Side panel fans

Ollie1132 · 7 May 2012 at 23:31

So I was wondering if it's worth putting two fans on the side panel of my CM Storm Trooper case as well as one/two more at some point on the bottom inside of the case. Now adding extra fans would that cause dead spots? and Im guessing it would actually aid my airflow but Im not sure in which ways though. Any suggestions?

stuntmanSLim · 7 May 2012 at 23:48

Extraction,if you put side panel fans as intake,it will increase mobo temps a lot.

Ollie1132 · 7 May 2012 at 23:50

Hm? why do you say extraction?

cowello · 7 May 2012 at 23:55

I thought intake side panel slots were good for supplying your graphics card some fresh air?

Ollie1132 · 7 May 2012 at 23:57

cowello said:
I thought intake side panel slots were good for supplying your graphics card some fresh air?

They are but my understand of airflow is adding fans sometimes can cause "dead spots" in airflow and such. :/

Helios1234 · 8 May 2012 at 00:06

I wouldn't do it as the gains will be minimal and you're disrupting the airflow. It's worth trying to see for yourself but otherwise I wouldn't bother.

Ollie1132 · 8 May 2012 at 00:16

What do you think about an intake fan at the bottom of the case Helios? and possibly replacing the 200mm top fan with 2x140s?

bfar · 8 May 2012 at 00:25

2012E=stuntmanSLim;21861371]Extraction,if you put side panel fans as intake,it will increase mobo temps a lot.[/QUOTE]

mmm, i would have thought extraction could have the same effect. it completely depend on the case and cooler. In most cases a side fan should be an intake, but it should be tested by the user.

stuntmanSLim · 8 May 2012 at 13:15

This is my case fans config;

3 x 120mm front intake.
1 x 120mm rear intake.
1 x 140mm top extraction.
1 x 200mm side panel extraction.

Two of the front 120mm intake fans is whats bringing cool air to the gfx cards. I have mounted a Prolimatech CPU heatsink so that the fan fitted to the heatsink is blowing towards the 140mm top extraction fan,i've got the rear 120mm fan as intake,had to fit a dust filter,blowing cool air towards the vrm's & the side of the prolimatech CPU cooler.

(If you got a big case & need more cool air to the gfx cards,one would fit a fan/fans between the gfx cards & hard drive cage,thus the fan would be close to the end of the gfx cards,sucking the cold air from the front intake fans into the gfx cards).

bfar · 8 May 2012 at 13:28

stuntmanSLim said:
This is my case fans config;

3 x 120mm front intake.
1 x 120mm rear intake.
1 x 140mm top extraction.
1 x 200mm side panel extraction.

Two of the front 120mm intake fans is whats bringing cool air to the gfx cards. I have mounted a Prolimatech CPU cooler so that the fan fitted to the cooler is blowing towards the 140mm top extraction fan,i've got the rear 120mm fan as intake,had to fit a dust filter,blowing cool air towards the vrm's & the side of the prolimatech CPU cooler.

That's a very non standard setup. not everyone has that many front intakes - in most scenarios the side fan should be an intake.

stuntmanSLim · 8 May 2012 at 13:34

bfar said:
That's a very non standard setup. not everyone has that many front intakes - in most scenarios the side fan should be an intake.

I have tested it both ways on my case fan config. As intake,mobo & gfx cards temps were a lot higher than the side panel fan as extraction.

(If you got a big case & need more cool air to the gfx cards,one would fit a fan/fans between the gfx cards & hard drive cage,thus the fan would be close to the end of the gfx cards,sucking the cold air from the front intake fans into the gfx cards).

eyetrip · 8 May 2012 at 13:45

Think I am going to give this a test tonight -got a prolimatech 140mm aluminium as side intake at full speed, and it certainly does help my top card in crossfire.

Will swap this around tonight as an exhaust and see what it does for GU and CPU temps.

stuntmanSLim · 8 May 2012 at 14:36

Make sure the rear case fan isn't fighting with the top case fan,i used a sheet of toilet roll to test the top fan & infact found the top fan was being counter acted by the rear fan,it could be the top fan is counter acting the rear fan in some "cases",thus i fitted a dust filter to the rear & made it intake,mounting the cpu cooler/fan to blow out the top extraction fan.

eyetrip · 8 May 2012 at 14:41

Not sure how the rear (120mm) would interfere with the two top (140mm) fans. All extracting.

Was honestly thinking of seeing what would be like with 2 tops as intakes. Not sure my 2 fronts on the Fractal Define R3 pull in enough air.

eyetrip · 9 May 2012 at 07:55

Can safely say that side fan extracting does not work for my setup. Didn't make any diff to CPU, but GPU's were a good 6 to 7C warmer, and was reached fairly early into a round of BF3.

stuntmanSLim · 9 May 2012 at 15:21

eyetrip said:
Can safely say that side fan extracting does not work for my setup. Didn't make any diff to CPU, but GPU's were a good 6 to 7C warmer, and was reached fairly early into a round of BF3.

What about mainboard temps ?

eyetrip · 9 May 2012 at 15:25

Didnt look - if everything else is getting hotter, I don't see the point.

stuntmanSLim · 9 May 2012 at 15:26

eyetrip said:
Didnt look - if everything else is getting hotter, I don't see the point.

You must have poor intake at front of gfx cards due to having a big case.

Ollie1132 · 9 May 2012 at 15:46

I think Im going to replace my rear exhaust and possibly top exhaust for two 140mm's.. then add in a 120mm in the bottom of the case should keep the airflow going and my pressure positive.

stuntmanSLim · 9 May 2012 at 16:17

Ollie1132 said:
I think Im going to replace my rear exhaust and possibly top exhaust for two 140mm's.. then add in a 120mm in the bottom of the case should keep the airflow going and my pressure positive.

Put a fan between the gfx cards & hard drive cage,so the fan is blowing straight down the gfx cards air channel,thus sucking the cold air from the front intake case fans.