What is the best Radiator for DF 85 case?

[cronos1013]

So I got bit by the watercooling bug, and have decided to toss my all in one Corsair H70 and go for a modular setup, and I was wondering what the best radiator I can get INTO my DF-85 is. At the top there are 2 140mm fans and a good bit of space, so I figure if I use that I would still have the most workable room inside (as opposed to the 120mm fans on the back).

I would rather a 140x2 radiator so I can use larger fans at the top of the case without a shroud, but if there is a better 120mm fans option that would fit using a shroud, that also is an option.

I'm not looking for the budget option here, rather the best performance in my chosen footprint.

I have decided on using an MCP 655-B pump, the Raystorm full copper CPU block, an Aquagraphx GTX 680 GPU block (hopefully I can buy that next week).

I'm not finding any recent reviews on a 140x2 radiators, and even fewer on 140mm fans which provide good static pressure.

Also, does anyone have a specific recommendation for tubing, a reservoir, and what to use for coolant? I saw some which like bolt right onto the 655-B but I wasn't sure if they were better/worse than stand alone ones. And I don't even know where to begin on tubing/coolant.

Thanks!

Chris

 

[DigitalMonkey]

Stick with the 140.2 for the top. But you might want to look into setting up a external rad push/pull setup for your case. Use the Koolance mount for the external mount.

 

[cronos1013]

Stick with the 140.2 for the top. But you might want to look into setting up a external rad push/pull setup for your case. Use the Koolance mount for the external mount.

Wow...that's actually pretty cool. If I find that I need some extra cooling that would be a great option.


OK so I've decided that I am going to use 120mm to 140mm reducers, and a pair of Scythe Gentle Typhoon fans (well 4 really for push/pull).

But I still don't know what I should buy for a 280mm radiator.

Is there a good review of the 280mm radiators that I'm missing somewhere?

 

[DigitalMonkey]

Wow...that's actually pretty cool. If I find that I need some extra cooling that would be a great option.


OK so I've decided that I am going to use 120mm to 140mm reducers, and a pair of Scythe Gentle Typhoon fans (well 4 really for push/pull).

But I still don't know what I should buy for a 280mm radiator.

Is there a good review of the 280mm radiators that I'm missing somewhere?

Check out Skinnee's radiator comparisons here. There aren't any 140.2 rad reviews out there, as far as I know. But the link I post should help you out on deciding on what to get.

 

[Modz 4 Higher]

Yes read read read and then some. You will soon learn that the more you read here in the sticky's, on skinnee and martins lab that people here will be way more willing to help you out.

 

[cronos1013]

Check out Skinnee's radiator comparisons here. There aren't any 140.2 rad reviews out there, as far as I know. But the link I post should help you out on deciding on what to get.

Hm...OK, so I've read every review I can find, and after using a tape measure revealed that anything that got decent reviews wasn't going to fit in my Dark Fleet DF-85. I like my case, so I've decided that I'm going to suck it up and externally mount the radiator, which I didn't want to do at first...but w/e so long as it looks badass.

So with this revelation, I decided to "go big or go home."

The PC is an i7 950 overclocked about 30% (waiting for ivy bridge) with 12 gigs of Hyper X 1600 and an HD5870, but I have an EVGA GTX 680 which will be going in once I can find a waterblock for it.

So the heart of the cooling system is a Switfech MCP655-B, which will be fed from an XSPC single bay reservoir (GREAT price on jab-tech on those). The CPU block is the XSPC RayStorm full copper, I liked the look of the acrylic...but I figured I might as well do this right. It all feeds into a MO-RA3 9 x 140mm PRO Extreme Radiator. This is cooled by 9 Yate Loon 120mm DS12SL-12's which are attached with adapter shrouds, they were SUPER cheap, only like 32 bucks for 10, and will be an acceptable stand in until I buy 9 gentle typhoons.

I am using Tygon R3603 tubing, Silver Plated 1/2" barbs (I'm afraid of compression connectors) and an antimicrobial strip for my reservoir.

I also bought a tube of Primochill Liquid Utopia to further kill the nasties who want to grow in my setup.

I'm going to fill with distilled water without any glycol or anything as my setup is in a condo so I don't have to worry about freezing or metal mismatch as everything is copper.

If I can, I'm going to mount this monstrosity to the side of my Dark Fleet using stand off's and a "leg"...kind of like a side car for a motorcycle, but I haven't figured that part out yet...so for now it's going to just sit next to it.

 

[Modz 4 Higher]

sounds badasssssssss

 

[Conumdrum]

EK will release the 680 block in a week or so.

 

[saphic]

If you mount a 3x120 rad on the back you can mount six fans in push pull and use fan screws to hold the rad onto the back of that case leave one fan sticking up and screw the other two fans where the original two internal 120's are but place all fans on the rad outside the case it don't move