Eisbaer 120mm or Eisbaer 140mm

[Nozzle]

Hello,
I'm almost set on buying an Alphacool AIO product to replace my BeQuiet Shadow Rock LP but cannot determine if the 120mm or 140mm will be best. My Fractal Design Core 500 case has space for up to 140mm unit in the top or rear (I have an ODD fitted so this precludes use of a larger radiator). Being such a small case, I see an AIO cooler as the ideal solution to extract the heat directly out the chassis rather than turbulently distribute it about the case.

There are no reviews out there for the Eisbare 140mm cooler, though plenty of promo material launching the Eisbaer 420mm which evidently is loosely associated with the 140mm model. Is it better (from a cooling/quietness perspective) to go for the 140mm unit (@30mm thick) or the 120mm unit (@45mm). I might assume the 140mm given the fans are slower but is there any way to have these fans variable speed (DC rather or PWM) or must they be fixed 140mm @1000rpm / 120mm @ 1500rpm. This type of question would be non-existant if only manufacturers would publish TDP specs at nominal ambient temperature, 100% fan speed, 100% pump speed.

Some of the competing products in the same market space (notably Corsair H80i or NZXT M42 and X42) feature PWM fans as standard which seems like a better selling point. Perhaps I am needlessly worrying that the supplied Silent Wings 2 Fans at full rated speed aren't actually loud? (Once pushing air turbulently though the radiator fins)

Is the pump speed also fixed? Are the currently stocked Eisbaer 120mm or 140mm models AM4 mountable out of the box or will I need to purchase a separate mounting kit too?

I will be using it with Ryzen 2600x and ASUS Strix B450-I and a 140mm PWM fan sucking air into the case and down onto the motherboard - I hope it too will cool the RAM, nVME and VRM gear. If not, I'll mount an extra. The GFX card is really conveniently mount tight to the side of the chassis but here the case is perforated so hot air goes straight to the outside world.

Nozzle

 

[Nozzle]

Furthermore, having read through the fitting instructions it says:
"Make sure that the window is facing upwards (or that the Alphacool logo can be read from the front). This design ensures that the pump does not run dry."

In my case, and like many ITX set ups, the motherboard is horizontal, not vertical and so I can't fit the pump such that the windows faces upwards! With this is mind, what other precaution should I take to ensure the pump doesn't loose prime - or do I have to conclude that AIO cooling is not suitable for a CPU that is mounted horizontally? The radiator will be mounted higher than the CPU but there is a lot of hose length so will try to avoid introducing any "loops"

Nozzle

 

[Nozzle]

Dear engineers @ Alphacool...
I've now made the choice, somewhat blindly, and purchased the 140mm model. However there is still the outstanding query above. That is to say what precautions should I take given my ITX board is horizontal in my Fractal Design Core 500 case and therefore I cannot "make sure the window is facing upwards"

Regards,
Nozzle

 

[Metropolis34]

Hi There, well if the window does not show up it can happen that the pump runs dry and stops working. To avoid this problem we are informing our customers not to do so.

 

[Nozzle]

Okay, now I understand that the warning in the manual relates to being able to easily observe only that the pump is primed & running. I initially understood it to mean that the orientation of the window should be "upwards" to ensure the pump suction port stays low down (for best prime).

With this in mind, I will install with the window pointing in a convenient direction and not be concerned that the suction port is higher up than the pump impeller

Nozzle

 

[Metropolis34]

Well it is also important to check out the liquid level in the CPU unit. That is why we have produced this article with the sight window.

 

[Nozzle]

I was so excited to fit the Eisbaer 140mm last night... such as shame it does not fit in my chassis! I thought there would be space - turns out that, at best, there is only physically space for 1 fan and the radiator, but though the screw holes are at 140mm centre, some of the chassis material is in the way. My case would therefore need modifying and even then, I could use only 1 fan. I think the problem would be minimised with a 120mm unit, though could still use only 1 fan. I suspect a 120mm unit with only 1 fan would be a poor performer. Also, there's not enough space for hoses, as the hoses are quite long they readily coil up.

Air cooler for me :-(

Nozzle

 

[Metropolis34]

Hey, what kind of case you have? is it possible to upload some photos so we can see and maybe help you with the instalation?

 

[Nozzle]

It's a Fractal Design Core 500 - which actually has enough space for a 280mm AIO installed in the top of the case. However this then disallows use of the optical drive bay - but I need to use DVD. Therefore this limits my option to the rear fan space (120 or 140mm fixing centre), but actually this is preferable as I need my heat to exhaust out the back as the desk would prevent upward flow anyway.

Meanwhile inside the case, the thickness of two fans and a radiator would clash with the pump installed on the CPU. As you can see here, my current CPU/Fan sits just adjacent to the case fan.

A 120mm unit might fit, but the Eisbaer LT 120m seem to be made with previous generation tech.

I've attached photos for interest, but regretfully I've decided to abort the install. I suspect it is uneconomic to return this unit back to Germany for a refund



Regards, Nozzle

 

[Metropolis34]

That looks really tight and the 120 mm one would be not enough to cool the system sorry for that. I dont know where you are from but if you want to send the product back regarding a refund you need to pay for the shipping so to me it is sensless.

 

[Nozzle]

I've had another idea (and I've also discovered the ODD rack is removable) which might work. Can you quantify or estimate how much of a detriment it would be to run the Eisbaer 140mm with only 1 fan? I could still mount it in the place I was going to originally (rear position), with only 1 fan, or perhaps a slimmer fan. Optionally, I could mount the other fan on the outside of the case - obviously with a cage to prevent fingers being injured!

Nozzle

 

[Metropolis34]

The radiator which comes with the Eisbaer is only 30 mm thick. I can not tell you how much detriment you would have as the case looks to me really full and i do not know how the air circulation is. Yoou need to try it out i am affraid. With a second radiator and push / pull method i would say roughly 20 up to 30 % more perfomance you should get. But this information is really hard to generalize as it depends from a lot of side factors.

 

[Nozzle]

I am writing to you using my old and slow Samsung Netbook on account of the desktop PC undergoing major surgery - photos to follow! I've had good luck fitting the 140mm AIO with only very minor modification to the chassis. Photos to follow!!

I am awaiting additional parts which will facilitate fitting the 2nd fan externally to make sure it's still safe and neat. However, I've run some tests using just the single fan and it's more capable than the beQuiet Shadow Rock LP which it replaces (rated at 130W). I think my Ryzen 2600X is already quite near the limit so can't get much of an overclock anyway. I think with my previous cooler there was BCLK throttling after many hours at high load... but no sign of that with the new AIO (even with single fan)

Nozzle

 

[Metropolis34]

Well that is a good sign i guess Glad to hear that it worked out ^^

 

[Nozzle]

With a minor modification to this "spine" for fan clearance, (only on this side), then elongate the holes in the chassis that secure the fan, it was done!! The guys at Fractal Design should get in on this, and incorporate the changes and produce a new revision.

You can see space is cramped, but as far as I'm concerned it's better as the heat is being transported straight to the radiator and directly out the case.

Air flow through the radiator is a little throttled because the hoses and pump housing are adjacent to the fan. Second fan will be fitted to the outside once all the longer M3 screws have arrived. I will be certain to carefully measure and cut so the screws are just the right length and do not pierce the radiator core.

Nozzle

 

[Metropolis34]

OMG This looks really tight dude How are the temps?

 

[Nozzle]

At sustained full load with no overclock (3925MHz after XFR/PBO effects are complete), with Argus Monitor reporting 120W it tops out at ~73C with only one fan currently fitted and PCH 62C. I have contact ASUS regarding the temperature readings at low load - I'm not happy with the spiking and it cannot be genuine with all that thermal mass to 'move about'. It does effect fan speed control though.

My previous set up would have reached 90C and throttled...


Nozzle

 

[Nozzle]

I have now fitted the second fan (external to the chassis) and the result is really pleasing. Same conditions as above, pump running only 90%. PCH temperature actually drops a little to54C as the AIO cooler fans spin up, obviously on account of better air throughput. CPU temperature stable at 69C, reporting 120W still. Ryzen Master in PBO mode, 3975MHz

 

[Metropolis34]

This are realy good results dude if i see the case

 

[Nozzle]

Here's the view from above, you can see the longer screws through the outer fan and finger cage that pull it up to the chassis and the radiator:


Here it is installed under the desk, you can see here why I really need the 140mm AIO in the rear position, and cannot use the top one... a large chunk of Oak is sure to stop air flow! I still have a 120mm beQuiet fan mounted in the top, but it will have limited throughput on account of the gap is only 7mm.