Extra case fan pointing at the (back of the) graphics card?

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zCaptain

zCaptain

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Jul 19, 2016
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So, I got a NZXT S340 case, and a 240mm rad at the front as intake. Right in front of it I got the back of a MSI Gaming 980 ti.
I put an extra 120mm fan on the cooler (so, it's got 3 of them), and it's pointing at the gpu. I done some testing but I'm still not sure if the card is actually running cooler, or if that extra fan is keeping the card from "breathing".

I just wanna know if the 980 ti exhausts on that side too. I know the card's fans pull air in, so it should be exhausting through there too. Is that right? Are those fans fighting each other?


NZXT S340
Z77 Sabertooth
i7 3770k - Cooler master Seidon 240v (+ extra fan on pull)
MSI Gaming 980 ti
 
Solution
amtseung
When I was rocking an H100i in my S340, I tried exactly the same thing you did.

The thing is, the air that the third fan is blowing at your GPU has to come from somewhere, a.k.a. through your rad, so how effective your third fan is depends on how effective the fan in front of it is. What I've discovered is that as an interim solution, it isn't too bad, as long as you also yank off the front panel, especially for a hot GPU, but do consider a future investment in better static pressure fans for the intakes, like gentle typhoons, Corsair ML's, or EK vardars. I'm still running a 240mm front rad up front with an extra 120mm rad in the rear with gentle typhoons at 60% speed all around, they push enough air to feel the excess intake being...
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amtseung

amtseung

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When I was rocking an H100i in my S340, I tried exactly the same thing you did.

The thing is, the air that the third fan is blowing at your GPU has to come from somewhere, a.k.a. through your rad, so how effective your third fan is depends on how effective the fan in front of it is. What I've discovered is that as an interim solution, it isn't too bad, as long as you also yank off the front panel, especially for a hot GPU, but do consider a future investment in better static pressure fans for the intakes, like gentle typhoons, Corsair ML's, or EK vardars. I'm still running a 240mm front rad up front with an extra 120mm rad in the rear with gentle typhoons at 60% speed all around, they push enough air to feel the excess intake being pushed out the top, since I didn't put back my top fan. Way better than those horrific Corsair SP fans that came with it.

If you're worried about airflow through the case, take the front panel off and forget to ever put it back on. It's the best thing I ever did for my overall system temps.
 
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Solution
zCaptain

zCaptain

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Jul 19, 2016
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Well... That would solve my problem, if I hadn't vynil wrapped my whole case... haha! How am I suppose to show-off? The front panel got treated too. (logo is kinda crappy tho)
Also, I got cats and dogs, and sometimes smoke in this room. I even put a bit of a pantyhose over the filter to keep stuff out.

I'm not sure how bad or how good the Silencio FP 120 fans are, but they seem quiet, and I really enjoy that.

As I wrote that post, I went in and put a finger next to that third fan, and it looks like it's working just as I thought it would. Because the hub (?) of the fan is almost straight centered with the 980. So the air only comes through from outside the circle.

I guess the fans are not working against each other that much.

I just got this used 980 ti, and I'm not sure if 70c under load is too much... Doesn't seem to give me much room to overclock
 
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zCaptain

zCaptain

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Jul 19, 2016
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About 65c on the 3770k at 4.5
70c on the 980 ti

(im trying to quote but I don't use this website often, sorry)

They idle at about
cpu 35
gpu 40
 
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amtseung

amtseung

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The third fan may feel like it's working, but that's because it's recycling its own air; gets pushed out, goes around the outside of the frame, goes back in through the gap in the radiator between frame/core. Air is flowing, just not in the right places. I used my vape with just straight vg to test for airflow (wonderful tool for the job), and that's what I found. Effective, it is not, but as an interim solution, it isn't completely useless. IMO, if you feel like the GPU is running too hot, crank your exhaust fans up to generate some negative pressure. If your temps drop, it's an airflow problem.

70C under full load doesn't sound too bad for a maxwell card. You can always look at the launch reviews of the 980ti for reference.
 
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zCaptain

zCaptain

Commendable
Jul 19, 2016
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1,510
Thanks amtseung. I got a 140mm Air Series AF corsair on top, that isn't that awesome but gets the job done. But I still got a FN V2 that came with the case, at the back. Not sure if I should swap that one.

I just took out the front panel, and temps on the cpu got down from 70C/75C to 60C on load. And that's the best piece of info you gave me, thanks a lot! :D

I play DayZ, planning on getting into Arma 3, and PUBG a lot. Which seem to work a lot on my cpu.
That tip about the front panel was pure gold, I had no idea it would make this much of a difference.


I'm not really an advocate of heavy overclocks, but I feel tempted to try 4.7/4.8GHz again on my 3770k, haha! Keep up the good work
 
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