Are Dust Filters worth?

[ChopNorris]

Hello everyone, I´ve been testing around with differente fan configs an trying some things to decrease my temps. One of the things I´ve noticed is that the difference between having a pair of dust filters in the bottom (the case didn´t come with them, I added them on my own) and removing them is of about 3-4ºC. 

Is this normal? Maybe the filters are "too small"? Do you think that it is worth keeping them?

Thanks in advance.

[Enderman]

Dust filters are there to reduce the dust inside your PC, not to improve airflow.

They restrict airflow, that's how they work.

[aDoomGuy]

Dust filters adds resistance to air flow so it makes it harder for fans to suck in air. With that said it is a pain in the *** to get dust out of the PC. You can use fans with static pressure when you have dust filters, normally these fans go on a radiator or a heat sink but they can also be used in this situation and they will suck in more air than fans optimized for air flow.

 

Now, I love my air filters and positive pressure. I don't see any dust inside my PC apart from the finest powdery dust which manages to get sucked through the top filter by my ML 140 fan. So I think it's worth keeping, if you prefer slightly lower temps that's your decision. 

[LogicalDrm]

What filters and fans is the question. Sounds like you have very restrictive filters and very weak fans, plus very bad case if you get those numbers.

[ChopNorris]

2 hours ago, LogicalDrm said:

What filters and fans is the question. Sounds like you have very restrictive filters and very weak fans, plus very bad case if you get those numbers.

Thanks everyone for the replies! I´m using a Lian Li Tu 150, the fans are a pair of Noctua NF A12x15 and the filters are some I got on Amazon (https://www.amazon.es/gp/product/B00ARB5E8U/ref=ppx_yo_dt_b_asin_title_o05_s01?ie=UTF8&psc=1). 

[Chopper0130]

Not really I ordered 3 different brands of dust filters because both of my rigs are in Antec cases, 1 is an Antec 900 2 and the other is an Antec Twelve Hundred. Both really good cases with really good airflow but dust is an issue. All the dust filters I have tried really restrict airflow and depending on your enviroment they filters will need cleaning at least once a week because the filters are like using window screen over your fans.

[Chopper0130]

6 minutes ago, ChopNorris said:

Thanks everyone for the replies! I´m using a Lian Li Tu 150, the fans are a pair of Noctua NF A12x15 and the filters are some I got on Amazon (https://www.amazon.es/gp/product/B00ARB5E8U/ref=ppx_yo_dt_b_asin_title_o05_s01?ie=UTF8&psc=1). 

These are one of the brands I tried and they plug up extremely quick, like in about 3-5 days depending on your enviroment. They already restrict airflow by about 50% when they are clean and all but stopping airflow once they get plugged up.

[LogicalDrm]

57 minutes ago, ChopNorris said:

Thanks everyone for the replies! I´m using a Lian Li Tu 150, the fans are a pair of Noctua NF A12x15 and the filters are some I got on Amazon (https://www.amazon.es/gp/product/B00ARB5E8U/ref=ppx_yo_dt_b_asin_title_o05_s01?ie=UTF8&psc=1). 

Ah, yeah. That makes much more sense. So you have GPU right next to them. GPUs fans aren't directly intaking through filter, thats the issue. When you have fan right next to good quality filters like those Silverstone ones, there should be no noticeable difference in performance.

[ChopNorris]

2 hours ago, Chopper0130 said:

These are one of the brands I tried and they plug up extremely quick, like in about 3-5 days depending on your enviroment. They already restrict airflow by about 50% when they are clean and all but stopping airflow once they get plugged up.

So you noticed an increase in the temps?

1 hour ago, LogicalDrm said:

Ah, yeah. That makes much more sense. So you have GPU right next to them. GPUs fans aren't directly intaking through filter, thats the issue. When you have fan right next to good quality filters like those Silverstone ones, there should be no noticeable difference in performance.

No no, the Noctuas are next to the filters and after them the GPU.https://i.imgur.com/W6dYvmw.jpg

[LogicalDrm]

29 minutes ago, ChopNorris said:

No no, the Noctuas are next to the filters and after them the GPU.https://i.imgur.com/W6dYvmw.jpg

Aaand we are back to "doesn't make sense" -land. I'm sorry to ask stupid question, but those Noctuas are correct way, right? Can't see that well from pic, but bracket-side is up, correct?

 

If the filters are only thing making difference, then its really odd as it should not make that big of a difference. Only thing I can think of is that you have automatic fan curve, and its not adjusting correctly to filters being there.

[freeagent]

I don’t run filters, I like my pc to get plenty of fresh air and sunlight.

 

Afraid of dust?

 

Get one of these:

 

https://metrovac.com/products/datavac-electric-duster?variant=18877237067849

 

[aDoomGuy]

41 minutes ago, ChopNorris said:

So you noticed an increase in the temps?

No no, the Noctuas are next to the filters and after them the GPU.https://i.imgur.com/W6dYvmw.jpg

That is really really cramped lol.

[ChopNorris]

2 hours ago, LogicalDrm said:

Aaand we are back to "doesn't make sense" -land. I'm sorry to ask stupid question, but those Noctuas are correct way, right? Can't see that well from pic, but bracket-side is up, correct?

 

If the filters are only thing making difference, then its really odd as it should not make that big of a difference. Only thing I can think of is that you have automatic fan curve, and its not adjusting correctly to filters being there.

Makes no sense to me neither haha. Both fans are acting as intakes. And I have made custom fan cruves using AI Suite 3 since my MB is Asus.

1 hour ago, freeagent said:

I don’t run filters, I like my pc to get plenty of fresh air and sunlight.

 

Afraid of dust?

 

Get one of these:

 

https://metrovac.com/products/datavac-electric-duster?variant=18877237067849

 

A bit expensive, but I´ll check some alternatives.

1 hour ago, aDoomGuy said:

That is really really cramped lol.

It had to substiute my laptop 

[freeagent]

5 hours ago, ChopNorris said:

Makes no sense to me neither haha. Both fans are acting as intakes. And I have made custom fan cruves using AI Suite 3 since my MB is Asus.

A bit expensive, but I´ll check some alternatives.

It had to substiute my laptop 

A bit expensive? I suppose. I've been meaning to pick one up for the last 8 years or so when my pc shop showed it to me. Since then I've bought probably 10 or 15 cans at 9.99 each plus 14% tax kicking myself every time. I got mine for Christmas so it didn't cost me a thing Its way stronger then a can of dustoff, Its like 50 of them lol.

[ChopNorris]

7 hours ago, freeagent said:

A bit expensive? I suppose. I've been meaning to pick one up for the last 8 years or so when my pc shop showed it to me. Since then I've bought probably 10 or 15 cans at 9.99 each plus 14% tax kicking myself every time. I got mine for Christmas so it didn't cost me a thing Its way stronger then a can of dustoff, Its like 50 of them lol.

Well, looking at it that way maybe is not that bad  Anyway, there´s probably similar things with a more "contained" price

[Mitzy]

On 5/7/2020 at 12:16 PM, pieterjan_c said:

Hi,

I'm planning on building an air cooled, would a Noctua NHD-15 fit inside a Lian Li 011D XL case?

On Lian Li's website it says the case (O11D non XL) has 167mm of cpu cooler clearance, the NDH-15 is 165mm tall.

Is this too tight? Or can I presume the XL would have more cpu cooler space?

 

Thanks in advance!

Yes they are cos rather than dust falling in the case and blocking your fans it will fall into the filter then you can get the filter out and wash the filter which will mean your pc won’t be as dirty as it will be without the filters for dust they are worth it to be honest