Chipset Fan direction

[AgentJean]

The stock fan on my motherboard's chipset died a few months ago, so I replaced it with a chipset fan from CompUSA.

The question is, what direction should the fan be blowing? Should it blow down onto the headsink or away from the heatsink?

 

[Zepper]

Most chipset fans blow rather than suck. 😉

.bh.

 

[AgentJean]

Originally posted by: Zepper
Most chipset fans blow rather than suck. 😉

.bh.

Ummm, so if I have the fan blowing air away from the heatsink instead of blowing on to the heatsink i'm ok?


Why does my CPU Fan blow down onto the heatsink and CPU then?

 

[Steve]

Blowing downward tends to be more effective.

 

[Kwint Sommer]

The heat is mostly at the base of the heatsink so for best performance blow air onto the base of the heatsink.

 

[Zepper]

Blow means blow toward, suck means draw air away from...

.bh.

 

[Ayah]

Most chipset fans blow down.

 

[velillen]

Shoudl that apply to CPU heatsinks as well. I have a stock 4400+ heatsink and the fan blows away form the cpu. Should i switch it around so the fan blows onto the cpu? Least i think it is set up this way cause if i put my hand over the top i feel air blowing onto my hand

 

[fluffmonster]

the wires for a fan insert on the exhaust side of it.

 

[Zepper]

Yup, the wiring and spider (holds the hub (motor) in place) are on the output side - the intake side of the fan is normally wide open. Some heatsinks can work well with the fan drawing air thru the fins - but those are mostly the radial fin type. Closed bottom/vertical fin types usually require the fan to blow into them. But experimentation never hurts - try yours both ways and watch what happens to the CPU temps. I have my fan blowing thru a radial fin type heatsink toward the mobo because that also helps to cool the surrounding components - but I occasionally have to clean the fine dust off the windward sides of those components. No choice comes without a cost... TANSTAAFL!

.bh.