I have this idea to take my top mounted aio radiator and mount it to the top of my case for better Temps.
I would use spacers so it would sit an inch above the case sucking in more ambient air than heat inside the case allowing me to keep the side panel on.
My question is should I block off the top case vent ONLY allowing room temp air or leave it open? I can still vent heat from the back of the case and rear side panel.
That's a good idea, to mount the AIO on the outside top of case.
As for the top vents... if you have intake fans elsewhere in the case... I would leave the top vents open.
They handle passive exhaust of internal case heat.
Here's a pic of a similar idea, with radiator(s) on the outside of the case...
Lots of cool computer mod ideas...
MILLION-DOLLAR-PC [MDPC] | the world's most beautiful computer systems
Yes, there is 3 bottom mounted intake fans. It's a glass case with the front and front side all glass. The bottom 3 fans already have a custom intake which greatly helps the gpu stay cool.
This is the configuration now. Plenty of exhaust.
I want to relocate to the outside because I saw a case somewhere had a separate chamber up top for the AIO and everyone loved it.
The other reason is now with this Arctic II radiator being a little thicker than the Corsair in the pic it is a REALLY tight fit. I had to remove one of the 3 top fans to get it to mount because that extra thickness interfered with the CPU power on the upper left.
Many people have also told me to stop truckifying a car and to get an actual truck but that'll never happen
I like to tinker and if it ain't broke make it better.
For those afflicted with radiator woes, this is the case for you...
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This case has more goodies than Batman's Utility Belt.
I guess its a hard one as this area has arguments for most case scenarios either way. I feel there is most likely going to be no benefit. Ambient temps have a 1:1 ratio effect on the PC so for every 1c in ambient temp it will translate roughly to 1c on your components. I would also say that a normal rad like yours would benefit more being inside the case especially with all those fans and especially being top mount exhaust.
Maybe if the rad was intake top down and then you would have to switch everything but just having it outside in the exhaust position i don't see any real pro to it tbh.
The image that Ghot linked makes sense because its a passive rad that one obviously is not going to fit in that case because just look at it and two a Rad like that would not really matter where it is in the setup as its supposed to be passive and would need minimal airflow.
Also not really sure what you mean here as it reads like it sounds
You want to top mount your Rad externally but block the top vent? is how it reads. This would be even worse.My question is should I block off the top case vent ONLY allowing room temp air or leave it open? I can still vent heat from the back of the case and rear side panel.
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Most people are also going to argue the case side off. Airflow is effected in this manner as the airflow just swirls around the case instead of being exhausted effectively like it should, in a negative position like you are then its just going to be sucking all this ambient air and swirling on it. if all fans where intake position instead then side off would make sense it would still swirly around but the warm air would escape out the massive gape as new cold air keeps swirly around.
its hard to say either way really as airflow is hard to manage but i don't think there is much to gain by tinkering to this extent tbh.
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I think realistically the next thing outside of average computer cooling would be putting the computer inside an enclosure that has climate control like a climate controlled enclosed rack where its internal temperature is controlled from the outside ambient temperature.
Extreme example but racks like these are designed to work in harsh environments where ambient vs internal temperature control is required. if you where using something like this in the home and knew what you doing it would be a good way to control your working climate.
As long as it won't make things worse the other reason for relocating it outside is for better cable management as it's really tight in there with the new thicker radiator
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