Second guessing my fan configuration in the Corsair 7000D Airflow case

[cleric_warlock]

I have a fan configuration shown in the pic below that has much more outflow than inflow, but I'm unsure of how to improve things due to several limitations. My thermals are fine, just looking for ways to improve.

 

To go over the basics of my configuration, all of my fans are 3000 rpm noctua ippcs in 140 or 120 mm size where appropriate. This is a build meant for serious overclocking. The cpu is cooled by a 420mm aio rad and the gpu is cooled with a 360mm aio rad that is only compatible with 120mm fans. The front panel (right of picture) has 3 x 140 mm fans set to intake. The motherboard tray fans are 4 x 120mm and 3 of them directly serve the gpu with the one on top adding extra ventilation - the motherboard tray fan slots cannot support 140mm fans and are all set to exhaust. The 3 x 140 mm fans on the cpu rad are all set to exhaust as is the rear 140 mm fan (cpu rad only compatible with 140mm fans).  

 

My system has an i9-12900KS cpu and a 3090TI gpu so it produces a fairly high thermal load to the point that when I'm gaming on it during a cold day my computer also doubles as a pretty good space heater which is why my instinct has been that all radiators must be cooled as part of exhaust and not intake. Based on the previously detailed fan size limitations and fan slot compatibility, the gpu rad must be positioned on the motherboard tray as is - if it is moved one fan up, the bulk of the cpu and gpu rads will interfere. The cpu rad can either be where it is or mounted to the front, but unfortunately the need to have the gpu rad where it is means that there is no longer enough clearance to front mount the cpu rad. A top mounted gpu rad with a front mounted cpu rad configuration with the motherboard tray transformed into extra intake seems like it could be good, but i'm concerned that the bulk of the cpu rad will cause interference with the gpu rad or its pipes. 

 

Anyone have suggestions for better fan/rad configurations?

 

[Bombastinator]

Negative pressure cases can have the issue where you get air ingress at every point that allows it.  This can make for dust in weird places like case corners.  It has some advantages too though because often the air is much slower moving. So the dust buildup can be even slower.  If you do get dust issues in difficult to clean places simply putting some electrical tape on the affected crack can stop it in that area.  In general this strikes me as “don start none won’ be none” situation.  It’s working ok.  I am loathe to mess with it.  It sounds like there aren’t any problems that need fixing.  If you just want to mess with a computer, there is the possibility of taking a junker, making it work, and giving it to someone in need.  It’s a very cheap hobby that has the happy outcome of making the world a slightly better place.

[An0maly_76]

As a 4000X owner, first issue is your topside fans should be blowing up and out. I know that sort of defeats the purpose, but it helps to push heat out of the case. Fronts pulling in, topside pushing out, and rear pushing out cool well in these cases.

Edited August 14, 2022 by An0maly_76
Revised, more info

[cleric_warlock]

1 minute ago, An0maly_76 said:

As a 4000X owner, first issue is your topside fans should be blowing up and out. I know that sort of defeats the purpose, but it helps to push heat out of the case.

... they are

[An0maly_76]

Wait... What are your temps anyway? Do you know for sure you actually have a temperature issue or are you just looking for input to improve? Because if I'm looking at this right, the only way I see this could be wrong is if the side rad fans are drawing in.

[WereCat]

You can flip the side fans as iintake. Yes, it's true that the temps from the hot air will increase the temps slightly but thats by around 2*C which is not a big deal honestly.

 

Alternatively, you can use the rear exhaust fan as intake instead, just get a dust filter there. That should suffice if you want to keep the side as exhaust.

[cleric_warlock]

Just now, An0maly_76 said:

Wait... What are your temps anyway? Do you know for sure you actually have a temperature issue or are you just looking for input to improve? Because if I'm looking at this right, the only way I see this could be wrong is if the side rad fans are drawing in.

I don't have an actual issue, I'm trying to get input on where there's room for improvement. The top rad fans blow up through the radiator and out of the case. The side fans also blow out of the case so that the substantial amount of waste heat from the GPU is removed as quickly as possible. Rear fan blows out, front 3 fans are all intake.

[thrasher_565]

i dont no if you can mount fans on the bottom?  but if you can maybe move the top side fan there. and mount the back fan to intake. duel aios can be tricky and all you really can do. both aios air fighting for air how much each get will deturmin its cooling. in this case it might be better to intake thow the rads and out the back and front.

[Jeppes]

Use the Arctic p14:s for something as those are most likely at least a tiny bit better than old Noctua stuff. Well at least with bearable noise levels.