[Shroomer]

I was thinking to save A LOT of space, I could just cut a big rectangular hole in the top of my tower and mout my heatercore to either side of it. Then I could plug up all of the holes (there will still be some leakage) except for the fan holes and make them all blow out. This should create negative pressure in the case and make my heatercore the intake. Shouldn't be as good as a good shroud, but I'll be using the double fan "caprice" style heatercore.

[adamwinn]

unfortunately plugging up all the holes is going to be A LOT more work than finding room to attach some fans directly to the radiator.

in a negative air-pressure system you begin to realize how many different places let air in - the most irritating places to try and seal is your 5.25" bays. it is viable to use foam weatherstripping around your 5.25's and most other places in the case, but i really think you'll get better performance and save a lot of work by putting that effort into gettin some fans and a shroud to fit on your radiator.

though if u did get that system to work id be VERY impressed and it would look really clean

[kswaid]

I agree with adamwinn. It is not going to be worth the hassle trying to plug up all the cracks and crevices of your case. I would suggest that you atleast mount some fans directly on it. Even without a shroud it will still perform decently.

[MVC]

Having a shroud in a pull configuration doesn't really get you anything performance wise (take a look at this chart: http://phaestus.procooling.com/shrouds-BIX.GIF), so just add a couple of fans to the inside of the radiator to pull in air from the outside the case. And, with slightly possitive pressure in the case you won't be getting dust build-up at every crevice.

[Shroomer]

I'm going to have to think this through, but I think it can work. I just need something disposable (cardboard perhaps, or some sort of rubbery material) to make some gaskets for things. Man, now that you guys said it shouldn't work I really want to do it. Anyway, if it doesn't I have to make a shroud anyway.

Perhaps positive pressure would be better, though. I'd just have to open up the power supply. The only thing I was thinking there was that the P.S. would be so close to the rad that all of that warm air would be blowing right through it. Hmm.. I'll have to try both ways and see. Gonna be a lot of work, though.

[MVC]

Originally Posted by Shroomer

Perhaps positive pressure would be better, though. I'd just have to open up the power supply. The only thing I was thinking there was that the P.S. would be so close to the rad that all of that warm air would be blowing right through it. Hmm.. I'll have to try both ways and see. Gonna be a lot of work, though.

Unless you're running your PSU right at the edge of its capabilities, it won't make any difference. The idea is to have sufficient air flow so that even the air flowing through the radiator doesn't get too warm. And, as long as the air inside the case is being exhausted you should never see a real heat build-up inside the case or the PSU.