Creatively mounting a Corsair H105 outside of a 4U rack case?

[Vincent Vespa]

Hey all,

Since I'm a rather wordy kind of fellow, I'm going to start with the short version up front. I have several questions for which it would be immensely helpful if I obtained answers.

1.) I have a Corsair H105 that cannot fit anywhere in my case and and AMD FX-9590 that appears to get rather toasty if it does not have liquid cooling at stock clock speeds (as recommended by AMD). Is there any super cheap/simple thing that I can do to combat the heat output of the FX-9590 to prevent heating issues?

-Note: Case currently has a Cooler Master Hyper N520 CPU heatsink with stock fans, two Noctura NF-S12A 120mm front fans, and two Noctura NF-A8 80mm rear fans installed.-

2.) How difficult would it be to temporarily disconnect the tubes on a Corsair H105 liquid cooler? Would I have to buy new tubes, or is there a way to disconnect and reconnect the tubes without any additional equipment being required? (Note: I do not care about voiding a warranty.)

3.) If it is not possible to detach the hoses without needing additional equipment, would it be possible to salvage the various bits and pieces of the H105 to make a functioning liquid cooling system for under ~$50?

4.) Would externally mounting a liquid cooling system create a hazardous hot thing scenario where it is mounted?

5.) Are there any other unforeseen consequences that I have missed that would result from me externally mounting a liquid cooling system?

Long (Entertaining?) Version:
I've recently put together a build into a Rosewill RSV-R4000 4U rack case with an AMD 9590 installed into a GA-990FXA-UD7 and I've run into a bit of a snag when it comes to properly cooling the toasty 9590.

When I first put together this build, I was intending to use a larger case with grating along the top and sides of the case so that I could install a Corsair H105 to handle the high heat output of the CPU. As I was purchasing the parts, I saw this case and decided to make a change at the last minute (liked the look of this case better and it was significantly cheaper). Unfortunately, I didn't really think this through...

The drive bays at the front of this case are removable and do not have any support structure onto which I would be able to mount the radiator of the H105. There are no side or top vents on this case, either, so I am basically unable to mount the radiator anywhere within the case. Unfortunately, I am unable to return the H105, and I'd rather not eat the cost of it ($100 is $100, right?).

I was hoping that someone here might be able to offer some insight or ideas as to what I should do in this particular situation. On one hand, I could simply cut a hole through the top of the case, drill some screw holes, then mount the H105 on to the top of the case. While this is the easiest solution I can conceive, I really don't feel like this method would be ideal for me, as it would force me to drop the PC down several rack slots in a manner that would be less than appealing. My alternative working idea is to mount these two rack shelves that I have laying around into adjacent positions directly above my PC with some kind of flat metal support and aluminum grating between the rack screws, then mount the radiator into the flats on the back side of the grate. This setup, however, would really only look decent if I drilled two holes big enough for the H105's tubes to fit through (with some handy rubber gaskets around the holes and hoses to maintain the airflow integrity inside of the case), which would then require me to remove and re-attach the tubes. To be honest, I'm not very familiar with how liquid cooling works, and I have no idea how much of a hassle it would be to remove and reattach the tubes or if it's even possible. I'm aware it would void my warranty, but I really don't care even the slightest bit about that.

Any input would be greatly appreciated. I really just want to keep the FX-9590 running cool while feeling like I didn't completely waste $100 on the H105.

Thanks in Advance,
Vincent

--Long time browser, first time inquirer.--

 

[Karsten75]

1. Firstly, there isn't anything good I can say about that processor from an environmental aspect (I won't speak to the performance, that will be an entirely different, but still negative opinion). It generates 220 W of heat and needs substantial cooling, as you know. In addition, there has been many instances on the boards here where it was discovered that inadequate airflow over the motherboard VRMs and other components involved in delivering that current to the processor cause instability at load. Your case (from the pictures) seem to mitigate against sufficient airflow over the motherboard. Server processors (usually Intel Xeon) runs at much lower TDP and requires much less airflow cooling.

TL/DR: you must maintain a lot of airflow over a suitably qualified board that supports a 220W processor.

2. Fairly difficult. You might have to cut the hoses in which case you need replacement hoses. You will also need cooling fluid (don't know the specific type the Corsair might require). You will also need a method to fill it without a reservoir to buffer air.

3, Really, consider selling the H100i and just eating the difference between your $100 "investment" and the selling price - that will probably be financially better than the outcome after buying the various bits and pieces you envisage.

4. The hazard would most likely come from the exposed spinning fans and potential damage to the radiator fins.

5. Who knows?