# Optimum Case Fan Set-up



## pcforumguy (Apr 23, 2012)

Hey Guys,
I have received my all components today and I am going to build new rig by myself.
Here is my components -

i7 2600k
Asus P8Z68 V/GEN3
Corsair CMZ8GX3M2A1600C9
Corsair GS600
NZXT 210 Elite
WD Cavier Blue WD5000AAKX 500GB
CoolerMaster Hyper 210 EVO
Dell ST2220M
Logitech MK200
LG DVD Writer GH24NS71

In the mean time, I am planning to buy two extra case fans for fan set-up; but which fan I would buy will be depend on what solution/suggestions I get from this thread. 
I have two fans in the mind - CM XtraFlo 120mm Blue LED or CM SickelFlow 120mm Blue LED.


*XtraFlo*
 | 
*SickelFlow*

600-2000 RPM | 2000 RPM
24.9 – 82.9 CFM | 69.69 CFM
9 - 36 dBA | 19 dBA 
4 Pin | 3 Pin 
My plan is as follow -


Spoiler



*i42.tinypic.com/2uivqza.jpg




NZXT's built-in 120mm Rear Exhaust Fan : uninstall it and install on the Upper Front as Intake - Plug it in PWR_FAN1
NZXT's built-in 140mm Top-Rear Exhaust Fan : Plug it in PWR_FAN2
CM XtraFlo 120mm Blue LED (additional purchase) : Install it as Rear Exhaust Fan - Plug it in CHA_FAN1
CM XtraFlo 120mm Blue LED (additional purchase) : Install it as Lower Front Intake Fan - Plug it in CHA_FAN2
I assume -

CM XtrFlo has 4 pin connector, so it can be control by ASUS FAN Xpert that's why I am gonna install it in CHA_FAN socket.
NZXT's built-in 120mm Fan has 3 pin connector, so it's in the PWR_FAN1 socket ; which also cool down the HDD with constant high air flow.

BTW CM XtraFlo Blue LED is currently not available in the market (some dealer says it will available in 1st week of May) instead CM SickelFlow 120mm Blue LED is available.

But again CM SickelFlow has 3 pin connector so it can't be control automatically by the ASUS FAN Xpert or is it?

What u say? Should I wait for CM XtraFlo or go for CM SickelFlow with no controllable fan setup?


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## pcforumguy (Apr 24, 2012)

Hey Guys,

I am still waiting for reply !.....


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## sukesh1090 (Apr 24, 2012)

^^
ok buddy front and side as intake and rear and top back as exhaust.btw don't add any fan on top front.leave it open for hot air to move out.if you add intake it will blow hot air in to the case and if you add exhaust it will blow out hot air but along with that it will also blow out cool air coming from the front,so leave it open.
there are two ways to control a fan "voltage" and "pwm".3 pin fans can only be controlled by voltage variation and pwm fans can be controlled by both voltage and temperature and for case fans pwm controllers won't make much difference so don't worry and buy any 3 pin fan,your board will control it.


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## Skud (Apr 24, 2012)

*How to arrange airflow in your system*


*What is positive air pressure?*


*Which is the Best Place to Install a Case Fan? - Part 1 | Hardware Secrets*


*Which is the Best Place to Install a Case Fan? - Part 2 | Hardware Secrets*


Read the above to know about airflow and fans. You can very well arrange the fans to make a negative pressure system, just ensure all the entry points have dust filter installed to prevent accumulation of dust, not to mention weekly or fortnightly cleaning of the system.


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## pcforumguy (Apr 24, 2012)

sukesh1090 said:


> there are two ways to control a fan "voltage" and "pwm".3 pin fans can only be controlled by voltage variation and pwm fans can be controlled by both voltage and temperature and for case fans pwm controllers won't make much difference so don't worry and buy any 3 pin fan,your board will control it.



Thanks Sukesh !



Skud said:


> Read the above to know about airflow and fans. You can very well arrange the fans to make a negative pressure system, just ensure all the entry points have dust filter installed to prevent accumulation of dust, not to mention weekly or fortnightly cleaning of the system.



Thanks for the links but I have read them few days ago and created this thread  *www.thinkdigit.com/forum/power-supply-cabinets-mods/155230-best-case-fan-setup-cooling.html with few additional links. 

And for Airflow & Pressure System I found these two just now -
How to decide on a case for air cooling (warning - pics)
Fortress FT01 PC case with positive air pressure part 2 - YouTube
So, I think it's better to go with *Slight* Positive Pressure in the caby. (100CFM Exhaust then 120CFM Intake)

What I calculated -
My cabby (NZXT 210 Elite) has two inbuilt exhaust fans - 120mm rear & 140mm top back. Their total airflow is around 110CFM, so I have to install two 120mm fans as front intake whose total airflow should be more than 120CFM. 

I think I will buy this fan Flipkart: Cooler Master 90 CFM Blue LED Cooler: Cooler and install it as front intake.


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## sukesh1090 (Apr 25, 2012)

^^
those CMs are not 90CFM but they are 69CFM fans.i don't know why CM calls it 69CFM none the less they are great fans.for me people should never use high CFM fans for intake as they will suck air with more pressure so they will even suck air through the filter and even suck more dust.so it is better to use fans of around 50-55CFM for intake and higher CFM for exhaust.


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## pcforumguy (Apr 26, 2012)

sukesh1090 said:


> ^^
> those CMs are not 90CFM but they are 69CFM fans.i don't know why CM calls it 69CFM none the less they are great fans.for me people should never use high CFM fans for intake as they will suck air with more pressure so they will even suck air through the filter and even suck more dust.so it is better to use fans of around 50-55CFM for intake and higher CFM for exhaust.



If I install 50-55CFM fans as intake in Front then it will be static air pressure system (Intake = Exhaust) not positive. Which also mean, I have to install one more fan as intake to create positive pressure in the cabby. Then I guess it will be side intake; But if I install side intake fan, isn't it going to disturb Front To Back Air Flow?



sukesh1090 said:


> for me people should never use high CFM fans for intake as they will suck air with more pressure so they will even suck air through the filter and even suck more dust.



I agreed ! But that's what positive pressure system required - more air in than exhaust. And for dust, it's a non-negotiable-universal-problem, no one can avoid it but anyone can minimize it's effect through positive pressure.


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## sukesh1090 (Apr 26, 2012)

^^'
if you see that bit-tech article about the airflow management then you will see how important side fan is over your front intake.side fan is the one which will keep your chips and gfx card.so it is very important to install a side fan.


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## Skud (Apr 26, 2012)

Front intake is necessary to cool your hard drives. I have no side intake, haven't seen any problem regarding temps of chipset & graphics card. But yeah, if you have the provision of adding one, it will be helpful.


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## Minion (Apr 26, 2012)

pcforumguy,

One exhaust is enough if you have side fan then better.I have only exhaust and not facing any issue.


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## MegaMind (Apr 26, 2012)

pcforumguy said:


> My plan is as follow -
> 
> 
> Spoiler
> ...



Get 1*CM XtraFlo & 1* CM SickelFlow, 

Install *Xtraflo* as rear exhaust, connect to CHA_FAN1
Install *SickelFlow* as side intake, connect to CHA_FAN2
Install *NZXT 120mm* as front intake, connect to PWR_FAN1/PSU 4-pin
Leave the *NZXT 140mm* as top rear exhaust, connect to PWR_FAN2/PSU 4-pin

CPU_FAN & CPU_FAN_OPT can be controlled by "CPU fan" in fan Xpert.
4-pin CHA_FAN1 & 3-pin CHA_FAN2 can be controlled by "chassis fan" in fan Xpert.
3-pin PWR_FAN1-2 cannot be controlled, fans connec. to these ports always spin at max. speed..

1. Since you have only one HDD, one front intake is enough..
2. Adding a side intake drops GPU temp. by ~5'C
3. Always avoid bottom intake, it tends to bring more dust..

*These points are from my experience, i have the same mobo but not with PCI-E 3.0 slots


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## pcforumguy (Apr 26, 2012)

*@sukesh1090* 
Yes it's important to install side intake fan but only when - there is 2 or 3 fan setup in place; It's not play a big role when 4 or more fan setup in the cabby, according to bit-tech article. 


> Cooling with Four Fans | bit-tech.net
> 
> 
> Spoiler
> ...



*@Minion*
How many intake fans u have? and what pressure system your applying?

*@MegaMind*
Thanks for well described suggestion. 

BTW, I have few quires -
1] I don't have GPU (at least right now), so will side intake is bring more efficiency than front intake in the manner of air flow and positive pressure system? If not, then should I install it as front intake (up+bottom) ?

2] If I install a 3 pin fan (SickelFlow / NZXT 120mm) in the 4 pin CHA_FAN1, it is controllable in the Fan Xpert? 

3] what's your fan setup ? 



How about this setup -


Intake | Front x 2 CM SickelFlow 120mm 3pin
Exhaust | Rear x 1 NZXT 120mm 3 pin 
| Top x 1 NZXT 140mm 3 pin


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## MegaMind (Apr 26, 2012)

pcforumguy said:


> *@MegaMind*
> Thanks for well described suggestion.
> 
> BTW, I have few quires -
> ...



1. Even w/o a GPU, side intake makes sense as it blows some over the mobo Chipset.. But hardly there will be any temp. diff.. 

2. Yes you can.. 

3. I have Gamma case, 
1*front intake
1*side intake
1*blowing at cooler intake fan
1*rear exhaust
1*top rear exhaust
2*cooler push pull

sealed/opened top front fan vent doesn't make any diff. in temps

Previously i had -ve pressure in my case, which was a dust magnet..


> Cooling with Four Fans | bit-tech.net



Nice article..



Skud said:


> Front intake is necessary to cool your hard drives. I have no side intake, haven't seen any problem regarding temps of chipset & graphics card. But yeah, if you have the provision of adding one, it will be helpful.



Have u checked with & w/o side fans?


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## Skud (Apr 26, 2012)

No chance with my current cabby. In my previous, there was hardly any difference.


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## MegaMind (Apr 26, 2012)

Skud said:


> No chance with my current cabby. In my previous, there was hardly any difference.



Hmmm.. In my case, 9800gt dropped by 6'C in idle & 5'C on load w/side fan compared to no side fan..


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## pcforumguy (Apr 26, 2012)

MegaMind said:


> 1. Even w/o a GPU, side intake makes sense as it blows some over the mobo Chipset.. *But hardly there will be any temp. diff*..
> 
> 1*blowing at cooler intake fan



I don't get it....


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## MegaMind (Apr 26, 2012)

^^Adding a side fan reduces the chipset temp. by 1~2'C max.



> 1*blowing at cooler intake fan



*i705.photobucket.com/albums/ww54/mailmemanju/DSCN4788Medium-1.jpg


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## pcforumguy (Apr 27, 2012)

*@MegaMind*
Nice clean n neat cabby buddy 

At what speed that Top Front Intake Fan runs? Isn't it disturb the air flow of heat sink?

Here it is what I have in mind for Front to Back Positive Air Pressure System -


Spoiler



*i50.tinypic.com/166g495.jpg


OR



Spoiler



*i50.tinypic.com/kcfrer.jpg


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## MegaMind (Apr 27, 2012)

pcforumguy said:


> 1. At what speed that Top Front Intake Fan runs? Isn't it disturb the air flow of heat sink?
> 
> 2. Here it is what I have in mind for Front to Back Positive Air Pressure System -
> *i50.tinypic.com/kcfrer.jpg



1. No, it provides cool air for the CPU cooler's push/intake fan..

2. Go with this setup, don't block top vent it serves as passive exhaust..


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## pcforumguy (Apr 28, 2012)

*@Megamind*
Thanks buddy, you help me lot!
I will post pics and temperature results with various fan set-up. 

BTW, just placed an order for Two CM 90CFM Blue LED on Flipkart for @ Rs.500.
It has been 'Out of Stock' for couple of days but luckily at this moment I just see it's out of stock label has vanished and immediately I placed an order......hushh finally I got this one.


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