Radiator/Fan question...

[AP2]

so im contemplating weather or not i should watercool my htpc or not. this is pretty thing only thing that i can find that will fit my restricted case. i will only be cooling the cpu (currently a e8400 but switching to a 9450).

Radiator Specs:
* 2-pass 80 mm Radiator specifically developed for PC CPU and GPU watercooling. Double-row high internal volume design
* New superior durability custom formulation high-gloss acrylic paint finish
* Rated for 236.6 KCal per hour (938.89 BTU per hour)
* 80 mm (3 inch) Copper core consisting of flat tubes for maximum heat conductivity
* High-density copper fin configuration for enhanced heat dissipation
* Built-in enhanced depth plenum chamber for increased performance and noise reduction even when using high-speed 80mm fans
* Self-tapping 80mm fan and case mounting holes for ease of installation
* Available in female G 1/4 BSPP compatible fittings.
* Ultra-compact 100 x 82 x 52 mm (4 x 3 x 2 inch) dimensions allows it to fit in any case with an 80mm fan

Fan Specs:
Model #109P0812M701
Size: 80x80x15
Low noise curved blade design
Ball bearings
2000 RPM
20.13 CFM
21 dBA @ 2000 RPM
DC 12V, 0.09A
3-pin connector with RPM sensor

 

[BillParrish]

i should watercool my htpc

I usually like to encourage watercooling but wonder in this instance if its the right thing. It is going to take considerable skill to shoehorn the stuff in your SFF case. That rad is fine and will easily cool the cpu but the fan is 2000 rpm and unless on bios speed control will be loud. If you bios allows "legacy" or "voltage control" for fan speed it will be OK, since it is a 3 pin fan and not a 4 pin pwm fan I dont think you will be able to use the PWM fan speed control and without the other options it will run at full speed all the time. An inexpensive Vantech Fan Mate II would solve that but its more stuff you have to cram in that little box. I would be looking for around a 1600 rpm fan, maybe even 1200. This would be sufficient to cool a stock CPU quietly. If you are going for any major OC at all you will need the high speed fan and if this thing really is used for HTPC you will quick be unhappy listening to the fans.

In short, for a stock machine just running HTPC tasks a medium or low speed fan on that rad would be fine. For an OC that rad and the fan you picked would be OK but fan noise would be significant. For max OC you need more rad.

Just general observations - you said it was an HTPC so that I what I am assuming it is really used for. I have seem some amazing work done watercooling in those small cases I would have thought impossible. I do not want to discourage you but consider carefully what you really want to do. If you enjoy challenges and have the skills and cash - go for it, Otherwise a nice AC7 cooler and quiet fan would do the trick at a saving of several hundred dollars, - but not be nearly as [H]

ummm this makes little sense. why would you need a quad core in an HTPC box ? Do you actually encode on this box ?

Video playback and general usage is not so hard on a CPU and so heat generation is not a big issue, but encoding etc. / gaming are major heat producers and if the box is used for that forget my comments above,

What are you really doing with this thing ?

I now wonder if my assumption about the SFF case is correct. Please give us some more details so we can give better advice/opinions.