First time users questions about radiators...

[squirrelman]

So this will be my first time water cooling my system. I have gotten my "feet wet" with the sealed corsair H100 I have right now. I'm going to order the Nzxt Switch 810 since my current case isn't well set up for radiators. At first I want to cool my 2500K, 5970 and a 5870 and eventually swap out the 5870 for another 5970 (bitcoin mining surprise surprise). I was going to use http://www.performance-pcs.com/catalog/index.php?main_page=product_info&cPath=59_457_458&products_id=27801 for the top. Would that be enough to cool them all? I calculated the heat load at 550W with 2 5970s but the all the other tools in the faq are gone. Thanks.

 

[bacon11]

Check out martinsliquidlab.org or skinneelabs.com. They have a huge wealth of information regarding radiators' ability to reject heat per given fan speed, along with flow restriction measurements too.

 

[bacon11]

A single 3x140mm radiator isn't going to be enough to cool 550w with decent temperatures without some screamer loud fans.

 

[ZeroFlux]

A single 3x140mm radiator isn't going to be enough to cool 550w with decent temperatures without some screamer loud fans.

That might be a bit much but 140x3 might be able to keep cool with some decent fans. Not sure how warm those 5970 run.

 

[bacon11]

Assuming that Magicool radiator is anywhere close to the Thermochill (Magicool will be worse), at 550w and with three fans at 1400rpm, you're looking at a 10c delta T at best which is considered average... 5c is "performance" and 15c is "lacking."

Take it for what it's worth, but a 3x140 will not be enough to get close to the "performance" category.