[mark205]

I have a Lian Li 60FNW and I just bought a Swiftech H20-220. It's a ridiculous tight fight for me. The rad on the back covers the GPU ports and if I mount it the other way, the barbs are too far out for the tubing to go through the grommets and connect without kinking. I have not given up but It's definitely not easy lol.

 

[Aqualoon]

It will be a tight fit for a mid tower, that's the appeal of a full tower...I'll be doing the same thing here shortly, not getting that kit but putting together a custom loop to toss into my mid tower. Like what you're experiencing I expect it to be a tight fit.

 

[ChosenLord]

Yeah, my 690 is a mid and its 'ok' but its pretty tight, especially pushing 2 x gtx285's,



I think they're decent for moderate air cooling, but for a full wc loop or two, there's no way you're getting a rad (however big that may be!) + res + pump ect. and that before you even think about the mobo or gpu,

I'm SERIOUSLY considering a Corsair 800D!! you might want to look into this too

that IS CHEAP!

 

[mark205]

It's been a bit of a struggle... thankfully (or unfortunately) the rad I got won't fit on the back of my case because of the fittings. They're spaced too far out. So I'm getting one from swiftech with a res built into it and that mounts with the barbs closer together. That should be ok, one less tube hog and space taker inside my case. The pump is a tight fit but it's not bad I guess. Takes up some real estate. The rad will stick up over the top of my case but I can live with it.

I've actually been looking heavily into the 800D but dropping a ton of cash on the WCing loop kind of limits my budget. We'll see in the future.

 

[ChosenLord]

Quote:

Originally Posted by mark205 It's been a bit of a struggle... thankfully (or unfortunately) the rad I got won't fit on the back of my case because of the fittings. They're spaced too far out. So I'm getting one from swiftech with a res built into it and that mounts with the barbs closer together. That should be ok, one less tube hog and space taker inside my case. The pump is a tight fit but it's not bad I guess. Takes up some real estate. The rad will stick up over the top of my case but I can live with it. I've actually been looking heavily into the 800D but dropping a ton of cash on the WCing loop kind of limits my budget. We'll see in the future.

true, at this stage i'm not sure if a wc loop or a new case would be my best bet, i the case then the wc, kinda a logical progression, put some pics up man, let us see you devilish work!

 

[zpliptzy]

I recently had this same dilemma. I had a Thermaltake element S midtower case that I initially got for free from newegg, and my build went from there. I didn't even anticipate watercooling the system that would go in there. 5 months later, I picked up a feser 480 rad, and decided to add a 2nd cooling loop to my setup-one for the mobo/gpu, and a loop exclusively for my cpu. That wouldn't fit inside or outside my case no matter how many mods I could think of for it. I decided to get a Silverstone TJ-07, which comfortably fits my feser 480 and my black Ice 240 rad inside with a little room to spare, but not much. If you want to future proof yourself, get a larger case, then get the watercooling setup you want-that way you won't have to transfer everything over to your new case. One appeal to the TJ-07 is that it is completely disassembleable, so If you need more 3.5" bays, you've got them. If you need more HDD bays, there's adapters for that...the case is highly modifiable, and cable management is a breeze, although looking at that corsair case, cable management should be easier.

 

[ChosenLord]

Quote:

Originally Posted by zpliptzy I recently had this same dilemma. I had a Thermaltake element S midtower case that I initially got for free from newegg, and my build went from there. I didn't even anticipate watercooling the system that would go in there. 5 months later, I picked up a feser 480 rad, and decided to add a 2nd cooling loop to my setup-one for the mobo/gpu, and a loop exclusively for my cpu. That wouldn't fit inside or outside my case no matter how many mods I could think of for it. I decided to get a Silverstone TJ-07, which comfortably fits my feser 480 and my black Ice 240 rad inside with a little room to spare, but not much. If you want to future proof yourself, get a larger case, then get the watercooling setup you want-that way you won't have to transfer everything over to your new case. One appeal to the TJ-07 is that it is completely disassembleable, so If you need more 3.5" bays, you've got them. If you need more HDD bays, there's adapters for that...the case is highly modifiable, and cable management is a breeze, although looking at that corsair case, cable management should be easier.

Agreed but looking around there are some VERY nice looking/functioning full cases out there and around the 250GBP mark it might be worth looking at other options.

Here are a few of my favourite full towers.

Corsair 800D Obviously
CM - RC1000
Lian Li TYR PC-X2000
Thermaltake VL20001W2Z Element V
Zalman GS1000

there is others but i cant be arsed atm

 

[mark205]

Here's a few quick pics of me just trying to test fit it. I hold the parts in my hand and they don't seem bad until you try and fit them... Good lord.

Today I'm getting a rad with a res so that'll kill any of that fitment I did but oh well, it'll save me room.

May not do it justice but that tubing from the res is going to rest on the side panel and that was after I moved EVERYTHING away lol.

 

[lithgroth007]

You could always mount the pump in a different orientation. I had the same problem when I watercooled my Antec 900, which was even more cramped.

In all honesty, that case has way more than enough room to accommodate your loop. You just have to move things around until they fit.

When I built my loop into the 900 I had a strange setup. My res was on the bottom of the case where your pump is, and my pump was mounted in the 5.25" drive bays. Let me see if I can find a pic of it.

I know it looks like the tubing will hit the side panel in this pic, it was close but it all fit in there without issues.

 

[mark205]

My res has to stand upright. I thought about mounting things different but I figured the looping of tubing was not great for case air flow. Plus my tubing is gicantor so we'll see. I'm putting her together tonight and will be posting pics soon.

 

[doritos93]

Im using a CM Elite so needless to say I didn't feel like crushing things together to get everything to fit inside.

I bought an empty aluminum casing from an electronics shop and was able to house my pump, res, a PS for the fans. and this box sits neatly on top of my case. all i have going in my case are two tubes for the water block. granted my tubing is a little long but i'm getting 33-34 idle, 39 while folding. 51 prime blend. anyone think these temps can be lower?

 

[mark205]

Update: new rad with res and it works!

Leak testing all tonight and then tomorrow I'm plugging it all in.

 

[fatherTime27]

watercool the graphics card so you don't have to worry about it blowing hot air through the radiator

 

[mark205]

Quote:

Originally Posted by fatherTime27 watercool the graphics card so you don't have to worry about it blowing hot air through the radiator

LOL I will for sure when I get a bigger case. Right now I can only fit my current loop with a lot of crossing my fingers lol.

 

[ShortySmalls]

bah, i managed to get a mcp655, dangerden rad-res tube in my lian li k62 mid, plus the RX360 hanging off the back, and sli

thats what you call a tight fit.