Define R4 EVGA GTX780 fan direction vs case fan

KOS-MOS

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Sep 2, 2013
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I'm concerned I've got a bottom case fan that's not really doing much and I'd like your opinion on it -

Define R4 case - windowed version
2 front intake, 1 bottom intake, and 1 front top intake. 1 back exhaust
GPU - EVGA GTX780. This is oriented where the fans are blowing down towards the power supply. Should be noted that this is the only way it can be oriented.

Herein lies my question - with the bottom fan blowing air in and the GPU blowing air down, is the bottom fan at all beneficial to have?
 
The GPU is not blowing down towards the powersupply. It is blowing the air from that area and out the back of the case. Unless you have a exceptionally special GPU or a custom setup.. So in any normal surcumsstance the bottom fan is feeding cool air to the gpu. And it is the way it should be.
 


Hi Magnus -

The EVGA GTX 780 SC with ACX cooler exhausts downward towards the power supply. I've opened the case up and cranked up the fan speed to 100% and felt nothing but warm exhaust. Is the bottom fan really doing anything other than mixing with the warm air to create a cooler mix of air within the case? Worth it to even keep a bottom fan?

 
If it really is as you say, then you are right. it then works against the airflow of the gfx.. You could turn that bottom fan around and make it an exhaust. But keep in mind that you should always have positive pressure inside the case. More airflow in than out.
 


=/ I was afraid of that - I suppose i'll keep the bottom fan applied as it's not really hurting anything. Hmmm... wonder if I could use the rear expansion slots to mount an exhaust fan

 


That would work. Or you could just move the bottom fan and use it as an exhaust fan in the back.
With 2 front intake, and 1 front top intake and the 1 back exhaust you whould then have 3 intakes and 2 exhaust.
But if your gfx card sucks air in from the back it could just end up recycling the hot air from the exhaust. Then I whould definetly keep the bottom fan to compensate with cold air.
 


unfortunately the R4 Define has only 1 rear exhaust. If I were to add an additional exhaust it would have to be positioned in the top rear. I guess it's safe to say that my main focus is to get to the hot air coming out of the gfx card as quickly as possibly and exhaust it before it has a chance to circulate within the case. I did find something nifty - PCI slot fans

http://www.newegg.com/Product/ProductList.aspx?Submit=ENE&N=2010110573%201372526581

These could be placed directly in line with how the hot air from the gfx card is being blown out and then directly exhausted. Only issue is quality - They all seem like crap. I'm surprised that EVGA didn't create a product to appropriately exhaust the hot air that comes from their ACX coolers -

My only gripe

 


That would work. I don't have any experience with those fans but with fans of that size there could be a considerable increase in noise level. You could get a voltage reduction on the molex to bring the rpm down, but there are no guarantees. They seem cheap enough to test tho.

I'd like to know how these work when you have tested =)