How should I setup my fans?

[Armageddon415]

I have 2 80mm slots in the back, with one slot at the cpu height another fan slot right below it. And a side fan on the panel. Which fans should be input and which should be exhaust? Also I have a ALpha Pal8045, should the fan be blowing or sucking?

 

[Amused]

Back fans: blowing out.

Side fan: blowing in

CPU fan. Try it both ways. I prefer my HSF to be blowing on the HS rather than sucking.

Actually, I dislike blow holes on the side. IMHO, I believe the most efficient setup is two intake fans in the front of the case, down low, and two exhaust fans up top in the rear. This provides you with steady flow of fresh air through the case.

 

[THUGSROOK]

i like to use the "negative pressure" approach.

...all fans should be exaust fans. make 2 cutouts in the side panel over the cpu and vid card but dont install fans there. just install grilles - effectively these will be your "intake" ports. all of your exaust fans will be sucking air in thru those 2 holes right over the cpu and vid card. to take it a step further you could attempt to seal your case the best you can in order to limit intake "leaks".

a top blowhole exaust fan would be the best way to ensure this setup "pulls" plenty of air. no need for super loud fans either. the combined power of 4 to 5 exaust fans will pull tons of air over your cpu and vid card. more so then actually having fans there blowing on them.

i know this sounds very weird, but if anyone is into experimenting they should try this.

 

[HouRman]

I think cases are designed with the idea of a flow through design to channel air though the case, not circulate it or form vacuums.

I have not done testing but I believe air blowing onto the heatsink will be more effective since air particles are being forced onto the metal to absorb heat rather than the suction effect and air displacing itself.

In a computer case you don't want air pockets that circulate air.. you want a steady flow of air to pass through the case. Intake on the bottom front of the case for cold air induction and then a blowhole on the upper area of the case for hot air exhaust (hot air rises).

If you put fans on top of eachother blowing in/out, then it acts as a cycle that doesn't do much good in passing air over all the components.

 

[THUGSROOK]

HouRman -
as weird as it sounds, it works and its quieter too
i even sold off the 2 120mm fans i removed.

thats right - im running cooler with 2 less fans!

if i had a way to measure the air coming in the intakes, im sure there is just as much air coming thru them now as if they had fans in them. maybe even more.

 

[HouRman]

This may be true for your case, I have an Antec KS282 with holes all over the side panels, and the rear panels and front. There is only room for 1 80mm exhaust fan in the back, and I moded a 120mm fan in the front.

The idea is nice and I can see how it might work well, but I don't think most cases have blowholes on the top and intakes close to the processor and/or gpu like yours.

 

[Armageddon415]

Think I'll try what HouRman sugguested. Would Panaflo L1A fans good enough to circulate air?