# Guide to Air Cooling v0.1 (inside - maybe no 56k)



## zone

You suck !









Joking !

This is a great guide and you obviously put a lot of effort into making it (I like the fact that arrows have different colors).
Rep+ for you.


----------



## satansmurf

Air cooling could probably take up its own site...

Top rear exhaust fan, front bottom intake fan, HDs in front of intake fan, ..

Top rear exhaust fan, front bottom intake fan, HDs behind intake fans...

et al.

What is best way to properly describe this to someone staring at their case and having no idea how to proceed?

I. Have. No. Idea.

This is atttempt one









Maybe create index at top based on case type/fan location (or possible location - and how to find out if you have possible location...) ?????

Edit: What is rep+?


----------



## zone

Quote:

Edit: What is rep+?
It's a way people using this forum acknowledge the fact that you have done a good job / given good advice on a certain thread.

Just one question... What do you exactly mean by "_air goes where it finds the least resistance_" when you say: "Keeping balance between intake and exhaust - else, air goes where finds least resistance - do you know where that is?"


----------



## satansmurf

Consider water...

Your case is in water. You have 3 intake fans, no exhaust.

You are pulling all kinds of water into the case - but where is it going? Air principles are the same - although the space/friction requirements are lower.

You have 3 intake fans and have a 5.25" bezel missing from the front of the case and thus the 5.25" hole is where 80% exhausts?

(Of course there are all kinds of cracks, etc that air can excape.. but when you create a pressude differential, air will mostly head out the easiest path - the biggest hole/path.

A few slot plates missing in your PCI area.. that is where air is getting out most easily? Or pulling air in (stock GPU coolers if airflow does not overcome it...)

You have two fans pushing in at 40 cfm and one exhaust at 40 cfm. A few things happen - a) your intake fans will lose power trying to create basically a pressurized case and/or b) the air goes somewhere else...

The "somewhere else" is a wildcard in case cooling. I have known people to use caulking on cracks in cases to create total known air flow (I think I need better friends...)..

"It's a way people using this forum acknowledge the fact that you have done a good job / given good advice on a certain thread."

Ahh.. I have been wondering what that was.
Can you slam someone too? (I tried looking around for that option.. like.. "this post sucks.."


----------



## SEGAos

Yesterday I instaled 4 case fans. One at the front bottom(intake fan) at 12V, one the rear top(exhaust fan) at 12V and two at the top(exhaust fans) at 5V. Now my PC is at a good temeperature and its very quiet. Today Im planing to make some holes at the front to instal the small ex vga fan(intake) betwen CD and DVD drive(at the front top if the case), hope it will work fine to.


----------



## ShawnMcGrail

Quote:


Originally Posted by *satansmurf*

Ahh.. I have been wondering what that was.
Can you slam someone too? (I tried looking around for that option.. like.. "this post sucks.."

That option was removed along time ago due to severe abuse, Instead of negative repping, You can just report a post.

Brings it to the Section Director's attention.


----------



## satansmurf

Not sure of your placement, but adding cooling near the top front may just feed your top exhaust...

You placing it how far down and how much push?

You could end up basically intering air in the top front.. and exhausting it in the top middle... Not sure how well that will help. Your 5.25" things having issues?

(Volts, while interesting, don't belay the impact of a fan.. How much force/cfm does...)

Edit:
Ah, on rep, I guess that makes sense


----------



## SEGAos

Yes good point, so adding one intake fan at the front top is not very good. 5V fans are slower and they make less noice, ill put them on 12V in summer.


----------



## satansmurf

I want to be careful about what I said...

If you are having heat issues in the top front of your case.. adding some flow may help. Hell, removing a bezel may help








But fixing true problem areas may help more.

Just want ya to think first









What is your GPU cooling situation? Flow?
RAM? Much flow over it?

Not sure on your MB + Case + Fan getup.. The thing is to just step back.. Hell, make a little drawing on paper - and look at intake areas, exhausts and blowers (things that just move air around inside the case like stock GPU coolers...)


----------



## SEGAos

GPU cooling situation is very good, when not clocked its on 30C and clocked after 3h of playing its on 41C. I got VF700-AlCu LED on it and one small case fan over it to take the hot air faster to the exhaust case fan.
I didnt do anything with my RAM, they work fine and dont seen to heat.


----------



## satansmurf

Then adding more front cooling may be overkill









You have a bad temp somewhere?

(Cooling for the sake of cooling means.. well.. money you could have spent on the next video card...)


----------



## SEGAos

Well I dont have any problem with temperature, I just have one unused fan and a lot of free time now







. Thank god I have enuff money to buy a new 3d card right now but I dont need it, the old one is fine. Just dont like to throw things away.


----------



## Psychobiker

Lol I've just upped the number of fans to 8 - all working in conj****ion with eachother


----------



## Legion Kreinak

My case is a Thermaltake SViking. It has a clear side door that opens up. Should I keep this open to let me computer cool a lot more? I figured that would be bad 'cause dust can collect. Should I just keep a can of compressed air handy so I can blow dust out whenever it gets a bit built up?


----------



## zone

Quote:


Originally Posted by *Patrice Mersault*
My case is a Thermaltake SViking. It has a clear side door that opens up. Should I keep this open to let me computer cool a lot more? I figured that would be bad 'cause dust can collect. Should I just keep a can of compressed air handy so I can blow dust out whenever it gets a bit built up?

It's preferable to keep your side panel closed.
I have the same case and I can tell you those dual 120mm fans do a great job at creating good airflow inside the case.
If you open your side panel not only will you let more dust in but you will also short circuit your airflow since your rear fan will draw air from its immediate vicinity instead of drawing if from the front and forcing it to pass over your cpu heatsink.

If you decide to use compressed air just make sure you spray in small bursts (3 seconds or so).
Do not keep your finger pressed on it for like 10 seconds because the air it will spray will most likely become humid.


----------



## pbasil1

looks like a great guide! but hows this for air cooling!!!!!!lol just temp


----------



## Legion Kreinak

Quote:


Originally Posted by *z_one*
It's preferable to keep your side panel closed.
I have the same case and I can tell you those dual 120mm fans do a great job at creating good airflow inside the case.
If you open your side panel not only will you let more dust in but you will also short circuit your airflow since your rear fan will draw air from its immediate vicinity instead of drawing if from the front and forcing it to pass over your cpu heatsink.

If you decide to use compressed air just make sure you spray in small bursts (3 seconds or so).
Do not keep your finger pressed on it for like 10 seconds because the air it will spray will most likely become humid.

Good information, thank you.


----------



## 3xtr3m3

If we get a new GPU cooler, do we have to take off the stock fan from the card ?


----------



## satansmurf

Yes

Edit:
And doing so can take some work.

For example, I had to snip some plastic off the top of the voltage heatsink pegs on my MSI 6800GT in order to fit an NS5 on it.
No big deal, you just can't be shy


----------



## 3xtr3m3

Thank you satansmurf but what is NS5 ?
I am planning to get a sapphire x800gto2, should i change the cooler to *ZALMAN VF700-CU 2* or is the stock fan better ?


----------



## satansmurf

That is a great cooler..

Beats sotck hands down..

NS5 was my typo way of saying my Arctic coolers.. is a rear exhaust type cooler...


----------



## SpookedJunglist

You should factor in the PSU as an exhaust







Is this thing complete? If you work on it I think it would make an awesome guide. Try using some bold and bullets for points all the option sare in the tools above your text box. Let me know if you need any help. Looks good so far.

*stuff:
*
need this
need that
need those
*Procedure:
*
do this
do that
don't do this
All of the above make things easier to follow









Example


----------



## satansmurf

Yeah, having read more around here..

Need to way organize this better. Once I am back from China.. v0.2 - new digrams are done, etc.. Just need some quiet time to finish it off. (And I hate working within site formats.. But I can live with it







)


----------



## SpookedJunglist

Quote:



Originally Posted by *satansmurf*

Yeah, having read more around here..

Need to way organize this better. Once I am back from China.. v0.2 - new digrams are done, etc.. Just need some quiet time to finish it off. (And I hate working within site formats.. But I can live with it








)


You dont have to follow a format. Just suggesting


----------



## zetachi

nice post gonna use this advice in my new case setup


----------



## Smitty099

Thanks smurf...just ordered parts for my new system...this guide will definately help me to do my initial setup to hopefully avoid any real airflow issues...Thanks again

PS - Reps to you mate.


----------



## CyberDruid

I think we have a new aircooling guru! Great having all those pictures (saves reading a bunch of boring text--just kidding) Good work! And yes we all need to be as anal about this as you--lol.


----------



## linh1987

Rare high-quality guide., please sticky
My case only have a hole for case fan at middle back and center of left-side, no place to place at front, any ideas?
edited: removed my question about intake fan at 5"25 bay, alrready replied.


----------

