Custom Loop 280mm Rad Recommendations?

[Danboy360]

Hi all,

 

Looking to build my first custom loop at some point this year, and I've got a question regarding radiators.

 

I did the EKWB Configurator, however they don't have a huge number of radiators on there, so I was wondering what other options of a 280mm radiator there are out there? And what is best value for money!

 

 

 

[3 Lions]

Would this one be okay for you? 

 

https://www.ekwb.com/shop/ek-coolstream-ce-280-dual

[Lurick]

What are you looking to cool? Just CPU, just GPU, both, more?

What case, budget, etc.?

[RollinLower]

the type of rad really doesn't make a very big difference in cooling. ofcourse if you are planning to go with a small formfactor build and you only get the 280mm for both a GPU and a CPU you would be better off with someting with a higher fin density, but even then the difference could be neglectible.

[Danboy360]

15 minutes ago, Lurick said:

What are you looking to cool? Just CPU, just GPU, both, more?

What case, budget, etc.?

Just a CPU block to begin with - I've got a Ryzen 7 1700 so I was planning on going with a EK-Supremacy AMD block.

 

Looking at around £50 for a 280mm radiator  

 

The case (which I will be getting at the same time) will be an Aerocool P7C1 Pro Mid Tower case.

[Lurick]

2 minutes ago, Danboy360 said:

Just a CPU block to begin with - I've got a Ryzen 7 1700 so I was planning on going with a EK-Supremacy AMD block.

 

Looking at around £50 for a 280mm radiator  

 

The case (which I will be getting at the same time) will be an Aerocool P7C1 Pro Mid Tower case.

I would look at the

https://www.ekwb.com/shop/ek-coolstream-pe-240-dual

or

https://www.ekwb.com/shop/ek-coolstream-se-280

 

If you can spring about 10 Euro more then I would definitely suggest:

https://www.ekwb.com/shop/ek-coolstream-ce-280-dual

 

But you need to make sure you can fit the fan + rad in the case

[Danboy360]

35 minutes ago, Lurick said:

I would look at the

https://www.ekwb.com/shop/ek-coolstream-pe-240-dual

or

https://www.ekwb.com/shop/ek-coolstream-se-280

 

If you can spring about 10 Euro more then I would definitely suggest:

https://www.ekwb.com/shop/ek-coolstream-ce-280-dual

 

But you need to make sure you can fit the fan + rad in the case

I guess my next question is tubing - Say for example I go for the following block, pump and rad, is there a specific thickness of tubing I must use?

 

https://www.ekwb.com/shop/ek-supremacy-evo-amd-nickel

https://www.ekwb.com/shop/ek-coolstream-ce-280-dual

https://www.ekwb.com/shop/ek-xres-140-glass-revo-d5-pwm-incl-pump

[Mick Naughty]

Use any size tubing you want. As long as the fittings correspond you will be fine. 

 

Get a giant Monsta rad from alpha cool. I have the ek 40mil rad as well in each rig. Really like it. 

[Lurick]

Just to piggy back off the above.

Wherever you get your fittings from, get the tubing from there as well.

Just so long as the fittings are G1/4 which 95% of them are you'll be fine.

[Danboy360]

1 minute ago, Lurick said:

Just to piggy back off the above.

Wherever you get your fittings from, get the tubing from there as well.

Just so long as the fittings are G1/4 which 95% of them are you'll be fine.

Excellent, so for example, a 16mm tubing would require 16mm G1/4 fitments - for example This tubing and these fitments:

 

https://www.overclockers.co.uk/mayhems-ultra-clear-watercooling-tubing-3-8-5-8-16-10mm-1m-wc-114-mh.html

https://www.overclockers.co.uk/ek-water-blocks-ek-acf-fitting-10-16mm-elox-black-wc-781-ek.html

 

And there are no specific fitments needed for each part, they are all universal? Sorry for the 'dumb' questions - as a newbie, it's something I'm learning a lot about!

[Lurick]

3 minutes ago, Danboy360 said:

Excellent, so for example, a 16mm tubing would require 16mm G1/4 fitments - for example This tubing and these fitments:

 

https://www.overclockers.co.uk/mayhems-ultra-clear-watercooling-tubing-3-8-5-8-16-10mm-1m-wc-114-mh.html

https://www.overclockers.co.uk/ek-water-blocks-ek-acf-fitting-10-16mm-elox-black-wc-781-ek.html

 

And there are no specific fitments needed for each part, they are all universal? Sorry for the 'dumb' questions - as a newbie, it's something I'm learning a lot about!

Correct, almost all gear uses G1/4 threading so you're good there.

Just need to make sure you get 2 fittings per component and you'll have enough.

I would suggest guestimating how much tubing you'll need and then maybe doubling it to be safe for mistakes and have some extra

[Danboy360]

1 minute ago, Lurick said:

Correct, almost all gear uses G1/4 threading so you're good there.

Just need to make sure you get 2 fittings per component and you'll have enough.

I would suggest guestimating how much tubing you'll need and then maybe doubling it to be safe for mistakes and have some extra

Awesome It all looks so daunting with so much on the market - I really do appreciate all your advice - pretty excited to start my own custom loop adventure!

[Lurick]

To further expand on what I said, tubing and fittings each have an ID and an OD, inner and outer diameter respectively, so long as they all match up then you're fine. What you don't want to do is get say 12/16 (ID/OD) tubing and 10/16 fittings, you'll have a bad time

Your link actually lists the measurements in both imperial and metric and so long as they match up (in this case they do) then you're good. Sometimes places will sell only imperial measured stuff and while it might be "close" to the metric size, it's usually going to have too much of a tolerance difference to work properly.