Radiators

The radiator in a Watercooled PC is essential to proper cooling of your system. A computer radiator works in the same fashion as the radiator in your car or home. Functionally the radiators job is to transfer heat between the water in your PC and ambient air. In laymen's terms, it takes unwanted heat from your PC and exposes it to air for dissipation. As the single most important and final step to removing heat from your system, it is important to choose the right radiator for your build. Take a look at our quality parts which are sure to meet both your requirements and expectations.

FAQ & Section Info

PC Radiator selection Tips

Your selection for a radiator is heavily based around your PC case. The important thing to remember is to choose a radiator with a find density and thickness that is compatible with your fans. Keep in mind that radiators are much larger than the fan slots they are mounted on. Double check your measurements to ensure you have enough room in your case for the installation. Avoid aluminum radiators as they are corrosion prone.

How many radiators or what size radiator do I need?

Typically you should have at least a 120mm radiator for every GPU and CPU block in your system.

Is a larger radiator always better

Only if you can cross ventilate it with cool air. A smaller radiator with a proper push pull fan setup will outperform a larger radiator with sub-par airflow

What does the radiator do?

The radiator's primary function is cooling of the fluid. With a radiator you typically have thin (in the range of milimeters) fins that are spaced apart to allow for air to flow through them. The radiator returns the cooled down liquid back to the reservoir. Typically a radiator will have fans connected to it to push or pull the air through the cooling fins.

What kind of fans do I need for my radiator?

You'll need to check the size of your radiator to see what size fans you'll need, but in general fans used to cool a radiator as part of a water cooling loop don't have to be all that powerful. In fact, due to noise considerations, most people building loops try to go with low-speed / low-noise fans or medium-speed / medium-noise fans. Noise reduction is usally a primary reason to build a water cooling loop in the first place. With the static pressure build-up on your radiator you want to make sure you can get the air through your fans.

How to clean your radiator

If you're building your own water cooling kit it's a good idea to flush out the radiator to remove any flux that is left over from the manufacturing process. This will also remove any light oxidation that has occurred. You'll need distilled 1-2 gallons distilled water, and white vinegar.

The general process is as follows:

1. Heat the distilled water and pour it through the radiator.
2. Fill the radiator about 1/2 way with hot water and shake. Repeat this several times.
3. Drain the water from the radiator and repeat the step 2 with White Vinegar. Use the cheapest white vinegar you can find.
4. Fill the radiator with white vinegar and let sit 30-60 mins. Do not let set any longer. Vinegar is acidic and will damage the radiator if left for long periods.
5. Drain the vinegar and flush with water as in step 2.