Push/Pull fan configuration.

Emjay86 · 7 Oct 2013 at 22:58

Hey guys im a little curious as to whether I should use the same fans for push/pull configuration or if it doesn't matter.

Basically I have 3 xigmatec fans in a pull configuration and I had a single Corsair SP 120 high performance thingy arrive so I put it on push configuration on one of the spare spaces (whilst I wait ot get more). Now I noticed a considerable difference between the airflow coming out of the case on the push/pull section to the other two pull sections, no brainer as to why.

But my question is will I need to have corsairs at both sides of the rad or doesn't it matter? My first thought was that it potentially puts the 'weaker' fans into bit of an 'overdrive' state and potentially damages the bearings?

Thanks in advance!

clone · 8 Oct 2013 at 08:40

Wont see much difference apart from more noise.

andybird123 · 8 Oct 2013 at 08:40

I wouldn't worry too much about the weaker fans being damaged, more the case that they will be causing a restriction to the stronger fans

you'll get the best results from having matched fans... if you were trying to minimise costs and wasted fans, you could use 2 of the xigs on push pull on one section and get 4 of the SP120's on the other 2 sections

Emjay86 · 8 Oct 2013 at 19:20

andybird123 said:
I wouldn't worry too much about the weaker fans being damaged, more the case that they will be causing a restriction to the stronger fans

you'll get the best results from having matched fans... if you were trying to minimise costs and wasted fans, you could use 2 of the xigs on push pull on one section and get 4 of the SP120's on the other 2 sections

Its just something I will be upgrading slowly due to BF4 and Batman Origins coming out.

Plus I still need to buy another radiator and a bay res so the fans are low on my list (as I have functioning fans they just arent the best).

andybird123 · 9 Oct 2013 at 08:25

I would put the sp120 on its own for now then and move one of the xigs so you have a pair of them in push pull instead of one xig and one sp

a new rad will make a much bigger difference than push pull or different fans anyway, so concentrate on getting the rad and whatever cheap fans that are not too noisy (i found xspc fans were very reasonable cost/performance rad fans when i was running 120mm's)

Make · 9 Oct 2013 at 09:18

Yes if you are using a "Thin"-rad, a single sp120 on each side is the best option for performance and noise. So just use one of the sp 120s in one side and 2 xigs in other.

For example on the H100i's thin rad, adding a 2nd pair of sp120's for push/pull gives roughly a 1c temp difference.

On thick rads a pushpull can do 4-5c. So upgrade to a proper rad before pushpull.