Fan Setup Help

[YellowMenace]

I'm trying to figure out what fan layout is the best with the fans, case, and heatsink that I have and I can't seem to get any improvements at all.

My case is a Challenger with x2 120mm intake in the front (5.25" bay adapter), a140mm exhaust in the top, a 120mm exhaust in the back, and the psu also acting as an exhaust. The side panels are left to be passive. My heatsink is a CM Hyper n520 with x2 92mm fans set up in a push-pull config.

What other layout would aid in cooling?

[PillowSmoke]

Hey I have that case too.

If you want to could add another fan on the side panels to push air into the case for the graphics card.

[shoby]

Hi,

 

first of all its all about the airflow, it has to be constant and smooth

 

you should avoid turbulences (caused by cables and other stuff that can be moved out of the way)

 

physics says that warm air rises up, so my suggestion would be to have your exsaust fans mounted at the upper half of the case and your intake fans at the lower half.

 

[sOURCE: http://www.tomshardware.co.uk/faq/id-1858957/airflow-101-setting-fans-keeping-computer-cool.html]

 

the image may not be the best example but you get the point.

 

you can imagine it like water, if there are things in the way the water will slow down.

 

maybe if you could post a picture of the case with the side panel removed we could elaborate the topic

[YellowMenace]

Hi,

 

first of all its all about the airflow, it has to be constant and smooth

 

you should avoid turbulences (caused by cables and other stuff that can be moved out of the way)

 

physics says that warm air rises up, so my suggestion would be to have your exsaust fans mounted at the upper half of the case and your intake fans at the lower half.

 

[sOURCE: ]http://www.tomshardware.co.uk/faq/id-1858957/airflow-101-setting-fans-keeping-computer-cool.html]

 

the image may not be the best example but you get the point.

 

you can imagine it like water, if there are things in the way the water will slow down.

 

maybe if you could post a picture of the case with the side panel removed we could elaborate the topic

Luckily, I have a modular psu and am obsessive of cable management and cleanliness, but it seems to blow out more hot air at all times and idle temp looks warmer than usual with the additional fans, but not by too much.

[shoby]

well it will always blow out hot air, that's how it's supposed to be.

 

the point is do youy neeed/want positive or negative pressure inside the case, depends on what would better work.

there's no theoretical explenation to that, you just have to try it out, swapp the fans, it is a bit time consuming but in the end you will find the best solution and the lowest temperature for your setup.

 

like i said, a picter of your case with the sidepanel open would help elaborate the problem.

[YellowMenace]

well it will always blow out hot air, that's how it's supposed to be.

 

the point is do youy neeed/want positive or negative pressure inside the case, depends on what would better work.

there's no theoretical explenation to that, you just have to try it out, swapp the fans, it is a bit time consuming but in the end you will find the best solution and the lowest temperature for your setup.

 

like i said, a picter of your case with the sidepanel open would help elaborate the problem.

I took a picture and labeled everything, RED = Exhaust  BLUE = Intake and the fan size and direction

 

 

[shoby]

thank you, this makes things much easier.

 

well, in my opinion you do have a few turbulences

 

for example the PSU is sucking the warm air out of the case, heats it a bit more and exhausts it, wich leads to higher temps isinde the PSU itself

  

   - suggestion is to rotate is to it takes the fresh air from beneth the case and exhausts it (look at it as a system for it self)

 

the top fan, in my opinion, is also causing some turbulences because of the small gap between the 140mm and the CPU fans so the PUSH-PULL configuration on your CPU heatsink is kinda hindered

 

   - try turning off teh 140mm fan just to see if it will make the airflow better (you're gonna notice it at the top exhaust fan)

     if the flow is better without te 140mm fan you could consider putting it infront of the HDD mounting next to the PSU with zip ties or simmilar (some kind of PUSH-PULL setup in combination wit the bottom 120mm intake fan)

 

but lets see what others have to say about it

[YellowMenace]

thank you, this makes things much easier.

 

well, in my opinion you do have a few turbulences

 

for example the PSU is sucking the warm air out of the case, heats it a bit more and exhausts it, wich leads to higher temps isinde the PSU itself

  

   - suggestion is to rotate is to it takes the fresh air from beneth the case and exhausts it (look at it as a system for it self)

 

the top fan, in my opinion, is also causing some turbulences because of the small gap between the 140mm and the CPU fans so the PUSH-PULL configuration on your CPU heatsink is kinda hindered

 

   - try turning off teh 140mm fan just to see if it will make the airflow better (you're gonna notice it at the top exhaust fan)

     if the flow is better without te 140mm fan you could consider putting it infront of the HDD mounting next to the PSU with zip ties or simmilar (some kind of PUSH-PULL setup in combination wit the bottom 120mm intake fan)

 

but lets see what others have to say about it

I removed the 140mm and swapped the psu to face downwards. it used to stay at around 35-43ish degrees Celsius when just web browsing/youtube and 50-56 degrees while underload, now it's around 45-50 degrees when web browsing and 55-60 degrees while under load. :T

[ijKs Snow]

There is a big misconception that a balanced fan flow = best cooling. This is true on a SEALED enclosure, but computer cases aren't air tight.

 

Try changing all your fan's as intakes except your rear fan since you have an air cooler facing the rear.

 

I have 5 fans and tried everything (3intake/2exhaust), (4intake/1exhaust), (5 intake), (5 exhaust).

 

5 exhaust had the lowest temp but it made my computer into a blackhole that sucked dust through every vent hole and cracks.

 

5 intake had the next lowest temp and since I'm using a AIO with filters, it made my computer pretty much dust free with only a 2 degree difference.