The link showing the cooler-master silencio case, shows air being pulled into the case from the front and bottom while exhausting via the top and back of the case. I see this recommendation and similar diagrams from often
I have a case that came with 3 fans and I followed the same air-flow design shown from the link in the initial question I have 2 systems with AMD FX CPUs. FX8300 (95W) & FX8320 (125W)
My initial setup w/stock CPU Fan:
- Front: single 120mm Intake
- Top: Single 120mm Exhaust
- Back: Single 120mm Exhaus
- PSU: Bottom mount, Bottom intake, & Rear exhaust
My temps:
- idle: 44C but never exceeded 49C
I guess fluctuation can be due to environment temp. And my intial temps were recorded with the side panel removed
- Under Load: about 58C-59C
I wanted to install liquid cooling. I wanted a case that could handle a dual RAD & at least 5 fans, 2 of which would be mounted to the RAD. I like to try 140mm Fans but I elected all 120mm and used the same air-flow schematic that seems to be pretty standard, with the RAD mounted up top (inside the case of course)
I like a smaller foot-print but made to house alot with good wire management. The Zalman Z-3 Plus and it came with 3 decent stock fans. The air-flow recommendations from Zalman were just like the link to the diagram in the initial question. You can see here:
http://www.zalman.com/global/product/Product_Read.php?Idx=821
I wish I could fit a larger case in my room because I don't like being restricted with wire management in small cases. I had to work at it, but I did get things tucked away, just not very pretty. But as the saying goes; Can't see it from my house.
So here is the Fan/RAD setup after intial installation of the Glacer 240L
- FRONT: single 120mm stick fan intake
- TOP: dual 120mm fans exhaust (used 2 fans that came with the radiator)
- BACK: single 120mm stock fan exhaust
- Bottom single 120mm stock fan exhaust
- PSU Bottom mount, Bottom intake, & Rear exhaust
idle: 34C
Under Load: 44C
I stumbled upon a thread where a fellow suggested the same air-flow configuration with one change. It was only a suggestion that might improve temps in some cases. The rear case fan was exhaust. The suggestion was the flip the rear exhaust 120mm fan and make it intake. This would pull fresh air across the CPU block that is part of the liquid cooling setup.
This CM Glacer had a nice CPU block but the connector should have been profiled lower or relocated as it interfered with my memory. But I liked that it was heavy and hoped it would help disapte heat like a heat sink.
As soon as I flipped that rear fan and pulled cooler fresh air across that block, I saw the change in my temps.
Idle temps: dropped from 34C to 31C
Under Load: dropped from 44C and never again exceeded 38C
I did change the fan to exhaust again to verify this was not some fluke. It was no fluke. It worked. But I cannot say it is how everyone else's system will react.
Some things I observed: I am using an ASUS motherboard with temp monitors on motherboard components. I had lower CPU temps with the rear fan set to intake, however, I had an 2C increase in temps on the alloy chokes and mosfets. Not really sure if it matters. Another interesting thing I noticed is that when using a CPU Cooling Fan, the temps of those mosfets and chokes were lower than if I used liquid cooling. So I just felt like sharing that in case it matters
Bottom line is, I am in favor of the air-flow configuration setup being supported by Coolermaster and Zalman as per the links in this thread dictate.
http://www.coolermaster.com/microsite/silencio_650/Airflow.html
I may have stumped the teacher by flipping my rear exhaust and making it intake but in the recommended setup, as exhaust, my mosfets and chokes were cooler and I think as a well rounded cooling solution, it makes sense to follow the rule of thumb