Suggestions on fan direction

C

CypHill

Gawd
Joined
Sep 18, 2002
Messages
553
Here's the system in questions:

Lian-Li PC-70 Tower Case
AMD X2 4200+ (939)
DFI LP NF4 Ultra-D
2x512mb OCZ Platinum EL PC3200
eVGA 8800GTS 320mb
Hitachi 160GB SATA
Hitachi 80GB SATA
Crappy CD-RW drive
DangerDen TDX waterblock 1/2"
BlackIceExtreme 3 radiator

Here's the current fan configuration:
2x80mm case fans sucking in (front bottom of case)
2x80mm case fans blowing out (back middle of case)
3x120mm radiator fans blowing out - so they're sucking inside air through radiator to blow out the top of the case.

I'm able to overclock fine right now.. I can get my 4200+ Toledo to 2.8Ghz on 1.55v but my inside case temps are kinda high. I'm wondering if I should leave my configuration and just get better performing 80mm fans (my 120mm are fine.. nice Enermax quiet but only do 44cfm each), or if I should make the back two 80mm fans suck into the case and also replace all the 80's with better ones?

Anyone with any suggestions? My other option is to cut a 92mm or 120mm hole in the plexiglass on the side and mount a fan there.
 
Based on above I think it would be very worthwhile to flip the fans on the rear of the case around to blow into the case as see what happens to the temps. You have plenty of exhaust and I doubt they are really doing all that much with the 120s on the top exhausting as well. Anyway I would take 20 mins and play with that before I started cutting any fan holes ;)

You didn't mention how you were getting your case temps. If from the bios thats probally a thermistor on the board and there is no telling what it is really measuring, It appears you are water cooling, you may need airflow to the circuity (CPU voltage regulation circuits) near/around the CPU area as they are no longer getting "blow by" from a CPU HS/fan due to the use of the water block.

BTW I have about the same rad setup on my older system and found that by moving the CD down a bay or two and replacing the top two 5 1/4 bay covers with perforated ones, (I drilled them with a drill press) I both gave the rads more cool ambient air that reduced my loop temps a tad, and apparently helped all those top rad fans "breath" better and dropped my system and case temps a couple of degrees. Everyones setup is a little different but you could pop out the top bay cover and just see what happens.
 
Thanks for the reply, Bill. I think I'll try reversing the fans as you suggested. Yeah, I'm using temps from the mobo.. reading from SpeedFan and MBM. However I'm not using the actual temperature figures - I just realized that the average temps have gone up a bit since replacing the top 120mm with these silent Evercool ones. I also have my CD at the lowest bay. I'll try removing the top covers like you said.
 
Definitely flip all the fans that aren't on the rad to intake. The more CFM you have flowing through your case, the lower your internal case temps will be. The parts that aren't watercooled are putting heat out, but not a LOT. Increasing the amount of airflow will do a lot to decrease the amount that these parts heat up the case air. Lower case temps mean lower water temps (because your rad is set up to exhaust).

Right now, those two 80's on the back are working against your rad fans. If you flip them, they will all be working to increase the airflow through the rad. Net effect will be more CFM through the rad at (very slightly) lower temps. Both good things. This will help your temps - although maybe not perceptibly.

Definitely do the free option first before cutting anything or spending any money.
 
Thanks guys.. I just need to find out the correct settings for SpeedFan now.. I just d/l v. 4.31.
 
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