How should I direct my case fans... in or out?

[bupkus]

I just built this pc for a nephew and there's 4 case fans installed.

All 4 fans are 80mm with 2 in the back panel and one in the middle of the side panel and one topside.

Currently I have 3 blowing outward with the side panel fan blowing inward. It seems a bit off balance with 3 out and 1 in.

I had hoped that the negative pressure would suck air through the front of the case and over the harddrive but the front doesn't have very good or obvious ventage.

I was thinking of setting the bottom fan of the 2 in the back panel to blow inward.
Any suggestions or comments?

 

[MistaTastyCakes]

I've always heard that the front of the case should be intake, and the rear should be exhaust. As for a side panel, I have nooo idea

 

[Deskstar]

Usually, the front and side would blow in, and the rear blow out. However, a temp monitor would tell the tale.

 

[jhites]

All 4 fans are 80mm with 2 in the back panel and one in the middle of the side panel and one topside.

By topside - do you mean a blowhole?
What type of case? Mid tower, desktop, etc?

Specifications can get some more accurate answers.

 

[propellerhead]

Originally posted by: Deskstar
However, a temp monitor would tell the tale.

Yea, what Deskstar said....

I don't think anyone on the net can tell you what the best combination is. Your best bet is to test it. As a general rule, you want to draw in cool air and blow it out the top since hot air rises. In ATX tower cases, the power supply is at the top, towards the rear. So it follows that the front, bottom and sides would push air into the case and the rear and top would pull air out. For the least noise, try to balance the in and out.

Have fun testing!

 

[Technik]

Here's my experince...

I 4x80 - Vantec Stealth Fans and two are intaking, 2 out exhusting (is that a word?) Each blowing 28CFM of air and my system keeps cool as I could want from very quiet fans. I just balance it, it seems to work well. If I had a side window fan I would have it intake as the video card and otherwise would apreciate it.

So try that.... how much air do those antec fans move?

P.S: My case modding fanatic of a friend put 2x120mm stealth fans in top and bottom of case. Things work well, and he put a 80mm stealth in hard-drive bay to cool things down... His box is very quiet with the baybus, he slows the fans down termendously, at around 1000rpm they still move 30cfm. So just giving you some ideas....

 

[JBT]

it is best to have a equal distribution. I just he other day changed 1 of my fans around I had 3 80mm fans blowing out and 1 120 mm fan blowing in. 2 of the 80 mm were in the back of the case, 1 was on the side and the 120 was in the front bottem. I recently changed the side fan to an intake fan. Now I get a lot better temps and the whole sytem is a little less noisy. So try for equal intake/outtake I think it gets the best results.

 

[pkypkypky]

What's an easy way to "balance" the air distribution? Wouldn't you have to take into effect the PS fan? And what if you don't know what the CFM rating is on your stock fans that came with the case?

I want to put some intake on my cases, but I'm not sure what speed I'll be needing.

 

[Jeriko]

I thought the rear was supposed to be the intake. Usually the rear panel of a case will have better ventilation than the front.

-J