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what kind of radiators are best?

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The Super Cube is a nice radiator. The copper tubing and fins are ideal at delivering heat to the outside air. It's also sized nicely to fit inside a case.

That being said, the heater core type on the left shows the waterpath through the radiator. Because the water is broken up into so many different tubes, and the large volume of space in those tubes, the water slows, and has more time to cool off. Also it has alot more surface area of water exposed to the matal, where the heat is removed.

The one on the right illustrates (very simplified) the waterpath through the cube styles. It does not slow down, as the tube diameter is nearly the same as your pump tubing. It also has limited contact area with the metal. The length of the tube tries to make up for the these, thus it winds back and forth for several passes.

Now, both of these types of radiators do a good job for computers. The heatercore style has more than 10 times the heat capacity that a normal chip produces, but the cube style is no slouch. It will keep up with most processors, and even peltiers, it's just not "the best". The heater core also requires adaptation, like shrouds for fans, and a mounting system, all of which are built into the cube.
Heatercores are often cheaper too.

Hope these help ya out.
 
hhmmm digger thats completly opposite of what ive read and found in my system.

the cube has higher back pessure coused by smaller pathways.
a heater core has larger pathways with similier amount of fin erea.

basically they preform close to each other in the dissapation of heat. but with the low back pressure a heater core can move and cool more water faster.

hope i dont upset ya . just this was my findings as i studied large amounts of data when i built mine.and i used the heater core myself. so im kinda biased there
 
Nah, not upset at all..I use a heater core too. It's what I could afford and fit in my cube case.

I'm sure the backpressure thing is a concern, and probably more of an issue to you because you use 5/8" hose, I use 3/8" so the passages in the cube would have little backpressure for me, except the minimal created by the 180 degree bends and the wall friction caused by much more tubing.
The passages inside the heatercore are not really all that big, maybe a 1/4 inch...but there are 8 of them each way (at least in my Ford one). The endtanks also slow down the water flow by being so large internally.

I can't quote the ammount of heat that a cube exchanges, as no reseller posts the numbers like overclock-watercool used to...so I didn't. But I do know they're being used and perform well.
 
http://www.overclockers.com/articles304/

I mostly based my purchase of the super cube on this article.

The radiator they compare it to is rather small, but I think the explanation they give is sufficient to explain why there isn't a massive difference.

Hehe, they only use a normal cube. Imagine a SUPER cube! :D
 
yeh the cube does perform well. i think i kinda came off wrong tho . sorry i do like the cube especially since its size and fan mounting options.

im just biased about inline systems and mass waterflow. im kinda in my own little world of thinking at times and condem great stuff couse it dont work as well with my needs/wants.

sorry mr cooling cube but u do a great job.
 
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