Concept Thoughts on how to compremise between SFF and cooling.

[NRG]

I've recently transplanted my 11900K/3080 from my FormD T1 to an Ncase m1. Blessed to have bought the case on a whim one day only to find out weeks later that the case is no longer available. The story begins with loud fans and very warm coolant. I had a TX240 with three Noctua NF-A12X15's and a DDC pump mounted to the top of the case. It was a temporary solution but one that never got resolved due to the mounting concerns of my temps. I undervolted my 3080 heavily in an attempt to tame the thermal beast and with my 11900K in similar shackles, I was not content. WHY can't I push my components to their limits?! WHY must I suffer the oppression of undervolting and power restictions. All while being besieged by an audible onslaught just to keep it functioning. My discontent had grown beyond my wallets ability to fend of the pestering of a larger case with more cooling options. An Ncase M1 was bought and a second 240mm rad was thrown in for good measure along with an iceman pump res combo...

Yeah look nothing really changed a great deal. I got a little more headroom with my 3080, but my coolant temp still clock out at 55 degrees after an hour of New World and even with fans pumping I'm still not convinced this is the solution. I'm going to use a CPU block/pump and throw a third radiator onto the back to see if it will help. (With a 12900K on the way the outlooks not great).

So my question is does anyone know of a layout similar to this?

It's the M1 layout with room for a 45mm thick rad and 25mm fans on the bottom. 25mm with 25mm fans on the side mounted rad. I was also toying with another 240mm on the top with a TX240+15mm fans.
Does it exist?

 

[scatterforce]

The Sliger Cerberus would fit your needs.

That, or go bigger. A custom loop in the 011 mini Air would look real nice.

 

[NRG]

The Sliger Cerberus would fit your needs.

That, or go bigger. A custom loop in the 011 mini Air would look real nice.

I have a Cerberus-X. But I feel like its not as space optimized as it could be. I will have to crack it open and have a look.

 

[Legion]

Edit:2
(Cut out the longwinded reply)
Keep what you have and go external rad/s? get all that heatsoak away from such a dense packed area.

 

[NRG]

Edit:2
(Cut out the longwinded reply)
Keep what you have and go external rad/s? get all that heatsoak away from such a dense packed area.

I did actually have an external 480 with my T1 but didnt think I needed it. Might be time to revisit the solution

 

[eedev]

I did actually have an external 480 with my T1 but didnt think I needed it. Might be time to revisit the solution

I think it is a sound advice as long are you are not moving your case every day.

 

[NRG]

I think it is a sound advice as long are you are not moving your case every day.

Thanks for the pictures, very similar to what I had for my setup, dust filters and all :’)

I could move back to my T1 and have all cooling external as I have a 480 x 60 radiator that I’m sure would adequately cool my components.

I do have this itch to have it all enclosed within one chassis. I know I could cool it easily with external parts but I really would rather one complete enclosure.

I’m working on an adapter to mount a 92x2 radiator that I had floating around to the back of my Ncase M1, I think that should be enough to keep things cool. I put some Phanteks T30 on my side radiator and I’m not sure if I’m imagining it but I’d swear I’ve dropped several degrees running the same fan curve as my noctuas. So there is hope yet.

External radiators might be the play. I do have my CNC almost built so I may tinker with some aluminium based enclosure design for the no compromise cooling case. NoCo will be what I’ll call it and it may just be an exercise in futility but I doubt I’ll be content until I’ve at least explored that avenue

 

[thelaughingman]

@NRG more radiators is not always better. I tried 3x 240s in the NR200 and performance was not that much better for the CPU, albeit GPU was great. My takeaway was to go for the biggest rad possible and minimize the quantity to reduce complications (fittings, routings, flow rate). others have pointed out quite clearly - you have 2 paths: external radiator(s) or go bigger case (I suggest something that can fit 280 or 360 radiator so closer to 20L in volume)

 

[NRG]

@NRG more radiators is not always better. I tried 3x 240s in the NR200 and performance was not that much better for the CPU, albeit GPU was great. My takeaway was to go for the biggest rad possible and minimize the quantity to reduce complications (fittings, routings, flow rate). others have pointed out quite clearly - you have 2 paths: external radiator(s) or go bigger case (I suggest something that can fit 280 or 360 radiator so closer to 20L in volume)

Its not component temperature that has me worried, it’s the coolant temperature. More radiators would prevent that from reaching above a comfortable level. I’m 3D printing a bracket for my N1 atm and that will hopefully let me add a 92x2 radiator to my loop and with a little luck that will do the trick

I do think you’re right with the component simplification route. I have two 480 rads on shelf.
Bang both of them under my desk and I wouldn’t need any radiators in my T1 or my N1. Definitely food for thought.

Imagine an Ncase M1 with 360 support, bottom and side mount. Now that would probably be hideous hahahah!

Edit:

I MEAN, SHE THICC, BUT...

 

[thelaughingman]

Imagine an Ncase M1 with 360 support, bottom and side mount. Now that would probably be hideous hahahah!

ZZAW C3 - side and bottom 360 support exactly the layout in your render LOL

 

[NRG]

ZZAW C3 - side and bottom 360 support exactly the layout in your render LOL

The bottom support for radiator does not seem like it’s adequate. Barely fits a 25mm fan under the GPU. But yea, very close!

Edit: I stand corrected!

 

[thelaughingman]

The bottom support for radiator does not seem like it’s adequate.

it's about the same clearance you get for the bottom radiator in the M1 though?

 

[NRG]

it's about the same clearance you get for the bottom radiator in the M1 though?

You’re right, but I’d rather a big chonker rad in the bottom if possible!

*slaps Ncase M1*

This bad boy can fit so many radiators outside of it!

 

[NRG]

 

[NRG]

The jank-meter here is at an all time high :’)

I chucked my Aquanaut Extreme on and it’s performing very well considering I had a Optimus block with liquid metal on previously.

I know it’s closer to “open air” at the moment but dust filters are installed and it currently has done what I needed. I tried pumping it with heat for over an hour of New World in a 24 degree room and coolant temp never got above 40 degrees whereas previously I was well over 45 and creeping up to 50 on warmer days.

Fans are also spinning significantly slower. Fan speeds where maxing out at 1600-1800 RPM and quiet audible. They barely get above 1200-1300 RPM and is much better on my ears :’)

12900K this week. Not sure if I’ll do this Jank MOD or go to external rads in my FormD T1

 

[NRG]

So I’ve been working on printing my own T1/M1 Hybrid, kind of reverse engineering them both to suit my needs.

Would you believe that I managed to get an old Asus GTX 770 with an EK block on it! It apparently works but it’s mostly just for size reference and fitting everything together. It’s approximately 134mm wide and my Vector 3080 is 124. So I have 10mm to play with on the width of this bastardised case I’m putting together.

So far everything has worked out pretty well. I printed it in sections in order to verify my measurements and almost every piece has seen a reprint or two. Finally got a backplate printed for testing which worked out better Ethan expected. I’ve skeletonised the backplate in order to save on filament as I’m running low and been stuck at home for the last 2 weeks due to having covid.

Pretty pleased with everything so far and have the front plate with side mount rad struts on their way too. The goal is to squeeze 3 240mm radiators whilst using a aquanaut extreme. I could probably mount my iceman on the back if it was needed.

Ill post updates here in order to keep a log of sorts for my own tracking.

 

[NRG]

This might actually work…

Kinda shocked it didn't just collapse in on itself. It's 12.6225 Liters which is nice. It can be smaller though. The current GPU width is 134~mm and the Vector line of Waterblocks is 124mm. So it could get down to 11.8 Liters if I wanted to. Had this crazy idea to make the side radiator slim with slim fans and sandwich the new EK 3080/3090 waterblock between the mobo and the radiator. I might see how it looks in Fusion before I make any commitments with printing.

I think now that the proof of concept is established I'll branch the design off into a 3D printer friendly design. The fan struts would be fine in alumium but don't quiet hold up in PLA and the rear struts will work better if they're one piece to help support the weight of the PSU. I've always been a little inspired by the way the Corsair One manages to cool two radiators with just a single top 140mm fan. Whilst I don't plan to cool this with a single fan I may borrow design cues in the negative air pressure concept to essentially force all external air through the radiators in a ducted manner with a rear 92mm fan to exhaust.

 

[Ezzoud]

Why do you need your component temps so low? They can easily run 70-80 without dieing in 2-3 years which by then its going to obsolete for you anyway?

 

[NRG]

Why do you need your component temps so low? They can easily run 70-80 without dieing in 2-3 years which by then its going to obsolete for you anyway?

It's not component temperature that worries me, it was coolant. Coolant was well over 55 degrees which I'm not comfortable with.

 

[NRG]

Decommissioned the Purple prototype and have decided to stem the model off into a 3D print friendly version. I'll work on the aluminium version later down the track.

These little brass things are actually pretty gnarly. Surprising how well they work.

Everything worked so I'm moving onto the front and backplates along with a sturdier side mounted radiator frame.