heatsink exhaust question

[jimwinnebango]

I apologize if this is in the wrong forum.

So I just bought the be quiet! dark rock pro 2 cooler for my amd htpc build. It's a little overkill but I like to leave headroom for overclocking and expansion to a full fledged gaming pc should I choose to do so in the future.

The mounting hardware for the cooler only allows for one orientation of the cooler and it's not ideal for airflow in the case. I have it in the node 304 case which flows front to back but the cooler is sideways due to the way the socket is orientated. So the cooler would be exhausting towards the pci slot. There is a grill on the side of the case that's meant for a video card to suck in air, this should allow for the hot air from the heatsink to blow out the side of the case with no card installed. However, if I plan on putting a video card there in the future, would that obstruct the airflow too much? Do you think it'll be fine idle, under load, etc,?

I have took some pictures to hopefully help describe my situation

Test fitted with a old card

 

[2x4b]

Yes, not an ideal situation.

If you have the opportunity to exchange the cooler, here are a few that Tom's just reviewed for small cases:
"Eight Low-Profile CPU Coolers For Your Compact PC, Reviewed"
http://www.tomshardware.com/reviews/low-profile-heat-sink-mini-itx,3639.html

 

[jimwinnebango]

Not ideal I know, but will the airflow in the case be bad enough to affect performance of components drastically? or decrease the lifespan of a hypothetical video card by constantly exhausting hot air into the back of it? just looking to know worst case scenario and if it's possible if I keep this setup. I'd prefer not to go through RMA processes for the mobo or cooler

 

[2x4b]

If the heat builds up, then yes, that will affect components. Even with the good pictures that you have included, it is impossible to accurately predict what temperatures you will attain. If you want to know for sure, you will have to run the system under normal and then stressful operating conditions and monitor the temperatures.

 

[Calculatron]

Tough question! Personally, I don't think that the exhaust from heatsink will be hot enough to adversely affect any video card you may install. Certainly it will affect the video cards heat, which will put more strain on it (ultimately reducing its lifespan) but I doubt there is enough heat there to outright physically damage components.

I am not sure what kind of airflow you're dealing with, but, like previously said, you're definitely dealing with a less-than-ideal set-up. Pulling air from the top of the case, where the air will be hottest, and pushing it down sounds less than ideal for your CPU.

 

[jimwinnebango]

Tough question! Personally, I don't think that the exhaust from heatsink will be hot enough to adversely affect any video card you may install. Certainly it will affect the video cards heat, which will put more strain on it (ultimately reducing its lifespan) but I doubt there is enough heat there to outright physically damage components.

I am not sure what kind of airflow you're dealing with, but, like previously said, you're definitely dealing with a less-than-ideal set-up. Pulling air from the top of the case, where the air will be hottest, and pushing it down sounds less than ideal for your CPU.

I think the picture I took is a little misleading. Sorry if they're too small as well. The motherboard sits horizontally in the case so the air is being pulled in from the side by the cooler and pushed towards the PCI slot on the other side of the case, whereas the two case fans are pushing in air from the front and and a 140mm fan pushing it out the back. It's kinda hard to tell from the picture but the 140mm fan is right next to the heatsink (basically touching) so it should draw away some of the heat, right? I don't know though, there's 2 fans pushing air the other way and it just feels like a lot of turbulence. I think 2x4b is right. I won't know until I run tests with everything in the system. Might as well, ncix denied my rma

 

[Calculatron]

I guess my eyesight is just poor; I would just need a bigger picture.

Coincidentally enough, I just received my Be Quiet! Shadow Rock 2 ( http://www.bequiet.com/admin/FileServer.php?src=be-quiet.net/volumes/PDM/_products/bk013/bk013_w_l_2.jpg&width=570 ) in the mail, which I also got from NCIX. Even if you can only install it one direction, the heatsink is designed to allow you to mount the fan any direction you please on the heatsink. If your sub-optimum situation is hurting you that bad, perhaps we could work out a deal where we could swap and I pay you the difference?