Build Advice Fan setup for the Fractal Design North XL (mesh version)

[T44v1]

Hey guys

I have mostly picked out the parts for the new PC I am building, but I was curious about the fan setup I should be using. This is the first PC I will be building for myself, so I am relatively new at this.

My PC case will be a Fractal Design North XL (mesh version). I'm thinking of using: one arctic p14 max fan in the rear as exhaust, 3 in the front as intake and then 3 arctic p12 max fans for the AIO cooler up top as exhaust.

The issue I see here is that if all fans operate at the same strength, then I might end up having negative air pressure in the case. Would it be enough of a problem that I should try and rectify it by removing a fan or two or, alternatively, powering either of the exhaust fan setups down? Any advice is appreciated.

Here's my build list in case you need the extra info: https://fi.pcpartpicker.com/user/T44v1/saved/8txhjX

 

[Lutfij]

Is the AIO you've listed in the PCPP link the first version? If yes, how old is the cooler? If no, you might want to to look into the Liquid Freezer III and the fans on it are actually good.

To get on topic with the thread's question, yes the fan setup you're thinking of should work. I would leave the rear fan mounting option blank and see how temps are.

 

[T44v1]

https://fi.pcpartpicker.com/product...iii-360-563-cfm-liquid-cpu-cooler-acfre00136a
It's this one.

 

[Phaaze88]

Hey guys
...
The issue I see here is that if all fans operate at the same strength, then I might end up having negative air pressure in the case. Would it be enough of a problem that I should try and rectify it by removing a fan or two or, alternatively, powering either of the exhaust fan setups down? Any advice is appreciated.

Here's my build list in case you need the extra info: https://fi.pcpartpicker.com/user/T44v1/saved/8txhjX

There's no pressure in the variant of the North with the mesh side panel. There actually needs to be some degree of air restriction for pressure buildup inside a case to be a thing. Too much open surface area, and there's no pressure; the air entered as easily as it exited, or vice versa.

I'm thinking of using: one arctic p14 max fan in the rear as exhaust, 3 in the front as intake and then 3 arctic p12 max fans for the AIO cooler up top as exhaust.

That's the general recommendation. You can just do that.

 

[dwd999]

Since its the mesh version of the case I would consider adding fans for the Accessory Fan bracket mounted over the gpu as long as it does not interfere with the gpu's power cable connection.

 

[Paperdoc]

The discussion over positive or negative pressure in a case really has almost nothing to do with cooling performance. It is all about DUST control. IF you arrange to have more intake capacity than exhaust and IF ALL those intake fans have cleanable dust filters on them and IF your case is sealed up except for fan openings, then only filtered air can enter, and any air leakage at small cracks is outward. In your case, as you anticipate, you may have negative pressure allowing air influx at UNfiltered entry points. But the biggest of these is the mesh side! Unless you plan to rig a huge dust filter there, there WILL be unfiltered air entry.

dwd999 has an interesting idea. It is possible with that case to mount two additional intake fans on the mesh side IF you ALSO obtain (from Fractal design directly?) an adapter for mounting them. I would assume you CAN fit mesh dust filters in front of those two fans to prevent dust intake. CHECK with Fractal Design whether the system for added side fans allows filter mounting, too. Aside from added cooling for your video card, such a fan pair will increase total air intake capacity so that the case IS at a very slight positive pressure and leakage though the mesh side will be outwards.

 

[dev_cyberpunk]

The issue I see here is that if all fans operate at the same strength, then I might end up having negative air pressure in the case. Would it be enough of a problem that I should try and rectify it by removing a fan or two or, alternatively, powering either of the exhaust fan setups down? Any advice is appreciated.

Should be ok.
The three 140mm fans in the front pushing in at 95 cfm each is going to provide enough air to go through the case and exhaust out through 3 120mm fans at 82 cfm.

The only thing is you don't need a rear exhaust, and the case you picked is not designed really well for exhaust fans in the back in the first place.

Even though I would use better intake fans by default it should work in most environments with those low end fans. I use Iceberg Thermal IceGale Xtra fans for case fans. So the 140mm fans I would stick in the intake would be 169 CFM.

 

[T44v1]

Well, if I also add two intake fans to the side bracket (with a potential dust filter), that should turn the overall air pressure positive, all things considered. But, assuming that I fill up all 8 fan slots (3 140 mm intakes to the front, 2 140mm intakes to the side bracket, 1 140 mm exhaust to the back and 3 120 mm exhausts on the aio cooler up top), Would the arctic p12/14 max fans be enough for a balance of noise/cooling depending on the fan curve, or should I upgrade the intake fans to the iceberg thermal icegale xtra-s?

 

[dev_cyberpunk]

Well, if I also add two intake fans to the side bracket (with a potential dust filter), that should turn the overall air pressure positive, all things considered. But, assuming that I fill up all 8 fan slots (3 140 mm intakes to the front, 2 140mm intakes to the side bracket, 1 140 mm exhaust to the back and 3 120 mm exhausts on the aio cooler up top), Would the arctic p12/14 max fans be enough for a balance of noise/cooling depending on the fan curve, or should I upgrade the intake fans to the iceberg thermal icegale xtra-s?

Looking at the case, you would have to tape up the mesh side to even establish air pressure to cool with forced air cooling. No side fans are needed.

There will be a loss on the fans blowing through the radiator so the exhaust is not going to be ~90 cfm it will be about %20 less than that. So you will have enough air column to cool the rest and exhaust out the back, provided that you tape up the mesh side they should have made a changeable panel for different setups. I use aluminium tape that is used for ducting for that.

You can use the fans you selected however, if the room its in gets hot it may not have enough air flow to cool it off. That is why I run aggressive fans. I don't run air conditioning in the summer.

 

[T44v1]

Then would it be better to just take the tempered glass version case and go with higher powered fans? I'm guessing that the iceberg fans are louder, but the glass would cover up the extra noise that comes with them