[SOLVED] Help! Mid-build space/cooling/airflow problem!

[gullidotwog]

Hi All,

I am mid build and have just run into an unforeseen problem.

I am using this case: https://www.thermaltake.com/Chassis/Mid_Tower_/Versa/C_00003288/Versa_J24Tempered_Glass_RGB_Edition/Design.htm
with this cooling:
http://www.coolermaster.com/cooling/cpu-liquid-cooler/masterliquid-ml240r-rgb/

I had hoped to mount the radiator and fans at the top of the case, but sadly it is 2mm too wide and blocks the ram slots.

So what I have done is remove the upper two case fans from the front and replaced them with the two ML240 cpu fans, and then mounted the radiator behind them. The two ML240 fans are pulling air from outside the case and pushing the air across the radiator into the case.

This leaves me with the two case fans which I can mount at the top. The question is should those two top fans be pulling air into the case or extracting it?! I would guess extracting, otherwise I would have 5 intake fans and one exhaust fan.

But I am worried whether GPU will get enough cool air if they are extracting as the intake air is now passing over the radiator as it enters the case? I don't know how much the air passing across the radiator heats up.

I assume this setup is actually better for CPU cooling as the fans are pulling cooler air from the room across the radiator, rather than warmer air from inside the case (if mounted at the top), but I'm concerned about the GPU. What would be normal way to set this up? I assume having one of the top fans as intake and one as exhaust is counter-productive?

 

[vapour]

what gpu is it?
I will definitely put it extracting

 

[Barty1884]

What motherboard do you have? The ML240 should still fit up top...

Just to clarify, you have the 240mm RAD mounted in the front, in the upper two fan positions?

If so, I'd keep a 120mm in the front bottom position - it'll pull air into the PSU basement, but some cool air will make it to below the GPU - allowing the GPU some fresh, relatively cool air.

Beyond that, (3x intake front, of which two are the Rad), and the rear exhaust *should* be sufficient. If you must use the additional fans up top, then those should be exhaust. Hot air will rise naturally anyway - you'd just be assisting. Trying to utilize those as intake would only really benefit the VRMs as the rear exhaust would be exhausting the air you just brought in pretty quickly.

 

[gullidotwog]

What motherboard do you have? The ML240 should still fit up top...

Just to clarify, you have the 240mm RAD mounted in the front, in the upper two fan positions?

If so, I'd keep a 120mm in the front bottom position - it'll pull air into the PSU basement, but some cool air will make it to below the GPU - allowing the GPU some fresh, relatively cool air.

Beyond that, (3x intake front, of which two are the Rad), and the rear exhaust *should* be sufficient. If you must use the additional fans up top, then those should be exhaust. Hot air will rise naturally anyway - you'd just be assisting. Trying to utilize those as intake would only really benefit the VRMs as the rear exhaust would be exhausting the air you just brought in pretty quickly.

The Mobo is a Gigabyte Z390 Aorus Pro, and with the fans mounted on radiator there definitely isn't enough space to get the ram in, i tried rly hard.

So far I put the radiator in the front, where the two upper fans are yes. I removed the two upper Thermaltake fans and replaced them with the two CoolerMaster Ml240 fans, but with airflow in same direction... i.e pulling in air from outside front of case, over the radiator behind it and into the case.

This is all I have done so far.

I was wondering if I should reverse the direction of the two upper ML240 front fans now, so that they are pulling air from inside the case over the radiator and out the front, and then have the two tops as intake fans instead.... but that seems kind of weird, having fans front and back extracting air and air being taken in through the top and bottom tray.

 

[Barty1884]

No, do not exhaust out the front - especially if you're going to use the 3rd (lower) as intake. You'll just be pulling the warm air back in

As for fitting, I'm not 100% sure of the differences between the 240R and 240L (I thought it was just tubing)... but the 240L fits with the X470 Fatal1ty, which doesn't have the DIMM slots any lower than your board.
https://pcpartpicker.com/b/RJZRsY

Weird, but it is what it is, I guess.

 

[gullidotwog]

No, do not exhaust out the front - especially if you're going to use the 3rd (lower) as intake. You'll just be pulling the warm air back in

As for fitting, I'm not 100% sure of the differences between the 240R and 240L (I thought it was just tubing)... but the 240L fits with the X470 Fatal1ty, which doesn't have the DIMM slots any lower than your board.
https://pcpartpicker.com/b/RJZRsY

Weird, but it is what it is, I guess.

I think it's just the case design itself, the Thermaltake is a budget case... had to save a little somewhere 🙁

I assumed the rad and fans would fit in top and tbh never checked... it's literally only 3mm or so over, but when the RAM slots are blocked like that there's nothing to be done. I agree having different directions on the intake seems dumb to me too.

I guess the only real difference in the setup like this is that the air coming in passes over the radiator first and I assume the net effect of this would be to increase the overall internal temp slightly. I guess I will just have to keep an eye on the GPU temps and see if it is okay.

The only other (rather ghetto) solution I could think of is mounting the radiator at the top on the inside and the have the fans on the OUTSIDE of the case sucking air over the radiator rather than pushing through from below. Then I can have the three front fans back as straight up intake fans.

But with that 2-3 things worry me...

A) I think I would have to break the top of the case a little to get the fan wiring back inside, doesn't seem to be an opening big enough
B) I will be pulling air across the radiator through the PC top grill, which I imagine would lower efficiency... seems to me that pushing would give slightly better cooling in all situations, but with the added distance and blockage caused by the top of the PC grill I guess would be even worse?
C) Is kinda ugly having two fans sat on top

Is that a possible solution however? I don't know what different configs are possible, this is my first ever AIO Cooler.

 

[Barty1884]

But that build is in the same case.

While pushing (or pulling) air over the Rad into the case will increase the ambient temp, it's by a negligible amount, and the actual airflow (opposed to air temp) is beneficial.


That's a possible solution, but unnecessary. What you originally contemplated (2x intake on the Rad, 1x intake below) and two exhausts on top will be fine - If you can't get the Rad/Fans to fit on top.

Looking at the pics in the build I linked:

It looks like they've gone with fairly low profile RAM (low profile on their edges at least).
Are you actually blocking the DIMM slots with the Rad/Fans, or would it just impede your RAM clearance?
What RAM are you using?

 

[gullidotwog]

But that build is in the same case.

While pushing (or pulling) air over the Rad into the case will increase the ambient temp, it's by a negligible amount, and the actual airflow (opposed to air temp) is beneficial.


That's a possible solution, but unnecessary. What you originally contemplated (2x intake on the Rad, 1x intake below) and two exhausts on top will be fine - If you can't get the Rad/Fans to fit on top.

Looking at the pics in the build I linked:

It looks like they've gone with fairly low profile RAM (low profile on their edges at least).
Are you actually blocking the DIMM slots with the Rad/Fans, or would it just impede your RAM clearance?
What RAM are you using?

I think it is probably because my RAM sticks are Corsair Vengence RGB which stick out about 4.5cm from the motherboard... is hard to tell from that photo but I think those RAMs aren't nearly so tall and fit in behind the fan.

From the top of the RAM slots on the mobo to the top of the case I have around 4cm clearence, and the heatsink + fans are a little over 4cm when put together.

I will stick with keeping the sink in the front, having all three front fans (2 CPU and 1 Case) pulling air into the case, and the two on the top and the one on the rear as exhaust fans.

I normally end up taking the side off my cases in summer here when it starts to get above 30C(95F) and putting a desk fan pushing extra air in anyway. My 1080ti also has 3 mounted fans so should be good for cooling.

I will keep an eye on temps and see how it goes.

Thanks a million for the advice, Barty.