Fractal R5 fan orientation

[OutTheWindows]

So This is the first build iv done in 10 years, and could use some advise about case pressure and optimizing my system.
 

RED - 120mm Corsair LL120 fans
White - 120mm Fractal fans

Brown - 140mm Noctua Fans 
 

 

Im wondering if this would be a good way to orient the fans, specifically the Corsairs at the top. 
 

[Bombastinator]

What’s the logic behind the one down two up?  Seems like you’d make a sort of vortex between the front and middle top fan.  Honestly curious.  It’s something I’ve never seen before is all.

[LIGISTX]

Top and rears exhaust, others intake.

 

But, you also really don't need that many fans at all. The cost of all those fans can be put to better use on other things. lol. You can likely buy either a better CPU/GPU, or water cooler for the price of all those fans, all of which would be a better way to spend the money. 

[OutTheWindows]

Well i was thinking it would avoid negative pressure in the case. but im not sure the CFMs the fans move.

 

Right now im just running the two Noctua and the one rear Fractual

 

I got a good deal on the 3 LL120s (RGB) and have had the other Fractual sitting around. 
 

So the money is already spent. 
Ill update my Bio thing Im running a 2700x with a GTX 1080ti i thought about water cooling for the but dont feel like having it fail. 

as for the vortex im not really sure 

 

 
 

[Ichon]

I  have  that case  and  it  is  pretty  quiet  but  a  bit  crowded  so  will  require  good  cable  management  to  really  maximize  airflow  but  I  would  start  with  intakes  where  there  are  filters  on  the  front  and  use  gravity  to  help  on  the  outflow  at  the  bottom.  

 

Air  should  move  in  one  direction  from  the  front  to  the  rear  with perhaps  a  fan  at  the  bottom  to  push  out  that  you  clean  more  regularly  than  anything  other  than  the  filters.  My  R5  is  going  on  2+  years  now  and  barely  any  dust  build  up  with  the  upper  grille  closed.  Those  are  some  huge  holes  with  not  much  of  a  filter  on  the  top  so  unless  you  are  doing  something  not  described  in  the  OP  it  doesn't  make  sense  especially  with  the  R5  where  the  main  logic  would  be  having  a  quiet  setup  I'd  think?  Having  the  grille  open  at  the  top  sorta  defeats  that  idea.  

[OutTheWindows]

Im pretty good with cable management

Quote

4 minutes ago, Ichon said:

fan  at  the  bottom  to  push  out

 

wouldn't i want that as an intake, as it has a filter and heat rises? 
I dont really need a quiet set up im more concerned with air flow/case temp. 

[Ichon]

If  temp  is  the  main  concern  then  by  all  means as  you  are  correct  heat  rises. I  haven't  had  an  issue  with  heat  even  fairly  aggressive  OC  but  I  do  live  in  an  area  where  I  rarely  have  to  use  AC  even  in  the  height  of  the  summer  so  that  makes  it  a  bit  easier.  I  was  more  concerned  with  dust  and  noise  than  heat  but  go  ahead  and  try  that  vortex  idea  out.  I  think  there  should  probably  be  a  bit  more  of  an  angle  on  that  forward  top  fan  to  encourage  spin  as  it  kinda  slams  into  any  mounted  drives  but  I  don't  really  see  a  big  issue  with  heat  if  you  do  have  the  upper  grille  open or  if  there  is  you  probably  shouldn't  be  air  cooling  anyway.  

[Bombastinator]

Is there a water cooler in this rig?  I have a strong temptation to put the reds in front facing in for more total air in 3x120>2x140 put the browns up top (if they even fit) towards the rear pointing out, put a piece of cardboard where the front top red is, and leave the rest alone. ( is there a bottom filter for that bottom air in?)

 

you got 4x120 in, and 2x140+1x120 out.  Should be very very mild over pressure.  If it isn’t run the 140s slower.   It’s filtered mild over pressure (assuming bottom filter) and if there’s no bottom filter stuff a wad  of filtercloth under it and it will be held flat by weight.

[OutTheWindows]

i was hoping the Noctuas in the front would help push the fresh air from that front top fan towards the back where all the heat is made. 
I didnt realize my Fractal fans were 140mm either so i might have a new idea 

 

[Bombastinator]

9 minutes ago, OutTheWindows said:

i was hoping the Noctuas in the front would help push the fresh air from that front top fan towards the back where all the heat is made. 
I didnt realize my Fractal fans were 140mm either so i might have a new idea 

 

My memory is there isn’t a ton of total difference between a 140 and a 120. As far as per/Sq.in. Goes.120s have better static pressure and 140 have better cfm and lower noise.  Or rather thy have the same noise level at lower rpm. 3 120s is greater sq.in. Than 2 140s and you want as much of that filtered front air as you can. If you can fit 3 140s great, but 3 120s is better than 2 140s. Not by much.  mostly it’s the static pressure because ther is a filter and a case air impedance.

[OutTheWindows]

Quote

1 hour ago, LIGISTX said:

Top and rears exhaust, others intake

 

[Bombastinator]

11 minutes ago, OutTheWindows said:

i was hoping the Noctuas in the front would help push the fresh air from that front top fan towards the back where all the heat is made. 
I didnt realize my Fractal fans were 140mm either so i might have a new idea 

 

So we need a new pic?

[Bombastinator]

1 minute ago, OutTheWindows said:

Negative air? Remember that case front is impeded air.  If those are noctua 140 case fans they may have great static pressure for 140 case fans but that’s still not great.

[OutTheWindows]

so should i throw a 120mm in the back then have 2 140s on the bottom

 

 

[Bombastinator]

4 minutes ago, OutTheWindows said:

so should i throw a 120mm in the back then have 2 140s on the bottom

 

 

You can even do that?  I was assuming the PSU has to go in the lower rear.  That filters fan hole is zeroed out because the PSU eats it.

[Bombastinator]

5 minutes ago, OutTheWindows said:

so should i throw a 120mm in the back then have 2 140s on the bottom

 

 

Also would the noctuas even fit in the top?  If they won’t there are fewer choices.

[OutTheWindows]

[OutTheWindows]

i basically just want to have my RGB fans on the top of the case, im gonna do some test fitting and take some pictures tomorrow ill let you guys know how it goes 

[Ethariel01]

I have been running an R5 for a few years now, just rebuilt my system round it as the R6 is not much of an upgrade at all.

 

2 front 140 intake, one bottom 120 intake, 1 rear 140 exhaust but I only use the furthest back top fan slot as a 140 extract and have had no overheat issues in any way and minimal dust build-up.

 

As for quiet even with a top fan slot open, well it's about 5 feet away from me so it's never an issue (unlike my server that sounds like a hovercraft).

[OutTheWindows]

exactly, i chose some quiet fans and its working beautifully 

the Fractal cases and awesome 

[Algebruh]

Remove middle and front top fans. Those two fan basically exhaust cool air before it can even cool anything. 

 

Set them to lowest rpm if you insist on installing those fans.

[Bombastinator]

3 minutes ago, ThiccSmough said:

Remove middle and front top fans. Those two fan basically exhaust cool air before it can even cool anything. 

Point.  OP has his heart set on 3 rgb fans on the top though.  It’s a terrible place to put  almost half his cooling, but it seems it’s a requirement to work around.