How many Rads

[PeggersXtreme]

Hi,

 

I have decided to get Black Ice Nemesis GTS 480mm rads but I don't know whether it would be worth getting 3 or just sticking with 2. How much difference will having 3 over 2 make / will the performance gain be worth the extra cost?

 

Thanks

[GER_T4IGA]

Hi,

 

I have decided to get Black Ice Nemesis GTS 480mm rads but I don't know whether it would be worth getting 3 or just sticking with 2. How much difference will having 3 over 2 make / will the performance gain be worth the extra cost?

 

Thanks

With 5960x and 2xTitan X ... like in your sig right?

[PeggersXtreme]

With 5960x and 2xTitan X ... like in your sig right?

yep both overclocked

[GER_T4IGA]

If it is for the system in your sig I would say you're fine using 2.

Jay uses a 480 for his 5960x and 3x titan X with a 480 and a 280/240(not sure) that is 2 x120mm per GPU. You can watch this to here him talk about his newly rebuilt loop:

I think he mentions temps as well.

[GER_T4IGA]

yep both overclocked

To be fair I never watercooled myself so take my advice with a grain of salt (just so you know).

[OddsCrazyStuff]

If it is for the system in your sig I would say you're fine using 2.

Jay uses a 480 for his 5960x and 3x titan X with a 480 and a 280/240(not sure) that is 2 x120mm per GPU. You can watch this to here him talk about his newly rebuilt loop:

Jay uses 480 for the 5960X and 560+280 for the Titan X's.

 

 

Hi,

 

I have decided to get Black Ice Nemesis GTS 480mm rads but I don't know whether it would be worth getting 3 or just sticking with 2. How much difference will having 3 over 2 make / will the performance gain be worth the extra cost?

 

Thanks

How many rads you need, depends on the fans.

But if you can afford it and have room, so is it better with 3 then 2.

 

Only difference will be temperature, plus maybe overclock.

[PeggersXtreme]

If it is for the system in your sig I would say you're fine using 2.

Jay uses a 480 for his 5960x and 3x titan X with a 480 and a 280/240(not sure) that is 2 x120mm per GPU. You can watch this to here him talk about his newly rebuilt loop:

I think he mentions temps as well.

If I went 3 it would mean 14 fans in my PC which seems a bit Overkill

[PeggersXtreme]

Jay uses 480 for the 5960X and 560+280 for the Titan X's.

 

 

How many rads you need, depends on the fans.

But if you can afford it and have room, so is it better with 3 then 2.

 

Only difference will be temperature, plus maybe overclock.

Will temperatures be massively different I will probably use Corsair SP 120 fans as I already have 12 of them from my Desk build.

[OddsCrazyStuff]

Will temperatures be massively different I will probably use Corsair SP 120 fans as I already have 12 of them from my Desk build.

240+360+360 vs 480+480+480.

That is actually what you are asking about, when it comes to radiator space per unit.

 

If you run it as a single loop, so should you be fine ether way.

But I'm guessing you might see a 10 degree difference, since that 3rd 480mm adds 50% more cooling.

[airdeano]

umm, jayz went to 560/280 in the lower portion of the SM8A when he swapped

from 980 to titans.

[PeggersXtreme]

umm, jayz went to 560/280 in the lower portion of the SM8A when he swapped

from 980 to titans.

So if I go dual 480mm rads will that be enough for 2 titan x and a 5960x?

[airdeano]

one 360 and 240 is plenty for voltage overclocks and low temps. so yes 2x480

is fine. adding more will not let it run cooler, but take longer for the system to

stabilize in temperatures.

[PeggersXtreme]

one 360 and 240 is plenty for voltage overclocks and low temps. so yes 2x480

is fine. adding more will not let it run cooler, but take longer for the system to

stabilize in temperatures.

Awesome that saves me a chunk not having to purchase a third instead I might put 4 low speed fans on the side instead to help bring cool air in, Do you know any good brands for Red coolant to go in I have heard some negative stuff about EK red. The shop also sells Aqua Computer coolant which I haven't heard of before so not sure how good it will be if not I can always get Mayhems X1 from Amazon.

[airdeano]

i'm not a color coolant guy.. sorry.

[OddsCrazyStuff]

one 360 and 240 is plenty for voltage overclocks and low temps. so yes 2x480

is fine. adding more will not let it run cooler, but take longer for the system to

stabilize in temperatures.

Adding more will let it run cooler. At least to a point.

 

I mean, its a reason you see a cooling difference between AIO and full custom loops.

[airdeano]

not really, there is a point of diminishing returns. only possible cooling gains are

cooler ambient temperatures. more fans and rads just will not pick up inefficiencies

of the waterblocks.

[PeggersXtreme]

not really, there is a point of diminishing returns. only possible cooling gains are

cooler ambient temperatures. more fans and rads just will not pick up inefficiencies

of the waterblocks.

originally I was running 4 360 rads 2 in each loop but then I tested with just one 480mm rad and one pump and the difference was minimal at best the GPU idle temp went up by 2C however I didn't get round to testing load temps as my CPU block started leaking waiting for a replacement after I sent it off for RMA

[m_tieu]

The minimum you should be using is 120mm rad space per heat generating component. You start getting diminishing returns the more you add afterwards. Going from the first 480 rad to the second will make a noticeable difference but second to third will be very little compared to going from first to second. However the more rad space you have, the slower you can spin your fans which will result in a quieter system.

[PeggersXtreme]

The minimum you should be using is 120mm rad space per heat generating component. You start getting diminishing returns the more you add afterwards. Going from the first 480 rad to the second will make a noticeable difference but second to third will be very little compared to going from first to second. However the more rad space you have, the slower you can spin your fans which will result in a quieter system.

Does that rule still apply to the 5960X as a lot of people state it gets hot once overclocked

[m_tieu]

Does that rule still apply to the 5960X as a lot of people state it gets hot once overclocked

That rule is for non-overclocked or non-overvolted parts. For overclocking its recommended 240mm per component. So 2x 360mm will suffice and 2x 480mm's will be even better.

[BrightCandle]

Does that rule still apply to the 5960X as a lot of people state it gets hot once overclocked

 

It never applied, its a bogus measure that takes account for the physics involved. Go about calculating the heat dumped into your loop in watts and factor 120 Watts dissipated for 800rpm (near silent) fans per 120mm radiator slot  to get around a 10C delta (better than high end air). You can get about 160W if you don't reduce the speed of the SP120 fans but they aren't exactly silent at their usual 1200rpm.

 

The 1 Rad per component works only because the non enthusiast CPUs are around 75W and the GPU is around 225W and as a result each is above and below the radiator point by a similar amount, but once you start doing SLI, overclocking and other thermal dissipation changing things you get into territory where its less and less accurate. Because it doesn't take account of the physics involved hence is doomed to mislead a lot of people. I wish people would stop using it, the thermal dissipation model isn't complicated its just more accurate.

[EdInk]

It never applied, its a bogus measure that takes account for the physics involved. Go about calculating the heat dumped into your loop in watts and factor 120 Watts dissipated for 800rpm (near silent) fans per 120mm radiator slot to get around a 10C delta (better than high end air). You can get about 160W if you don't reduce the speed of the SP120 fans but they aren't exactly silent at their usual 1200rpm.

With that said and sorry for hijacking this thread. Would pull/push configuration make the calculations different assuming this is more accurate?

And if I may ask, with respect. How did you come by this method? It seems rather interesting. And does it matter what the ambient temperature is since all the fans/rads are doing is removing the heat dissipated by the hot components.

PM me if that's better.