Push config vs airflow

Azrael2k8 · March 9, 2017

I am looking into buying this case for my water cooling loop:

http://www.bequiet.com/en/case/699

However I want to install a radiator in the front that I would usually use for intake fans. Now if I install this as a pull config which I prefer and place the fans on the inside directed into the case the dust will pretty sure build up on the outside making it hard to clean. If I put the fans on the outer side and configure it as pull the dust will build up at the inside of the case making it easier to clean since nothing is in front of the radiator but causing the intake to become an exhaust.

I also want to have a radiator at the top creating two exhausts in this configuration. Since the bottom is not a good place for an intake this only leaves the back for intake which is kinda stupid I guess.

So my question is: Am I overthinking this and should just go with another config to have an intake at the front and the top even though this would mean potential dust at the radiator (at hard to reach places)? I mean having to many exhaust will also cause dust build up because of the negative pressure, right?

I hope anyone understands my issue.

PrimeSonic · March 9, 2017

13 hours ago, Azrael2k8 said:

Am I overthinking this?

Yeah, you're overthinking things.

Whether you put your radiator on an intake on exhaust won't really make a difference to performance.

Same goes between push and pull configurations of the fans.

The only advantage there is here is that a pull configuration on the fans will be easier to clean since dust will tend to gather on the side of radiator opposite of the fans, allowing you to be able to get the dust off without having to remove the fans.

All other things are practically the same.

Honestly, you could go for whatever arrangement you think simply looks best since you'll be showing it off through that side-panel window.

atomicus · March 9, 2017

I'd have as intake with pull config as that is easier to clean as Prime says, but in the grand scheme of things push vs pull won't impact performance very much. If you're concerned about aesthetics, just go with fans that you like the look of. I would not have any rad as exhaust though, it's a common misconception that rads should be exhausting, but they perform better with cool air from the outside being brought over them, so have all rads as intake, and you can simply have a single 140mm as exhaust at the rear. More intake also means positive pressure which reduces dust build up, assuming all intakes are filtered which I believe they are in the Dark Base 900.

Azrael2k8 · March 9, 2017

6 hours ago, PrimeSonic said:

Yeah, you're overthinking things.

Whether you put your radiator on an intake on exhaust won't really make a difference to performance.

Same goes between push and pull configurations of the fans.

The only advantage there is here is that a pull configuration on the fans will be easier to clean since dust will tend to gather on the side of radiator opposite of the fans, allowing you to be able to get the dust off without having to remove the fans.

All other things are practically the same.

Honestly, you could go for whatever arrangement you think simply looks best since you'll be showing it off through that side-panel window.

I wasn't relly concerned about performance, dust build up/cleaning was my major concern.

3 hours ago, atomicus said:

I'd have as intake with pull config as that is easier to clean as Prime says, but in the grand scheme of things push vs pull won't impact performance very much. If you're concerned about aesthetics, just go with fans that you like the look of. I would not have any rad as exhaust though, it's a common misconception that rads should be exhausting, but they perform better with cool air from the outside being brought over them, so have all rads as intake, and you can simply have a single 140mm as exhaust at the rear. More intake also means positive pressure which reduces dust build up, assuming all intakes are filtered which I believe they are in the Dark Base 900.

Pretty much everything is filtered in that case. I think I will go with rads in the top plus front as intakes then and a single exhaust in the back. Even though this might mean that the dust will build up on the parts of the radiators that are oriented to the outside, making it a bit harder to clean I guess.

Thanks