heater core position

[ToTalXS]

Considering heat rises wouldnt it be best to place the heater core on its side with fans blowing up through the top of the case?...I realize that this would not always be possible but wouldnt it be better than setting it up and blowing air sideways? just a thought......thanks
-peace

 

[Yodums]

But if you were to put it up, it would have to be like tied in mid air, if not the fan would have to have a grill on it and be on the ground blow no air.

 

[ToTalXS]

damn jpeg would not go throu........what I was thinking is mount the radiator to the top of the case and have a fan under it blowing up and one on top of the case(also above the radiator blowing up.....not on the bottom of the case..........

 

[Yodums]

I would never EVER put a rad on top of a case. Heat rises as you mentioned. What I don't get is how your making the sandwich. One fan be flat on the CPU Top area. Put it at the bottom front of the case, the coolest of the case.

 

[eobard]

Here's a reason not to put it on top: If it springs a leak you're really boned.

 

[Yodums]

Here's a reason not to put it on top: If it springs a leak you're really boned.

That too, since it's fairly big, it'll be horizontal and the channels in the radiator are pretty lenghty so if it leaks! Uh oh! But it shouldn't leak if you pre-test it.

 

[kevmarks]

well, it's funny this thread should come about. I have been thinking about water cooling and I took you concept a little further. Why have the radiartor inside the case at all? It does nothing but heat up the inside of the case. My design is the following:

It invloves drilling a few holes in the top of the case. 4 for the bolts and rubber spaces to allow air to be sucked in under the radiator. And 2 for the water pipes leading in and out of the case. This will look totally cool on top of a black dragon DA01B case, with black panaflos and a black ice II

 

[rivercom9]

I was thinking about mounting it outside, but only for a second after I realized how unattractive it might look with a grungy looking heatercore sitting its fat self on the outside.

 

[kevmarks]

This is not a grungy heat core out of an old ford, this is a sexy black ice II. The panaflos will look even cooler. You will be able to see the heat being dispersed. And with that dragon case... mmmm.... It's not much different to the design of the koolance.

 

[rivercom9]

I was just talking about my future setup. If you have a nice black case, that would look sweet.

 

[Spartacus51]

I've been planing on putting my heatercore on top of my case for awhile, and I've put some thought into it. First, get out my dremel and make an aluminum shroud. Then cut a section out of the top of my case. A couple fans on the shroud and I've still only added 2" to the top of my case, my rad is now enclosed in the computer, the system is portable, and as my rad is now only slightly above my waterblock there's very little flow loss from rad to block, and in fact maybe a slight gain due to gravity. My only unmade decision is push vs. pull. Would I rather have slightly warmer air moving through the heater core, or add heat to my system? The other possible idea I had was to duct air from behind the system using blower fans up through the rad with the top case fans pulling air through the rad. The fans would be on a rheobus which would allow me to match CFM so I don't add unnecessary noise without a CFM gain. I believe this to be the best option, although I have only a midtower case and not sure if I have enough room, but I think I do. (One little note, in preperation for this I've already modded my case to move my power supply. It now is attached so the fan is placed in the whole for a case exhaust fan, with the powersupply on it's side. This freed the space to put my heater core at the top.)

I hope to have this setup done within a few weeks at which time I will post pics and temp results.

 

[ToTalXS]

It invloves drilling a few holes in the top of the case. 4 for the bolts and rubber spaces to allow air to be sucked in under the radiator. And 2 for the water pipes leading in and out of the case. This will look totally cool on top of a black dragon DA01B case, with black panaflos and a black ice II

I like you idea.....no large holes in the top of the case...if you dont mind I think I'll use it.....thanks.......peace

 

[CSaddict]

I'm putting my heater core in the top of my case on its side. I'm currently making duct work to blow in one side of the case, through the heater core and right out the other side. I see guys put them in the case and blow air in or out but the defeats the purpose of cooling. If you have your fans blowing on your heater core and into your case you adding heated air from the HC's exhaust. If you put a fan blowing out from your case only, you are sucking in warm case air to cool? doesn't make much sense to me so when I'm done I will post pics, then you guys can tell me I'm wrong

 

[MechCD]

I'm not sure about the black ice, but my regular old heater core doesn't "fill" up with water when it's laying flat. I have the inlet on the "bottom" and the outlet on top with the whole thing standing upright. this way I don't have to worry about the water taking the shortest route and mising a bunch of cooling channels. If it were the other way around, the water would be assisted by gravity and move a little bit faster, but would miss the fins because heatercores are meant to have decent pressure through them. The water wouldn't extend out to all the fins.

 

[rivercom9]

Thats another problem with having the heatercore on its side, it doesnt fill up completely with water, making the heatercore less efficient.

 

[kevmarks]

That’s strange. I would think it would be easier to pump water through a horizontal positioned heater core than a vertical. What heater core and pump are you using?

 

[Spartacus51]

I don't think the heatercore should be placed level if laying flat. Allow it to tip down slightly, so the inlet/outlet are above the bottom to insure flow through the heatercore.

This idea is not without some credibility. As much as we all know and love Tom he did give high marks to the koolance case here and it does seem to be a clean and effective setup. As I said earlier I plan on including a couple ducted blower fans to insure air flow from under the heatercore.
I think ultimately this should be a good alternative to a front mounted radiator, and perhaps better as it will not add heat to the case, or case heat to the rad.

 

[Maximus Nickus]

Post a picture of a Heatercore!!
And does anyone know how many watts one of these can disperse???

CHEERS!
M_N

 

[MechCD]

A pic of my heatercore? It's for ford 150 series trucks (it think). it was $16 at autozone.

I'm not sure how to get my image within the 600x600 limit. I can send it to you via email or PM, its 90kb

It would be easier on the pump to have the heater core laying horizontal because less pressure is needed, but all the fins don't get used either.

 

[rivercom9]

Just scroll down this page and youll find one.

http://dangerden.com/mall/radiators.asp