[SOLVED] Correct Airflow with a Raradiator

[vpcegi5]

Hello! I'm having a hard time deciding on the airflow of the my case. So, first of all my case (TD 500 MESH) can handle 360mm top and front Radiator. Im torn between putting my radiator on top or at the front. My questions are if I placed them at the top with an exhaust, wont the fan only be absorbing the hot air from my gpu going to the radiator? considering i have an open card gpu. Another option would be in the front with an intake. however having them as an intake limits fresh air coming inside my case. Plus, the radiator will surely emit hot air inside my case right and goes right through the gpu? Another option is to put it on top but having the fans intake. I think this is the best option? 240mm intake AIO on the top and having fans intake also in the front. All of this scenario is considering 1 120mm exhaust fan at the back. I'm somehow confused with this, can someone suggest what would be the best scenario. Thank you!

 

[MeanMachine41]

Lots of conjecture regarding placement of an AIO and you have a good understanding of the issues.

My opinion is to top mount with as large an AIO that will fit and ambient air being pulled into the case to give you the best Overclock. Also remember that case temp is always going to be higher than ambient room temperature.
Front mount AIO's will dissipate hot air into the case so it's then reliant on sufficient exhaust fans to dissipate and provide a good air flow.

From what I can tell your case only has a rear 120mm fan and would benefit from a 140mm fan if it's possible to modify to fit. Magnetic levitation PWR fans up to 2000rpm with adjustable fan curve in Bios are most quiet and efficient in normal situations however all fans are noisy when run at max.

 

[Karadjgne]

With a top mounted 360mm, you don't want to use the rear exhaust. Be better to block it off. All it's doing is pulling air that'd be better served running through the rad. By blocking it off, it removes a source of outside air, forcing the fans to pull inside air, creating airflow. Use 2x low mounted intakes, not the top, or all that does is feed the rad fresh air almost directly, so very little gets pulled from the case.

With front mounted AIO's, block off the top middle and top front fan vents, just use the rear, top rear. Same affect, forcing the fans to pull from the case air, fed by intakes, pulling case heat/gpu heat with it.

You want to create a river of moving air, 1 in - 1 out. Having multiple sources puts them at odds and the weaker source gets nullified.

Think McDonald's straw and a coke. Plan is you suck on the straw, you get mouthful of coke. If the straw has a crack/split, you get a mouthful of air instead.

 

[vpcegi5]

With a top mounted 360mm, you don't want to use the rear exhaust. Be better to block it off. All it's doing is pulling air that'd be better served running through the rad. By blocking it off, it removes a source of outside air, forcing the fans to pull inside air, creating airflow. Use 2x low mounted intakes, not the top, or all that does is feed the rad fresh air almost directly, so very little gets pulled from the case.

With front mounted AIO's, block off the top middle and top front fan vents, just use the rear, top rear. Same affect, forcing the fans to pull from the case air, fed by intakes, pulling case heat/gpu heat with it.

You want to create a river of moving air, 1 in - 1 out. Having multiple sources puts them at odds and the weaker source gets nullified.

Think McDonald's straw and a coke. Plan is you suck on the straw, you get mouthful of coke. If the straw has a crack/split, you get a mouthful of air instead.

Hello, thank you for your answer. But with front mounted AIO's With rear and top rear exhaust. No fresh air will be comming inside the case right? Correct me if i am wrong.

 

[Karadjgne]

Ok, consider yourself corrected. 😂The fans will either pull air through the rad, or push it through the rad, depending on if it's pull or push orientation. Either way, air will be entering the case.

The common misconception is that the air will be super hot, like the temp of the cpu. It's actually not even close. The coolant temp is in a constant battle to stay at ambient temps, on something like a 360mm that has plenty of capacity (about 350w) you'll be seriously unlucky to see the coolant over 45°C with the largest cpus. It's not the 70°C + of the cpu.

Cases generally run @ 30-40°C in a 22°C ambient, at most with decent airflow, so realistically the rad should be moving barely warm air. If you are getting hot air from a rad, it's far too small for the job.

To put it another way, the biggest cpus/higher OC averages @ 200w ish. A hairdryer is 1500w. That's a seriously sizeable difference in output air temps. ♨️

Capish? 👌

 

[vpcegi5]

Ok, consider yourself corrected. 😂The fans will either pull air through the rad, or push it through the rad, depending on if it's pull or push orientation. Either way, air will be entering the case.

The common misconception is that the air will be super hot, like the temp of the cpu. It's actually not even close. The coolant temp is in a constant battle to stay at ambient temps, on something like a 360mm that has plenty of capacity (about 350w) you'll be seriously unlucky to see the coolant over 45°C with the largest cpus. It's not the 70°C + of the cpu.

Cases generally run @ 30-40°C in a 22°C ambient, at most with decent airflow, so realistically the rad should be moving barely warm air. If you are getting hot air from a rad, it's far too small for the job.

To put it another way, the biggest cpus/higher OC averages @ 200w ish. A hairdryer is 1500w. That's a seriously sizeable difference in output air temps. ♨

Capish? 👌

Thank you! So front rad would be a good choice. I would also like to know your thoughts on the other scenario. What about a 240mm top radiator (placed rear and middle) as an exhaust + 120mm exhaust fan at the back. Is this also a choice i could consider? Only problem i am seeing is having an open gpu card in which the AIO fans (as exhaust) will suck the hot air and will the go through radiator.

 

[madmatt30]

Thank you! So front rad would be a good choice. I would also like to know your thoughts on the other scenario. What about a 240mm top radiator (placed rear and middle) as an exhaust + 120mm exhaust fan at the back. Is this also a choice i could consider? Only problem i am seeing is having an open gpu card in which the AIO fans (as exhaust) will suck the hot air and will the go through radiator.

The balance is opposite depending on which way you go.

1. Aio front intake - cooler cpu, warmer gpu
2. Aio top exhaust, cooler gpu, warmer cpu.

Realistically you're only talking 5-7c difference either way.

Which I'd do would depend on exactly y what cpu/gpu combo I was using.

Ryzen 3900/3950x/i7 10700k I'd absolutely be going front intake because those cpus are very hard to keep cool.

Anything less I honestly wouldn't sweat it at all.

 

[Karadjgne]

Liquid cooling is a lot less reliant on actual airflow, air yes, flow no. The rads don't need a constant replenishment of cooler air, air cooling heatsinks do. With rads, you only really need enough air coming into the case to cover the amount of cfm the fans are pushing out.

You have 2 major sources of heat. The cpu and gpu. Everything else can pretty easily be handled passively, but those 2 need active cooling. With a gpu and cpu both under liquid, there's very little to actually heat up the case and the in/out fans will easily take care of that. There are multiple people who have used a 360mm / 240mm combo, placement depending on draw. I'd put a 2080ti on a 360 and a 10700k on the 240mm, but a 2070s will be fine on a 240mm and the 10700k on the 360.

Id not use a 120mm for anything more than an i5/R3 or 2060S. Gotta balance wattage with output.