One BIX II or 2 BIX ?

[rocketmanx]

I'm getting ready to order a new rad and am wondering which setp would be better. The BIX2 or 2x BIX in parallel? Not quite sure on the flow restriciton of the single BIX2 compared to BIX's in parallel.
I'm using a MCP600 and White Water with Swifty GPU and NB.

[fhorst]

One BIX2 will have less flow restriction as 2 BIX but also less heat dissapation.

If you want to go for a good flow rad, checkout the heatercore from D-Tek they also have a double one.

It will work better, it's cheaper but it does not look that nice

[rocketmanx]

Thanks for the reply fhorst.

One BIX2 less flow restriction than 2 BIX in parallel?

Actually just looking for more sq. inches of rad as I have 3 blocks and am planning on adding a HD block as well for my scsi drives. I kinda thought the single BIX2 would prolly have more restriction than 2 BIX in parallel. Wasn't sure though so, that's why I posted the question.
Yeah, the Dtek's good but, this box in particular, looks are about as important as performance. The BIX was a nice compromise of both. The '77 Impala heater core I am using at the moment works great but is going on a second box almost identical to this one except looks don't matter just performance and silence.

[fhorst]

Ah.. I did not read carefully.... parallel... Yup, you are right, in parallel it will be less restrictive, but also less effective.
I know there is a lot of confusion about the effectivity of the water felocity in the radiator.

(I had it, and posted some questions about it. At the end it turns out

Thrust me if I'm telling you that at a higher speed the heat disapation of the water to the radiator is a lot better. In Parallel the felocity is about half.
This is also the reason one double rad will work better then 2 in parallel
Space is most of the times an issue to go for a 2 rad setup.

[rocketmanx]

Space wasn't an issue as I had 3 Swifty rads in a series/parallel combination before the HC
I was more concerned with pressure drop across the system. I've found pressure drop measured on one of the BIX's but haven't seen anything on the other. Can't remember which is which right now but no matter.
A complete secondary loop for HD and GPU is a future plan but gonna require building another custom case which is yet another future plan. Building my own case from the ground up with chromoly as chassis and CF as panels.

BTW- thanks for the reply again fhorst. The simple questions don't seem to be answered here too often. I'm tryin to play catch up oon my physics and such but it's been 20 years since I had physics Some of these guys here are making me realise how much I've forgotten

[fhorst]

LOL. Nice to see I'm not talking to some kid
I'm 35, and also like to play with water....

It took me month's to get through all the post on the forums... but worth it.

I'm building a new setup also, who will have 2 loops (one alu, one copper), 4 pumps and 5 or 6 rad's..

[rocketmanx]

35, you're a youngster, I'm 37

I've been a bit frustrated myself sifitn through all the differnet threads and posts. It's a lot easier to flip through a book. Unfortunately fluid dynamcs wasn't something I ever had. But with the sate of water cooling as it is I'm not sure there's anywhere left to go so it's probably not worh the effort. Although I'm a curious bugger who gets a burr up my butt and cant leave it alone
That's a ton of stuff for one box man

[fhorst]

LOL Same here...

Yeah, I guess that will be..
2 x mcp600.. for the copper loop (WW, D-Tec z-chipset, Innovatec for the GPU, Dagnerden bayres)
one koolance EXOS (currenly external, but I'm not sure if I leave it that way) for the rest...
3x HDD, South bridge, Mosfets, PSU, Memory, and backside of mainboard

one D-Tec double heatercore, one D-tec heatercore, One BIX, and for the alu the rad from the koolance, and one from a Piaggo mopet.
I also have one rad laying arround from a Astec waterchill, but I'm not sure if I can fit that one in.. (got the big chieftec case)

I only wish this stuff was cheaper

[rocketmanx]

My "part-time" job and hobby I am even more addicted at than comps is racing. To me this stuff seems cheap

[pHaestus]

Not much good data for Black Ice Extreme radiators, but BillA HAS tested the thermochills:
http://thermal-management-testing.com/ThermoChill.htm

Just compare the 120.1 and 120.2 and you should be reasonably close to the BIX vs BIX2. As a stab at comparison, cut flow rate in half of the 120.2 and then double heat dissipation for the 2x parallel rads.

[8-Ball]

Originally Posted by fhorst

One BIX2 will have less flow restriction as 2 BIX but also less heat dissapation.

Actually, I completely disagree with both those statements.

For the same flow rate, the dissipation should be pretty much the same. The BIX2 is exactly the same as the BIX only the core is twice as long.

As for flow resistance, two BIX in parallel would have a lower flow resistance than a single BIX2 as the flow will be split between the two. Essentially, treating the two BIX as a single rad, it will have a lower resistance to flow as the the BIX 2.

The BIX 2 is effectively two BIX in series, just without the additional connectors.

It's a simple question of series vs parallel.

8-ball

[pHaestus]

The BIX 2 is effectively two BIX in series, just without the additional connectors.

But the connectors are the bulk of the resistance I would think...

[rocketmanx]

Everybody can argue thoery all they want, I like thinking about thoery too. But I'll take results and the diff was worth the change and help or hinder flow rate it was a positive change to my system.
I was running a '77 Impala HC before the 2 BIX's. Dimensions of the HC were 12x5x2. The HC was running at 35-38C under full load,2x F@H clients HT'd on a P4 3.0C. The dual BIX's in parallel are running 29C. No other changes. Not even a reset was of the White Water was necessary. Not exactly a scientific experiment but with the only changes being rads, it's pretty close.

[8-Ball]

Originally Posted by pHaestus

But the connectors are the bulk of the resistance I would think...

I'm not sure. They are very thin metal barbs. The ID is almost the same as the OD. Not a huge restriction.

I still think, that two BIX in parallel would be less restrictive than a single BIX2, since the cross section of the flow path has effectively doubled and the path length halved when compared with a single BIX2.

But you also have to consider how having lower flow through each rad will affect it's performance. But then there is also the fact that if the "rad" is of a lower resistance to flow, then you wil most likely be getting a higher flow through the waterblock, thus increasing its efficiency.

8-ball

[rocketmanx]

I was using high restistance rads before and with my upgrade to a MCP600 pump my intent was to increase flow through the cpu as my rads were slowing things down even though they were a pair in parallel. Seems to ahve worked. I believe the single BIX2 would have been not as much of an improvement for me since I'm running so many blocks. I believe, even though my NB and GP are relatively low resistance, that with as many blocks as I have and total line length and the fact that I still have some 3/8" line that a single rad would have been not much help since flowrate would not have really increased much. I'm kinda answering my own questions now but I was hoping for some real world numbers on the 2 not knowing if the BIX2 was as you said, nothing more than 2 BIX's. That doesn't always mean that it will necessarily be exaactly double the resistance. It may be more and that's what I didn't want. I think the fact that it is double length would mean fairly high resistance. I think the shorter passes of the BIX, when doubled in parallel with a strong pump would be more effective. It seems to be but I haven't tried series so not 100% certain of that. Obviously each system is a unique animal and knowing how to piece together and configure each one is the most important thing to know.