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Upside Down Heater Core

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RadRacer

Member
Joined
May 8, 2002
Location
Chesapeake, VA
I've got a 6" x 7.25" heater core with the fittings at the top. Will it make any difference if I install it upside down so that the tubes attach near the bottom of my case instead of directly under my hard drives?

Simple physics would say no, but perhaps there might be a catch to it that someone more experienced here could inform me of.

Thanks!!
 
RadRacer said:
I've got a 6" x 7.25" heater core with the fittings at the top. Will it make any difference if I install it upside down so that the tubes attach near the bottom of my case instead of directly under my hard drives?

Simple physics would say no, but perhaps there might be a catch to it that someone more experienced here could inform me of.

Thanks!!

good luck getting all the air out
 
As long as you're willing to flip over your computer many many times in the process of bleeding the system, then there's no difference.
 
yeah, I have run mine like that for a while, yes, its difficult to get the air out, but I always filled my system outisde my computer and it wasnt a problem.

Jon
 
Hey guys - still on air but thinking of water.

One concern I have is that my computer gets moved around a lot - and that includes being tilted this way and that.

What greenman said about air in the system is my concern - assuming the wc setup is OK and free of air - how resistant will it then be to me shoving it this way and that?
 
mantrogo said:
Hey guys - still on air but thinking of water.

One concern I have is that my computer gets moved around a lot - and that includes being tilted this way and that.

What greenman said about air in the system is my concern - assuming the wc setup is OK and free of air - how resistant will it then be to me shoving it this way and that?

slater's suggestion would work.
 
youd be better to try and mount the HC flat, as it will give off heat more evenly and efficently.
 
mantrogo said:
Hey guys - still on air but thinking of water.

One concern I have is that my computer gets moved around a lot - and that includes being tilted this way and that.

What greenman said about air in the system is my concern - assuming the wc setup is OK and free of air - how resistant will it then be to me shoving it this way and that?

As long as you have everything put in place, and secured with proper securing methods so that they do not move or shake too much, then moving the rig shouldn't be a problem.
 
why to flip up-down all the case? all that is needed to ge the air out of rad is to flip the rad only. so play with it as long as tube length allows, then mount it to its place.
 
mantrogo said:
Hey guys - still on air but thinking of water.

One concern I have is that my computer gets moved around a lot - and that includes being tilted this way and that.

What greenman said about air in the system is my concern - assuming the wc setup is OK and free of air - how resistant will it then be to me shoving it this way and that?

Its basically been said already, but if there is no air in the system then there is nothing to worry about. secure everything and your water circuit will not leak one bit durring bumps, travel, shipping etc. Same thing goes for the rads being upside down. No air, no worries.
 
Thanks for your help, I'm going to bleed the entire system before I install it anyway, so I shouldnt have any problems (hopefully).
 
the best way to mount it is so that water enters at the lowest possible point and exits at the highest point which on a lot of cores means turning it on its side
 
What's the logic behind mounting it sideways? Having the outlet at the top adds resistance and a 30cm high core wouldn't fit many cases horizontally. Most cores are designed with a wide tank at the outlet, and the barbs are mounted at the top so the air can escape, if you turn it sideways you will have a cavity in that little tank that air can develop in.
 
I belive its something to do with hot liquid rising. Basicly it makes no differance at all. Test it :)

I cant see how having the outlet at the top adds resistance??
 
Yeah but, but the liquid is being cooled, not heated. Gravity most likely plays a greater factor than convection at this point.

[Edit]
You can test if it's gravity or convection that wins by filling the core with warm water, and turning on the fans, if it starts to exit at the top then convection wins, if it doesn't then gravity(resistance).
 
Ah i see where your coming from. unfortunaly theres an old saying - What goes up must come down. ;)

Meaning gravity may be against the water moving up in the rad but at another point in the loop it must help the water to fall down the the inlet again canceling out any gains/losses :)
 
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