- Joined
- Oct 27, 2004
- Location
- Upstate NY and NYC
Ok, I just spent the better part of my day reading and taking notes from this stickie about t-line vs. res. All good info, yes. But as a noob, there seems to be a lingering question I can't seem to find in searches.
Air pockets with Radiator on top of case?
There was one small comment that the t-line should be placed as high as possible. I would think this true of a reservoir as well, to keep the air pockets at the highest point of a mid/full tower case. Ok, simple reasoning there.
But what if you place a radiator assembly ontop of your case? Or mount a radiator just above your 5.25" bays (i.e. the Koolance cases):
(pump/res is mounted lower in case)
Now isn't this the highest point in your system, and wouldn't this retain air pockets?
I know from the ThermalTake Aquarius III system I had ("had") said not to place it ontop of the case. Well, if I didn't place it ontop I had a large amount of air bubbles. And the highest point then? My CPU's waterblock! Fighting with the system by moving things around for an hour, I still had air bubbles. It was almost instantly that the moment I did move it to the top of the case, all air bubbles came rushing to the top res, and the water dropped almost 2"! I filled it up, and bam. System's fine. But it has to be ontop (res built into the unit).
I'm building my own system this time, have done some major homework. But I am debating two different sized rads. The smaller 120x2 will fit where I'd like it vertically. But the top end would protrude past the top of my case by 1". The larger 120x3 rad would have to lay horizonlly ontop of the case (don't want to suck hot air out of my case).
But it seems to me that by either using a t-line (mounted flush to top of case) or reservoir (5.25" bay, mounted in the top bay) will not keep either one of these designs air-free since both rads would be higher then either approach. This has me most concerned.
I like the neatness of the t-line, but will be working on my system fairly often. Still seems either system wouldn't work in this case. I don't think it matters how strong your pump is, right?
Help! It's the last piece of the puzzle before buying.
Air pockets with Radiator on top of case?
There was one small comment that the t-line should be placed as high as possible. I would think this true of a reservoir as well, to keep the air pockets at the highest point of a mid/full tower case. Ok, simple reasoning there.
But what if you place a radiator assembly ontop of your case? Or mount a radiator just above your 5.25" bays (i.e. the Koolance cases):
(pump/res is mounted lower in case)
Now isn't this the highest point in your system, and wouldn't this retain air pockets?
I know from the ThermalTake Aquarius III system I had ("had") said not to place it ontop of the case. Well, if I didn't place it ontop I had a large amount of air bubbles. And the highest point then? My CPU's waterblock! Fighting with the system by moving things around for an hour, I still had air bubbles. It was almost instantly that the moment I did move it to the top of the case, all air bubbles came rushing to the top res, and the water dropped almost 2"! I filled it up, and bam. System's fine. But it has to be ontop (res built into the unit).
I'm building my own system this time, have done some major homework. But I am debating two different sized rads. The smaller 120x2 will fit where I'd like it vertically. But the top end would protrude past the top of my case by 1". The larger 120x3 rad would have to lay horizonlly ontop of the case (don't want to suck hot air out of my case).
But it seems to me that by either using a t-line (mounted flush to top of case) or reservoir (5.25" bay, mounted in the top bay) will not keep either one of these designs air-free since both rads would be higher then either approach. This has me most concerned.
I like the neatness of the t-line, but will be working on my system fairly often. Still seems either system wouldn't work in this case. I don't think it matters how strong your pump is, right?
Help! It's the last piece of the puzzle before buying.
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