Test Airflow without a smoke machine

[Dr. Tejeda]

Is there a way to test the airflow, check if it's positive or negative and the direction of flow in a case, without a smoke machine?, i heard about "Wait until dust covers the case intakes to see where the intakes are" but... that's just weird,

I was thinking about a bunch of inciense sticks, but that sounds unpleasant, have anyone tried something easy?

[RevoltTrain]

I've used my vape to test before.

 

Maybe use a candle?

[Dubesta11]

Is there a way to test the airflow, check if it's positive or negative and the direction of flow in a case, without a smoke machine?, i heard about "Wait until dust covers the case intakes to see where the intakes are" but... that's just weird,

I was thinking about a bunch of inciense sticks, but that sounds unpleasant, have anyone tried something easy?

 

What? You can practically calculate the pressure and direction by looking at the fans.

 

edit: Spelling

[Afromancer]

I've used my vape to test before.

 

Maybe use a candle?

 

nice pic bro, almost like were related...

[gollum99]

Back in the day my dad worked at Hewlett-Packard, there they used joss sticks, stank a bit but works just fine

[Aniallation]

Back in the day my dad worked at Hewlett-Packard, there they used joss sticks, stank a bit but works just fine

Testing airflow in an HP? Why would you test something that doesn't exist? /s

[Takata]

Not sure if this will work, but... "bubble fluid"? You could apply a fluid that forms bubbles to gaps or vents in the case which air would flow out of if there was positive pressure. Problem is, if the airflow is balanced or negative, you probably won't observe anything.

[gollum99]

Testing airflow in an HP? Why would you test something that doesn't exist? /s

It was in the 1980s and on servers... not sure if they even had it back then ;D /s

[aduman]

You can try the good old paper test. See which direction it sways. (not sure if that's the right word.)

[LogicalDrm]

By looking at those smoke machine tests, you can see how far from fan it has effect. So taking pic from inside, drawing some arrows with approzimate length is good start. The negative vs positive pressure can be calculated just with rpm and cfm info. Or just by counting fans. More fans as intake than exhaust -> Positive. And negative the other way around.

[Dr. Tejeda]

By looking at those smoke machine tests, you can see how far from fan it has effect. So taking pic from inside, drawing some arrows with approzimate length is good start. The negative vs positive pressure can be calculated just with rpm and cfm info. Or just by counting fans. More fans as intake than exhaust -> Positive. And negative the other way around.

I heard that the heatsink (i have a 212 evo), counts as a exhaust, but how much?, i don't think is the same as a case exhaust.

 

In a Cooler Master N200, with 6 120mm fans:

2 intakes in front, 1 in the side

1 exhaust in the back, 1 in the top, and the heatsink fan verticaly,

 

its suppoused to be negative presure, BUT, the front of the case has a slight filtering, and theres the heatsink helping the exhaust, all of them run at 2000rpm, so is it negative or positive?, thats my problem

[LogicalDrm]

I heard that the heatsink (i have a 212 evo), counts as a exhaust, but how much?, i don't think is the same as a case exhaust.

 

In a Cooler Master N200, with 6 120mm fans:

2 intakes in front, 1 in the side

1 exhaust in the back, 1 in the top, and the heatsink fan verticaly,

 

its suppoused to be negative presure, BUT, the front of the case has a slight filtering, and theres the heatsink helping the exhaust, all of them run at 2000rpm, so is it negative or positive?, thats my problem

I would think that small heatsink doesn't count as exhaust. So you have positive pressure. What would count as exhaust, would either be dual tower (with 3 fans or 1 fan close to rear) or AIO.

E: To be fair, two fans close to eachother doesn't improve airflow that much. With heatsink, radiator or HDD cages they have some significance. But when you have just empty space between the two, amount of air moved is only counted by outer fan.

[RevoltTrain]

nice pic bro, almost like were related...

Almost

[Trik'Stari]

Cigarette? (just to mess with all you neat freaks and militant non smokers out there)

[0ld_Chicken]

The negative vs positive pressure can be calculated just with rpm and cfm info. Or just by counting fans. More fans as intake than exhaust -> Positive. And negative the other way around.

Filtered intakes move less air though. I have 5 intakes (filtered) and if my 3 exhausts go above 50% I go negative pressure. My intake fans are better fans too

[ThomasD]

Dry ice in a mug of water.  You can't really track the vapor though the chassis, it doesn't persist that long.  But you can place the mug at intakes, vents, and gaps to see which way the air is flowing.

 

Do remember that it is water vapor that you may be pulling into the chassis, so don't overdo it.

[Embattled]

Cigarette? (just to mess with all you neat freaks and militant non smokers out there)

^{Almost triggered me there}

[LogicalDrm]

Filtered intakes move less air though. I have 5 intakes (filtered) and if my 3 exhausts go above 50% I go negative pressure. My intake fans are better fans too

 

How have you measured the impact from using filters. Because to me it sounds bit odd that 5 fan that move more air by default than 3 fans are so limited by filters.

 

Dry ice in a mug of water.  You can't really track the vapor though the chassis, it doesn't persist that long.  But you can place the mug at intakes, vents, and gaps to see which way the air is flowing.

 

Do remember that it is water vapor that you may be pulling into the chassis, so don't overdo it.

Now when I think of it, another way would be using colored smoke bombs. Here you can buy them in New Years. And even though they are considered as fireworks and illegal to use at any other time, who's gonna care if you do it during day time in shed? They just burn and release smoke while at it.

[0ld_Chicken]

 

How have you measured the impact from using filters. Because to me it sounds bit odd that 5 fan that move more air by default than 3 fans are so limited by filters.

 

 

I know right?  and I've got one of the exhausts on a LNA since it draws power from the same circuit as a few of the intakes.  I measured the pressure using small thin plastic flaps over passive vents in 3 spots and also smoke to confirm my suspicions.  I could probably replace 3 of the intakes with models that have better airflow under pressure but i've got 3 intakes with 1.73mm/h20 and 102.6m3/hr (cougars)  and 2 with 1.46mm/h20 and 97.25m3/hr (corsair sp120).  3 exhausts (NF S12A FLX) (one on LNA) 107,5 m³/h full speed, 83.2m3/h LNA

 

 

These are all manufactures specs so I do take the numbers with a grain of salt.  I was surprised though that with any configuration of fans (ive tried about all of them I think) I just cant seems to stay positive with the exhausts on 100%.  I do have no problem keeping everything cool but I like to play with the configuration

http://www.cougargaming.com/us/products/fans/turbine.html

http://www.noctua.at/main.php?show=productview&products_id=55&lng=en&set=1

http://www.corsair.com/en-us/air-series-sp120-led-white-high-static-pressure-120mm-fan-twin-pack

[Jason 57]

On 5/24/2015 at 10:26 AM, 0ld_Chicken said:

 

I know right?  and I've got one of the exhausts on a LNA since it draws power from the same circuit as a few of the intakes.  I measured the pressure using small thin plastic flaps over passive vents in 3 spots and also smoke to confirm my suspicions.

Could I ask what kind of smoke you used to test airflow?

I accidentally mounted the front top fan as intake instead of exhaust (LanCool II Mesh) so it blows air in front of my Vetroo CPU Air cooler. 

I haven't installed the fans on the PSU shroud yet. Darn Screws are TIGHT!!!