360 Radiator Shootout Begins!

My new focus for testing over the next few months is completing a 360 radiator shootout.  I’ve been in need of a break from the block testing and wanted to contribute something on my new site radiator specific. Rad Bench built…check.  A small tower of radiator samples to start working on…check…:)

SAMPLES ON HAND NOW TESTING SOON

1. XSPC RS360
2. XSPC EX360
3. XSPC RX360
4. Swiftech MCR320 QP
5. Swiftech MCR320 XP
6. Hardware Labs GTX360
7. Hardware Labs SR1360
8. Alphacool Nexxxos Pro III Radiator Rev. 2
9. Alphacool Nexxos XT45 Full Copper 360
10. Alphacool Nexxos UT60 Full Copper 360
11. Phobya G-Changer 360
12. EK Coolstream 360 XT
13. EK Coolstream 360 XTX

I may request more as I get closer to finishing this up, but that’s what I have on hand so far.

WISH LIST FOR POSSIBLE FUTURE TESTING 

These are radiators I haven’t managed to get sponsored yet which folks have asked me to request:

Aquacomputer AMS Copper 360

Koolance HX-CU1020VS 20-FPI Copper

Koolance HX-CU1403V 30-FPI Copper

Thermochill TA120.3 15mm

Aquacomputer AMS Aluminum 360

And a few others that I wouldn’t mind trying out:

Coolgate 360

Hardware Labs Black Ice GTS 360

Hardware Labs Black Ice Pro 360

Hardware Labs Black Ice Extreme 360

Magic Cool Slim Triple 360

I will begin making requests for these after nearing completion of my first 11 and will test whatever I’m sponsored.

SPONSORS

A special thanks to my many sponsors:

Danger Den sponsored the Hardware Labs GTX 360 and Hardware Labs SR1 360 radiators as well as the MC-TDX waterblock.

Aqua Computers sponsored the Aqua Computer’s flow meter and the Aquaero 5XT I plan to use for fan control.

Swiftech sponsored the MCR320 QP(Quiet Power), MCR320 XP (Extreme Performance) radiators as well as the MCP-35X2 pump.

XSPC sponsored the XSPC RS360, XSPC EX360, and XSPC RX360 radiators.

Aquatuning sponsored the Alphacool NexXxoS Pro III 360, Alphacool NexXxoS XT45 Full Copper 360, Alphacool NexXxoS XT60 Full Copper 360, and Phobya G-Changer 360 radiators.

EK sponsored the EK Coolstream XT360 and Coolstream XTX360 radiators

This is going to take a while, but it should be good data when it’s all said and done.

At a minimum I plan to test from 500RPM to 2,200RPM in push & Push+Pull condition with the 35X2 at an average 40% power level.  Additionally I may do some sort of shroud and pumping power sensitivity type testing.  The fans are 25mm 9 blade Titans similar in blade shape to the Gentle Typhoons but with a bit more RPM range.  I decided to forgo multi fan type tested and opting for these as I think they will represent a good average CFM/RPM performance level to that of the typhoons and other higher blade density 25mm fans.

For heat load I am looking at adjusting the heat to several increments with the intent to target about a 10C delta +-.  This will mean testing 500RPM levels at 100Watts, 1400RPM at 200Watts, and 2200RPM levels at 300Watts plus pump heat.  The lines are all insulated and the fans in push are permanently fixed to the triple radiator push template.  I will be logging RPM to average out the RPM levels throughout the test and logging data so I can ensure stability and reasonably constant ambient levels.

If you have any particular requests, now is the time to ask..:)  Also if there is a particular radiator model not already listed, please suggest that too.  I have several others I’m interested in, but holding back on making additional requests until I get caught up a bit.  I’ve been considering Thermochill, Koolance, EK, AquaComputers, Magicool, Coolgate, etc. as possible others to add to the list.

Cheers!
Martin

Add on.

Had some questions regarding the anemometer readings, here is a sample from my initial trial run.  Rather than test at each heat load I plan to test more points with the anemometer to get a good curve developed.

3/12/12 Update

My recent hardware failure set me back a little not having my Crystalfontz to log data with, but I’m back as of this weekend.  I’ve started in on the XSPC radiators first and have pressure drop on all three done and thermals done on the RS.  When I complete thermals on the EX and RX, I will release the XSPC grouping and move down the list.  I also just got in EK’s radiators, so even more goodness of radiators to complete testing on…:)  Still intermixing a little bit of CPU block testing on the 3930K in between this radiator work, and planning to wrap blocks work so I can dedicate myself to completing the radiator tests.