amiss for you be getting the temps you were getting with the PA120.3 as you weren't stressing the rad anywhere NEAR enough to warrant that amount of difference... see Cathar's replies in particular... your heatload is only 373watts for your system...

The only way that devices change in temperature by changing the radiator is through a change in the water temperatures. Flow rates also have an impact, but overall the radiator, especially a Thermochill, is going to be a very minor part of overall flow resistance. Low enough to be negligible in a loop with many blocks - so let's discount any changes in flow rates as being part of the factor, and focus on water temperatures alone.

Said person is reporting what appear to be a 5C delta (average) between the two radiators, corresponding to a 5C water temp delta. If we assume that the per-120.1 sectional cooling performance was equal between the two radiators, then this mathematically that the water temperature on the PA120.3 would have to be at least 20C above ambient.

At 20C above ambient, even with 3 x Nexus fans (38cfm) at 12v, we're talking a total heat load of around 650W required to generate such a large water temp delta, at the very least.

I cannot believe that there is 650W of heat load in such a system. I believe that other factors are at play.

I do not know what. I would be most curious to know the water temp rise above ambient air intake delta is.

*snip*

I personally think that something else was occuring in that setup. The differences in water temperature alone simply cannot be that large between those two radiators, with that sort of heat load. Controlled tests in fact show that for weak fans, there'd be little to no difference at all. For stronger fans, maybe some difference, but certainly not 4-6C. Something else is occurring.
Click to expand...
- http://www.xtremesystems.org/forums/showthread.php?t=136033

You also neglect to list what airflow you were using (ie: what fans)... which means no-one can really diagnose the "issue"...

EDIT: I'm not saying this just to defend ThermoChill - it simply doesn't sit right with the mathematical rules of watercooling hence the thread over there has developed quite a bit - am interested to see the conclusions meself!
 
Hey Marci. I'm using Silenx Pros on both rads.

Thanks...I'll check that out!
 
Your PA 120.3 is obviously not up to the task of cooling your equipment. Thermochills are highly overrated.
You should just do a single loop with the GTX480, and send the crappy Thermochill to me. PM me for an address. I'll prepay shipping... :D
 
I suspect 3x SilenX Pros aren't sufficient to shift 300w of heat with a PA120.3, let alone 373w... the extra fan surface area is the crucial factor... simply a case of underpowered fans - see what Cathar says over at XS...
 
nonlnear said:
Your PA 120.3 is obviously not up to the task of cooling your equipment. Thermochills are highly overrated.
You should just do a single loop with the GTX480, and send the crappy Thermochill to me. PM me for an address. I'll prepay shipping... :D
Click to expand...

LOL good one....:D
 
Marci said:
I suspect 3x SilenX Pros aren't sufficient to shift 300w of heat with a PA120.3, let alone 373w... the extra fan surface area is the crucial factor... simply a case of underpowered fans - see what Cathar says over at XS...
Click to expand...

Thanks Marci. I've been following that thread. What cfm would I need to cool that loop with a pa120.3? 100+?
 
tylerdustin2008 said:
Id say some scythe fans should do it. The 63cfm modles.

http://svc.com/sy-fan-sff21f.html

I dont know much about them, but i hear that they do wonders. I dont like yate loons because i feel they move no air.
Click to expand...

I think peeps like yate loon because they're cheap, but the noise to cfm ratio is horrific compared to other fans. On the other hand, maybe there's some secret I don't know about. Heh.
 
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