Airflow Direction For My Build in a Phanteks Enthoo Luxe Case

[Silmefaron]

-Intel i7 4790k CPU
-Coolermaster Hyper 212 EVO CPU Fan/Heatsink
-Gigabyte Windforce GTX 960 GPU
-MSI Z97 Gaming 5 Motherboard
-Corsair Vengeance Pro 2x8GB DDR3 2400mhz RAM
-EVGA 750w Supernova G2
-2TB Seagate HDD
-Phanteks Enthoo Luxe Black ATX Case
-4 case fans, Front Mounted 200mm, two top mounted 120mms, and a back mounted 140mm fan

I have very little knowledge on the airflow direction of components in my case. When I first built my PC I believed that I had set up the airflow properly to keep important parts cooled in the best way possible, but lately I have realized that my CPU's idle temps are about 40 C which seem high, and my GPU's top plate when running even low-graphics games becomes extremely hot to the touch even with both fans running and pulling air across the GPU. Attached is a rough sketch of the airflow of my case, and I'm even having difficulty telling if I am properly understanding the airflow. If anyone could please help me out and take a look at my system as well as the airflow in my case and tell me if I'm okay, if I can improve it, or if it would possibly help to use a PSU cover that came with the case to separate the heat of the PSU from the rest of the system (I don't even understand how the air flows into and out of the PSU and whether or not its dumping hot air into the case). The airflow/fan I am most confused about is the one boxed in red in the picture.

As far as I understand the current airflow is as follows: The 200mm front fan pulls air into the case and blows it across the HDD cages, and the PSU pulls air from under the case and pushes it out the back and (maybe towards the GPU?!). GPU fans are under the card pulling air from the direction of the PSU (bottom), across/through the GPU heatsink and plate, and towards the CPU fan/heatsink, straight through the CPU fan and up through the CPU heatsink. The air is then pulled out the top of the case towards the two 120mm fans and out the back towards the 140mm fan.

Stupid question but very difficult to find the answer: Do small fans and case fans ALWAYS blow air in the direction of the support braces? Like towards the plastic parts that holds the motor housing in the center? Thanks!

Thanks in advance for any suggestions, corrections, or tips! (I am not against upgrading to an all-in-one loop for water cooling)

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[CountMike]

Any chance to add a fan to the side or bottom ?

 

[Sohom]

Ok, do a few changes... turn the cpu cooler so that it faces the rear fan. Add another fan on the other side of the hdd cage if possible... The airflow setup is negative in your case, you should try to make it positive. Also add another fan at the bottom...

 

[CountMike]

I don't think Evo could be turned like that and it also doesn't mater as long as it blows toward an exhaust fan.

 

[Nigel Spike]

From you picture it look like you have the PSU mounted with the fan upwards, sucking warm air from inside the case. According to pictures on Phantecs web site your case comes with a PSU shroud, and the PSU is supposed to be mounted with the fan facing down.

Nigel

 

[Silmefaron]

Ok, do a few changes... turn the cpu cooler so that it faces the rear fan. Add another fan on the other side of the hdd cage if possible... The airflow setup is negative in your case, you should try to make it positive. Also add another fan at the bottom...

Alright, well I believe the CPU fan/heatsink can be turned to pull from the front to the back of the case, I will need to purchase some new thermal paste to turn it and re-stick it to the CPU. Only problem might be the MSI armour just above the CPU Heatsink not allowing me the space to turn it front to back. Could also have a problem with the fan being right on top of where the RAM needs to be. Fingers crossed it works/fits. In addition to that, quoting count:

Any chance to add a fan to the side or bottom ?

Yes I believe i can add a fan to the bottom to the right of the PSU pulling in from underneath. I might be able to add on to the PCIe slots but it would be bulky and take up space, and I'm unsure if its worth it? These would be the ONLY places I can add fans, except maybe one attached to the left side of the HDD Cages just for extra air movement.

Quoting/Replying to Nigel:

From you picture it look like you have the PSU mounted with the fan upwards, sucking warm air from inside the case. According to pictures on Phantecs web site your case comes with a PSU shroud, and the PSU is supposed to be mounted with the fan facing down.

Is that PSU's fan supposed to face down? Does that PSU's fan pull air in and if so where does it exit the PSU? And yes it comes with a shroud, should I install it and will it help with the temperature/direction for the PSU?

 

[Sohom]

By putting the psu fan up, the air inside the case is sucked by the psu and released at the back of the psu... Your case has 4 exhaust vents which is causing a vacuum kind of thing. The cool air drawn in from the front is not properly circulated in the case because you have 4 exhaust vents and only one intake. So adding a fan at the bottom of the psu will help draw in cooler air. The intake fans ratio to exhaust fans should somewhere be 2:3.

 

[Silmefaron]

By putting the psu fan up, the air inside the case is sucked by the psu and released at the back of the psu... Your case has 4 exhaust vents which is causing a vacuum kind of thing. The cool air drawn in from the front is not properly circulated in the case because you have 4 exhaust vents and only one intake. So adding a fan at the bottom of the psu will help draw in cooler air. The intake fans ratio to exhaust fans should somewhere be 2:3.

So if I flip the PSU upside-down with the fan on the bottom, and add a fan to the right of it on the bottom of the case pulling air in, will that help the best? And if I do that should I still put on the PSU Shroud/Cover that comes with the case or will that disrupt the airflow from the new fan in the bottom?

 

[Sohom]

No if you install the psu shroud, then the bottom fan mount will be pointless...
Turn the cpu cooler and you will see lower temps by 3-5 degrees, thats my guarantee... And ohh use the MX4 or the coolermaster mastergel maker nano as thermal paste. I personally prefer and use the coolermaster mastergel maker nano...

 

[James Mason]

From what I see, flip the PSU upside down, put on the shroud.
Rotate the 212 evo so it's fan is facing the front of the case, currently it's sucking up hot air from the rear of the GPU.

 

[Sohom]

And to answer one of your questions, the side of the fan with the plastic braces is the exhaust side, the side that is open and empty is the intake.

 

[Silmefaron]

No if you install the psu shroud, then the bottom fan mount will be pointless...
Turn the cpu cooler and you will see lower temps by 3-5 degrees, thats my guarantee... And ohh use the MX4 or the coolermaster mastergel maker nano as thermal paste. I personally prefer and use the coolermaster mastergel maker nano...

The stock paste from Coolermaster seems to be doing well but thanks for the ideas, when I get a chance to turn the CPU heatsink/fan I will take a look at those!

 

[Silmefaron]

From what I see, flip the PSU upside down, put on the shroud.
Rotate the 212 evo so it's fan is facing the front of the case, currently it's sucking up hot air from the rear of the GPU.

So it sounds like shroud for now, and then when I am home and can install my 140mm fan put that on the bottom to the right of the PSU and take the shroud off (since at that point its counteractive to the bottom/new fan). And is the main reason that my CPU idles at about 40C because the fan is sucking hot air from the GPU? I'm just wondering why its such a high idle temp :/

 

[Silmefaron]

Okay so PSU has been flipped and the i7 4790k is idling at 36C, hopefully soon-ish I will be able to rotate the CPU cooler/heatsink. Could the heat of the CPU have anything to do with its current frequency and power consumption and if so, how would I check that in case it clocking high when it should be idle? I hope I'm explaining this/asking the right questions correctly.

 

[Sohom]

The cpu temps also depend on the ambient temperature of the room. Whats the ambient temperature?

 

[Silmefaron]

The cpu temps also depend on the ambient temperature of the room. Whats the ambient temperature?

Ambient temp in this small apartment is about 23C, PC is sitting on a large flat rectangular board on the floor across the room from the AC/vents which are high up on the wall.

 

[Sohom]

Ok considering that 28- 33 C is ok...

 

[Silmefaron]

Ok considering that 28- 33 C is ok...

Well, Windows 10 set the minimum processor state to always be 100%.... could that be the problem? Because if its not actually idle, then it would make sense that when I launch a program it only goes up to about 50 maybe 60C and that would be because I have the CPU Fan/Heatsink sucking air from the GPU, which does not run hot unless I launch a program.

 

[James Mason]

what power profile are you on?
100% should only be on for the high performance profile, but that would increase the idle temps a bit.

It's also possible the 212 evo isn't "enough" for the 4790k, which runs a bit hot, so a 280/240mm watercooler on the top of your case may be a better option for lower temps if you care that much. But a better air cooler could likely achieve the same.

 

[Silmefaron]

what power profile are you on?
100% should only be on for the high performance profile, but that would increase the idle temps a bit.

It's also possible the 212 evo isn't "enough" for the 4790k, which runs a bit hot, so a 280/240mm watercooler on the top of your case may be a better option for lower temps if you care that much. But a better air cooler could likely achieve the same.

I was on high performance. I just changed it to balanced and its doing a little better. Is the Corsair H60 Watercooler good enough to drop temps a couple degrees on the i7 4790k? Is it worth the investment of about $60? Or is there a better one? I would prefer to have an all-in-one and keep the cost below $100. PS With The Witcher 3 Running in the background the temp is at about 55C constantly.

 

[James Mason]

what power profile are you on?
100% should only be on for the high performance profile, but that would increase the idle temps a bit.

It's also possible the 212 evo isn't "enough" for the 4790k, which runs a bit hot, so a 280/240mm watercooler on the top of your case may be a better option for lower temps if you care that much. But a better air cooler could likely achieve the same.

I was on high performance. I just changed it to balanced and its doing a little better. Is the Corsair H60 Watercooler good enough to drop temps a couple degrees on the i7 4790k? Is it worth the investment of about $60? Or is there a better one? I would prefer to have an all-in-one and keep the cost below $100. PS With The Witcher 3 Running in the background the temp is at about 55C constantly.

background doesn't count.
You need an OSD:
https://www.msi.com/blog/setting-up-osd-with-msi-afterburner

 

[Silmefaron]

what power profile are you on?
100% should only be on for the high performance profile, but that would increase the idle temps a bit.

It's also possible the 212 evo isn't "enough" for the 4790k, which runs a bit hot, so a 280/240mm watercooler on the top of your case may be a better option for lower temps if you care that much. But a better air cooler could likely achieve the same.

I was on high performance. I just changed it to balanced and its doing a little better. Is the Corsair H60 Watercooler good enough to drop temps a couple degrees on the i7 4790k? Is it worth the investment of about $60? Or is there a better one? I would prefer to have an all-in-one and keep the cost below $100. PS With The Witcher 3 Running in the background the temp is at about 55C constantly.

background doesn't count.
You need an OSD:
https://www.msi.com/blog/setting-up-osd-with-msi-afterburner

Alright I'll get one set up. In the meantime, is it worth setting up an all in one water cooler in my build or will it be fine with one more intake fan on the bottom and the CPU fan turned sideways?