Best Fan Configuration (360mm rad)

[Z-machine95]

Hello Everyone,

 

recently noctua release his industrial new line of fans, i would like to purchase 6 of it for my EK-Coolstream Rad XTX (triple fan - 64mm thickness). The total cost is too much for 6 fan, bu i know all features and i already have airflow optimized noctua fan, they're really quiet. Currently i have installed in my rad 6 Aerocool Shark 120mm, not really the best fan for a radiator, but i need it with red leds. Now even if i have all my fan manually controlled by my Lamptron FC2 Fan Controller, at low speed they're quiet but not too effective. Considering that i have to do X265 video encoding, so at least 10-15 h at 100% CPU Load, i need more acceptable temps, for example now it's around 50-54 °C with my i7 2600K at 4.6 Ghz.

 

So i was thinking about purchasing only 3 Noctua NF-F12 iPPC-3000 PWM, and place it on the top of the rad, and leave aerocool fan inside of the case (NZXT Switch 810 rad on top). Can this setup improve performance? or i shall remove all aerocool fans and replace with noctua? i have found even Corsair Twin Pack AF Red Led Fan (Corsair should release even SP Led fan, isn't it?) or Noiseblocker PL2, they're cheaper but noiseblocker have too limited range of rpm and corsair fan are louder that noctua even at low speed.

 

3 x 23.30€ Noctua = 70€

6 x 23.30€ Noctua = 139,90 € 

6 x 15.00€ Noiseblocker = 90€

3 x 24.00€ Corsair Twin = 72€

 

 

Thank!

 

[SparkySamZa]

what's the thickness of the rad?

[Z-machine95]

what's the thickness of the rad?

 64 mm

[Si3Rra_7]

Assuming you checked you have clearance get push/pull 6xSp120 quiet editions , they are much cheaper than the noctuas , and pressure optimized 

[Z-machine95]

Assuming you checked you have clearance get push/pull 6xSp120 quiet editions , they are much cheaper than the noctuas , and pressure optimized 

yeah there's enough space, it's a year i have mouted it, it's involved only a little cut in a fan 'cause of EPS power plug on the motherboard, but despite that all works perfectly but the fan on the top sometimes touch the radiator, one of them even have some strange vibrations. but i know, they're cheap and not so good.

 

so you think it's better to go with corsair, i have read the're very noisy i have in another build h80i with the standard fan, at medium and high rpm they're too noisy. and when the led sp version will be available?

[Si3Rra_7]

Those are sp120L fans , they dont have the lower rpm and the rubber anti vibration mounts that the sp120 QE do . No they dont come in led fashion , sadly .

[Z-machine95]

I have heard that it will be (http://www.corsair.com/en-us/blog/2014/june/spled_announcement)

[Shaqo_Wyn]

Your rad is sub <15 fpi. PL2's in pull would already do a great job on those rads. Doing push/pull will compensate for the lack of rpm range on them (although they would be fine in just pull IMO). Getting 3 Noctua's would be another great alternative but mount them in push or else you can throw that directed air flow you paid >$20 for in the garbage. What's you whole cooling setup like? Intakes, exhausts, fans etc.? Maybe I can help you optimized your case airflow.

[Z-machine95]

Your rad is sub <15 fpi. PL2's in pull would already do a great job on those rads. Doing push/pull will compensate for the lack of rpm range on them (although they would be fine in just pull IMO). Getting 3 Noctua's would be another great alternative but mount them in push or else you can throw that directed air flow you paid >$20 for in the garbage. What's you whole cooling setup like? Intakes, exhausts, fans etc.? Maybe I can help you optimized your case airflow.

4 intakes front

1 intakes bottom

6 (rad) exaust top

1 exaust back

All aerocool 120/140mm fan ... I think this coknfiguration is optimal, maybe with some static pressure fan i can lower a little bit the temps.

My main aim is to achieve a good compromise between performance and noise.

[Lays]

 corsair fan are louder that noctua even at low speed.

 

 

Noctua's and SP120's aren't actually that much different in terms of noise levels, they're only about 4 decibles louder at max speed for the SP120 High Performances, yet they provide 150 more feet per minute of air moved.

 

I'd recommend the PL2's, or noise blocker E loops, both look great IMO, and the E Loops out perform NF-F12's

[Shaqo_Wyn]

4 intakes front

1 intakes bottom

6 (rad) exaust top

1 exaust back

All aerocool 120/140mm fan ... I think this coknfiguration is optimal, maybe with some static pressure fan i can lower a little bit the temps.

My main aim is to achieve a good compromise between performance and noise.

Yeah, it's a good setup. If you had your GPU's water cooled too, you could have the rad as an intake along with the front intakes and just the rear exhaust. Having fresh air coming in over the rads also helps with temps. A good compromise would be getting normal NF-F12's on the rad in push. The PPC's at 3000RPM will be quiet loud. 

[Z-machine95]

Well, with fan controller i can manage the rpm.. I think it's better to have a high rpm fan and be able to adjust it

[D3LTA9]

Well, with fan controller i can manage the rpm.. I think it's better to have a high rpm fan and be able to adjust it

 

That is normally what I go with too but one thing to watch out for is that some fans give off an electrical whine running at low voltage/rpm which sometimes can be more annoying given its pitch. Cant remember off the top of my head which fans do but can remember Martin of martinsliquidlab.org going over it in one of his fan comparison videos. 

[Z-machine95]

That is normally what I go with too but one thing to watch out for is that some fans give off an electrical whine running at low voltage/rpm which sometimes can be more annoying given its pitch. Cant remember off the top of my head which fans do but can remember Martin of martinsliquidlab.org going over it in one of his fan comparison videos. 

fans or controller whine? now currently with only 1 of 6 channels with 3 fan connected at low speed, just to make them spin, there is no noise at all... if you refer to noctua fan there is a way to verify it? should i ask to someone who have it? but i think that i can solve it just because i will never lower the rpm at minimum, at 900-1100 rpm noise expectation should be practically 0....

[D3LTA9]

fans or controller whine? now currently with only 1 of 6 channels with 3 fan connected at low speed, just to make them spin, there is no noise at all... if you refer to noctua fan there is a way to verify it? should i ask to someone who have it? but i think that i can solve it just because i will never lower the rpm at minimum, at 900-1100 rpm noise expectation should be practically 0....

 

I believe it is the fan that emits the sound. You could ask others who use the noctua fans in question but from memory I do not think they do it so should be fine. 

[fringie]

For a 64mm rad you want push pull to help get the air through.

 

If you're just cooling a GPU and CPU on that though it's fine, you've got plenty of radiator to cool those parts so if moneys an issue you'll be fine with 3x sp fans pushing air in or 3x af fans pulling air through the rad.

 

Push pull will make a significant difference but again it doesn't really matter too much if you already have enough cooling for a CPU and GPU. Just make sure you run the fans at 7v. I doubt 3v would be enough without push/pull.

 

P.S. Go for a low FPI radiator.