Corsair Spec-06 new build

[Dog_Mcbeard]

Hi all,

 

I am currently using a Corsair Spec-06 white RGB mid tower for my new build and boy howdy did I make a little bit of a boo boo. I am building a new gaming rig and thought hey why not some flashing RGB and make it look all 2019. So with this case I also grabbed a Corsair H100i RGB Platinum AIO cooler, to keep my Ryzen 9 3900X CPU (whenever it decides to arrive, 4 weeks and waiting on Back-order.) Slotted in a new X570 Gigabyte Aorus Elite Mobo. I also decided to throw in some Corsair Vengeance RGB DDR4 to boot. So here is the fun stuff..... I now have ruined the "Direct Airflow Path Cooling" Corsair describe on their page. ( https://www.corsair.com/us/en/Categories/Products/Cases/SPEC-06-RGB/p/CC-9011146-WW)

So I found that with the X570 Aourus Elite and the Corsair Vengeance RGB DDR4, I can only mount my H100i RGB Platinum to the front of the case.... (excuse the mess, still a work in progress, also GPU is only as reference for spacing)

There is very little room above the Mobo/RAM combo to allow much more then standard fans, (ignore the fans on top as they are the stock fans that came in the case, just moved them out for sizing), So I am trying to figure out the best way to run this setup for good Air flow as currently Front fans are pushing out (when it should be the intake  ), top fans ( should be pushing out for a decent build but since bits be crazy might use for intake ) and rear fan was thinking either intake or exhaust.( In old build it was the exhaust, Also had a 120mm AIO in rear slot).

 

So can anyone help with a good airflow with this (crappy) new build so I don't have to look at buying another case  

 

 

Thanks.

[Origami Cactus]

I would still run the standard setup, yes your gpu might get 3-5c warmer, but that is no big deal.

Front in, top+back out.

[Dog_Mcbeard]

I was thinking that using the front as an intake would still be possible but the fans on the AIO are suggested to be placed in this orientation. I looked at placing the fans on the other side of the radiator so the RGB LEDs were facing towards the front cover and the air flow would be then pushed through the radiator, but the not so smooth surface of these new fans made for some spectacular bends in the mounting brackets. I have not yet played with an AIO that is controlled by USB and Corsair software but is it able to change the direction of the air flow of the fan in the software without changing the physical orientation of the fans on the radiator?

[Jakub_NF]

Most mid-tower cases only allow you to mount the radiator in the front especially if you have a beefy mobo (with vrm heatsinks and big covers). I'd suggest adding a fan to the back and running it as an intake along with the two top fans and then leave radiator fans as exhaust. This will probably give you the most optimal temps but there's gonna be two big cons.

1) Your GPU will produce a lot of heat and dump it into the case which will then go through the radiator and raise the temps

2) Dust... you have a filter on the top but not the back so the dust will gather up quicker than usual. You could just go with 2 fans at the top but then you will be starving the GPU for air and it will pull it from the PCI slot covers (I had that problem in the past) which will also bring in dust. 

 

I had a similar setup in the past and what worked for me was having the front as intake, one fan at the top as intake (the one closer to radiator) and a single outtake fan at the back. The heat form the radiator shouldn't be too bad and hopefully with an extra fan at the top the inside of the case will stay relatively cool (all things considered).

 

EDIT: There always is an option of good ol' hacking through the case to mount the radiator outside

[Jakub_NF]

3 minutes ago, Dog_Mcbeard said:

I was thinking that using the front as an intake would still be possible but the fans on the AIO are suggested to be placed in this orientation. I looked at placing the fans on the other side of the radiator so the RGB LEDs were facing towards the front cover and the air flow would be then pushed through the radiator, but the not so smooth surface of these new fans made for some spectacular bends in the mounting brackets. I have not yet played with an AIO that is controlled by USB and Corsair software but is it able to change the direction of the air flow of the fan in the software without changing the physical orientation of the fans on the radiator?

You can just turn over the fans so instead of pushing the air through they will pull it through the radiator

[TokiToki]

I think a push-pull config on your front radiator to maximise cooling across your rad, then exhaust fans on rear and top to try nestralise the pressure. with a case like that which has lost of holes, you want to aim for neutral or positive pressure to force the dust-out or keep it out. Its what I used to run in my old mid tower and I found it the best for temps and almost never needed dusting. 

[Dog_Mcbeard]

I have been going over and over in my head for the last few days on how I can make a crappy situation into a not so crappy one. I was thinking of grabbing 1x120mm and 1x140mm fan for the top (140mm is closer to the front) and use it as a high speed intake to push air down and then using a 120mm on the rear as an exhaust. ( Also a side note, the PSU under the tray has a small intake there as well for the fan on the psu, not that it will do much good where it is.)

[Dog_Mcbeard]

6 minutes ago, Jakub_NF said:

You can just turn over the fans so instead of pushing the air through they will pull it through the radiator

But all the RGB goodness will be crappier , if only i could switch the fan blades to face the other way instead of turning the entire module.

(Courtesy of Corsair and my build crushed  )

[TVwazhere]

7 hours ago, Dog_Mcbeard said:

But all the RGB goodness will be crappier , if only i could switch the fan blades to face the other way instead of turning the entire module.

An unfortunate sacrifice you'll need to make in the name of better cooling  

[Dog_Mcbeard]

3 hours ago, TVwazhere said:

An unfortunate sacrifice you'll need to make in the name of better cooling  

I have decided that the case will have to be changed in the name of rgb 2019. I will move to the Corsair 680X once i save the money. This case is just a little too small for the setup i want.