What is the real difference?

Heatercore or Radiator?

I am really unclear on what the exact difference is...if any. Can someone explain?

A heatercore is a radiator of sorts, that's made to re-radiate engine heat into the air system of a car (thus the name heatercore).
They are made slightly differently though.

A radiator (generally speaking) is made of tubes (waterpassages) that join two-piece end tanks together with the fins soldered into the spaces between them.

A heatercore's tubes are formed out of the fins themselves, not a seperate piece, and the end tanks are basically just a cap (one piece).
They're hard to describe, but they're formed out of loops, and the water flows between where two loops join, and the air flows through the center of the loop. I'd have to make a pic to explain it right.

Radiators are stronger (thus why they are used at the front of a car) and are generally easier to get air flowing through them.
Heatercores are somewhat more efficient transfering heat to the air because of the fins having direct water contact instead of a solder joint in between the water passage and the fin.

If you have a good fan, or even a small-ish blower, I'd use a heatercore over a radiator because they can transfer heat better.
But if you have space restrictions or dig the quiet low speed fans, then a radiator is more suited to the job.
Since heatercores are made for fitting into a car, their sizing isn't always perfect for our needs, and their dense structure is really made for use with a blower, though a good 38mm thick fan will do the trick just fine for our needs.

Awesome explanation!

I should have asked here instead of my google searches. Thanks very much!!

Here's a pic I whipped up of how a heatercore is made.
The rectangle is a loop of thin copper sheet with it's edges corrugated (by the airflow sign) and formed into a rectangle. The rectangles are all joined forming water passages between them.
The blue line shows where the end tank is soldered on.
There are also fins soldered into the airflow gaps between tubes on a heatercore, but there's still much more direct tube to air contact.

lokitexas said:

Awesome explanation!

I should have asked here instead of my google searches. Thanks very much!!

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You need data like this, on both rads, to be able to predict which will work the better in your loop, with your flow rates.
http://thermal-management-testing.com/ThermoChill.htm

billb said:

You need data like this, on both rads, to be able to predict which will work the better in your loop, with your flow rates.
http://thermal-management-testing.com/ThermoChill.htm

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That data is very technical for those rads, however, seeing as we are not going to realistically obtain that kind of data for heatercores and rads with different fan combinations, experience comes into play and a judgement call must be made. I really would like to see testing done that compares a 302 for instance against a BIXII, MCR220, and PA120.2.

Personally, I prefer heatercores, and in the entry level, that's going to be easiest and least ghetto.

Radiators simply bolt on behind a fan of your choice, and look sweet while about as good of a job as any other heatercore out there.

7

what would be more expensive heat core or rad? (considering they are about the same size)

The rad is more expensive - heater cores run ~$20 ...

A 302 heatcore runs about $20. However, most people spend at least $5 more on fittings for it, and then you have to make some kind of a shroud to space the fans off of the rad which, if you don't want it to look ghetto, means making something out of metal, acrylic, etc. which is more time and expense. Then you also have find a way to mount the thing, which can be a pain also. A MCR220 can be had for about $40. You don't have to make a shroud, add on any fittings, or figure out how to mount it as it already has screw holes ready to go. And a MCR220 is also going to perform better at lower CFMs than a heatercore will.

To me, heatercores made more sense a couple of years ago when the cost of rads was high, but with the current price of rads, heatercores to me are just not worth the trouble.

voigts said:

However, most people spend at least $5 more on fittings for it,

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I still don't understand why people do that - a little hot water and even 7/16" ID will fit over the cut off outlet. In addition, the 1/2" nipples aren't restrictive like 1/2" barbs are - it just doesn't make any sense to me from any perspective except bling. IMO - form over function is just dumb.

But I do agree it doesn't cost that much more (if any) for aesthetics, if that's what you want. I can afford rads but like the ghetto look. The new loop for the (very young) grandkids computer has a 1x120mm rad and no external tubing but, again, that's for function - no telling what might happen if they had external wires or tubing to pull on ...

That's just it Voigts.

You can buy a heatercore and modify the barbs to suit your case/taste/situation.
Buy some fiberglass and resin and make a custom shroud to fit.
Modify a pond pump to suit your system.
Spend weeks designing and building your own waterblock.
Heck, use the fiberglass to make a custom case.

When it's done, you've got a system noone on the planet has, and it works fine too. Something to be proud of.

I've never understood the pride that some feel for their ability to shop at DangerDen, nor the compelling need to buy an $80 waterblock for 4 degrees.
To me, watercooling has become not much more than shoe shopping, and that's a shame too. It used to be creative and constructive and even adventurous, and now that's been boiled down to waiting for UPS. *sad*

I miss Phiber's intricate systems
I miss Jon's beautifull waterblocks
I miss Hoot's articles
I don't think SSSam has made a sink in years.

All this shopping has chased away most of the pioneers who were doing this before DangerDen was invented.

ƒÓÒl said:

That's just it Voigts.

You can buy a heatercore and modify the barbs to suit your case/taste/situation.
Buy some fiberglass and resin and make a custom shroud to fit.
Modify a pond pump to suit your system.
Spend weeks designing and building your own waterblock.
Heck, use the fiberglass to make a custom case.

When it's done, you've got a system noone on the planet has, and it works fine too. Something to be proud of.

I've never understood the pride that some feel for their ability to shop at DangerDen, nor the compelling need to buy an $80 waterblock for 4 degrees.
To me, watercooling has become not much more than shoe shopping, and that's a shame too. It used to be creative and constructive and even adventurous, and now that's been boiled down to waiting for UPS. *sad*

I miss Phiber's intricate systems
I miss Jon's beautifull waterblocks
I miss Hoot's articles
I don't think SSSam has made a sink in years.

All this shopping has chased away most of the pioneers who were doing this before DangerDen was invented.

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I do hear where you are coming from. Your comments remind me of a thread on procooling that I was reading the other day-watercooling lost its magic?

I personally have used a heatcore, but i was simply never satisfied with the end resultant look. I however did make my own reservoir, and made my own custom case ( http://www.ocforums.com/showthread.php?t=476159 ), which was and still is very satisfying to me. I find the process of taking a premade case and trying to hack it and "make" it fit watercooling kind of useless. Having my own case made to complement my watercooling works so much better to me. So I kind of see where you are coming from.

I guess the next frontier is phase change.

Mmmm...phase change is sweet. But I'm doomed to being a poor boy, so the parts cost on the front end and the electric bill on the back end are kindof prohibative. I did once have plans when I made more money than I do now.

I would like to bury a copper line and get rid of the rad and fans altogether though. That's probably what my next big change would be. My rad's remote now, so it's not that big of a deal plumbing wise.

Anyway, enough of yearning for the good ol' days. I'll turn this thread back over to it's proper owner.

ƒÓÒl said:

Mmmm...phase change is sweet. But I'm doomed to being a poor boy, so the parts cost on the front end and the electric bill on the back end are kindof prohibative. I did once have plans when I made more money than I do now.

I would like to bury a copper line and get rid of the rad and fans altogether though. That's probably what my next big change would be. My rad's remote now, so it's not that big of a deal plumbing wise.

Anyway, enough of yearning for the good ol' days. I'll turn this thread back over to it's proper owner.

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I couldn't do any geothermal cooling given where my computer is located in my house, or I might consider it as well. Wouldn't it be sweet to have a chiller unit that was small enough to fit into a 5 1/4" bay with the option of sensors to keep your system at ambient temp to avoid condensation?

I guess we are kind of hijacking the thread...