Need advise on air flow direction. Thanks

[Gorby911]

Hi,

I have a question about how to correctly install two fans inside the case. I bought an Antec midtower case. It has places for two fans one in the front (lower part of the face plate) and one in the back (middle, where CPU will be). What is the best way to install those fans to get best airflow/cooling. I was thinking maybe front one is intake and back one is outtake but not sure if that will give me the best cooling. Maybe they both should blow out? Let me know please if you experimented with something like that.

Thanks.

 

[Tepin]

Well, your thoughts are right in line with 'normal' cooling layouts. Heat rises so the exhaust fan is usually best higher up. A lower front case fan as intake will suck cooler air in from the floor area. Last weekend I modded the front intake by greatly enlarging the hole in the metal part of the case (now somewhere around 5" dia.), cut a neat round hole in the front plastic bezel in front of the now enlarged case hole, and mounted a 92mm fan there with a metal grill. That greatly improved the airflow through the case. Mind you I've also got a top blow-hole fan cut through the top of the case (remember heat rises) so it vents any case heat straight up and out. My usual run temp (like right now) is 23 deg C (room temp is 20 deg C)

 

[GasX]

Standard set-up is as you said: front in, back out.

Note that the intake is at the bottom of the case and the exhaust at (or near) the top. This is because heat rises and you want to get rid of the hot air. This is the only set-up you should consider unless you are going to get into advanced case modding such as adding a blowhole (exhaust) to the top of the case...

 

[Gorby911]

thank you all for your input