Blowhole vs Side intake

[DirtySanchez]

which would do me more good right now? ambient case temps are a little higher than i'd like. Currently using a Lian-Li PC-7. 2 intake fans, one exhaust (with additional exhaust from PSU). a blowhole would help exhaust the hot air, but a side intake could potentially help cool the vid card too.

edit : using the giant zalman HSF, copper version.

 

[FX25]

i vote for side intake with a filter, negative air flow is always better.

 

[zer0signal667]

Originally posted by DirtySanchez
which would do me more good right now? ambient case temps are a little higher than i'd like. Currently using a Lian-Li PC-7. 2 intake fans, one exhaust (with additional exhaust from PSU). a blowhole would help exhaust the hot air, but a side intake could potentially help cool the vid card too.

edit : using the giant zalman HSF, copper version.

I would say the side intake, since it would get cooler air to your important stuff more quickly. There's already a PSU fan taking hot air out of the top of your case, and unless it's really cramped in there, you shouldn't have too much important stuff that needs to be cooled up at the top. The "positive case pressure" fanatics will also tell you that it will reduce the dust in your case but it won't make a difference unless your intake fans are filtered to begin with.

 

[zer0signal667]

Originally posted by FX25
i vote for side intake with a filter, negative air flow is always better.

Haha, one of them already beat me to it. What exactly is negative air flow?

 

[DirtySanchez]

dust isn't an issue. but i'm leaning towards the side intake now. thanks for the input

edit : suggestions for wiring the side fan without it being to ugly-looking? i have an empty 3-pin connector at the bottom right of my mobo...are fans with those connectors still pretty easy to find, or will i have to run another molex extension from my hdds?

 

[Dew]

I have a 120mm side intake with a 120mm top blowhole.

 

[blindviper]

the blowhole will remove the most heat (heat rises)
the side fan will help cool your videocard
so do both

 

[Carnival Forces]

read the airflowteakguide at www.tweak3d.net ; if you want the direct link look at teh Unofficial Official Tweak Guide on G[H].

 

[Grammar Nazi]

To the uninformed: more air going in than out means positive air pressure. If you have negative air pressure, then every crack in the case that air is being sucked in through can also have dust sucked through. The theory is that if you have positive case pressure and filters on all intake fans, you will nearly eliminate dust.

However, I have used those metal mesh filters and they only seemed to chop up the dust into conveniently small specs so that it can clump easily inside the case, unless you obsessively clean it with a toothbrush.

 

[zer0signal667]

Originally posted by Grammar Nazi
To the uninformed: more air going in than out means positive air pressure. If you have negative air pressure, then every crack in the case that air is being sucked in through can also have dust sucked through. The theory is that if you have positive case pressure and filters on all intake fans, you will nearly eliminate dust.

However, I have used those metal mesh filters and they only seemed to chop up the dust into conveniently small specs so that it can clump easily inside the case, unless you obsessively clean it with a toothbrush.

You're right, except you can't have more air going in than out, where would it go? Air flow in and out is constant, but you can have a pressure difference between the inside and outside of the case by having more/more powerful intake fans.