AIO Cooler - Swapping the fans and the MB connection?

sparkyb

sparkyb

sparkyb

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Joined
20 Nov 2005
Posts
208
Hi,

Please can you help me;

I have seen an AIO cooler, but i want to swap the supplied fans with other radiator RGB fans i prefer. The AIO cooler connects into the motherboard via the AIO_pump and CPU_fans headers. The replacement fans i want to use connect to the motherboard via a USB 2.0 header coming from a fan controller.

Because i cant connect the replacement fans into the CPU_fan header, will this be a problem for the the cooling and is this ok to do this?

I am going to build a new PC before Christmas, but at the minute Overclockers has a few parts on pre-order, so i am waiting for them to come back in stock.

Thank you
 
Put the pump onto your CPU_FAN header so it won't throw a fan error up and leave your case fans on the controller.
 
Do you find it easier to fit the radiator and cooler after the motherboard has been fitted in the case?
Or
Have the motherboard board and AIO connected outside, finally fitting everything in the case after?

I'm guessing it's easier to fit the AIO if the motherboard is already in the case? My case is the Lian Li O11 dynamic razer, so not huge.

Thank you
 
I usually install the motherboard and cables first and then fit the AIO as it's easier to route cables (case depending)
 
I have purchased the 360 AIO plus an additional 3 fans (all fans 120mm), which will be fitted in my Lian Li PC-011 Dynamic Razer case. I am planning on mounting the AIO on the top and the 3 fans on the side (vertical). I am sure this question has been asked before, but i am unsure which is the best fan config? Please can you advise, thanks.

The AIO stock fan set up is set to exhaust, but will that make the radiator hotter as it is pulling hot air out of the case and over the rad? I would have thought that intake might be better, cooling the rad fins, but at a downside of pushing hot air onto the GPU?

So for my planned configuration:

Top AIO, with 3 fans as intake
3 side fans (vertical) as exhaust

Also, i was thinking about getting another 3 fans for the bottom and setting them to intake, do you think its worth it?

Thank you
 
You likely won't see much benefit from 6 intake fans vs 3, but it depends on how fast you're running them vs the AIO. You might be better served putting your intakes on the bottom and having them feed fresh air to your gpu, but if you're planning on having the intakes run really slow then you might need a couple more to make sure you've got positive pressure in the case, or you'll end up filling the thing with dust and having to clean it every month or 2.
 
Yes having the AIO fans as intake
Will lower temps a bit
But also yes it will dump more heat onto
Other components
Bit of a balancing act
The saved few degrees on cpu as intake
Shouldn't be that critical

Depends on the motherboard
But the AIO header may have higher amp rating
Not a huge difference unless you have an AIO pump
That's high wattage
It may also be always set at 100%
And not adjustable
If you connect pump to it
You can tell bios to ignore the cpu fan header

I would probably go
Side fans x 3 intake
Aio top exhaust
Rear fan can quite easily test as either
See which works better if there's any difference
If adding 3 fans to the bottom
Would have those as intake
There may well be different variations
Like side fans as exhaust etc
But unless you want to take the time to try them all
The main thing is you get plenty airflow

The dust issue
Personal choice here
And my pc isn't on the floor
I remove my dust filters
For better airflow
And every now and then I just give it a clean out
 
Thank you both. From your advice I think I will go for top AIO as exhaust, 3 side as intake and possibly 3 bottom as intake.

As for the dust, I clean my current pc a few times a year, so I don't mind a bit of dusting in the new case from the planned fan set up!
 
sparkyb said:
Thank you both. From your advice I think I will go for top AIO as exhaust, 3 side as intake and possibly 3 bottom as intake.

As for the dust, I clean my current pc a few times a year, so I don't mind a bit of dusting in the new case from the planned fan set up!
Click to expand...
3 x side intake
3 x bottom intake
3x top exhaust
1x rear exhaust
Is what I am using in 011d xl
So similar case to yours
Working great for me
 
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