Any radiators designed for vertical use with 'serpentine' paths?

Hi, new here. Considering my first watercooled build more for the challenge/looks/running cool and therefore hopefully part longevity (assuming no leak, hah) than serious overclock. Planning on using Air 540 case - yes, I know that's probably not the best WC case but I have other plans for the back chamber so I wanted a good cube-size volume to work with.

Was planning a top (240ish-280ish, whatever fits) and front (360ish - biggest that fits) radiator, an XSPC type photon tube res with pump at bottom, plumbed inline, and want to water cool only CPU and either one really big (like 295x2 dual GPU) card or two more moderate cards in Crossfire.

Looking at cooling loops, I realized that most radiators seem to have inputs and outputs on the same 'end' of the long rectangle. While this works fine for a top radiator...would a front radiator not work better, e.g. pump would not have to fight gravity as much, if the fluid path thru it was a serpentine from one end to another? My conceptual loop would go something like : top radiator outlet to CPU, CPU to tube rez at top, pump out of tube rez at bottom to GPU inlet, GPU outlet to front radiator inlet at bottom (if possible), then front radiator outlet at top (if possible) into inlet of top radiator. If I have that right the only "uphill" path is thru the front radiator, vs. having to have a plumbing run up to the front radiator at top, internal path does a U thru it back to top which is 2 uphill paths (or same thing if both front radiator inlet and outlet are at the bottom: plumb to bottom, it goes up and back down, then I have to plumb a long run up to the top rad).

All flow with this plan thru block restrictions is 'downhill'.

Am I crazy? Are the pumps sufficiently powered that 'gravity' becomes entirely unimportant compared to just sizing the pump for the flow restriction(s)? Also planning to T in for a fill port (probably at top front, between front and top radiator) and a drain port at bottom (probably between outlet of GFX and inlet of front radiator) with ball valves.

I realize a lot of longer radiators that might be used in a front arrangement also have an extra port on the far end (at the middle of the "U" I guess, but tend not to be centered) to help vent them during initial fill. Is an alternative to the serpentine idea to 'split' the flow into inlet/outlet at one end, then use that port at the other end, or does that just reduce the time the fluid is flowing thru the radiator to the point it loses radiation efficiency?

Thanks in advance for any advice/replies. I did read the WC newby sticky thread but didn't see anything about this topic specifically. (Some about gravity in loops, which I do need to re-read, but nothing about going 'serpentine' one-way thru a front rad, whether uphill or down.

By serpentine do you mean http://hardwarelabs.com/products/black-ice-gt-stealth/gts-360-xflow
There is really nothing wrong using 1 pass radiators but they don't usually perform quite as good as 2 pass radiators.
I really doubth that you can cool 295x2 or two 290x and cpu with 5.120 or 5.140 raddage. I should say you can but you might not like the fan noise.
Maybe something like 4690k and GTX970 or 980 would work and be reasonably silent too. Fan noise is subjective and some people like them whisper quiet and some can run a leaf blower and care less about the noise.

Looking at cooling loops, I realized that most radiators seem to have inputs and outputs on the same 'end' of the long rectangle. While this works fine for a top radiator...would a front radiator not work better, e.g. pump would not have to fight gravity as much, if the fluid path thru it was a serpentine from one end to another?

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The pump doesn't really fight gravity in a closed loop. The restriction of the components is the primary factor. These sort of radiators (that send the water in a straight-ish line rather than a U-shaped path) are less restrictive, but the difference isn't substantial. The most important factors - really, truly - are routing your loop in the simplest way using the least tubing. If one of those X-flow radiators allows you to do that, great. If not, pick a radiator that will allow the simplest loop regardless of the radiator's interior configuration.

Also, I highly recommend you read this: http://www.overclockers.com/beginners-guide-water-cooling/

ATMINSIDE said:

http://www.hardwarelabs.com/nemesis/nemesis-products/nemesis-gts-xflow

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johan851 said:

Also, I highly recommend you read this: http://www.overclockers.com/beginners-guide-water-cooling/

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+1

Thanks for all the replies so far, and the Black Ice links. I hadn't found them yet myself; sounds like they'd be perfect for what I want.

I did already read the beginner's thread - even commented on that in the first post.

Good to know gravity isn't really a direct influence - but I think my planned loop would reduce a lot of loop distance (tubing runs), in which case, still advantageous?

Should I believe the radiating specs on the link? Claims 1200W for the 360GTS. Presumably that's a max with push/pull fans and I'd rather go lower speed, probably push only. But the total power draw of a 295x2 looks to be under 700W from what I saw, and not all of that is heat. So I'd hope a 360 and 240-280 (top) would have hope.

Thanks for initial feedback; will report back when I actually build. It'll be a while, want to build a new desk first; by the time I'm done with that something newer than the 295x2 will probably be out anyway. (Or Nvidia will decide to support Freesync too so I'll go that route for the lower TDP.

Good to know gravity isn't really a direct influence - but I think my planned loop would reduce a lot of loop distance (tubing runs), in which case, still advantageous?

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Sure, if it makes for a clean loop then go for it.

In a closed loop there is no up hill and down hill. The pressure required to force water through the uphill parts is exactly counterbalanced by the gravity pushing on the water in the down hill sections of the loop.
Water always ends up exactly where it started so their is no overall change in height so gravity plays no role at all in flow rates.