Cooling Fans

Hi All

OK, time to think about keeping things cool. The comander-in-chief has booted me into the conservatory, and with the warm weather last week things started to run a bit hot.

My motherboard is a Gigabyte GA-MA790XT-UDP4 and it has the following connectors:
1 No. 4 pin system fan
1 No. 3 pin system fan
1 No. 3 pin power fan

So the questions are:
What sort of fans do I want?
What direction is best for airflow?

Not sure of the make of the case (a few years old now) but its designed for:
1 No. 120 mm on the front
1 No. 90 mm on the rear
2 No. 80 mm on one side
1 No 80 mm on the other side

Any advice would be great.

Cheers
Grim

Heat rises, so put the intakes at the bottom and the exhausts at the top.

It's generally cooler at the front of a PC (they tend to be accessable at the front, bu the rear is usually in a corner), so again the intakes at the front, and the exhausts at the rear.

Larger fans shift more air for less noise, especially if you have a setup which can control the speed of the fans based on the case temps.

Where possible keep the same amount of air (or more) being pulled in as being pushed out. Less intake than exhaust will cause a slightly negative pressure, so the difference will mean that dust gets sucked in the dozens of little gaps in the case. Keep in mind that the PSU fan might be an intake, so add that into the bargain.

Ideally, make sure one intake is over the CPU area, and ideally another near the HDDs.

Don't leave the PC in direct sunlight. If possible, have a window vent open to let out the heat.

I was thinking something along the lines of 120 mm in at front (probably constant speed from a 3 pin connector) and a 90 mm PWM out at the rear.

If all else fails then a new case with the PSU at the bottom could be an option.

Cheers
Grim

That sounds ok to me. What's important is a constant movement of air. Generally there will be a build up of heat in the upper area, but the PSU can usually handle this, while optical drives tend not to get as hot unless constantly used. A rear vent located as high as possible is ideal.

I've gone out at the rear (top) and in at the front (bottom) with a PWM fan.

While there I've replaced the stock cooler for something with a bit more grunt.

Cheers
Grim

What got warm? i know movement of air though the case is important, but also so is a decent heatsink and fan.

Ambient temperature is always going to scupper your plans. Moving a pc into a conservatory is a ridiculous idea and if my other half suggested it she would fin herself living in there.

If yours insists on it and you don't fancy a divorce then you might be better off getting a portable air conditioning unit instead or otherwise your pc is just going to cook

CPU & GPU were getting warm - CPU knocking 60 under load.

Have put some nice fans in, and replaced the CPU cooler. Will keep an eye on the GPU and sort that if it becomes an issue. I dont play many games so it doesnt get that much hammer.

Cheers
Grim

That says one of two things to me:

1. You're more of a man than I am!!
2. The commander-in-chief is more of a woman than yours is!!

Cheers
Grim

I am a firm believer in the MAN in the house having the LAST word.

I do; it's usually yes love