Side vents: intake or exhaust?

  • Thread starter Thread starter Joe Yong
  • Start date Start date
J

Joe Yong

Hi all,
Anyone have data on whether it's better to use a side vent for intake or
exhaust? Either way seems to introduce turbulence to air flow in general,
I'm just wondering what most folks are doing and find what works best.

Thanks.


joe.
 
Who knows? The Antec cases have a side port just over the cpu
fan. It keeps the cpu much cooler than a case with no side port
because it doesn't allow the heat from the cpu to stay in the case
and slowly heat the case up. Also, the Antec cases are aluminum,
and don't hold case heat like a steel case does. They are a little
bit fragile, but far superior cooling.

johns
 
On my three systems, the side fans/vents are intakes. The PSU an
rear fans exhaust, and the front and side fans take air in.

The CoolerMaster C5 case I have comes with a side-mounted fan funne
to channel air to the CPU, and the entire front is mesh with a foa
filter behind it. This vent does not have a separate fan, just th
vent going to the CPU heatsink/fan. The funnel improves flow

I believe that the case should have equal numbers of fans blowing i
and out to optimize airflow. I am sure there are other factors, an
I have intake fans powerful enough to hold a sheet of paper in place
 
johns wrote:

...cases are aluminum,
and don't hold case heat like a steel case does. They are a little
bit fragile, but far superior cooling.

johns
Click to expand...

How many degrees cooler would you say an aluminium case would be relative to
a steel case?

All other things being equal of course.

I'm not sure I agree with the statement "Far superior cooling." They often
look a bit nicer though.

Regards

Martin
 
Joe said:
Hi all,
Anyone have data on whether it's better to use a side vent for intake or
exhaust? Either way seems to introduce turbulence to air flow in general,
I'm just wondering what most folks are doing and find what works best.

Thanks.

joe.
Click to expand...

If you're feeling really warm, do you sit in front of the fan - or
behind it?

In other words, you can direct the flow of blow - but not of suck.
(Unless you work in a specific industry.)

Most cases have sufficient gaps in their construction to allow for
dissipation of heat into the local atmosphere. If you have considerable
air movement in, it has to be matched by air movement going out.

Concentrate on cooling the bits that need it the most. Heat extraction
will generally take care of itself.

I don't believe that *any* case needs extractor fans over and above what
the PSU achieves. (Given that the PSU tends to be situated at the top
of the case.)



Odie
 
Also, the Antec cases are aluminum,
and don't hold case heat like a steel case does. They are a little
bit fragile, but far superior cooling.

johns
Click to expand...

Aluminum or steel case makes negligible difference in cooling.
 
Bullshit. Steels cases are just the same. Though i prefere lighter.

Ive got a 120mm Fan blowing in on the side. Cut the hole myself i did
:)
 
Ive got a 120mm fan exausting air at the top of the case :)

And 2 80mm fans at the back + the Powersupply fan. I need some air
blowing in via the fron 120mmfan and side fan.

Or do you disagree ?
 
1708 CFM HOLY CRAP. that many fans, thats a cut and paste job right
!!!

No one in their right mind would put that many fans in a pc case ???

Bloddy PYSCOS :p
 
I'm a tech, and right now, I support 1200 users on my net.
An AMD64 3000 cpu in a steel case with no side port
will idle at about 48c, and run at 54 to 58c depending
on the app. In an Antec aluminum case ( SLK1650B )
the cpu idles at 36c and runs at about 40 to 44c.
This is with identical hardware moved from the steel
case ( InWin ) to the Antec ( I was after the better
psupply, and just noticed the difference in cooling
after I had switched cases ). I did this to 16 PCs in
one of my Engineering labs, and it held for every upgrade.
Note: the overheat cut-off starts at 60c for this cpu.
You are nuts to put it in a steel case.
Now, the reason behind this ... :-)
Any welder can show you how steel will not transfer
heat very fast. Take a blow torch and while holding
a 12 inch steel rod in your hand, heat one end of it
red hot. You will be able to hold that rod in your bare
hand for about 2 minutes before you have to let go.
Try the same thing with an aluminum rod, and you
will drop it in about 3 seconds ... big difference.
Steel holds and will not conduct heat even if you
blow a fan on it.

johns
 
I'm a tech, and right now, I support 1200 users on my net.
An AMD64 3000 cpu in a steel case with no side port
will idle at about 48c, and run at 54 to 58c depending
on the app. In an Antec aluminum case ( SLK1650B )
the cpu idles at 36c and runs at about 40 to 44c.
Click to expand...

My AMD64 3500+ is in a steel case and its idle temp is 36c. Many tests
have been done to show that steel vs aluminum case makes little
difference. You must be using crap steel cases or something.
 
Ive got a 120mm fan exausting air at the top of the case :)

And 2 80mm fans at the back + the Powersupply fan. I need some air
blowing in via the fron 120mmfan and side fan.

Or do you disagree ?
Click to expand...

Read the article I posted and decide for yourself. IMO, you don't need
a fan blowing in, or two 80mm fans at the back, one will suffice as
you have the top 120mm fan already.
 
The said:
My AMD64 3500+ is in a steel case and its idle temp is 36c. Many tests
have been done to show that steel vs aluminum case makes little
difference. You must be using crap steel cases or something.
Click to expand...

I'm staggered that a 14C is claimed from moving to alu from steel. I've
never seen any differences in PCs I've knocked together. The only difference
I've noticed is that some of the Alu cases are prettier. They are also much
lighter for moving around.

Is this guy suggesting he has built 1200 PCs for his users? I'm confused...

The "Identical hardware" described above, has at the very least, a different
PSU.

I'm afraid I have to take that with a pinch of salt.

Regards

Martin
 
Martin said:
I'm staggered that a 14C is claimed from moving to alu from steel. I've
never seen any differences in PCs I've knocked together. The only difference
I've noticed is that some of the Alu cases are prettier. They are also much
lighter for moving around.

Is this guy suggesting he has built 1200 PCs for his users? I'm confused...

The "Identical hardware" described above, has at the very least, a different
PSU.
Click to expand...

More importantly the case configuration, not counting being 'aluminum', is
different and likely the cause of any perceived cooling difference.
 
I'm staggered that a 14C is claimed from moving to alu from steel. I've
never seen any differences in PCs I've knocked together. The only difference
I've noticed is that some of the Alu cases are prettier. They are also much
lighter for moving around.

Is this guy suggesting he has built 1200 PCs for his users? I'm confused...

The "Identical hardware" described above, has at the very least, a different
PSU.

I'm afraid I have to take that with a pinch of salt.

Regards

Martin
Click to expand...

Yea, I take it with a very big pinch of salt. There are tech sites
that have tested alu compared to steel and their conclusion is that
there is a negligible difference. One thing going for steel though is
that if you are aiming for a quiet PC steel is clearly superior as a
soundproofing material.
 
UMm i work from experience. Not ONE arrtical choose to be the word of
GOD :p
Click to expand...

OK, I work from experience too and I currently use just one rear 120mm
fan. Look up Intel's and AMD's recommendations, you will see they
recommend exactly what I use. Too mnay fans just creates turbulence
and makes the hot air in the case circualte inside the case. And that
article tested many configurations. How many have YOU tested? :-\
 
I build Pcs for a living. i think iam upto 2300 hundred pcs give or
take a hundred :)
Click to expand...

"Ive got a 120mm fan exausting air at the top of the case :)

And 2 80mm fans at the back + the Powersupply fan. I need some air
blowing in via the fron 120mmfan and side fan."

I don't care how many you've built, you still don't know how to
install an efficient cooling method. Yea, I see people bragging about
how they've got six case fans and I just think they are fools.
 
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