Rad Spacing help

MontyBonjangles · May 12, 2013

Hey people

I'm currently planning a w/c loop. However I have a bit of a dilemma. My case has only 120mm fan grilles. The case so happens to be an antec one (Don't stone me just yet). I was considering modding the top of the case to incorporate a dual 120 rad. Or could I get away with just one 120? I could possibly put two single fan rads in, one on the back, one on the top. However it's a very tight fit.

Here is the top grille spacing. IGNORE THE GLARINGLY OBVIOUS MISTAKE WITH THE WATER BLOCK INSTALLATION.

As you see there is approximately 30-40 mm of room up there. The grille is punched out.

Back fan space currently occupied. Note the space between the top grille and the rad.

Next is the bottom grille. It's 140 fan holes are taken up by the psu casing. Divert your eyes from my octopus-stuffed-down-below cables.

I could chop the bottom part of the hdd cage out to make a bit of room, but the front fan is a no go as it mounts in an awkward manner.

Finally there are grommets for tubing at the back too, so an external rad could be an option with quick disconnects.

What's the best way to go about this?

~Monty Bon Jang

Ghost · May 12, 2013

I see your problem. You have nowhere to mount a radiator inside the case. I have mounting options for you.

Put a 30mm radiator at the top and mount the fans outside the case. Pull the wires in through he water-cooling grommets. You can also buy fan grills so nothing falls into the fan accidentally and shatters/break/damages the blades.
Mount a 120mm rad at the back. This is logical.
Mount a 140 rad at the bottom. You will need to get rid of a bit of the drive bay.
Use an external rad. Quick disconnects are not recommended due to restriction but this is a case where they actually need to be used. XSPC rads have vertical stands you can use for thier rads. If you bought a 360/480 xspc rad and mounted it outside the case you would have better cooling than most.

Pick an option and I will go into more detail about it.

In the future could you avoid big pictures mid text as it makes me have to scroll up and down like crazy to answer the question.

MrDMxtreme · May 12, 2013

Personally I would say if you're willing to mod the top of the case, why not just mod the inside? I don't know enough about what you have in there, but if you don't use optical drives (for example i don't) and you can don't mind mounting your HDD/SSD on the bottom of the case, I would like to suggest a 240mm rad in the front of the case. Then with one set of fans I'm pretty sure you could fit a 60mm thick rad and it would cool great, be quiet, and from it would look awesome from the outside (no need for external things sticking out) personally I would want my rad out of the case because of dust and lack of space on my desktop.

MontyBonjangles · May 12, 2013

Put a 30mm radiator at the top and mount the fans outside the case. Pull the wires in through he water-cooling grommets. You can also buy fan grills so nothing falls into the fan accidentally and shatters/break/damages the blades.
Mount a 140 rad at the bottom. You will need to get rid of a bit of the drive bay.

In the future could you avoid big pictures mid text as it makes me have to scroll up and down like crazy to answer the question.

Probably best to go about those two options. Although could I put a combo of the top solution and one on the back?. Again I wouldn't mind chopping the bottom of the hdd cage off and sticking a rad down there.

P.S, great to see another Londoner!, and srry bout mid post pics.