Cooling SFF Water-cooling

[zillatron]

Squeezing as much power as you can into a SFF case can, as you all know, be quite a challenge. Cooling all that hardware *and* keeping it quiet is (arguably) even more challenging.

One thing I really want to attack in a future incarnation of my toaster games rig is water-cooling. In fact, my original idea was to go exclusively water cooled, but the scope of that undertaking became quite overwhelming once I started to investigate how you'd actually go about it in a case quite literally the size of a toaster.

So...have you done water-cooling in your SFF build? AIO? Custom loop? What parts did you use or have you found? Planning to do it?

Post your ideas and photos!
Dan

I'll start with this petite pump/res combo from XSPC, comes with a snazzy 120mm mounting bracket.

Product page: XSPC Ion

 

[FCase]

I'll start with this petite pump/res combo from XSPC, comes with a snazzy 120mm mounting bracket.

Product page: XSPC Ion

This is awesome! I was planning on using a Swiftech 140mm AIO or raping the pump from a Fractal Kelvin 120 and put it in a custom loop. This allows a full custom loop in my planned 9L case. Thanks for the find.

Mal

 

[zillatron]

This allows a full custom loop in my planned 9L case. Thanks for the find.

Glad to help!

Hopefully this thread can save some people some time finding parts suitable for SSF builds

One of the other options I was looking at was a CPU block/pump/res combos. Depending on your needs, these may be useful too...

- Alphacool/Coolermaster Ersberg solo (These seem to be a little hard to come by now)

- Raijintek Triton is actually and AIO, but can be easily dismantled to use the block with other radiators. Ability to essentially match the (clear) pump with the colour scheme of your case is also a nice bonus.

Dan

 

[EdZ]

We had a little discussion earlier on ultra low flow watercooling, though that would require quite a bit of custom kit.

 

[PlayfulPhoenix]

I personally feel that an expandable AIO is the best way to go for most folks in this regard. Having the pump and reservoir integrated in the CPU block and radiator make it substantially easier to fit the loop in a build, and most 240mm AIO's will support a top-tier graphics card and CPU just fine. (The temperatures won't be amazing but they'll still be much improved over air in most instances)

It also tends to be way less expensive than parting out a custom loop, way easier to build and install, etc.

 

[FCase]

- Raijintek Triton is actually and AIO, but can be easily dismantled to use the block with other radiators. Ability to essentially match the (clear) pump with the colour scheme of your case is also a nice bonus.

Dan

I looked at the Raijintek and decided against it. The plexiglas res has a reputation for cracking. Also the fittings are epoxied into the housing and cannot be changed out to expand the loop. Google it.

Another option is the Deepcool Captain AIO. It is a little tall (too tall for me) so plan accordingly.

Mal

 

[zillatron]

EK have announced some 'Slim Series' kits..

• "Designed for smaller cases with slim radiator in mind, the S kits are a great choice for every liquid cooling beginner and people doing small and mini ITX builds."

Sweet. https://www.ekwb.com/news/ek-is-releasing-new-slim-series-kits/

Z

 

[Phuncz]

I like that they've release the Slim Series, many people love EKWB and get their Predator series, which is anything but SFF friendly. Necere must have seen plenty of people on [H] asking to stuff that set in the Ncase M1

 

[Necere]

I like that they've release the Slim Series, many people love EKWB and get their Predator series, which is anything but SFF friendly. Necere must have seen plenty of people on [H] asking to stuff that set in the Ncase M1

Indeed, the Predator is both too long and too thick to fit comfortably in the M1. Unfortunately these new slim series kits don't really remedy the problem, since there isn't really room for the pump/res combo, either.

It's too bad they can't put the pump on the block and use that in a kit due to Asetek's patent, but it'd still be neat if they offered one separately like Swiftech does with the Apogee Drive.

 

[FCase]

Glad to help!

Hopefully this thread can save some people some time finding parts suitable for SSF builds

One of the other options I was looking at was a CPU block/pump/res combos. Depending on your needs, these may be useful too...

- Alphacool/Coolermaster Ersberg solo (These seem to be a little hard to come by now)

- Raijintek Triton is actually and AIO, but can be easily dismantled to use the block with other radiators. Ability to essentially match the (clear) pump with the colour scheme of your case is also a nice bonus.

Dan

The Eisberg appears to be an improved example of the Triton. Anandtech now says they are offering it in an AIO. Here
Love the fact it is fully modular block/pump/res combo.

Mal

 

[Phuncz]

I like it, although for plenty of SFF builds, the tall block/pump/res and top connections are an issue. Still, a copper radiator with decent fans included, with expandability possible/easy, this is one to remember.

 

[FCase]

I think the added height of the res is an attempt not to wake the patent troll.

Mal

 

[CC Ricers]

The Triton's radiator looks decent. I'd probably pair them with some better fans however.

And I faced the same problem that Necere pointed out with bottom radiator placement. Modern hardware is efficient enough to only need a single 240 rad now, but the clearance of the M1 bottom with a watercooled card is somewhere like 40-45mm. I owned a M1 for a very short time. It's a nice case, my silver AX 240 would look good in it, but the space was too small.