Planning for down the road.

I'm setting up a new system this weekend. It will have watercooling on the CPU (i7 920) and the motherboard (EK Eddy full coverage block for a 762 Classified - EVGA). I've got a 120x240 heater core and a 120x120 heater core that I'll be using.

I'm planning on switching those out for a Magicool 480 radiator.

http://www.frozencpu.com/products/1...l_XTREME_Quad_480_Radiator.html?tl=g30c95s570

Is that actually a step up, or a step down?

Depends on the fans you were using on the heatercores and the fans your planning to use on the Magicool.

I don't have heatload data like Skinnee does on the magicool. Maybe it's equal to the Swiftech rads I remember reading somewhere.


Try reading this pretty solid test of many rads, including Magicool. Maybe it'll help.
http://www.xtremesystems.org/Forums/showthread.php?t=220593

I'll be using the same fans.

Delta 120mm x 25mm AFB1212SH
Specs:

3400RPM
113 CFM
12v, .53A
46.5 Db/a

Also, the heater cores are the ones that Danger Den carries.

LOL, yea, it's about the same, your getting a bit more rad space. You prolly flatten out on that magicool at 2500 RPM, any more won't make a huge difference.

I really don't see any gains, the HC's with your fans are very very good.

If you want to upgrade anything, replace the single fan heater core with another 77 Bonnie heater core. They are as efficient as an MCR320 with higher cfm fans like you are using. And be sure to make yourself some plenums/shrouds for them too, as that helps efficiency greatly.

muddocktor said:

If you want to upgrade anything, replace the single fan heater core with another 77 Bonnie heater core. They are as efficient as an MCR320 with higher cfm fans like you are using. And be sure to make yourself some plenums/shrouds for them too, as that helps efficiency greatly.

Click to expand...

Well, I've got another of the larger heater cores...but it looks pretty banged up from being in storage. I'm not sure if it is even water tight at this point. But getting another one definately won't break my bank.

I've got shrouds for them already.

The mounting I'm making for the 120x120 can be switch over to the larger heater core with minimal work.

So...would I be ok if just used the one heater core for about a week or two before getting the second one? It would be less work for me to just make the same mounting twice, rather than make one for the 120x120 and then modifying it.

Thanks for the info, and the advice!

Edit: Here are some pics of the damage. On second thought, it might work. I'll set it up for a leak test tonight.

Well, first hour and no obvious leaks. If it is good in the morning, I'll install it, and then leak test the whole setup for 24 hours.

here's some shroud testing to give you some incentive

http://martin.skinneelabs.com/Radiator-Fan-Orientation-And-Shroud-Testing-Review.html