[SOLVED] Side Mounting GPU AIO

[fidelitas22]

Hey all,

Looking for some advice and opinions on airflow with my new case. I had a build that burnt out my CPU AIO, so I'm getting a new case to try something different. I'm going to be using a Corsair 7000D Airflow Full Tower Case. My thoughts are to top mount my 360mm CPU AIO as exhaust, side mount the 240mm GPU AIO as exhaust, then mount 3 120mm fans as intake on the front, with one 120mm fan in the back as exhaust.

I have two different concerns, the first is that there will be too much exhaust with not enough intake. The second is that whether or not the side mounted GPU AIO would be effective as an exhaust with it being a side mount.

Thank you so much in advance for any input and feedback or you guys can give!

 

[MrLitschel]

I have no idea how you could side mount the GPO AIO unless the hoses are long enough.

I would put the 360mm CPU AIO to exhaust top. Use the GPO AIO on the front panel as intake with 1 additional 120mm fan (2 if they will fit) . and one 120mm fan in the back as exhaust. The heat generated by the AIO shouldn't pose a problem to the CPU AIO as the air will be pulled out the rear and top.

 

[Phaaze88]

You typed 7000D, but linked the 5000 model. I suppose it doesn't change too much.


Those chassis aren't dual AIO friendly. The radiator options are more flexible with custom liquid systems - which is what they were intended for.
The tubes on AIOs(between 380-400mm max) aren't long enough for a front mount to be an option, and side mounting is going to be a tight stretch with some because of things like shorter or more rigid tubing.
A side exhaust? So the front's intake, only to get sucked right out the side, and the cooler up top is left hanging? It's also fighting with the side exhaust.
Well, I guess you could do a rear intake if you put a filter over the grille...


I tried to plan out something similar with dual AIOs, but in an Enthoo 719... things went more smoothly in a smaller chassis(CM H500P Mesh).
You'll have an easier time with your project in the 4000D. Gpu AIO at the top and cpu AIO at the front would be more efficient than the other way around, but the 360mm cpu AIO means that you'll have to mount it at the top eventually, after a few years or so.

 

[fidelitas22]

You typed 7000D, but linked the 5000 model. I suppose it doesn't change too much.


Those chassis aren't dual AIO friendly. The radiator options are more flexible with custom liquid systems - which is what they were intended for.
The tubes on AIOs(between 380-400mm max) aren't long enough for a front mount to be an option, and side mounting is going to be a tight stretch with some because of things like shorter or more rigid tubing.
A side exhaust? So the front's intake, only to get sucked right out the side, and the cooler up top is left hanging? It's also fighting with the side exhaust.
Well, I guess you could do a rear intake if you put a filter over the grille...


I tried to plan out something similar with dual AIOs, but in an Enthoo 719... things went more smoothly in a smaller chassis(CM H500P Mesh).
You'll have an easier time with your project in the 4000D. Gpu AIO at the top and cpu AIO at the front would be more efficient than the other way around, but the 360mm cpu AIO means that you'll have to mount it at the top eventually, after a few years or so.

Sorry for the wrong link; my previous setup had the cpu front mounted as intake with the gpu top mounted as exhaust and that seems to be what caused the pump burnout. I was hoping to find a setup that allowed a top mounted CPU AIO; but then I wasn’t sure what to do with the GPU AIO. Tubing length was what forced the front mounted CPU AIO the first time so trying to find a way around that. I looked at the Cooler Masters C700P as another option, pricey but seems to offer movable motherboard setups that could provide some of the issues around the tubing length. Appreciate the suggestions for the smaller casing to make the build easier. Did you have success with the Enthoo?

 

[fidelitas22]

I have no idea how you could side mount the GPO AIO unless the hoses are long enough.

I would put the 360mm CPU AIO to exhaust top. Use the GPO AIO on the front panel as intake with 1 additional 120mm fan (2 if they will fit) . and one 120mm fan in the back as exhaust. The heat generated by the AIO shouldn't pose a problem to the CPU AIO as the air will be pulled out the rear and top.

The GPU AIO outputs a lot of heat, would that be a problem with using it as intake? Or as long as I have enough airflow it will move through without causing too many issues?

 

[Phaaze88]

@fidelitas22
All pumps 'burnout' eventually, either mechanically, chemically, or biologically. Lotta ways to die.
Sometimes, they up and die early - chalk it up to bad luck, RMA if possible, and try again.
The 360 and 420mm AIOs can limit mounting position and future chassis options. They are provided the same size tubes as the smaller units, and combined with the longer radiator, can become more of an inconvenience than a benefit.
Front mounting an AIO with the radiator inlet and outlet towards the top leads to a dripping or running water noise after an indefinite period of time(a few years or so). It's caused by the fluid level inevitably decreasing and the larger air pocket collecting at the inlet side of the radiator.

If your previous AIO was a Kraken M22 or one of the popular(only due to the pricing) Msi Coreliquid Rs: those units have their pumps in the radiator. This design changed what mounting options could be used. Mounting these at the top, or the front with rad inlet + outlet towards the top can see short runs from them, as the user risked exposing the pumps to air. Also, the Coreliquids seem to have a QC problem, 'cause they seem to fail fast even when mounted correctly!
Fractal Design recently launched their Lumen series - looks to be the same Pump In Rad design. Will have to wait and see how well those hold up...


CM C700P: That's a big one, at least on the outside.
Pictures online suggest it's not as deep(horizontally) as the 7000D is, as I can see that front mounting AIOs is possible, but you're still stuck with mounting the rad with inlet+outlet towards the top. The different layouts don't appear to help:
Inverted: One of your AIOs is going to be mounted at the bottom. Pump above rad is a no-no; you won't be keeping it for long...
Chimney: Intake air from the bottom, and everything goes up and out the top. One AIO will mount at the top, and neither can go at the bottom if you want it to last. This means one will still be put at the front as intake... Hey, that's no different from -
Regular: The usual.


Enthoo 719: No, I didn't. I've put it in a corner for now until the next gpu upgrade which I will just custom cool that part.


"The GPU AIO outputs a lot of heat, would that be a problem with using it as intake? Or as long as I have enough airflow it will move through without causing too many issues?"
No, it is not bad, per se, but it's no different from how the vast majority of systems out there are already set up, with the gpu dumping it's waste heat in the chassis and some, or most of it passing through the cpu cooler.
Between the cpu and gpu, the latter usually pumps out the most heat. With how power efficient cpus are today, the opposite is not as common.

-Gpu heat passing through cpu cooler.
-Cpu heat passing through gpu cooler.
Some air is still better than no air, but the 1st one is a less efficient use of it.
Ehh, I suppose it's all moot, when the PC ultimately warms up your room either way. Chalk it up to me nitpicking.

 

[fidelitas22]

@fidelitas22
All pumps 'burnout' eventually, either mechanically, chemically, or biologically. Lotta ways to die.
Sometimes, they up and die early - chalk it up to bad luck, RMA if possible, and try again.
The 360 and 420mm AIOs can limit mounting position and future chassis options. They are provided the same size tubes as the smaller units, and combined with the longer radiator, can become more of an inconvenience than a benefit.
Front mounting an AIO with the radiator inlet and outlet towards the top leads to a dripping or running water noise after an indefinite period of time(a few years or so). It's caused by the fluid level inevitably decreasing and the larger air pocket collecting at the inlet side of the radiator.

If your previous AIO was a Kraken M22 or one of the popular(only due to the pricing) Msi Coreliquid Rs: those units have their pumps in the radiator. This design changed what mounting options could be used. Mounting these at the top, or the front with rad inlet + outlet towards the top can see short runs from them, as the user risked exposing the pumps to air. Also, the Coreliquids seem to have a QC problem, 'cause they seem to fail fast even when mounted correctly!
Fractal Design recently launched their Lumen series - looks to be the same Pump In Rad design. Will have to wait and see how well those hold up...


CM C700P: That's a big one, at least on the outside.
Pictures online suggest it's not as deep(horizontally) as the 7000D is, as I can see that front mounting AIOs is possible, but you're still stuck with mounting the rad with inlet+outlet towards the top. The different layouts don't appear to help:
Inverted: One of your AIOs is going to be mounted at the bottom. Pump above rad is a no-no; you won't be keeping it for long...
Chimney: Intake air from the bottom, and everything goes up and out the top. One AIO will mount at the top, and neither can go at the bottom if you want it to last. This means one will still be put at the front as intake... Hey, that's no different from -
Regular: The usual.


Enthoo 719: No, I didn't. I've put it in a corner for now until the next gpu upgrade which I will just custom cool that part.


"The GPU AIO outputs a lot of heat, would that be a problem with using it as intake? Or as long as I have enough airflow it will move through without causing too many issues?"
No, it is not bad, per se, but it's no different from how the vast majority of systems out there are already set up, with the gpu dumping it's waste heat in the chassis and some, or most of it passing through the cpu cooler.
Between the cpu and gpu, the latter usually pumps out the most heat. With how power efficient cpus are today, the opposite is not as common.

-Gpu heat passing through cpu cooler.
-Cpu heat passing through gpu cooler.
Some air is still better than no air, but the 1st one is a less efficient use of it.
Ehh, I suppose it's all moot, when the PC ultimately warms up your room either way. Chalk it up to me nitpicking.

Yea the last build with the front mount had the CPU AIO with tubes at top, pump mounted lower but definitely head that trickling sound and noise. It seems like having two AIO limits things a lot haha. If I downsized my CPU AIO to a 240, and had a case that supported a top mount 480 radiator. I could top mount both the CPU and GPU AIO’s as exhaust then run a traditional front intake fan setup and rear exhaust as well. I’m realizing that with two AIO I really get limited with setups. Appreciate the input alot, just trying to figure out how to get the best airflow without compromising pumps.

 

[Phaaze88]

had a case that supported a top mount 480 radiator. I could top mount both the CPU and GPU AIO’s as exhaust

Oh, I don't know about that. The radiators are longer than the combined length of the fans. Like, if a chassis supports 360mm max at the top, and you tried to do 240 + 120 at the top, the 2 rads might not fit, because together, they're longer than a single 360mm.

 

[MrLitschel]

The GPU AIO outputs a lot of heat, would that be a problem with using it as intake? Or as long as I have enough airflow it will move through without causing too many issues?

It shouldn't cause an issue as the case is large enough and should have the airflow needed. Since the CPU is also an AIO, the heat would have minimal effect on the entire system.

 

[Karadjgne]

360 aio as side intake for cpu.
240 aio as top exhaust for gpu
Rear fan, intake fans if desired or needed.