CPU fan direction

[jwoicik]

I have a MSI KT3V (via kt333 chipset), with a xp 1900+. I got the cpu retail with the heatsink and fan. However, the fan seems to be spinning in the wrong direction. It's forcing the air down and out the sides of the heat sink. I don't know, maybe that's how it's suppose to be but I don't think it's the best idea in my set up. Is there anyway I can change the direction of the fan in the bios or do I have to physically change the wires in the plug?

 

[farmercal]

This IS the proper installation but if you want to change the direction of the fan you have to physically remove the fan the install it the other way. There are markings on the side of the fan that tell you the direction of the air flow.

 

[jwoicik]

...interesting, I tried flipping the fan around but the screws won't fit the other way. But if that's the way it's suppose to be then that's cool... What's the reasoning behind this direction of air flow?

 

[farmercal]

The heat sink is designed so that it cools better with air being forced into the heat sink. There are heat sinks out there that are disigned to work the other way and there some like the Thermalright A-X7 that I use that will work either way and since I have a regular 80mm fan, I can change it at will.

 

[nabeel]

i have an ax-7 with a sunon 80mm, it works better with air flowing into it, but only if the environment isnt hot. if its around ~85+ in my room, then blowing air out works much better

 

[Ketchup]

It depends on the airflow in your case as much as it does the heatsink itself. I have an Alpha 8942, and Alpha recommends blowing air away from the heatsink, but I get lower temps with the fan blowing into the heatsink. If you are concerned about temps, you may want to get a new heatsink and fan combination anyway. AMD does not package very robust heatsinks with their CPU's.

 

[sandorski]

Very few Heatsinks are designed to have the air blow away from them. Alpha heatsinks(at least some models) are the exception, they are specifically designed that way.

 

[Corporate Thug]

you want the fan to blow air onto the CPU

 

[sunase]

Doesn't the MSI KT3V have a passively cooled chipset near the CPU? You definitely don't want to reverse that fan and pull air in from the sides then.

 

[jwoicik]

Very interesting. Yes, the KT3V has a passivly cooled chipset nearby. So are you recommending, on this particular board, to have the air pushed in to the heatsink or pulled out? Also, i'm open to suggestions on a better fan and heatsink, I knew the stock setup couldn't be that good.