Fan configuration experiment

bainbridge · 14 May 2011 at 13:35

The Prolimatech Super Mega coupled with x2 Akasa Vipers in Push/pull configuration performs admirably, however I was thinking that because both fans face the same direction the max volume of air going through the cooler could not exceed the max throughput of one fan (141 cubic metres per hour).

With this in mind I decided to experiment with both pull/pull & push/push configurations, then compare the results with the current push/pull.

In through one side & out of the other, this is the one which is favoured & I have always used.

Might the above configuration result in more air being passed through the cooler? (141 cubic metres per hour x2?)

Again, I wondered if this would result in more air passing over the cooler.

Conclusion

Pull/pull & push/push does not increase airflow at all, the fans must get slowed down by the restricted route the air has to take in both configurations, so rather than increasing total thoughput of air it's actually decreased. Never had a cooler with more than one fan before & when I got this one I set it up in push/pull following suggestions on here, now I know why.

At least this has put my mind at rest

Surveyor · 14 May 2011 at 13:43

A lot of effort to find out that what you were advised to do was the correct option.

Oh well, at least you'll be able to sleep at night now.

bedazzled · 14 May 2011 at 13:50

Surveyor said:
A lot of effort to find out that what you were advised to do was the correct option.

Oh well, at least you'll be able to sleep at night now.

bainbridge · 14 May 2011 at 14:05

Surveyor said:
A lot of effort to find out that what you were advised to do was the correct option.

Oh well, at least you'll be able to sleep at night now.

yeah it took all of an hour!

Surveyor · 14 May 2011 at 14:13

bainbridge said:
yeah it took all of an hour!

A man who dares to waste one hour of life has not discovered the value of life.

Charles Darwin

bainbridge · 14 May 2011 at 14:20

Surveyor said:
A man who dares to waste one hour of life has not discovered the value of life.

Charles Darwin

Who dares wins!

Someone

Surveyor · 14 May 2011 at 14:31

bainbridge said:
Who dares wins!

Someone

That's the motto of the SAS and is credited to the founder of the SAS Sir Archibald David Stirling, DSO, DFC, OBE.

Your test was more of a Who Dares Fails (but at least they tried and can now sleep at night not wondering what if?).

setter · 14 May 2011 at 14:36

I found similair results by accident, when i got my prolimatech super mega, i mistakenly put my vipers in a push/push configuration. Soon got it sorted to what it should have been, push/pull.

bainbridge · 14 May 2011 at 14:58

Surveyor said:
That's the motto of the SAS and is credited to the founder of the SAS Sir Archibald David Stirling, DSO, DFC, OBE.

In fact surveyor it's a quote by Winston Churchill which has been adopted by nine special forces units around the world, including the SAS, so stick that in your knowledge pipe & smoke it!

Surveyor said:
Your test was more of a Who Dares Fails (but at least they tried and can now sleep at night not wondering what if?).

Thats a matter of opinion, I was interested to see how different configurations performed & decided to do some testing, the results showed which configuration performed the best so in my eyes the test was a complete success, it clearly shows me push pull is the best configuration.

If everyone just did what was advised without questioning it & experimenting then we would all still be running at stock speeds, this very site wouldn't exist & you'd have to find somewhere else to criticise & advertise your intellect.

Can't have that can we?

bainbridge · 14 May 2011 at 15:10

setter said:
I found similair results by accident, when i got my prolimatech super mega, i mistakenly put my vipers in a push/push configuration. Soon got it sorted to what it should have been, push/pull.

Looking at the results push/push only performs slightly worse that push/pull, pull/pull is significantly poorer.

Surveyor · 14 May 2011 at 15:11

bainbridge said:
In fact surveyor it's a quote by Winston Churchill which has been adopted by nine special forces units around the world, including the SAS, so stick that in your knowledge pipe & smoke it!

As with many quotes you will find references attributing it to different sources but I think you'll find it's more generally attributed to Sir Archibald David Stirling especially as far as the SAS is concerned.

I don't see what 8 other special forces copying the motto of the SAS has anything to do with it. The motto originated with the SAS.

Before you burst a blood vessel here's some advice:

setter · 14 May 2011 at 15:15

bainbridge said:
Looking at the results push/push only performs slightly worse that push/pull, pull/pull is significantly poorer.

Yep, well at least you tried all combinations.

Been using push/pull for a few years now, first on a TRUE black, now on the super mega. Used quite a variety of different fans, the vipers have been the best so far.

PhillyDee · 14 May 2011 at 15:18

Actually, I see no reason why it is a waste of time at all. At least now its official and has some test results to back up the claims.
"I told you so" is not part of the scientific method!

jamesgoss · 14 May 2011 at 15:28

Interesting experiment and thanks for posting the results. Never be happy with the status quo!

panyan · 14 May 2011 at 15:36

nice work

Your conclusion is a very logical one becuase in push/pull, you are forcing the air in and then out again, in the other configurations, you are not forcing the air (using the fans) and just relying on air pressure to dispiate the heat- so push/pull not only makes the most logical sense, but is actually the best - good work

Sampsy · 14 May 2011 at 17:49

Surveyor said:
A man who dares to waste one hour of life has not discovered the value of life.

Charles Darwin

And what did everybody else do in that hour? Most people waste the majority of their lives sitting around without really doing much constructive - I certainly do. If nobody tries anything that doesn't conform to the status quo then things never improve.

Gunslinger · 14 May 2011 at 18:06

what happens to the figures, if you limit the leakage of air sideways between the fans ? and run in push/pull ... giving it like a wind tunnel affect ?

bainbridge · 14 May 2011 at 20:24

Gunslinger said:
what happens to the figures, if you limit the leakage of air sideways between the fans ? and run in push/pull ... giving it like a wind tunnel affect ?

Funny you should say that gunslinger, since putting everything back in push/pull that exact thought has been niggling me :eek:

Considering cutting up a spare mountain bike innertube & stretching it around the edge to contain the airflow, however the heatpipes sprouting from the cooler would get in the way of this. Maybe the bottom split could be covered with a small section then a big piece wrapped around the whole thing, holding the ends of the small section in place & secured to the heatpipes with cable ties?

realscot · 15 May 2011 at 07:51

i once experimented with air flow using cut up cereal boxes when I got my 8800gtx a few years back as the heat from it was washing up to my chipset heatsinks and generally causing problems. It really does make a difference, I basically created 2 indepenant "wind tunnels" through my machine and temps dropped across all components.
I'd be very interested to see the results of a closed in push pull. (didn't the titan amanda? tec cooler have a setup like that, the entire heatsink was covered, and it had a fan at either end)

*edit* indeed it did - see below - Push pull with closed in sides.

Hagar · 15 May 2011 at 09:43

The pull fan would create a drop in pressure in the middle of the heatsink, enhanced by a windtunnel, and increase the airflow from the push fan. In theory.