When mounting your radiator, it is important to consider how the air will escape from inside the radiator. This can be a real problem for radiators that are horizontally mounted (on the top of your pc) with the inlets pointing down. This is because the air wants to rise but the inlets are at the lowest point of your radiator, not the highest. However.

When mounting a radiator you have to decide between mounting it in a fashion that makes it easier for the air to be removed, or in a way that produces the lowest temps.

Most radiators have both barbs (inlet outlet) on one side of the radiator. The most common way of mounting a radiator is:

• Barbs at the top

• Barbs at the bottom

 

It’s advisable to place the barbs at the bottom of the radiator because this produces the lowest temps. You can achieve lower temps with the bars at the bottom because of convection with in the radiator. Convection is hot water rises and cold water sinks. If the outlet (water going to your water blocks) is at the bottom of the radiator you’re insuring the coolest water is leaving the radiator. If the outlets are at the top you have the warmer water rising to wards the outlet to sent back though your water blocks which is not advisable. As for removing the air from your radiator, it is a little easier when the barbs are at the top but not by much because no matter which way up you have the barbs you still have to push the air down ½ the radiator.