Can someone please help me out with what the best fan setup is?

[sebastian869]

Basically I have an ARC Midi R2 and an Asrock extreme6 MOBO. It came with its own self control 5-7-12v fan controller. I'm looking for a setup that is more controlled by the needs of the hardware. I no longer have any free 5.25. I was thinking of getting 2 140mm in the front one 120mm on the floor and one 140mm in the rear high air flow to kick the air out. (Am currently running corsair h100i CPU cooler and its normally point in I would change the air flow out of the case) Was thinking of using something like a:
http://www.swiftech.com/8-WayPWMsplitter-sata.aspx or http://www.corsair.com/en-us/corsair-commander-mini
http://www.corsair.com/en-us/corsair-link-cooling-kit
. What do you guys think of this idea and which hardware would you select?

Thanks.

 

[BonzaiDuck]

Use the mobo exclusively if you can. I'll get a better look at the case. I can't keep up with all these cases . . .

 

[lehtv]

Grab an akasa 5-way pwm splitter, install 2 front fans, one cpu fan, 1 rear and one optional top-rear. All fans the same 140mm pwm model, e.g. noctua a14, bequiet sw2, or some other one that's around 300-1200 rpn or thereabouts. Attach all fans to the splitter and connect the splitter to the cpu fan header. Ta-da, your whole case now breathes according to CPU load/temperature

In my exp, a floor fan is useless and so is a second top fan (closer to front). Both fan locations interrupt the front to back airflow

 

[BonzaiDuck]

Grab an akasa 5-way pwm splitter, install 2 front fans, one cpu fan, 1 rear and one optional top-rear. All fans the same 140mm pwm model, e.g. noctua a14, bequiet sw2, or some other one that's around 300-1200 rpn or thereabouts. Attach all fans to the splitter and connect the splitter to the cpu fan header. Ta-da, your whole case now breathes according to CPU load/temperature

In my exp, a floor fan is useless and so is a second top fan (closer to front). Both fan locations interrupt the front to back airflow

Absolutely -- I agree with this generally. But I use the Swiftech splitter, which is also inexpensive (< $11) and will connect up to 8 fans. I don't know the particulars of the Akasa splitter, but the Swiftech unit powers directly from the PSU, is controlled from the single chosen CPU fan header (or other PWM port allowing thermal control) and allows for three more fans.

You don't want to use to full capacity of either splitter other than for the fans chosen for that case.

He didn't say what motherboard he's using, and the number of PWM ports and controllability of "CHAssis" fans may vary. He needs to have at least one fan on the CPU fan port, so that's the one to use for the splitter.

Note on the Swiftech and likely the Akasa splitter. You will only be able to monitor the speed of one of the fans connected to it, unless you run the monitoring wires of the remaining fans to available ports on the motherboard.

 

[sebastian869]

Grab an akasa 5-way pwm splitter, install 2 front fans, one cpu fan, 1 rear and one optional top-rear. All fans the same 140mm pwm model, e.g. noctua a14, bequiet sw2, or some other one that's around 300-1200 rpn or thereabouts. Attach all fans to the splitter and connect the splitter to the cpu fan header. Ta-da, your whole case now breathes according to CPU load/temperature

In my exp, a floor fan is useless and so is a second top fan (closer to front). Both fan locations interrupt the front to back airflow

unfortunately fans is something i know nothing about (i mean in the more detailed higher res version).
BTW is there any difference between the akasa and http://www.swiftech.com/8-WayPWMsplitter-sata.aspx?
For ex, some splitters have 3 pin others are for PWN.
For sure it makes more sense to put are in the front so i got the max 2 140 and out the back another though i have a corsair h100i and it says to take the air into the case. Do you think their wrong and it should go out.
This is where my lack of knowledge comes in in know its pulse mod... and more adjustable but if your coming off a 4 pin cpu or chassis would 3 3pin work?
Thanks for the help guys

 

[voodoo7817]

I have a Define R4 rather than the ARC Midi R2 but it looks like I more or less have the a similar build to yours (see in sig). I got the Swiftech splitter along with 4 Phanteks 140mm fans and the setup works great and is basically inaudible. Unforunately I don't have any benchmarks to share.

Here is a link I used when selecting parts and putting together my build this summer:
http://www.silentpcreview.com/forums/viewtopic.php?f=14&t=66624

Hope that helps!

 

[Carson Dyle]

Agree that if you can use the motherboard to control the fans via software, use that instead of manual fan control.

I think I might skip the bottom fan initially and only add it later, if it's really necessary. Use the two front fans as intakes and use the rear fan as an exhaust.

 

[BonzaiDuck]

Agree that if you can use the motherboard to control the fans via software, use that instead of manual fan control.

I think I might skip the bottom fan initially and only add it later, if it's really necessary. Use the two front fans as intakes and use the rear fan as an exhaust.

I'd say this . . . about that . . . The case-makers provide options -- not opportunities one needs to fulfill by using every fan vent. I block the suckers off if they're unused, choosing to pressurize my case. If I were looking to pressurize a case as small as the OP's, I'd choose one or two vents for exhaust (and preferably one), and use as many as possible for maximum intake. That's for air-cooling with your standard heatpipe-tower.

With the H100, it's going to be two exhausts, and I still wouldn't hesitate to load up the case with intake fans. Seal the case properly, assure that other mobo components are adequately cooled, and you wouldn't need a push-pull of four fans on the Corsair AiO -- not with a pressurized case. I think the original AiO and fans would work fine that way.