Fractal Desing R4 Water Cooling Options?

[lukesterboy]

Hi, my names Luke i am new to the forums so if there is any tips you can give me then go ahead. Ok well getting into the point of this topic as you can probably guess i have a fractal design r4 i know that i really want water cooling i have heard the pros and cons of it and the pros and cons of custom loops but i just want a simple closed loop. I have a amd fx 8320 and just stock on there at the moment. So what coolers do you recommenced that will fit in this case and also where as well as the configuration for example dual rad at the top of the case with push pull and tell me if it will like fit in and clearance and stuff like that. Thanks  to anyone that replies and helps me out just asking you guys out there that already have water cooling in the fractal design r4. Oh yeah and btw i have no side fan since i got a windowed version.

[Createinator]

You can put a 240mm radiator in the front and top of your case. I am not sure if you will be able to setup push-pull due to space constraint(R4 isn't particularly large) but a simple Push/Pull configuration will be fine. You can also setup 120/140mm radiator at the back.

 

Hi, my names Luke i am new to the forums so if there is any tips you can give me then go ahead. Ok well getting into the point of this topic as you can probably guess i have a fractal design r4 i know that i really want water cooling i have heard the pros and cons of it and the pros and cons of custom loops but i just want a simple closed loop. I have a amd fx 8320 and just stock on there at the moment. So what coolers do you recommenced that will fit in this case and also where as well as the configuration for example dual rad at the top of the case with push pull and tell me if it will like fit in and clearance and stuff like that. Thanks  to anyone that replies and helps me out just asking you guys out there that already have water cooling in the fractal design r4. Oh yeah and btw i have no side fan since i got a windowed version.

[Meteora]

any 240 rad could fit on top or on front, you can only run pull on front if you decide to do that but you might be able to run push pull on top. The front has a snap mechnism so I dont think you will be able to do that anyway. If I were to buy another case I would get the corsair 450d because you can mount a 360 rad on top.

[lukesterboy]

You can put a 240mm radiator in the front and top of your case. I am not sure if you will be able to setup push-pull due to space constraint(R4 isn't particularly large) but a simple Push/Pull configuration will be fine. You can also setup 120/140mm radiator at the back.

Ok great to know. What do you mean a simple push pull? and also do you have this case, if you do what cooling options have you got. And last thing which would you recommend or think is better dual at front or dual at top, i guess at the front you let other components suffer a bit in temp?

[MegaDave91]

You can get a 280mm in the front as well.

[lukesterboy]

any 240 rad could fit on top or on front, you can only run pull on front if you decide to do that but you might be able to run push pull on top. The front has a snap mechnism so I dont think you will be able to do that anyway. If I were to buy another case I would get the corsair 450d because you can mount a 360 rad on top.

Ah well this is a new case i got last week and i really just like the simplicity.Oh well thanks anyway and yeah your probably right about push pull in the front due to there not being screws but.... dunno. - Thanks you 2 for quick replies!

[lukesterboy]

You can get a 280mm in the front as well.

Oh really? didn't know that thanks for telling me. What cooling options do you have if you have the r4? and if you do you cooler,fans,push/pull or push-pull,and clearance? 

[Shaqo_Wyn]

Ok great to know. What do you mean a simple push pull? and also do you have this case, if you do what cooling options have you got. And last thing which would you recommend or think is better dual at front or dual at top, i guess at the front you let other components suffer a bit in temp?

I think he means you're fine with push or pull. Push/pull is only worth it on thick (>60mm), med to high fpi rads. I don't own this case but a quick search on Google can give you a pretty good idea of what is possible and what has been done before. You could go for something like this: http://cdn.overclock.net/0/03/0381fd2f_20121229_012311_zpsdbb4a149.jpeg

 

Two high fpi 30mm thick 240mm rads like Black Ice GTS 240. From the search results you can see that push is totally possible.

 

This is the cleanest build that I found: http://www.overclock.net/t/1395276/build-log-water-cooled-define-r4

[MegaDave91]

Oh really? didn't know that thanks for telling me. What cooling options do you have if you have the r4? and if you do you cooler,fans,push/pull or push-pull,and clearance? 

I should clarify and say you will have to do slight modifications to accommodate a 280mm rad in the front.  

[Createinator]

Ok great to know. What do you mean a simple push pull? and also do you have this case, if you do what cooling options have you got. And last thing which would you recommend or think is better dual at front or dual at top, i guess at the front you let other components suffer a bit in temp?

I mean that you might not be able to setup up 4 fans on your 240mm radiator in push pull configuration due to space constraint. No, I do not have it personally but my neighbor does and he is using an air cooler because he wanted a silent PC.

Are you making a custom loop or using AIO solutions?

[dingoman]

I had a Fractal r4 & i would say no to push pull on the top (yes ik it's a h100i)

You can also check the Fractal club. http://www.overclock.net/t/838683/fractal-design-case-club

[lukesterboy]

I should clarify and say you will have to do slight modifications to accommodate a 280mm rad in the front.  

What modifications are these?

[lukesterboy]

I had a Fractal r4 & i would say no to push pull on the top (yes ik it's a h100i)

You can also check the Fractal club. http://www.overclock.net/t/838683/fractal-design-case-club

Why would you not recommend push pull?

[lukesterboy]

I mean that you might not be able to setup up 4 fans on your 240mm radiator in push pull configuration due to space constraint. No, I do not have it personally but my neighbor does and he is using an air cooler because he wanted a silent PC.

Are you making a custom loop or using AIO solutions?

1. I am using AIO solutions 2. Isnt water cooling more silent that air? Or is it because with push pull u have 4 fans compare to like 2 fans on push pull air cooler?

[lukesterboy]

I think he means you're fine with push or pull. Push/pull is only worth it on thick (>60mm), med to high fpi rads. I don't own this case but a quick search on Google can give you a pretty good idea of what is possible and what has been done before. You could go for something like this: http://cdn.overclock.net/0/03/0381fd2f_20121229_012311_zpsdbb4a149.jpeg

 

Two high fpi 30mm thick 240mm rads like Black Ice GTS 240. From the search results you can see that push is totally possible.

 

This is the cleanest build that I found: http://www.overclock.net/t/1395276/build-log-water-cooled-define-r4

Thanks for this all links are really helpful. What is fpi? and is the black ice gts 240 good?

[dingoman]

Why would you not recommend push pull?

o,o cos it won't fit on the top of case.

[Createinator]

1. I am using AIO solutions 2. Isnt water cooling more silent that air? Or is it because with push pull u have 4 fans compare to like 2 fans on push pull air cooler?

AIO are usually louder than air coolers ~ AIO are only useful if you are doing some serious overclocking and need better thermal performance or your case does not allow for big heat-sinks to fit into it.

Yes, unless you are spending a fortune on good Static Pressure fans which are also silent in their operation ~ you will get a pretty loud machine with any fan configuration when using an AIO.

[lukesterboy]

o,o cos it won't fit on the top of case.

Oh silly me i thought in that picture it was push/pull but it isnt is it?

[Shaqo_Wyn]

Thanks for this all links are really helpful. What is fpi? and is the black ice gts 240 good?

FPI = the amount of radiator Fins Per Inch. The higher the fpi, the better the heat dissipation that the radiator gives. Higher fpi does mean more air resistance which means you'll need good pressure optimized fans. GTS 240's are great. Hardware Labs makes awesome rads just like all the other good companies like XS-PC and Alphacool.

[lukesterboy]

AIO are usually louder than air coolers ~ AIO are only useful if you are doing some serious overclocking and need better thermal performance or your case does not allow for big heat-sinks to fit into it.

Yes, unless you are spending a fortune on good Static Pressure fans which are also silent in their operation ~ you will get a pretty loud machine with any fan configuration when using an AIO.

Ah ok then maybe i look around would it be better just to get a air cooler. I am only going to be over clocking 0.5 ghz from stock maybe 1 ghz at the most but  no more than that. I guess air would be fine for this also i just wanted to get away from stock. Unless i just get a like h80i or h60 ? and put at the back would this be quiter 

Cooler Master Hyper 212 Evo? It would be more but would it be worth it for quietness or would hyper 212 out perform it on perform and silence?

[Createinator]

 

Ah ok then maybe i look around would it be better just to get a air cooler. I am only going to be over clocking 0.5 ghz from stock maybe 1 ghz at the most but  no more than that. I guess air would be fine for this also i just wanted to get away from stock. Unless i just get a like h80i or h60 ? and put at the back would this be quiter 

Cooler Master Hyper 212 Evo? It would be more but would it be worth it for quietness or would hyper 212 out perform it on perform and silence?

 

212 EVO is a great cooler, you can easily achieve 0.5 - 1.0 Ghz OC while keeping temperature in a manageable range. Since you were going for dual AIO, I would suggest you to invest some more money and buy a Noctua solution. People have achieved 4.7 Ghz and 5 Ghz on rare occasions running on NH-D14. Hyper 212 EVO/X will give better per dollar performance when compared to H80i/ H60.

[KamiKatze]

I have an R4. I once had a swiftech H220 in there. You will probably have to use the offset mounting for the top rad due to clearance with your motherboard. I would suggest a radiator with max. 30 mm thickness.

 

In the front you can mount a 240 mm rad no problem also some 280 mm rads fit. You'll have to remove your drive cages but you can definiteley utilize all the space and put a really thick radiator with fans in push/pull there.

 

You'll have to use a pump/reservoir combo that goes into your 5.25" bay. It should take up only one of them, so you can mount it in the lower one. If you mounted it in the top, you would probably get clearance issues with a 240 mm radiator that's mounted up there.

 

What i would probably do is get a really thick 240 mm radtiator for the front (Like a Alphacool Nexos Monsta) and a 120 mm radiator for the rear that's like 45 mm thick. Put both in push pull. That would giveyou more clearance in your 5.25" bay and you could use a double-bay reservoir with a integrated D5 pump (all of this is also available at alphacool). The cooling should be adequate for a CPU and a GPU because the radiators are copper.

[dingoman]

Oh silly me i thought in that picture it was push/pull but it isnt is it?

nop

 

 

Ah ok then maybe i look around would it be better just to get a air cooler. I am only going to be over clocking 0.5 ghz from stock maybe 1 ghz at the most but  no more than that. I guess air would be fine for this also i just wanted to get away from stock. Unless i just get a like h80i or h60 ? and put at the back would this be quiter 

Cooler Master Hyper 212 Evo? It would be more but would it be worth it for quietness or would hyper 212 out perform it on perform and silence?

 

I would go with the 212 evo great cooling.

i also had the evo 212 extremely quiet.

but if you want something more nh15  http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16835608045&cm_re=noctua_nh-d15-_-35-608-045-_-Product

[d33g33]

You can fit a lot of rad if you want...but it takes a lot of work. A 240mm in the front and a thin 240mm in the roof is about as best you'll get without modding.

[fringie]

240mmx30 in the top with either push or pull. If you drill holes you can fit a 280x30 rad in the top. Same with the front of the case apart from if you remove the HDD cage/offset it you can get pretty much as thick a radiator that's being sold in todays market.

 

 

If you want an AIO I'd say go for a h105 (or h100i if you want to be uber sure you wont have space issues) and slam it in the top of the case so it exhausts air so your graphics card gets fresh air. Slam 2x 120mm corsair sp quiet edition fans in there as well as they're cheap, look nice and perform pretty well.