Corsair Carbide Series SPEC 02 Airflow

[ajinkys]

Corsair Carbide Series SPEC 02 - with MSI gtx 760 twin frozer gfx & Cooler Master Hyper 212X Cooler for CPU. Could anyone please suggest what is the ideal airflow for the rig considering the cabinet's ventilations and other things included inside ? it would be great if someone can help me understand which fans on the cabinet, gfx & cpu cooler will be driving the air inside and outside the cabinet

I have a confusion understanding the airflow in the lower cabinet. 2 front fans & 1 bottom fan will intake fresh air into the cabinet. now my gpu with 2 fans is placed almost above my bottom fan. so that gpu fans are exhausting the air ( hope im right on this ) so where is the exit point for that hot air ?

 

[HiTechObsessed]

The SPEC 02 gives you positive pressure, which basically means a little bit of air will be exhausting from any open spots in the case. With the intakes in front and bottom, the cool air will enter, then the GPU fans will push that air over the GPU heatsink warming up the air, which will naturally rise, mix with other intake air and cool the CPU/Motherboard, which will again get warmer, and naturally exhaust through the top/top-rear of the case.

To help encourage optimal airflow, you may consider adding a single exhaust fan in the rear mounting location, which would help the airflow move better, but with a single GPU that is cooled well like the Twin Frozr, and a good CPU cooler, you probably don't need to. Just make sure your CPU cooler is pushing the air towards the rear of the case, as that will help exhaust as well.

 

[cin19]

Here is the old review for case cooling but it is still good. http://www.extremetech.com/computing/128313-extremetechs-guide-to-air-cooling-your-pc/2
1) If you set up the fans like you said two in front, one in bottom, and the only GPU (fan) for exhaust , so the setup is the positive pressure configuration because the CFM from intake fans exceeds the CFM of the exhaust fans.
2) I check the corsair website, the case has the dust filters for front and PSU intake only. So if you add the one in the bottom without the filter, the dust will gather in the system. http://www.corsair.com/en-us/carbide-series-spec-02-red-led-mid-tower-gaming-case
3) You should install at least one fan in the rear or one in rear and one in the top. For get about the bottom fan. If you want the bottom fan you are better to get the dust filter too.
4) And you need do the cooling experiment by yourself to see which setup you like. Or just add one more in front, one in the top then you have the two fans in front, one in rear and one in the top.

 

[ajinkys]

thanks for the replies. what if i change the cabinet to spec 1 which doesn't have bottom fan. so ideally, i will be putting 1 - 140mm fan in front of hdd, 1 120mm fan in front above that. 1 rear and 2 top - 120mm fans for exhaust. does this arrangement work properly ?

Also, could you please confirm in which direction which the GPU MSI gtx 760 twin frozer exhaust the air as it will be facing towards the bottom ?

 

[ajinkys]

The SPEC 02 gives you positive pressure, which basically means a little bit of air will be exhausting from any open spots in the case. With the intakes in front and bottom, the cool air will enter, then the GPU fans will push that air over the GPU heatsink warming up the air, which will naturally rise, mix with other intake air and cool the CPU/Motherboard, which will again get warmer, and naturally exhaust through the top/top-rear of the case.

To help encourage optimal airflow, you may consider adding a single exhaust fan in the rear mounting location, which would help the airflow move better, but with a single GPU that is cooled well like the Twin Frozr, and a good CPU cooler, you probably don't need to. Just make sure your CPU cooler is pushing the air towards the rear of the case, as that will help exhaust as well.

Considering my below config.
CPU Intel Core - i5-4430
CPU Cooler - Cooler Master Hyper 212X RR-212X-20PM-R1 CPU Cooler
Mobo( still deciding ) - ASRock H87 Pro4 ( Suggest if asus or any other in that price range ? )
GPU - MSI GTX 760 Twin Frozer Gaming Graphic 2GB OC
RAM - Corsair Vengeance (2 x 4GB) 1600 MHZ
SMPS - Corsair VS650 650 Watts
HDD - Seagate Barracuda 1TB
Cabinet - Corsair Carbide Series SPEC 02 or spec 1 Red LED

what you recommend ?
1. spec 1 or spec 2 is idle ?
2. also, how many intake and exhaust fans and where they should be placed ?
3. how many should be 140mm and 120mm.
4. Could you recommend some reasonably good and efficient cooling fans - 140mm and 120mm. ?

 

[HiTechObsessed]

1. Whichever one you like more
2. The fans that come with it are fine, I would leave them where they are.
3. The stock ones are 120mm, don't need any more
4. See above

You're running a locked CPU that doesn't get very warm with a good cooler on it already, and only using a single, well-cooled GPU. You don't need a ton of fans. The ones included with the case will be just fine, unless you want quieter. In that case, you can get something like the Corsair AF-120 Quiet Edition.

 

[ajinkys]

I think i'll go with SPEC 1 and install one of the fans below. Could you help choose any of the below ?

Corsair Air Series AF120 1500RPM LED FAN
NZXT FN-120RB 120mm Case cooler Fan
NZXT FZ-120mm LED Airflow Cabinet Fan
NZXT FX-120LB 120mm Enthusiast 3 Speed

 

[HiTechObsessed]

I would get the AF120 myself

 

[ajinkys]

I would get the AF120 myself

Just got the rig. now for my front intake should i attach AF 140MM quiet edition or SP 140MM ?? i have heard AF have problem creating static pressure with dust filter attached wherein SP perform better as intake fans ? please advise.

Also, by for 1 rear fan and 1 top fans - both exhaust. should i go for AF OR SP 120mm quiet for performance edition ?

 

[Termiux]

Not to hijack but does the Hyper 212 fits well in your Corsair Carbide spec 02 case? Or is tight fit?

 

[Twistofate4u]

Hi, I'm getting the Corsair Spec 03 case. How is your case going?
Can you please help me with the following query:
I'm wondering if I can fit one 120mm and one 140mm fan in the front panel in spec 03.
Or does it have to be pair of either 120s or 140s.

Please reply.

 

[Termiux]

@Twistofate4u

Yes you can fit them both if you want to mix.

The case is got pretty good airflow as it is just make sure to clean filters (more like mesh anyway) and add a filter of your own infront specially if adding 2 fans.