Part 2: From Little to Large
The idea for this new modification came from Steve's dual 80mm radiator setup and a desire to increase the size, but reduce the number, of fans in the system. The main focus was to make the MDD more peaceful, as it's now used for a lot more audio editing than it was previously. Unlike the previous mod which needed no alterations to the case at all, fitting this new setup required cutting a large hole through the case behind the rear drive mounts.Comparing the dimensions of the 80mm radiators from the Aquagate R80 (80x120x45mm) and the 120mm radiator from the R120 kit (120x160x35mm), it seemed as if it would be a simple enough process to substitute the two 80mm radiators (160x120x45mm) for a single 120mm one. This would mean that only one big fan would be required for cooling, rather than two smaller ones. Bigger fans can move more air at lower speeds, so they should be much quieter overall. The reduced depth of the radiator also meant that there was the possibility of using a full size 120x38mm fan - which opens up lots of choices for the future.
Luckily I found an R120 kit on eBay for a very nice price, so I snapped it up. This saved me from worrying about pipe dimensions and having to buy a whole load of new bolts.
Dismantling and Cutting >>