Need help with radiator placement in a custom loop

[ImShou]

So I wanted to change from an AIO to a custom loop, but I've got some limitations with my PC case. The top is made of glass, so there's no place for a top mount of a radiator.
Now, would it still work (and make sense) if I instead had a front radiator as well as a bottom radiator with both intake fans (both 280mm)?

I added a pic for visualization, the radiators are drawn in blue. Thanks for any replies in advance!

[Somerandomtechyboi]

Case looks to have bad airflow so id just swap it out to a better case that has airflow and also something thatll accomodate the loop

 

if you are considering custom loop for less noise or lower temp then swapping that seemingly no airflow solid front case will fix your issue

 

If its for aesthetics then do whatever as long as it doesnt end up performing worse than an aio

 

 

If you really wanna stick with that case then seems like the only sensible rad placement would be front cause bottom rad will problably be choked of any air and be effectively useless but if the area below the case has some breathing room then maybe itd make sense since the bottom rad wont be choked of air

 

And yes seems like both need to be intake

[ImShou]

15 minutes ago, Somerandomtechyboi said:

Case looks to have bad airflow so id just swap it out to a better case that has airflow and also something thatll accomodate the loop

 

if you are considering custom loop for less noise or lower temp then swapping that seemingly no airflow solid front case will fix your issue

 

If its for aesthetics then do whatever as long as it doesnt end up performing worse than an aio

 

 

If you really wanna stick with that case then seems like the only sensible rad placement would be front cause bottom rad will problably be choked of any air and be effectively useless but if the area below the case has some breathing room then maybe itd make sense since the bottom rad wont be choked of air

 

And yes seems like both need to be intake

Thanks for the reply!

I could theoretically remove the top glass of the case and replace it with an open one + a dust filter above, just without exhaust fans, sadly. Would it still make a significant difference even without top fans? 

It's for both reasons, aesthetics and lower temps.

The front has two openings with filters on each side which can take in air, just not as much. I also forgot to mention that there are three intake fans on the front which cannot be seen from this angle (bad picture from my side :'))
As for the bottom rad, there are holes in the bottom of the case which were made for the cause of a bottom rad installation, I just don't know if it really helps to add a rad there..  The fans luckily wouldn't be choked of air down there so it *might* increase airflow.

Do you think that all in all that option with the top panel replaced with a breathable one and front+bottom rads would work for that cause?

Thanks again!!

[Somerandomtechyboi]

1 minute ago, ImShou said:

Thanks for the reply!

I could theoretically remove the top glass of the case and replace it with an open one + a dust filter above, just without exhaust fans, sadly. Would it still make a significant difference even without top fans? 

It's for both reasons, aesthetics and lower temps.

The front has two openings with filters on each side which can take in air, just not as much.
As for the bottom rad, there are holes in the bottom of the case which were made for the cause of a bottom rad installation, I just don't know if it really helps to add a rad there..  The fans luckily wouldn't be choked of air down there so it *might* increase airflow.

Do you think that all in all that option with the top panel replaced with a breathable one and front+bottom rads would work for that cause?

Thanks again!!

Why no exhaust fans? If theres no mounts you simply ziptie the fans, i have ziptied some fans myself cause cooler brackets went missing and it works just fine

 

Front panel still has like no airflow judging by how tiny those openings look so really id just swap the case or mod the front panel with mesh, btw what case?

 

also take a pic of the bottom radiator mount just to check if the rad really wont be choked

 

id go for a front + top rad assuming you can mount fans ontop, bottom rad idk maybe if you want that extra cooling power sure dont seem that hard to implement when its just an extra rad an a couple extra tubes

[ImShou]

1 minute ago, Somerandomtechyboi said:

Why no exhaust fans? If theres no mounts you simply ziptie the fans, i have ziptied some fans myself cause cooler brackets went missing and it works just fine

 

Front panel still has like no airflow judging by how tiny those openings look so really id just swap the case or mod the front panel with mesh, btw what case?

 

also take a pic of the bottom radiator mount just to check if the rad really wont be choked

 

id go for a front + top rad assuming you can mount fans ontop, bottom rad idk maybe if you want that extra cooling power sure dont seem that hard to implement when its just an extra rad an a couple extra tubes

There was a mount bracket for the top of the case, but my dad accidentally got rid of it when I was younger and getting a spare part is close to impossible sadly  (I did text their customer support thought, so I'm hoping to get lucky)

The ziptie idea sounds good , I'll try to go for that in the worst case.

It's the Fractal Design Define S2 Blackout.

That's what the bottom of the case looks like (front view)

[Somerandomtechyboi]

23 minutes ago, ImShou said:

There was a mount bracket for the top of the case, but my dad accidentally got rid of it when I was younger and getting a spare part is close to impossible sadly  (I did text their customer support thought, so I'm hoping to get lucky)

The ziptie idea sounds good , I'll try to go for that in the worst case.

It's the Fractal Design Define S2 Blackout.

That's what the bottom of the case looks like (front view)

If the clearence below your case looks like that photo then a bottom radiator is gonna be useless cause its choked with no air

 

But yea if you dont wanna diy a front panel id just replace that case, maybe you can still get some cash from it if you sell it used

[ImShou]

18 minutes ago, Somerandomtechyboi said:

If the clearence below your case looks like that photo then a bottom radiator is gonna be useless cause its choked with no air

 

But yea if you dont wanna diy a front panel id just replace that case, maybe you can still get some cash from it if you sell it used

It's on a PC mount, so luckily the distance between the bottom of the case to the ground is fairly high

Alright, I'll try to mod the front case myself for the fun of it. Thanks a lot for the advice and replies!