Some Questions About Case Fans

I just upgraded my case to a CoolerMaster HAF 912+ and an AIO watercooling rig (CoolerMaster Seidon 240M) and I had a question about case fans.

The HAF 912 has pretty good air flow. In fact, it has so many holes in it for air to come in, it looks like a kitchen sieve. The whole thing is pretty much mesh, lol. Anyway, the case has two 120mm fans, one in the front, and one in the back, and the water cooler is using four 120mm fans in a push-pull arrangement, blowing out of the top vents.

This leads me to my question: I have a spot for another fan in front, and one on the side panel, above the graphics card. My internal case temp is running at about 3C over ambient, and my processor idle temp is about 4C over ambient. Do I need more fans? If I mount a fan on the side panel, do I have it blow inward or outward? I don't want my rig to be too loud, but I want effective cooling. I'm not overclocking during the summer, but I may this winter. I just don't want my machine to sound like a jet in the meantime.

Heh heh. I'm not a fanaholic. The objective is to get the maximum amount of cooling before Her Majesty objects to the noise.

Mellon Head said:

I just upgraded my case to a CoolerMaster HAF 912+ and an AIO watercooling rig (CoolerMaster Seidon 240M) and I had a question about case fans.

The HAF 912 has pretty good air flow. In fact, it has so many holes in it for air to come in, it looks like a kitchen sieve. The whole thing is pretty much mesh, lol. Anyway, the case has two 120mm fans, one in the front, and one in the back, and the water cooler is using four 120mm fans in a push-pull arrangement, blowing out of the top vents.

This leads me to my question: I have a spot for another fan in front, and one on the side panel, above the graphics card. My internal case temp is running at about 3C over ambient, and my processor idle temp is about 4C over ambient. Do I need more fans? If I mount a fan on the side panel, do I have it blow inward or outward? I don't want my rig to be too loud, but I want effective cooling. I'm not overclocking during the summer, but I may this winter. I just don't want my machine to sound like a jet in the meantime.

Here a sensitive respond from member "essenbe" about fans, Post #65 (WaterCooling Plan (No AIO)):

NoN, you will have better luck if your input is greater than your output. That will give you positive air pressure in the case and force the hot air in the case outside through all the grating and cracks and creases in the case. That has been shown to help the case and especially the dust by 30%.

I'm half of a fanaholic!!

ignatzatsonic said:

Then you obviously need more fans, as you clearly haven't yet been asked to vacate the premises by Her Majesty.

Have you taken her down to the blacksmith shop and had her fitted with earplugs? That would be my first move. If I were a closet fanaholic. Then maybe look into a 6 cylinder Lycoming or Continental salvaged from a totaled-out Beechcraft, as long as it had a good working Hamilton Standard prop attached.

NoN said:

Here a sensitive respond from member "essenbe" about fans, Post #65 (WaterCooling Plan (No AIO)):

NoN, you will have better luck if your input is greater than your output. That will give you positive air pressure in the case and force the hot air in the case outside through all the grating and cracks and creases in the case. That has been shown to help the case and especially the dust by 30%.

I'm half of a fanaholic!!

essenbe is most wise. I don't know if I could ever get positive air pressure in this case as there's so many holes in it.

Maybe if I used ignatzatsonic's idea of a hopped up Beechcraft engine and prop...

I'm not addicted I only have 13 fans in the Primo.

Some suggestions.

1. Always have more incoming air than exhaust. That will help keep a small positive pressure inside the case. Covering unnecessary hole in the case will help keep positive pressure. It also helps keep dust out of the case.

2. The quality of the fans used is just if not more important the quantity. You can have 2 or 3 poor quality fans and your computer will sound like a C47 loading up for take off.
I have 13 fans and 2 water pumps and things run cool and quiet.
Quality fans cost from around $15.00 to $30.00 each.

3. Case fans should move volumes of air unlike a radiator fan that has to push air with more pressure to get the air through the radiator. Some fans will work well in both usages. Depends on the radiator and the fans.

4. ALL intake fans should (must) have filters.

5. Quality bigger fans run quieter and make good case fans.

6. Before you buy fans a little homework comes in handy. Check the RPM's/air flow/air pressure/noise levels. Any good quality fan will list this information and more.
Use nothing smaller than a 120mm fan.

7. A quality fan controller can be a quite life saver. When ambient temp are low you can turn the fan RPM's down and monitor the temps and of course up when it's hot.
Note: I personally don't like a program to control fan speed.

8. But not last. Where you install things and route harnesses/wires is very important for proper air flow through a case. Air going through a case should have a flow path as much as possible. A bunch of air in the case going in circles cools poorly.


Mellon Head you have chosen a very nice case.
Things I noticed and suggestions.

1. Your hard drive rack sits right in front of your intake fan. If you can move that cage or remove it if not needed it would help air flow through the case.

2. I would install a top fan/s for exhaust.

3. I would install a side fan to blow on the video card. Filtered of course.

As you can tell their is more to cooling a case that just sticking a bunch of fans in it.

If you have any questions I will be happy to answer them if I can.

Layback Bear said:

Mellon Head you have chosen a very nice case.
Things I noticed and suggestions.

1. Your hard drive rack sits right in front of your intake fan. If you can move that cage or remove it if not needed it would help air flow through the case.

I removed the secondary hard drive rack as it wasn't needed. The fan has clear airflow into the case.

2. I would install a top fan/s for exhaust.

I have four fans on top for my water radiator in a push pull arrangement.

3. I would install a side fan to blow on the video card. Filtered of course.

I'll give that a try. I'm still giving some thought to another fan in front, too. And a fan controller.

As you can tell their is more to cooling a case that just sticking a bunch of fans in it.

Yes, it is quite a science. Thanks for the suggestions.

I'm all about fans and always use premium low noise fans running on 12v wide open. With a full complement in all my cases I can compute in almost total silence. When I used lesser high speed fans the noise was unbearable with only a couple of fans running and a speed controller was a must. Coupling the proper fan for the purpose is also helpful.

[QUOTE=Mellon Head;2843732]

Layback Bear said:

Mellon Head you have chosen a very nice case.
Things I noticed and suggestions.

1. Your hard drive rack sits right in front of your intake fan. If you can move that cage or remove it if not needed it would help air flow through the case.

I removed the secondary hard drive rack as it wasn't needed. The fan has clear airflow into the case.

I can't make my hard drive rack removable so i found the option of the "SilverStone Air Penetrator Air Channeling Case Fan" (AP141) which have the particular option to push air straight forward and is very good as an intake fan + same one added at bottom also as intake. It goes through obstacles!

2. I would install a top fan/s for exhaust.

.

I have four fans on top for my water radiator in a push pull arrangement..

Same here with my 240 Rad and it works well together, two of them (on Radiator) are plugged onto the Mobo for PWM and the two others (top fans 140MM) are on the 3pin fan controller.

3. I would install a side fan to blow on the video card. Filtered of course.

.

I'll give that a try. I'm still giving some thought to another fan in front, too. And a fan controller..

Got a 200mm on sidepanel blowing gently the video card but a lot of air is lost because of its bigger size, eaten by the vortex... so it blows most on exterior frame of the fan. But still fresh air coming as intake.

If you have the option, stick with a smaller 140mm/120mm one.

As you can tell their is more to cooling a case that just sticking a bunch of fans in it.

.

Yes, it is quite a science. Thanks for the suggestions.

Most (if not all) of my fans (got total of eight) does not run 12v...I took them high/medium speed (1400Rpm to 2000Rpm) and with the fan controller they're all set to 8v and 9v. Same for the ones plugged onto the Mobo not running full speed all the time.

Or you take quality low noise fans at cost (suggested by linnemeyerhere) running 12v or a Fan controller (let's say not under 20w per channel) and some basic but good fans to regulate to your needs.