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Is my airflow good? - Advice pls

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Anonymous
CPUs Authority
Overclocking Expert

Alright this one needs a bit of explaining. This picture is not my actual pc, Ive just ordered it but the case is the same so I use it as a example. Furthermore the CPU cooling is the wrong way on the picture my end rig will blow the way the arrows are pointing. Also the PSU will have a 120mm fan blowing air in the PSU and out the back.

Case: Antec 300 Gaming
PSU: VX550 Corsair
GPU: HD4850
CPU: E8400
CPU cooling: arctic freezer 7 pro

Im planning on OC'ing to about 3.8-4.0ghz

Basically my question is the following; This case also has a side panel with a hole for a fan right about where the GPU is located. What should I put there? A sucking or blowing fan, and in or out? Also If there are any critisim on my other fan positions pls do tell me im eager to hear any ideas.

PS the 2 120mm front fans are behind a washable filter

Thanks alot for any replies :) 



More about : airflow good advice pls

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I would consider eliminating the 2 front intake fans. In most cases, they add noise and just recirculate hot air, instead of bringing in fresh air. With two other fans blowing hot air outside your case, the intake pressure should be enough.
As for the side panel, go for an intake fan.
Try to get good and silent fans, like Noctua, and add speed controllers to control noise.
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CPUs Master
Overclocking Authority

Don't do anything with the side opening.

I think your cooling will be very good. A side fan, either intake or exhaust can disrupt the nice front low in to high out back air flow.

If you want to experiment, you can try 1)sealing it off with duct tape 2)mounting an intake or 3)exhaust fan.
I suspect that none will make much of a difference. But who knows?
Anonymous
CPUs Authority
Overclocking Expert

Ive got tricool fans with them they seem pretty okay in reviews Thx for the advice. Ive read somewhere that using vacuum to suck in air is less effective though but i guess ill have to try for myself

The side vent is there to comply with the Intel CPU cooling standard for the OEM heatsinks that come with the CPU, for tower type aftermarket heatsinks they serve little purpose other than giving you something to remove from the case (the air guide that is frequently included).
Do not, as someone suggested, remove the front fans, they provide cooling for the hard drive bays. Run them at low speed, they will provide quiet cooling for your hard drives and provide a good airflow to the hotter portions of the case.
CPUs Authority

You have it right, Alzitar. Side fans are typically intakes. Does the PSU draw air into itself from the bottom of the case? If so, it should be able to move air through itself regardless of the other fans, otherwise pay attention to balance (intake = exhaust) so the PSU isn't struggling to cool itself.

Edit: Oh, and with a top fan, there is nothing wrong with having the CPU fan blow upward; that's where the hot air wants to go anyway.

I looked at the pics of that case, and it looks like the PSU will NOT be able to draw air up from below. Make sure you have enough intake so that it is able to pull air through itself from your case.
Anonymous
CPUs Authority
Overclocking Expert

Hmm thats a good question I dont really know tbh, Im bit over-enthusiastic sometimes and posted this before I actually got the rig setup up or even in my home hehe
well this is the PSU:
http://www.jonnyguru.com/modules.php?name=NDReviews&op=...
I guess you can mount it either way right?
So ud suggest adding maybe a intake fan on the side and else taping it? or leaving it open (ill have to test my gpu temp I guess)
Anonymous
CPUs Authority
Overclocking Expert

RE to your edit:
I understand :)  but uhm that picture isnt my pc.. i dont have that cpu cooler I got the artic freezer 7 which blows to the rear
Anonymous
CPUs Authority
Overclocking Expert

I dont know I completly understand your last sentence m8, (ps i cant edit my posts for some reason) How do you mean he cant draw enough air? because of not enough air pressure? or because the fan of the PSU is facing downward? The casing doesnt seem to have holes in the bottom so I cant really draw air from there with this psu
CPUs Master
Overclocking Authority

The psu(a good one IMHO) needs to be mounted so that the 120mm psu fan (which is an intake) is up, towards the interior of the case. If you mount it the other way, the intake will be restricted by the bottom of the case, which does not have an opening.

A good rule of thumb is to have about the same intake fan capacity as output. Thesupplied top and rear fan speeds are adjustable. You may not actually need front fans, but I would buy a pair of 120mm quiet fans in the 900-1200rpm range. Anything faster than that will be noisier, but provide more airflow

I live in Brazil, where temperatures easily reach 30C in summer, and have been running two HDDs for a while now with no temperature problems without ever having a fan blowing air on them.
As for the side fan, CoolerMaster created the Stacker 830 with up to 4x120mm side fans to comply with demanding SLI systems.
On the PSU, mount it upside down if necessary to make sure its fan can draw some air from the case.
Anonymous
CPUs Authority
Overclocking Expert

Well I kinda already bought fans to put in front of all holes :p  just in case, so based on this IM thinkinh of putting 2 up front 1 rear 1 top and 1 intake in the side extra so that atleast the cpu has enough air (ill face that one upward)
CPUs Authority

You will need to turn your PSU "upside-down" so it can draw air through itself, otherwise its fan is blocked. If you have too much exhaust, the PSU fan has to work harder to pull air through the PSU. That won't be a problem with a side intake fan.
Anonymous
CPUs Authority
Overclocking Expert

Right thx for the advice I think this will be great ^^ its my first build that actually takes airflow into account since its my first build im planning on overclocking.. thx for all the good tips <3
Anonymous
CPUs Authority
Overclocking Expert

One small question remains I bought 2 Xilence Case Fan 120 Mm which should blow good, but I bought 1 Arctic AF12025 PWM 120 Mm which is said to suck good but blow not so good, I was planning on letting it suck out air from the case out trough the side panel but since now I understand ill have to blow air in there Im asking myself where to put it.. The rear and top ones are covered but side and front ones are still open (for intake purposes).. So my question is where to place the xilence fans and where the arctic.. I guess put it on the side? or do you suggest id put it like on the fron with one xilence to suck air in?
CPUs Master
Overclocking Authority

It is probably not important where you put it. Since it is the odd fan, I would put it on the side.

Just make certain that the fans are sending air in the proper direction. The fan should have a molded arrow on the case, indicating the direction of airflow. Sometimes, they are hard to see. I use a marker to make the direction more visible. To verify that all the fans are operating in the proper direction after installation, just hang a piece of tissue next to the fan and see which way it moves.

Alzitar if i were you i will try to block off the side vent and then leave every fan on it.this will improve the rate and the pressure inside the case which will help cooling the inside better. i dont know why people say the front fans will circulate hot air as they suck fresh air from outside.

but about blocking the side vent i think its just my personal preference of having more concentrated flow direction.
Anonymous
CPUs Authority
Overclocking Expert

I understand where your comming from, but I was figuring that maybe the lower 120mm fan airflow wil be absorbed by the PSU and a little bit of it will go trough the GPU toward the rear exit.. so that leaves 1x120mm fan (the top front one) to fuel air for a rear 120mm and a top 140mm
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