Question Fan configuration for Corsair 7000D Airflow

[Dazanion]

I recently purchased the above case. I currently have 3 fans but am about to put in 4 more. I will have 3 x 140 Corsair LL series in the front, 3 x 120 of the same series in the top and 1 x 120 LL at the back on the radiator cooler. What I need to know is what is the best configuration for the fans? I was thinking in at the front and out at the top and back. But then I am exhausting over the radiator. Should i pull in at front and back and exhaust at the top? I have read that there is only a 1.3 % difference between push and pull for radiator, so that may not be an issue. What I am worried about is vortexes causing hot spots. I do know that my GPU (GTX970 - soon to be replace) does run at about 75 degrees on load. With most other components at about 55 to 60. And around 30 at idle. What about one exhaust on top and front and the others pulling in. I clearly have no clue, please help.

 

[Phaaze88]

There isn't one, because you have to pick your poison: "Do I prioritize cpu core thermals, or gpu cooling?"

But then I am exhausting over the radiator.

SOMETHING is going to exhaust over something. You are not going to be able to avoid it.
What do you think open air gpu coolers exhaust over? Ram, cpu, motherboard VRM, M.2 drive(if above the gpu), side glass panel(heat insulator), motherboard, and even the gpu itself(a little heat does circle back through its cooler).


This massive case supports 140mm fans almost everywhere(the one area they don't fit can be safely ignored)... why the 120mm?

'Vortexes causing hot spots'?
You're overthinking on that one... then again, if you don't go balls to the wall on moar fans, that's a non-issue. Spots of stagnant air are more common when people fill all the optional fan locations in cases that allow for 5 or more fans.


Pick your poison first, then figure out guiding the air in a singular direction - straight front to back? Enter the front, and then curve up and out? and so on...

 

[JohnBonhamsGhost]

what is the best configuration for the fans?

3x 140mm front intake, 3x 120mm top exhaust, 1x 120mm radiator with rear exhaust...

doesn't sound like the best setup for this case.

working with what you have / could have;
i would keep front 140mm intakes with higher RPMS,
top exhaust 2x 120mm or 1x 140mm,
rear radiator with 2x 120mm push/pull exhaust.

better setup may be 280 or 360mm top mounted radiator exhausting,
1x 140mm rear exhaust,
3x 140mm front intake.

then experiment with lowest possible fan speeds all around while still getting cooler than average temps.

include an image of the case showing interior layout.

 

[Dazanion]

3x 140mm front intake, 3x 120mm top exhaust, 1x 120mm radiator with rear exhaust...

doesn't sound like the best setup for this case.

working with what you have / could have;
i would keep front 140mm intakes with higher RPMS,
top exhaust 2x 120mm or 1x 140mm,
rear radiator with 2x 120mm push/pull exhaust.

better setup may be 280 or 360mm top mounted radiator exhausting,
1x 140mm rear exhaust,
3x 140mm front intake.
then experiment with lowest possible fan speeds all around while still getting cooler than average temps.

include an image of the case showing interior layout.

I have to go with the fans I have. I tried to see where to post a picture but I could not find it.

 

[JohnBonhamsGhost]

tried to see where to post a picture but I could not find it.

upload images to IMGUR and post links here to include them in the thread.

 

[Dazanion]

There isn't one, because you have to pick your poison: "Do I prioritize cpu core thermals, or gpu cooling?"


SOMETHING is going to exhaust over something. You are not going to be able to avoid it.
What do you think open air gpu coolers exhaust over? Ram, cpu, motherboard VRM, M.2 drive(if above the gpu), side glass panel(heat insulator), motherboard, and even the gpu itself(a little heat does circle back through its cooler).


This massive case supports 140mm fans almost everywhere(the one area they don't fit can be safely ignored)... why the 120mm?

'Vortexes causing hot spots'?
You're overthinking on that one... then again, if you don't go balls to the wall on moar fans, that's a non-issue. Spots of stagnant air are more common when people fill all the optional fan locations in cases that allow for 5 or more fans.


Pick your poison first, then figure out guiding the air in a singular direction - straight front to back? Enter the front, and then curve up and out? and so on...

Yea it makes sense that I am exhausting over something. So in your opinion, should I pull front and back and push top, or, pull front and push top and back. To be honest I got the 120’s for asthetics, I was going to move the radiator to the top, so I want the other fans up there to match that one, and I was gonna exhaust the back with a 140, but decided to keep the radiator at the back, but I already had the 120’s so I might as well use them.

 

[Dazanion]

upload images to IMGUR and post links here to include them in the thread.

Ok I’ll do that when I get home.

 

[Dazanion]

upload images to IMGUR and post links here to include them in the thread.

 

[Dazanion]

 

[Dazanion]

 

[Phaaze88]

So in your opinion, should I pull front and back and push top, or, pull front and push top and back.

It depends on the fans. Some fans actually do better as push than pull, and the opposite is true for others. You'd have to test that one if you can't find an article or video on it.
Phanteks T30-120: I use 3 of these in pull as a bottom intake on an Eisbaer Aurora inside an O11 Evo. It was thanks in part to this TPU comment HERE in regards to the size of central hub on these fans that I use them in pull.


Top AIO/CLC running as exhaust doesn't need a rear exhaust or a fan back there at all for that matter. This is old fashioned stuff from air coolers.
I wonder how many bothered to test it out with liquid coolers - I'm guilty of it too, but then my curiosity got the better of me.
All the rear fan does is steal cool air that could be going into the cooler. IF opting for top AIO/CLC, install a filter at the rear, but no fan. That way, both halves of the cooler have access to cool air from both the front and rear.
[No rear intake fan, as that just T-bones the pull from the cooler's fans.]



OH... you just have a lil' 120mm...
Ehh, maybe switch places with that top fan? At least it'll be closer to the front intake.

 

[Dazanion]

It depends on the fans. Some fans actually do better as push than pull, and the opposite is true for others. You'd have to test that one if you can't find an article or video on it.
Phanteks T30-120: I use 3 of these in pull as a bottom intake on an Eisbaer Aurora inside an O11 Evo. It was thanks in part to this TPU comment HERE in regards to the size of central hub on these fans that I use them in pull.


Top AIO/CLC running as exhaust doesn't need a rear exhaust or a fan back there at all for that matter. This is old fashioned stuff from air coolers.
I wonder how many bothered to test it out with liquid coolers - I'm guilty of it too, but then my curiosity got the better of me.
All the rear fan does is steal cool air that could be going into the cooler. IF opting for top AIO/CLC, install a filter at the rear, but no fan. That way, both halves of the cooler have access to cool air from both the front and rear.
[No rear intake fan, as that just T-bones the pull from the cooler's fans.]



OH... you just have a lil' 120mm...
Ehh, maybe switch places with that top fan? At least it'll be closer to the front intake.

I want to be careful of creating negative pressure too. Having read what you wrote and considering that I am sticking with the fans that I have - I don’t wanna buy more. And considering the negative pressure thing. I think I’ll go with front pull, rear pull over radiator, and top push. But I am thinking maybe the front top as pull to ensure the GPU gets a bit more flow. It won’t suck the air straight up after it comes in, but push it down to go further along the bottom of the case. That way i am exhausting from the top middle and rear only.

 

[Phaaze88]

I want to be careful of creating negative pressure too.

There is none in a case like this; too many open spaces/gaps. You're still going to end up moving dust around everywhere.
Ironically, it's the more sealed up cases where positive/negative come into play.
'Meshed out' cases? They're neutral.

 

[JohnBonhamsGhost]

I currently have 3 fans but am about to put in 4 more...

move that top-center mounted fan to the top-rear as exhaust,
have back radiator with 2x 120mm fans in push/pull setup as exhaust,
have front 3x 140mm as intake.

if you have intake mounts in the bottom add one, maybe two, there for extra GPU cool air intake.
and you'll be good to go.

negative vs positive pressure matters in EVERY scenario.
if you are pulling in enough more than you're pushing out there will always be a slight positive pressure which will keep more dust from pulling through whatever gaps may exist.
exact opposite with pushing out enough more than you're pulling in where every gap will have a intake where more dust will compile in every nook & cranny of the case and components.
if you're not properly filtered then it all goes to pot anyway and you're pretty much a vacuum for any dust in the room.

 

[Marcus1981]

This is very helpful. I myself need some help with something similar.
I plan to use a Corsair 7000D case to build a new PC for the AMD 7950X + RTX 4080 16Gb. Because I've seen this new CPU runs pretty hot, and I like to OC too, I was planning to use a Corsair H170i ELITE AIO watercooler.
But that leaves me with some options for the case fans: I will probably use the top part of the case to put the H170i, how should I setup my intake & exhaust with the fans? Should I use the rear single fan as intake, and put 3 - 4 fans as exhaust in the front?

Thanks!

 

[Dazanion]

Ok so things have changed a lot since I created this post. I now have 11 fans installed, 4 x 120 on the side rear area, 3 x 140 in in the front, 1 x 140 at rear, 1 x 140 on top and 2 x 120 on radiator at top. So all the side fan draw in and the top and rear exhaust. This makes a nice flow I think. I run a RTX 3080ti and it runs nicely at about 45 degrees at rest. I used the Corsair H170i Elite Watercooler and it works great, I am pulling over it.

 

[Marcus1981]

Ok so things have changed a lot since I created this post. I now have 11 fans installed, 4 x 120 on the side rear area, 3 x 140 in in the front, 1 x 140 at rear, 1 x 140 on top and 2 x 120 on radiator at top. So all the side fan draw in and the top and rear exhaust. This makes a nice flow I think. I run a RTX 3080ti and it runs nicely at about 45 degrees at rest. I used the Corsair H170i Elite Watercooler and it works great, I am pulling over it.

Great build!! Quick question: regarding exhaust & intake, how did you set those fans? Which ones for what purpose?

Thanks!

 

[Dazanion]

The 7 at the front are all intake. The top and rear fans are exhaust. So air moves from the front to the rear and top of the case. The top exhausts so that any dust that settles on the top is not sucked in, but blown away.

 

[Marcus1981]

The 7 at the front are all intake. The top and rear fans are exhaust. So air moves from the front to the rear and top of the case. The top exhausts so that any dust that settles on the top is not sucked in, but blown away.

How did you manage to connect them? All of them directly to the motherboard (does it support that many fans)? Did you use some sort of hub? Looks awesome, thanks!

 

[Dazanion]

How did you manage to connect them? All of them directly to the motherboard (does it support that many fans)? Did you use some sort of hub? Looks awesome, thanks!

That case comes with a hub on the back for power for 6 fans. But yes, I have 4 hubs in the back as well. I have a Commander Pro and a Lighting Node, these are hooked into the Lighting Node Pro. This controls the 4 120LL's and the 5 140LL's. The 2 120ML's that I have needed another hub since you cant mix fan types in the ICue software, they are on the radiator and are in another hub with the AOI. Then the 2 strimmer strip on the right are in yet another hub connected to the Mobo, and the top Strimmer Strip is just on a 3 pin splitter (It's split because I just got a new GPU cover and needed a 3 pin for that as well) directly into the Mobo (LianLi hub only has connectivity for 2 strips, if you want 3 like I have, you need the adapter that comes in the box, as the connectors are unique to LianLi, and a spare 3 pin hub). Hope this helps.