Radiators & AirFlow setup

[Revan654]

1. I already have two Hardware Labs SR-2 MP. Should I go all out and just get more SR-2's or Should I switch to a few EK radiators?

 

Before question two I need to explain my case. The main chamber contains no Radiators at all. The top chamber(Above the main Chamber) will house two 480 Radiators. The bottom chamber(Below the Main chamber) will house one 360 and one 360 or 480 Radiator.

 

2. How would I setup each chamber when it comes to airflow? Which ones do I set as exhaust and which ones do I setup as intake? I was thinking Bottom as intakes, top as exhaust & main as all intake or front as intake and back as exhaust.

[0ld_Chicken]

2 hours ago, Revan654 said:

1. I already have two Hardware Labs SR-2 MP. Should I go all out and just get more SR-2's or Should I switch to a few EK radiators?

 

Before question two I need to explain my case. The main chamber contains no Radiators at all. The top chamber(Above the main Chamber) will house two 480 Radiators. The bottom chamber(Below the Main chamber) will house one 360 and one 360 or 480 Radiator.

 

2. How would I setup each chamber when it comes to airflow? Which ones do I set as exhaust and which ones do I setup as intake? I was thinking Bottom as intakes, top as exhaust & main as all intake or front as intake and back as exhaust.

1. What kind of fan speeds are you running?

 

2. Are there any fans in the main chamber?  I'm assuming you mean there are by "I was thinking Bottom as intakes, top as exhaust & main as all intake"

do you have any pics or a drawing?  

 

This is what I'm thinking you're talking about.  let me know how far off I am and any fans I'm missing

 

 

 

 

[Revan654]

6 minutes ago, 0ld_Chicken said:

1. What kind of fan speeds are you running?

 

2. Are there any fans in the main chamber?  I'm assuming you mean there are by "I was thinking Bottom as intakes, top as exhaust & main as all intake"

do you have any pics or a drawing?  

 

This is what I'm thinking you're talking about.  let me know how far off I am and any fans I'm missing

 

 

 

 

 

1. Fans can go up to 1300.

 

2. Yes, the picture is accurate.

[0ld_Chicken]

37 minutes ago, Revan654 said:

 

1. Fans can go up to 1300.

 

2. Yes, the picture is accurate.

1. I would go with more SR-2's.  They're only 16 watt's  behind the XE in xtremerigs review at 1300rpms but the SR-2 is ahead by 16w at 750rpm.  With this much rad space you'll probably be able to get away with keeping fans under 1000rpm while keeping water temps nice and low.  Also I could definitely see the newer multiports with the side ports coming in handy with a case design like this. 

 

2. I would probably have both the top and bottom set intake from the back and exhaust out front.  Intake side usually gets dirtier than exhaust side so might as well keep that in back and hidden.  Also if its set up with the bottom as intake and top as exhaust, there might be some conflicting air pressure causing reduced airflow, at least on the intake side of things.  Depends on how far apart the rads will be I guess.

 

ps: what case is this exactly? is it totally open between all the chambers? 

[Revan654]

46 minutes ago, 0ld_Chicken said:

1. I would go with more SR-2's.  They're only 16 watt's  behind the XE in xtremerigs review at 1300rpms but the SR-2 is ahead by 16w at 750rpm.  With this much rad space you'll probably be able to get away with keeping fans under 1000rpm while keeping water temps nice and low.  Also I could definitely see the newer multiports with the side ports coming in handy with a case design like this. 

 

2. I would probably have both the top and bottom set intake from the back and exhaust out front.  Intake side usually gets dirtier than exhaust side so might as well keep that in back and hidden.  Also if its set up with the bottom as intake and top as exhaust, there might be some conflicting air pressure causing reduced airflow, at least on the intake side of things.  Depends on how far apart the rads will be I guess.

 

ps: what case is this exactly? is it totally open between all the chambers? 

 

Case-Labs SM8 with dual Pedestals.

 

 

 

^ This Without the third pedestal.

[0ld_Chicken]

1 hour ago, Revan654 said:

 

Case-Labs SM8 with dual Pedestals.

 

nice.  I would probably do like I was saying and go back to front on both sets of rads to avoid having rads blowing air right at each other on the intake rads. 

I'm not sure how much of a difference it'll make though to be honest

[Revan654]

Kind of confused with the readout,  EK says 817W where Hardware Labs read 2000W for their 480 60mm radiators.

 

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Also is Hardware-Labs still a good choice with Push/Pull setup? Corsair ML Fans in the back & Thermaltake Riing 120 in the front. Corsair will like be running at around 800 to 1300 & TT Riing will be running at 800 to 1000.

[0ld_Chicken]

On 9/22/2016 at 3:14 PM, Revan654 said:

Kind of confused with the readout,  EK says 817W where Hardware Labs read 2000W for their 480 60mm radiators.

 

--------

 

Also is Hardware-Labs still a good choice with Push/Pull setup? Corsair ML Fans in the back & Thermaltake Riing 120 in the front. Corsair will like be running at around 800 to 1300 & TT Riing will be running at 800 to 1000.

Everyone uses a different method to determine watts dissipated (particularly different water-air temperature differences) and there can be a huge variety for basically the exact same performance.   It's best to look at a 3rd party review that tests them all exactly the same way.  Xtremerigs.net and Thermalbench.com are my go-to's for watercooling reviews.  Both very through and fair. 

 

This has both the xe and the sr2 tested in 6 configs

http://www.xtremerigs.net/2015/02/11/radiator-round-2015/5/

 

Both HWL's sr2 and EK's XE series are close to tied.  Even when it seems like the xe is pulling ahead, its only 1/14'th better using the SAME fans p/p at 1300rpm.  at 750rpm they're neck and neck, within margin of error as far as I'm concerned. 

[Revan654]

1 hour ago, 0ld_Chicken said:

Everyone uses a different method to determine watts dissipated (particularly different water-air temperature differences) and there can be a huge variety for basically the exact same performance.   It's best to look at a 3rd party review that tests them all exactly the same way.  Xtremerigs.net and Thermalbench.com are my go-to's for watercooling reviews.  Both very through and fair. 

 

This has both the xe and the sr2 tested in 6 configs

http://www.xtremerigs.net/2015/02/11/radiator-round-2015/5/

 

Both HWL's sr2 and EK's XE series are close to tied.  Even when it seems like the xe is pulling ahead, its only 1/14'th better using the SAME fans p/p at 1300rpm.  at 750rpm they're neck and neck, within margin of error as far as I'm concerned. 

 

Only reason I'm asking is for two reason one their sold out of 480 and two in one area of my case I'm having a bit of a problem installing MP radiators due to all the ports.

[0ld_Chicken]

4 hours ago, Revan654 said:

 

Only reason I'm asking is for two reason one their sold out of 480 and two in one area of my case I'm having a bit of a problem installing MP radiators due to all the ports.

You'll be good with xe's in that case. They're great rads that'll do just as good (or better) than every other rad out there

[OddsCrazyStuff]

7 hours ago, Revan654 said:

 

Only reason I'm asking is for two reason one their sold out of 480 and two in one area of my case I'm having a bit of a problem installing MP radiators due to all the ports.

Yeah, the MP rads can be problematic to deal with, when you dont got the space to deal with the extra ports.

You might be able to mount the fans between the bracket and the radiator, but that will eat an extra 25mm on each side.