R4 WC Question

PacificNic

New member
I have a Fractal Design Define R4 and I daydream of putting it under water. I have two options for res mounting and a question that is then raised. I can put a small tube res/pump combo next to the PSU or I can go with a bay reservoir/pump combo. Here's the question, would it be worth going with a bay res and putting a passive 140mm (in addition to the other rads) in the floor or going with a tube and just using front/top 240s? I don't know whether the 140mm would help or not. If I go with the bay res, I lose out on NZXT HUE and BitFenix Recon controllers, but if I go with the tube, I lose potential performance.

The tube routing wouldn't be all too different either way, but I do prefer the aesthetic of a tube res. What's the best choice here?
 
You won't have enough room in the top for a rad. I measured my R4 from the top of the mobo tray and up and it was only about 42mm. You would have to use the front section to use a rad but then you need to move your drives elsewhere. Its just not worth the hassle. You would have to modify the roof to offset the fan holes to the left for you to be able to get make it worth the time.
 
Yeah i would have to agree with neverbackdown, i put a system in a R4 2 weeks ago and it is a really nice case, but for watercooling it is lacking a fair bit in options.
 
I have not encountered these myself, but I wonder if perhaps the option of using a very small res (similar to the one which Tom uses in his beginners guide to water cooling) and a separate pump would not be a better option for this case, given that it is smaller than most water cooling cases?

You could always use double sided velcro tape to mount it (and the pump) into your case if room is REALLY tight...
 
You won't have enough room in the top for a rad. I measured my R4 from the top of the mobo tray and up and it was only about 42mm. You would have to use the front section to use a rad but then you need to move your drives elsewhere. Its just not worth the hassle. You would have to modify the roof to offset the fan holes to the left for you to be able to get make it worth the time.

The case comes with offset fan holes. Radiators fit fine in the top and I can just put my drives elsewhere with regards to hard drives. My SSD can go behind the MoBo.

@Surfie, I have seen many WC R4 build with smaller tube res or bay res used. Bay is probably most effective but I could fit an 80 or 150mm (or mL?) Bitspower mod kit in the floor.
 
The case comes with offset fan holes. Radiators fit fine in the top and I can just put my drives elsewhere with regards to hard drives. My SSD can go behind the MoBo.

@Surfie, I have seen many WC R4 build with smaller tube res or bay res used. Bay is probably most effective but I could fit an 80 or 150mm (or mL?) Bitspower mod kit in the floor.

Offset? Nope they are not.. its dead center just by looking at it.. also i just measured from the edge of the case on both sides till the fan holes.. both are exactly 2inches away. Pretty centered. Not trying to be a smartass here btw(if it comes off that way sorry).

If you can fit rads there with a set of fans and have tried it and it all works for you with other hardware installed then by all means go for it. You can always fit a rad in the front and use a uni mount to mount a certain sized res to the radiator. I have seen that done before and it looks good if thought out well. It would give you more room for a pump. Could also probably make it easier to fit it there since with a gpu you are more vertically limited and putting that on the rad and keeping the pump on the floor helps solve that while still keeping the res above the pump. Course you could go for a res/pump combo but in a r4 with already limited space it would be a hassle to have it all so tight in that corner of the case. Just makes it cluttered and more work for hosing routes. And in my opinion wouldn't look so great.
 
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Offset? Nope they are not.. its dead center just by looking at it.. also i just measured from the edge of the case on both sides till the fan holes.. both are exactly 2inches away. Pretty centered. Not trying to be a smartass here btw(if it comes off that way sorry).

If you can fit rads there with a set of fans and have tried it and it all works for you with other hardware installed then by all means go for it. You can always fit a rad in the front and use a uni mount to mount a certain sized res to the radiator. I have seen that done before and it looks good if thought out well. It would give you more room for a pump. Could also probably make it easier to fit it there since with a gpu you are more vertically limited and putting that on the rad and keeping the pump on the floor helps solve that while still keeping the res above the pump. Course you could go for a res/pump combo but in a r4 with already limited space it would be a hassle to have it all so tight in that corner of the case. Just makes it cluttered and more work for hosing routes. And in my opinion wouldn't look so great.

I am not home at the moment or else I would take photos, but I promise you that there are offset mounts. They're offset by 5mm or so. I'm not thick, I can see the 120 mounts and there is a set of 120 mounts just next to it. I don't know if the non-window version is different but mine certainly has them.
 
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