[SOLVED] Do I really need a 280mm radiator?

[KeithK2006]

https://ca.pcpartpicker.com/list/DXJBCL is this radiator perfectly fine for this CPU or should I get a 240? I'm going to try my hand at overclocking.

 

[CountMike]

https://ca.pcpartpicker.com/list/DXJBCL is this radiator perfectly fine for this CPU or should I get a 240? I'm going to try my hand at overclocking.

Bigger is better or at least quieter but 240 should do a good job.

 

[vMax]

Agree with CountMike...The 280mm is a better with 140mm fans that can spin quieter and you have a fair bit more area on the radiator but the 240mm will also do the job.

Personally for me, I would go 280mm especially if you are going to push the 10600K which you should! and it should overclock very well.

 

[KeithK2006]

alright, thanks so much

 

[CountMike]

Just to ad something, radiator and fan size is less important than pump and it's heat transfer plate, manufacturers tend to keep same pump with different size radiators all the way from 120 to 360mm radiators. Moreover, most pumps are made by only few manufacturers, they may just look different, hence very similar performance across all range of AIOs.

 

[rubix_1011]

AIOs usually have lower-performing pumps (when compared to custom watercooling on a scale of almost 10:1) and radiator size does help play into Delta-T performance where coolant flow rate is low, but can make up for it with a larger radiator volume (and fans).

Delta-T for liquid cooling is always the load temperature of coolant vs. ambient room temp to determine how well the cooling system can perform. Delta can also be considered for the CPU die temps as a comparison to ambient room temperature, also.

If you decrease flow rate, you have to increase radiator surface/volume to make up for the drop in flow. If you decrease radiator area, you need to increase flow rate or fans to account for differences of smaller rads. (basically a math equation)

 

[CountMike]

Coolant flow has to be carefully balanced to whole cooling system, too fast flow can have opposite effect. One pump for all sizes of radiator has to be a compromise while with custom cooling you can tailor it to exact needs.
One more advantage of larger radiator is more coolant and mass so temperature raise slower. Typical air cooler gets saturated by heat in 1/3rd time it takes a liquid cooler. Similar (1/2) is difference between 120mm rad and 360mm.

 

[rubix_1011]

I can certainly test the theory that too fast of flow is bad.

I have all the tools to do it. How fast are we thinking? The only thing I wouldn't have is a pump that moves more than a D5 or DDC; would have to be an Iwaki....I guess I could use my beer brewing pump if needed.

 

[CountMike]

I can certainly test the theory that too fast of flow is bad.

I have all the tools to do it. How fast are we thinking? The only thing I wouldn't have is a pump that moves more than a D5 or DDC; would have to be an Iwaki....I guess I could use my beer brewing pump if needed.

It's same principle as with car engine cooling, many engines will overheat without thermostat because of coolant flow is too fast without it, coolant doesn't have enough time to soak up heat, transfer it to radiator, than it has to transfer that heat energy to radiator fins. Thermodynamics laws at it's best.

 

[Karadjgne]

Backwards. Lack of a thermostat means the water pump pushes the coolant through the radiator too fast. It's not that the coolant can't soak up enough heat in the engine that causes the overheating, it's that the coolant doesn't stay in the radiator long enough to dissipate the excess energy and consequently the coolant temp rises over time to the point where it can't further absorb the engine heat, saturation, the water component becomes steam, which eventually blows the cap.