Update on Swiftech H320

Recently I posted a review on the Swiftech H320, perhaps the best all in one water kit available at this time.

Since then I've been experimenting with different configurations. The stock configuration has it mounted inside the case with the radiator fans in intake mode, pulling air from the outside through the top panel mesh of the case into the interior. One thing I have done is to cut the mesh out and put the radiator on the outside of the case top and turn the fans around to push air up through the radiator and out the top. This seemed to have no impact on temps.

Other things I have tried are replacing the stock fans with more powerful ones including one setup where I had two 120x25x32mm 2400 rpm fans mounted together with a Delta AFC1212D-PWM. No impact on temps. I then added the Swiftech stock fans back in as pull fans. No impact.

Finally, I took three old 120x25mm fans and cut out the hubs to make shrouds. I went back to the Swiftech stock fans and put them in push mode with the shrouds. This is the only thing so far that made any impact on temps. Maybe 1-2c lower idle temps with fans turned down but no improvement in load temps with fans at max. I have three more Swiftech stock fans ordered that I will add as pull fans to this arrangement but base on everything else I have tried I doubt that will make any difference. The improvement of idle temps when the fans are turned down is obviously tied to the shrouds but my guess is that when the fans are turned up full bore the added turbulence does what the shrouds did when fans were at part throttle, namely, create an offset for the hub shadow.

The bottom line is that right out of the box this unit is about as good as it's going to be . No sense in spending a lot of time and money trying to improve the performance as it will only net you a smidgen of positive results. Swiftech has chosen the components well and the system is already pretty balanced . . . and very quiet.

I also wanted to add that although I was disappointed in lack of cooling improvement of my various mods, I do like having the cooler on top of the case rather than inside it. It really opens up the case and makes it easier to fiddle around in there. It was also a good learning experience as you hear this and that piece of advice but when you actually try some of those things you find they don't work as advertised, at least not on a given system.

hmm.... my case wouldn't fit a 120x2 rad like that at the top with fans (all inside) but it would certainly fit if i did it like that... that's a really good idea... might have to look into that...

(yes i know that's a 120x3, but it's still something i could implement in 120x2)

Custom W/C: 1 - AIO: 0

trents said:

The improvement of idle temps when the fans are turned down is obviously tied to the shrouds but my guess is that when the fans are turned up full bore the added turbulence does what the shrouds did when fans were at part throttle, namely, create an offset for the hub shadow.

Click to expand...

Not really, but nevermind




That you don't see bigger differences at full tilt (when exhaust) could be that you've reached the radiators capacity. Which is unlikely, as it should be able to dissipate 300 Watts while keeping the Delta at 10°C (loop temp = Ambient + 10°C)

So, it could be related to not enough air going through the case.
At full tilt the Swifty Helixes should do 55 CFM (x3 = 165 CFM) -cut this in two for the rad restriction => 80 CFM
Your intake fans combined should thus be delivering over 90 CFM (Actually over 170 CFM as the same applies: if filtered cut the CFM in two) If your intake fans dont deliver that, then you'll start seeing dust ingress through all unfiltered vents & cracks

Easy to test: run at full tilt with the sidepanel removed... (but not while under the desk or you'll be re-circulating air)
if better temps then you need to up (or replace) your intake fans.. or change the radiator fans to intake and up (or replace) the rear exhaust.

However, since you've got a nice knee warmer with the setup you have there, setting the rad fans to intake is probably not a good idea.

RnRollie said:

Custom W/C: 1 - AIO: 0



Not really, but nevermind




That you don't see bigger differences at full tilt (when exhaust) could be that you've reached the radiators capacity. Which is unlikely, as it should be able to dissipate 300 Watts while keeping the Delta at 10°C (loop temp = Ambient + 10°C)

So, it could be related to not enough air going through the case.
At full tilt the Swifty Helixes should do 55 CFM (x3 = 165 CFM) -cut this in two for the rad restriction => 80 CFM
Your intake fans combined should thus be delivering over 90 CFM (Actually over 170 CFM as the same applies: if filtered cut the CFM in two) If your intake fans dont deliver that, then you'll start seeing dust ingress through all unfiltered vents & cracks

Easy to test: run at full tilt with the sidepanel removed... (but not while under the desk or you'll be re-circulating air)
if better temps then you need to up (or replace) your intake fans.. or change the radiator fans to intake and up (or replace) the rear exhaust.

However, since you've got a nice knee warmer with the setup you have there, setting the rad fans to intake is probably not a good idea.

Click to expand...

I have three Cougar CF-V12H pushing air into the case from the bottom/front and one pulling air out at the top rear, each one rated at 60 cfm. I also tried stress testing with the side panel off. No diff. Next, I got a big floor fan and aimed it under the desk toward the open side of the case but angled slightly upward to scour the air out from under the desk. No diff. I then turned the big floor fan around to suck air out from under the desk. No diff. Besides, the desk is not a desk. It's a shelf that raps around three walls of the room and is pretty open.

Your statement: "That you don't see bigger differences at full tilt (when exhaust) could be that you've reached the radiators capacity." Would seem to be the issue. But nonetheless, I'm very happy with the unit as it performs significantly better than the CM Nepton 240L that I had before it.

NeonCancerCandy said:

hmm.... my case wouldn't fit a 120x2 rad like that at the top with fans (all inside) but it would certainly fit if i did it like that... that's a really good idea... might have to look into that...

(yes i know that's a 120x3, but it's still something i could implement in 120x2)

Click to expand...

I had to do this on my first case, and it was only a 120mm ..

NeonCancerCandy said:

hmm.... my case wouldn't fit a 120x2 rad like that at the top with fans (all inside) but it would certainly fit if i did it like that... that's a really good idea... might have to look into that...

(yes i know that's a 120x3, but it's still something i could implement in 120x2)

Click to expand...

Certainly. I took a 1/4" drill and went down the sides in a line next to the fan mount slots and drilled out the mesh holes to where there was just a very thin connection left between each one. I then snipped the remaining connective material with a pair of wire nippers. Be sure to leave some material to the inside of the fan mount slots for strength and support. And be careful of the sharp edges! Once the fans are in place the sharp edges are no longer a danger but be careful until you get to that point.

I rather like the look of the rad and fans on top of the case. Reminds me of a hot rod tunnel ram intake manifold and carb setup!

I rather like the look of the rad and fans on top of the case. Reminds me of a hot rod tunnel ram intake manifold and carb setup!

I was thinking the same thing, trents! And yeah, that set up looks great. Something to think about if I ever take the water-cooling plunge. I would also settle for nothing less than a Swiftech H320.

I was hoping your comment I quoted would be highlighted, but, alas, I have much to learn about fancy forum posting.

Of course, my wife thinks I ruined a nice looking case.

rpjkw11 said:

I rather like the look of the rad and fans on top of the case. Reminds me of a hot rod tunnel ram intake manifold and carb setup!

I was thinking the same thing, trents! And yeah, that set up looks great. Something to think about if I ever take the water-cooling plunge. I would also settle for nothing less than a Swiftech H320.

I was hoping your comment I quoted would be highlighted, but, alas, I have much to learn about fancy forum posting.

Click to expand...

Just click on the "Quote" button at the bottom of the poster's window and anything the poster said will be automatically show up in a highlight window in your post. Just be careful that in the process of editing you don't remove the two pieces of bracketed information at the beginning and the end of what you want quoted. You can also add you own comments interspersed with the posters comments and even highlight them with colors from the tools at the top.

Thanks for the update Trents. I've been considering this as my entry into H2O. I still have a while before my next build and the fact that it's expandable is highly appealing. Do you think this system would be able to add 2x 7850's too?

rpjkw11 said:

I was hoping your comment I quoted would be highlighted, but, alas, I have much to learn about fancy forum posting.

Click to expand...

You can also edit your post typing [ q u o t e ] before and [ / q u o t e ] after the text you wish to quote(minus the spaces of course).

Blaylock said:

Thanks for the update Trents. I've been considering this as my entry into H2O. I still have a while before my next build and the fact that it's expandable is highly appealing. Do you think this system would be able to add 2x 7850's too?

Click to expand...

You mean using only the 3x120 radiator or are you talking about adding a second radiator for the GPUs? I do not think it would handle two 7850s added in without another rad put in the loop. You're talking about more than tripling the watts that would need to accounted for. I'm only using it currently to handle about 127 watts which is the heat output (according to HWMonitor) of my overclocked 2600k CPU. My load temps are low 60s c. I imagine each of your video cares will put out at least as much heat as my CPU.

I was primarily refering to the pump. I would be adding more rad-age into the loop if I included the GPU's. I'd have to go thru the math to figure it out but likely 2x 240's more or maybe another 360.

I believe the 7850's are rated at 125W each stock(but who on this forum runs anything stock lol). So all together I'd be looking at roughly 375-400W of heat.

Blaylock said:

I was primarily refering to the pump. I would be adding more rad-age into the loop if I included the GPU's. I'd have to go thru the math to figure it out but likely 2x 240's more or maybe another 360.

I believe the 7850's are rated at 125W each stock(but who on this forum runs anything stock lol). So all together I'd be looking at roughly 375-400W of heat.

Click to expand...

You're absolutely good with that pump for a bigger loop.

(Thinking of the H220-X or H320-X here, since that's the newest equipment)

I'm thinking you reached the limit of the cooling plate trents.

hey!!! what happened to your haf-912 case?

caddi daddi said:

I'm thinking you reached the limit of the cooling plate trents.

Yeah, I think you're right about that. Guess the only thing to do is to turn the AC up.

hey!!! what happened to your haf-912 case?

Click to expand...

It didn't have enough clearance at the top to install a 2x120mm radiator so I used it to build a file server for our local church and donated it.

trents said:

Of course, my wife thinks I ruined a nice looking case.

Click to expand...

lol

to please the missus: a "drop-in" shroud
http://koolance.com/3-x-120mm-fan-radiator-shroud-black

Na! I like it like it is. She has her own computer anyway.

trents said:

Na! I like it like it is. She has her own computer anyway.

Click to expand...