[SOLVED] Higher idle temps after installing exhaust case fan

[I Josh I]

Hi all

So today I installed a Noctua fan as an exhaust fan on the top of my case. I originally had 2 intake fans at the front, a radiator/fan combo at the back as an exhaust, and one exhaust fan in middle at the top of my case. I forgot I had the noctua fan, and decided not to waste it, and so I put it at the top of my case as an exhaust. But as I was monitoring my CPU temps, I noticed they seemed a little higher than normal (at the time I was watching some YouTube videos). I didn't really think much of it, and than I decided to play some games, and as I did I realized that my CPU temps were higher than normal. When I installed the fan I plugged the connector into the cpu fan plug, don't know if that is important or not.

Here are some pictures of my fan setup;

1. https://ibb.co/PF46V8V

2. https://ibb.co/YbN4NCt

Also, on the top of my case, there is 'fan' printed by some of the holes , I didn't line my two fans up with the printed words, I just tried to make both of them centered.

My case: Thermaltake Core X31 https://www.thermaltake.com/products-model.aspx?id=C_00002786

My system:
CPU: Intel Core i7-8700 @ 3.20GHz
RAM: 16.0GB Dual-channel https://www.newegg.ca/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16820232242
MOBO: Gigabyte B360 Arous gaming 3 https://www.newegg.ca/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16813145061
GPU: NVIDIA GeForce GTX 1060 6GB
CPU Cooler: CORSAIR HYDRO SERIES H75 AIO Liquid CPU Cooler
SSD: SAMSUNG 860 EVO Series 2.5" 1TB SATA III
PSU: EVGA 500 W1, 80+ WHITE 500W

Any thoughts on why my temps are higher than normal after I installed the extra exhaust fan?

 

[Karadjgne]

Unplug the Noctua. See if cpu temps go back to normal. It's possible that Noctua is too far forward and the increased draw of it+the other top exhaust is pulling too much of the intake fresh air, and leaving the gpu exhaust hitting the aio, lowering its efficiency.

 

[I Josh I]

Unplug the Noctua. See if cpu temps go back to normal. It's possible that Noctua is too far forward and the increased draw of it+the other top exhaust is pulling too much of the intake fresh air, and leaving the gpu exhaust hitting the aio, lowering its efficiency.

Ok, I will give it try.

 

[I Josh I]

Ok, so I took out the Noctua fan and put the other fan back to its original position. I shutdown my computer for 15 min or so, just to it good get to room temperature and the temps seem to be back to normal. Should I just leave the Noctua fan or should I just re-position it towards the back of the case instead of the middle?

 

[Karadjgne]

If you can't use it as intake on the bottom, or on front, then I'd not use it at all. Your cpu cooling comes from the ability of that corsair fan on the rad to phsh/pull air through the fins. Seems that Noctua fan combined with the other top exhaust fan was basically 'stealing' the air from your rad fans, lowering efficiency and allowing the gpu heat unrestricted access to the rear fan, further complicating issues.

2x fans in low/front, 2x fans in top/rear is optimal. After that you get diminishing returns, more noise, if front has 3 fans, just run them slower, maintains cfm without complicating the air flow

 

[I Josh I]

If you can't use it as intake on the bottom, or on front, then I'd not use it at all. Your cpu cooling comes from the ability of that corsair fan on the rad to phsh/pull air through the fins. Seems that Noctua fan combined with the other top exhaust fan was basically 'stealing' the air from your rad fans, lowering efficiency and allowing the gpu heat unrestricted access to the rear fan, further complicating issues.

2x fans in low/front, 2x fans in top/rear is optimal. After that you get diminishing returns, more noise, if front has 3 fans, just run them slower, maintains cfm without complicating the air flow

Well I haven't tried using it as intake on the bottom. But my question is than, should I remove the PSU covering that is there? Here is the fan layout that my system can accommodate https://www.thermaltake.com/products-model.aspx?id=C_00002786

 

[Karadjgne]

No, you'd put it towards the front, in front of the psu shroud. But that fan looks to be an NF-F12, a directed airflow radiator fan, not the NF-S12a/b which are high cfm fans, so it's usefulness as a case fan is limited.