Help w/ Mini Tower WC setup

[mhouck]

Good morning Anandtech forums,

I have the itch to switch out my case for something significantly smaller. I currently have a full tower ATCS840 with a CPU/GPU block, 3X120 radiator setup, xpsc single bay res, and d-tek dbx pump.

I am looking at the Fractal Define Mini. http://www.newegg.com/Product/Produc...82E16811352011 I am considering mounting the radiator at the rear of the case with fan filters to keep dust out of the radiator. The reservoir will still sit in the single bay slot. I'm not sure what my options are with mounting the pump. Does anybody have a suggestion? I don't know that I will have enough room to mount the pump at the bottom of the case. I was also considering a single bay/pump combo. I'm haven't done enough research on my options in that regard. My first thought was something like this. http://www.frozencpu.com/products/1...MCP35x_Series_15165.html?tl=g30c107s152#blank
Can anybody make a recommendation on a good quality pump/res combo? My preference is on reduced noise first and then enough power to circuilate through a CPU block GPU block combo.

Thanks for your input!

 

[jaedaliu]

I don't water cool, but I imagine it'll be difficult to keep that video card and processor cool on a single 120mm sized radiator.

You're also looking at a new motherboard, as your normal sized ATX won't fit. Maybe a 2x120mm will be enough if you put that in the front of the case. (though, depending on size, you may not be able to use the HD trays. and you also end up not using the front filters, or blowing hot air through the case)

 

[mhouck]

I have a 3x120 radiator. I already have a microatx board picked out. My real concern is with how to orient the pump and reservoir or any recommendations on a good quality res/pump combo.

 

[dma0991]

Mounting the pump at the bottom should be possible if the flow is from reservoir > CPU > radiator > GPU > pump >> loop. Since you already have these parts at hand, make do with it. The reservoir you listed is only the reservoir itself. A pump must be bought separately and it adds extra cost.

 

[mhouck]

Mounting the pump at the bottom should be possible if the flow is from reservoir > CPU > radiator > GPU > pump >> loop. Since you already have these parts at hand, make do with it. The reservoir you listed is only the reservoir itself. A pump must be bought separately and it adds extra cost.

That's my preference. My main concern is whether I have the room for the pump between the HD cage and the power supply both being at the base of the cage. Do I have clearance over the PSU for the line to go from the GPU to the pump without forcing a kink in the line?

After thinking this over, my thought is to get the case and motherboard and throw the parts from my current loop in it and see what it looks like. If I have the clearance over the PSU, then I'm set and no worries. If not, I look at the resevoir I listed and get the pump that mounts up behind it. That would be roughly $100 more, but that might be the best solution if I have to go that route.

 

[dma0991]

Get some 90 degree fittings, it shouldn't kink towards the pump at the bottom. Assuming that you don't have a longer than standard PSU, the cables should be able to bend into the grommet at the side, leaving a space large enough to place the pump.

Two 90 degree fitting should be enough, one at the GPU block and another at the pump inlet.

 

[jaedaliu]

I have a 3x120 radiator. I already have a microatx board picked out. My real concern is with how to orient the pump and reservoir or any recommendations on a good quality res/pump combo.

I think we're missing each others' points. Are you "mounting" the 3x120 radiator on the outside of the case? If so, you have unlimitted space for your reservoir and pump.

If you plan on putting it inside the case, there's nowhere to mount the reservoir and have air flow (unless you mount to the top or side of the case after drilling holes)

 

[mhouck]

Thank DMA0991. I'm going to order the case, microatx board, rear rad mount and fan filters this evening. Hopefully I can assemble all the parts by the end of the week and get some pictures up of whether they they fit or not. This should be fun.

 

[aigomorla]

Mounting the pump at the bottom should be possible if the flow is from reservoir > CPU > radiator > GPU > pump >> loop. Since you already have these parts at hand, make do with it. The reservoir you listed is only the reservoir itself. A pump must be bought separately and it adds extra cost.

no no no no no;...

pump is ALWAYS b4 reservior.
Res should be near the highest height..
pump at the lowest being fed directly from the res.


this makes ur bleeding a TON easier.

I think we're missing each others' points. Are you "mounting" the 3x120 radiator on the outside of the case? If so, you have unlimitted space for your reservoir and pump.

If you plan on putting it inside the case, there's nowhere to mount the reservoir and have air flow (unless you mount to the top or side of the case after drilling holes)

or he can get a res/pump drive bay...

they have a intigrated res / pump.. u still need to add the pump tho as they are sold separately.

 

[jaedaliu]

or he can get a res/pump drive bay...

they have a intigrated res / pump.. u still need to add the pump tho as they are sold separately.

There's something I'm not getting. The 3x120 radiator that the OP owns, and the 4 height drive bay module pictured above, both won't fit in that case. Is it standard to plan on parts outside of the case? and if so, why worry about how things fit?

 

[mhouck]

My 3x120 radiator is from my current build in a full tower. It fits nicely inside the top of my ATCS 840 and I would prefer to have all of my components inside the case. However, this case really is a beast and I would rather use as many of my existing enthusiast level (at one point anyway) components in as near to HTPC as I can get. More mobility for when I drain my line, add/remove components, set up on my TV vs. my office.

I'm really only planning on having the radiator mounted on the exterior of the case because there is no way to fit it in any microATX case (without modding) that I am aware of. I saw several set ups with the rear mount radiator. There are a number of kits you can buy that allow you to mount the radiator where the rear case fan is with out having to mod the case itself.

The main draw back I saw is that the radiator would have much greater exposure to dust and environmental dangers. (pets, kids, etc.) With the removable fan filters and placing the case in a fairly protect space, I hope to negate those issues as much as possible.

Personally, I would not want to have multiple components outside my case, unless they were protected and easily portable.

 

[mhouck]

Define Mini with components

First, the case is only slightly smaller than a mid tower. There is enough horizontal space between the back of the case and the HDD cages that I could install the 7970 even with the removable cages left in.

Second, after installing the PSU, it is obvious that the pump will not fit at the base of the case unless I take a 90 degree barb from the outlet to the GPU and feed the line from the reservoir to the pump intake between the top of the GPU and the side panel.

After I took out the removable HDD cage, I have plently of room to mount the pump. Now it's just a matter of a putting some angled barbs on the pump and connecting the loop. Also a bit of cleaning up the loose wiring.

For a microATX "mini tower", according to Newegg anyway, this was much larger than I was expecting and surprisingly easy to build in. Thanks for the suggestions.

 

[aigomorla]

There's something I'm not getting. The 3x120 radiator that the OP owns, and the 4 height drive bay module pictured above, both won't fit in that case. Is it standard to plan on parts outside of the case? and if so, why worry about how things fit?

that is not a 4 bay.

that is 2 different units which he can pick one of them to use.

So 2 bay.

Koolance also makes a single bay.

 

[dawp]

^that's the one I'm considering for mine to go with the mpc35x pump I have.

http://www.frozencpu.com/products/1...r_1-2_PMP-400_Pumps_Rev_11.html?tl=g30c97s152

I like the dual pump design so you could have some redundancy or 2 loops.