Corsair 600C bottom rad airflow: good or bad?

[Proggm]

So I just got a Corsair 600C case (inverted ATX). I'll be installing a CLC (with the radiator at the bottom of the case), but I've been wondering about the airflow. Corsair shows an example for this case:

The problem with this fan layout is that the radiator fans are acting as an exhaust rather than an intake, which is what you usually want for a rad (fresh air coming from the outside and thru the fins). However, this layout does make sense with two front fans pulling fresh air inside. Another advantage: less dust with the bottom fans pushing air out.

Tell me what you guys think!

 

[UsandThem]

As long as there is sufficient ground clearance (e.g. not on carpet), it should be fine. The temps in your case will be higher than the room temperature, but if you have fans set up like they do in the picture you posted, it really shouldn't matter that much.......probably 1-2c difference than if they were pulling air from the outside.

Edit:.

So several of the reviews I read have their radiator fans as an intake. From what I could tell from their findings:

Your CPU will run a few degrees cooler, but your video card and case temps will be much warmer (not throttle hot or anything like that).

If you install like Corsair recommends, your CPU temp will be a few degrees warmer, but your case and video card will be much cooler (6-10c depending on the review).

 

[BonzaiDuck]

As long as there is sufficient ground clearance (e.g. not on carpet), it should be fine. The temps in your case will be higher than the room temperature, but if you have fans set up like they do in the picture you posted, it really shouldn't matter that much.......probably 1-2c difference than if they were pulling air from the outside.

Edit:.

So several of the reviews I read have their radiator fans as an intake. From what I could tell from their findings:

Your CPU will run a few degrees cooler, but your video card and case temps will be much warmer (not throttle hot or anything like that).

If you install like Corsair recommends, your CPU temp will be a few degrees warmer, but your case and video card will be much cooler (6-10c depending on the review).

Just offhand, I think it can work toward optimizing temperatures for both CPU and vid-card/motherboard without following either configuration precisely.

If you can arrange "directed" exhaust for either the vid-card(s) or the vid-cards and motherboard combined, you could still put the radiator at an intake and its impact on case interior and vid/motherboard temperatures would be attenuated.

You would still be pushing warmer air into the case from intake radiators, but it would be exhausted after being directed and at higher pressure across these other components.

Now this idea -- as I said -- was offhand, and someone might have more to add or question about it. The better idea would have intake through the bottom radiator, and additional (secondary) intake directed at the cards and mobo immediately -- with any remaining adequate exhaust strategies.

And now that I look again at the photo, the radiators are indeed (more or less) getting intake air. I just don't have enthusiasm for exhausting air at the bottom.

But that particular case could offer many possibilities by which it could be avoided.

 

[UsandThem]

Just offhand, I think it can work toward optimizing temperatures for both CPU and vid-card/motherboard without following either configuration precisely.

If you can arrange "directed" exhaust for either the vid-card(s) or the vid-cards and motherboard combined, you could still put the radiator at an intake and its impact on case interior and vid/motherboard temperatures would be attenuated.

You would still be pushing warmer air into the case from intake radiators, but it would be exhausted after being directed and at higher pressure across these other components.

Now this idea -- as I said -- was offhand, and someone might have more to add or question about it. The better idea would have intake through the bottom radiator, and additional (secondary) intake directed at the cards and mobo immediately -- with any remaining adequate exhaust strategies.

And now that I look again at the photo, the radiators are indeed (more or less) getting intake air. I just don't have enthusiasm for exhausting air at the bottom.

But that particular case could offer many possibilities by which it could be avoided.

It's an interesting style of case for sure. I've never used anything other than a standard mid or full tower case.

I guess if I bought this case, I'd probably spend an entire day trying all the different configurations to see what gave me the best temps and airflow. My current case (Fractal Design R5) is actually the first case I ever needed to install a bottom fan in so I could run all my case fans at low RPMs for silence, but of course it is set-up as an intake.

 

[Proggm]

Thank you guys for the input! I'll probably do that: after getting aftermarket fans, I'll spend some time testing for optimal temps/airflow. My best guess is that, as hot air goes up, the bottom-intake setup will definitely increase the GPU temperature. That could be a problem since I won't be using additional cooling on my graphics card. However, CPU temperature should be lower with that setup, so... we'll see.

 

[EhRabz]

Hate to bring this old thread up again... But do you just have TERRIBLE temps no matter what you do to it? I have a custom loop in my 600C case with 2 980ti's and a 5820k with a 360mm 250mm and 120mm rad, and NO MATTER how I orient my fans, i can't seem to get temps that aren't just absolute shit....

 

[EhRabz]

47C idle with stock CPU........While my fans are at 2000 RPM

 

[Valantar]

47C idle with stock CPU........While my fans are at 2000 RPM

How is your loop laid out?

 

[EhRabz]

How is your loop laid out?

I've tried everything... settled for front 2 exhaust, 3 bottom intake and 1 rear exhaust

 

[Valantar]

I've tried everything... settled for front 2 exhaust, 3 bottom intake and 1 rear exhaust

I mean more along the lines of "how are the items in your loop arranged?" I.e. does the CPU feed directly into a rad, or to the gpus? Is it CPU->GPU->GPU->Rad x3->pump?

Is your pump sufficient to run water through three water blocks and three rads? What speed do you run it at? Are the rads thick (low resistance) or thin? What about the waterblocks?

 

[EhRabz]

I mean more along the lines of "how are the items in your loop arranged?" I.e. does the CPU feed directly into a rad, or to the gpus? Is it CPU->GPU->GPU->Rad x3->pump?

Is your pump sufficient to run water through three water blocks and three rads? What speed do you run it at? Are the rads thick (low resistance) or thin? What about the waterblocks?

Pump/res > rad > rad > CPU > RAD > GPU > GPU > RES / all slim rads (this case WONT support thick rads , hell even installing 240 + 360 interfered with each other..) fans are all 2000RPM atm still getting stupid tempds.. And all EKWB blocks.

 

[Valantar]

Pump/res > rad > rad > CPU > RAD > GPU > GPU > RES / all slim rads (this case WONT support thick rads , hell even installing 240 + 360 interfered with each other..) fans are all 2000RPM atm still getting stupid tempds.. And all EKWB blocks.

With that amount of slim rads, you might have too much resistance if you're running your pump at low rpm. EKWB blocks are all AFAIK low resistance/high flow, so they should have little impact. Have you tried leaving out the 240 or 360 and seeing how your temps are with just two rads?

 

[EhRabz]

no I haven't , but when would you consider the flow inadequate ? I can see the return rate and it seems fine , but that's coming from someone who's only build 4 loops and this being the first time I can visibly see the return

 

[EhRabz]

With that amount of slim rads, you might have too much resistance if you're running your pump at low rpm. EKWB blocks are all AFAIK low resistance/high flow, so they should have little impact. Have you tried leaving out the 240 or 360 and seeing how your temps are with just two rads?

no I haven't , but when would you consider the flow inadequate ? I can see the return rate and it seems fine , but that's coming from someone who's only build 4 loops and this being the first time I can visibly see the return

 

[Valantar]

no I haven't , but when would you consider the flow inadequate ? I can see the return rate and it seems fine , but that's coming from someone who's only build 4 loops and this being the first time I can visibly see the return

I really have no idea, my experience is rather limited, but I've seen/heard enough water cooling "experts" saying slim rads cause a lot of resistance to think three of them in series might be a tad much for a single pump. What kind of pump of are you using?

 

[EhRabz]

I really have no idea, my experience is rather limited, but I've seen/heard enough water cooling "experts" saying slim rads cause a lot of resistance to think three of them in series might be a tad much for a single pump. What kind of pump of are you using?

D5 Vario

 

[guskline]

EhRabz, try a simple test. Set your D5 Vario at the highest setting (5 noisest) and run AIDA64 Stress test @20 minutes and see your overall temps. Do the same test with the setting at 0-quietest, then compare temps.

I like crazy WC setup and actually run 3 RX480 rads together with a dual D5 XSPC pump res combo in my 5960x rig. A single D5 Vario is pretty strong and should be able to have enough flow in your rig.

 

[EhRabz]

EhRabz, try a simple test. Set your D5 Vario at the highest setting (5 noisest) and run AIDA64 Stress test @20 minutes and see your overall temps. Do the same test with the setting at 0-quietest, then compare temps.

I like crazy WC setup and actually run 3 RX480 rads together with a dual D5 XSPC pump res combo in my 5960x rig. A single D5 Vario is pretty strong and should be able to have enough flow in your rig.

unless i completely stop my pump, there's no temp difference :/