Desktops

How to Install a Sealed Liquid Cooler

Corsair H60

The H60 is another modestly priced sealed liquid cooler, built by CoolIt.

The Corsair H60 is another basic, single-fan cooling system. This product usually costs about $60.

The heat sink module consists of a square copper block with integrated pump.

The Corsair mounting hardware: The Intel bracket is shown at the bottom, while the twin brackets at the top are for AMD CPU sockets.

The Corsair H60 heat sink is a tad easier to attach than the Antec, but neither is particularly difficult. Now let's look at the installation process.

Before You Install

Before you begin installing either of these liquid CPU coolers, confirm that your system's case and motherboard can support the following components:

A 120mm fan mount on the case to accommodate the radiator. Usually, this fan mount will be in the rear of the case, but some smaller cases may locate it on the top. Given the length of the sealed tubing, it's almost impossible to install the radiator in the front of the case. While some cases have fan mounts on the side panel, I'd strongly recommend against installing the radiator on the side panel, which would make removal of the panel difficult at best.
For the Corsair H60, two motherboard-based fan connectors. You'll need one fan connector for the pump, and the other for the fan. Make sure that you have two fan power headers on the motherboard, in close proximity to the CPU socket (within 4 to 5 inches of it).
Space for a bracket on the underside of the motherboard. If your case doesn't have a cutout in the motherboard tray for mounting the bracket, you'll have to remove the motherboard to install the brace.

You'll also need to remove a couple of components before you can begin installing the new cooling system.

How to Install a Sealed Liquid Cooler — Remove the 120mm case fan, if one exists, from the future location of the radiator.

First, you must remove the 120mm case fan (if you have one) from the future location of the radiator.

Second, you must remove the existing CPU heat sink.

If you have a stock Intel cooler, removing it is simple. Using a flat-bladed screwdriver, rotate the mounting latches about one-half turn counterclockwise and pull each latch straight up until you feel it detach from the motherboard. After detaching all four latches, remove the heat sink.

Rotate the mounting latches about one-half turn counterclockwise and pull each latch straight up until you feel it detach from the motherboard.

If you have a high-end air-cooled CPU heat sink, it may have a back plate on the motherboard to help support it. Remove that plate prior to installing the underside brace for the new cooler.