[SOLVED] Airflow setup for O11 DXL

[MoreMoneyThanSense]

My current setup is the Lian Li O11 Dynamic XL with three HWS Blace Ice Nemesis GTS 360 radiators, each with three 120mm fans. This is a watercooled setup. The CPU and GPU are both watercooled. The GPU is vertically mounted.

There is (one rad + 3 fans) on top, (one rad + 3 fans) on the side, and (one rad + 3 fans) on the bottom, and finally one lone fan in the upper rear of the case.

The case will be sitting on hardwood floor.

My question is what airflow setup makes sense. Would a decent setup be bottom intake, side exhaust, top intake, back exhaust?

What's considered "optimal" for temps for this case and rad setup?

What would be optimal if I insisted on having the side be exhaust? (because I like the look of the fans in exhaust position)

 

[Phaaze88]

1)"My question is what airflow setup makes sense. Would a decent setup be bottom intake, side exhaust, top intake, back exhaust?"
It's 'meh'. A more fans than is necessary situation. Doesn't offer any real performance benefit - you'd just be aiming for looks by 'filling all available holes'.

2)"What's considered "optimal" for temps for this case and rad setup?"
Question is too broad. No one knows what you're trying to cool, how the loop is setup, nor your usual ambient temps.
The best answer I can give for this in it's current form is, "As long as you're not running over 80C under full load, then it's likely fine."

3)"What would be optimal if I insisted on having the side be exhaust?"
There isn't one in that orientation. The side and top are where the airflow is strongest. You can only put one little fan at the rear, and the bottom airflow is likely the weakest, even though there's like 25-30mm of space underneath.

Say you actually do side exhaust...
-Top will be intake? But then you run into the problem of recirculating the side panel's exhaust, and so temps won't be as good as they could be - not like it's going to be throttling though.
-Bottom intake + top exhaust then? Then you've got way too much exhaust VS intake - as I mentioned earlier, the bottom is weak compared to the other 3.

 

[MoreMoneyThanSense]

This makes it sound like there are no good options for these rad setups?

 

[Phaaze88]

Back to point #1:
Bottom intake, side intake, rear exhaust, and top exhaust is FINE. It's nothing exceptional - it'll cool just fine.
You're clearly after looks more so than performance, right? Because I don't see the need for a 3rd radiator.

 

[MoreMoneyThanSense]

I just hate that they make the intake side of the fan so damn ugly and yet so many intakes are needed in all the visible spots, ugh.

 

[Phaaze88]

Yeah... not a whole lot to be done about that.
That would require changing entire assembly lines in order to flip it around, and that costs money.

Why haven't fan manufacturers done it yet? Beats me.

 

[EndEffeKt_24]

In my opinion phaaze is right. Bottom and side intake, top and back exaust. If you dont like the look of the side fans cant you put them in a push configuration in the second compartment. Then you look at the radiator.