Antec 1100 clear panel side vent intake or exhaust

[smickoi]

Hey just adding a few extra 120mm fans on my antec 1100 case for cooling and just wondering if I should put the fan as an exhaust or intake on the clear side panel.

I already have two 120mm intake fans on the front, one 120mm exhaust at the rear and the 200mm exhaust on the top.

The reason I'm asking is because I have two gtx680 windforce (3 fan version) in sli and they seem to be pushing air out towards the clear panel.

What would be best in terms of air flow and keeping temps low, I live in Aus and its summer so its always hot in here.

[Money]

You should probably set them up as an exhaust if your GFX cards are pushing air at the panel. You don't want 2 air-flows competing.

[smickoi]

Thanks heaps :)

[Dave :)]

Are you sure the air is being pushed to the side panel and not upwards? If so, then i agree to make it an exhaust, however if the air is going upwards, you want to have it as an intake to pull cold air from the outside in to run over your cards.

[Money]

Are you sure the air is being pushed to the side panel and not upwards? If so' date=' then i agree to make it an exhaust, however if the air is going upwards, you want to have it as an intake to pull cold air from the outside in to run over your cards.[/quote']

That's why I was hesitant in saying exhaust. 90% of the time I would say intake because blowing cool air on the GFX cards is USUALLY a very good thing. But I can't imagine it helping anything if it's trying to compete with the GFX card's airflow.

[Dave :)]

Are you sure the air is being pushed to the side panel and not upwards? If so' date=' then i agree to make it an exhaust, however if the air is going upwards, you want to have it as an intake to pull cold air from the outside in to run over your cards.[/quote'] That's why I was hesitant in saying exhaust. 90% of the time I would say intake because blowing cool air on the GFX cards is USUALLY a very good thing. But I can't imagine it helping anything if it's trying to compete with the GFX card's airflow.

I would expect it to be pushing air upwards due to the fan design. Either way, i would suggest having it as an intake and pushing cold air over your cards to cool them.

[smickoi]

The air is sucked through the fans on the bottom side of the GFX cards and pushed through the heatsink and comes out the side. It's why I was confused as well because normally I would use the case vent as an intake as it lines up perfectly on the GFX cards

[Dave :)]

If you can feel air flow coming off the graphics cards towards the side panel, then have it as an exhaust. If you can't, have it as an intake.

[noak19]

Probably have it as an intake to keep the card cool, you also want to maintain positive air pressure and the intake would help with that

[Money]

The heatsink are fins pointing vertically, so I would set them up as an intake to blow air directly on the heatsinks.

[Mentalguy]

i got 2 windforce 7870s and an antec 1200, abou the same setup, you want an intake

[smickoi]

Thanks guys I'm going to run them as an intake, done a few tests and its a few degrees cooler on both idle and load when running intake instead of exhaust :)

[Ghost]

Intake will always be better. Positive air pressure is generally a better thing to have.

[Money]

Intake will always be better. Positive air pressure is generally a better thing to have.

The air pressure isn't the problem if theres air blowing at the intake fans. That would be a bit of a problem.

[Mentalguy]

he's talking about the entire case, pos pressure detracts dust

[Money]

he's talking about the entire case' date=' pos pressure detracts dust[/quote']

Oh, my bad. In that sense yes, positive air pressure is the bees knees.