[SOLVED] Lian Li PC-O11 Dynamic - Fan configuration

Foksrad

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Hello,

I ordered the Lian Li PC-O11 Dynamic case, the AIO Galahad 360 and 2 packs of 3 Uni Fan.

I would like to know what would be the best configuration for airflow and aesthetics.

I also have another question, if I mount the watercooling on top, could I put 3 uni fan on it and the 3 fans provided with the galahad on the side ?

Thank you
 
Solution
the dust issue is only combated by placement of the system and the use of proper dust filters.
keep the system off of and away from carpet.
and any decent case comes with good dust filters these days, Lian LI definitely one of the top of it's class.
i clean my case and all components maybe once a year, usually only when i get new components to install though. it's been probably 10 years since i've seen a bad dust build-up in any of my systems due to the use of the included dust filters.

concerning GPU mount;
for vertical; as long as there is sufficient space between the fans and the glass, air will still flow into it. this mounting is purely for aesthetic purposes though, you won't see any other benefit from mounting this way.

for...

Phaaze88

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Pick your poison, because there is no best; there's a tradeoff regardless:
[I can only comment on performance though.]
1)Prioritize cpu cooling
Galahad side intake
Top exhaust

2)Prioritize gpu cooling
Galahad top exhaust
Side intake

I also have another question, if I mount the watercooling on top, could I put 3 uni fan on it and the 3 fans provided with the galahad on the side ?
Sure, I don't see why not.
 
i would first try;
the AIO placed in the front\right vertical space, right beside the motherboard. fans pushing out through the radiator.

i would also have 2-3 fans pulling in through the bottom directly below the GPU and motherboard.
and 2-3 fans exhausting out of the top directly above the motherboard.
 
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Foksrad

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All right, thank you,

And if I put the graphics card vertically, would that be a good idea? It's pretty big.

The problem if I put the fans on the side that push the air through the fan, I'll have a negative pressure and I wouldn't like to have too much dust in my case ^^'

I don't think the gpu is getting too hot compared to the cpu so I'd better optimize the airflow for the processor I guess.

For more clarity, here is my configuration:
Case : Lian Li PC-O11
GPU: ASUS RTX 3060 ti DUAL OC
CPU: Intel i5 8600k
RAM: G. Skill Ripjaws V 2x16GB
MB: ASUS PRIME Z390-P
IOA: Lian Li Galahad 360
Fans: 6x Lian Li Uni Fan sl120
SSD: Samsung 980 Pro 1TB
HDD: Seagate Baraccuda 2TB + 1TB
PSU: Corsair RM750X
 
my suggestion will give a slight negative pressure; 3x fans blowing out of the top, 3x fans blowing out through the radiator, 3x fans pulling in through the bottom.

it will also provide airflow for the GPU and allow some to flow over the motherboard and some into the radiator. while any air heated by the GPU, vrm, or RAM can be exhausted out of the top.

if you place 2x bottom fans below the GPU\motherboard and one farther towards the front directly below the radiator, it would be even better.
or if you switch the bottom fans to 140mm, it would be better to cover more area.
 

Foksrad

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Feb 8, 2020
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my suggestion will give a slight negative pressure; 3x fans blowing out of the top, 3x fans blowing out through the radiator, 3x fans pulling in through the bottom.
it will also provide airflow for the GPU and allow some to flow over the motherboard and some into the radiator. while any air heated by the GPU, vrm, or RAM can be exhausted out of the top.

Is this case sufficiently protected against dust under negative pressure?

And this configuration would be interesting with the vertical gpu?
 

Foksrad

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Feb 8, 2020
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It changes the airflow in the PC a bit and is a little louder Vs horizontal, so that's up to you.

Okay, and isn't there a risk that the gpu heats up more since it's closer to the glass ?

By being vertical, isn't there a risk that the gpu will bend a little with the weight ?
 
the dust issue is only combated by placement of the system and the use of proper dust filters.
keep the system off of and away from carpet.
and any decent case comes with good dust filters these days, Lian LI definitely one of the top of it's class.
i clean my case and all components maybe once a year, usually only when i get new components to install though. it's been probably 10 years since i've seen a bad dust build-up in any of my systems due to the use of the included dust filters.

concerning GPU mount;
for vertical; as long as there is sufficient space between the fans and the glass, air will still flow into it. this mounting is purely for aesthetic purposes though, you won't see any other benefit from mounting this way.

for horizontal; any decent motherboard should have sufficient locks in place to keep the GPU from sagging, though a lot of times it occurs over time anyway.
 
Last edited:
Solution

Foksrad

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Feb 8, 2020
27
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535
Great, thanks for your answers!

So the best configuration would be :
top as exhaust
bottom as intake
side as intake + AIO behind the fans

Is that it?

Also, do you have any advice for my future build? I will soon receive my new components but I have never mounted watercooling and changed the fans.
 
side as intake + AIO behind the fans
this would be pumping the heat from your radiator into the system.
you would want these fans exhausting air through the radiator, forcing the heat out of the case.

the fans included with the AIO have higher airflow and more air pressure than the Uni set, so can drive more air through. you will be better off leaving the AIO's included fans with it.

mounting an AIO is very easy, they usually just screw in the existing case fan mounts. routing the cables is usually the most difficult part, which really isn't difficult at all either.
 

Foksrad

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Feb 8, 2020
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this would be pumping the heat from your radiator into the system.
you would want these fans exhausting air through the radiator, forcing the heat out of the case.

the fans included with the AIO have higher airflow and more air pressure than the Uni set, so can drive more air through. you will be better off leaving the AIO's included fans with it.

mounting an AIO is very easy, they usually just screw in the existing case fan mounts. routing the cables is usually the most difficult part, which really isn't difficult at all either.

Oh yes, sorry, I made a mistake

So this configuration would be the best ?

bottom as intake (UNI FANS)
top as exhaust (UNI FANS)
side as exhaust (AIO FANS) + AIO behind the fans
 
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Foksrad

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Feb 8, 2020
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For the moment I will install the graphics card horizontally.

However, I hesitate between your two suggestions,

Either :
bottom as intake (UNI FANS)
top as exhaust (UNI FANS)
side as exhaust (AIO FANS) + AIO behind the fans

Either :
bottom as exhaust (UNI FANS)
top as exhaust (AIO FANS) + AIO
side as intake (UNI FANS)
 

Phaaze88

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Heat rises gets totally crapped on when there's an external force in play, like a FAN.
Passively cooled system: ✅
Any system with fans running: the heat is completely at the mercy of the fans - even at 300rpm.

For the moment I will install the graphics card horizontally.

However, I hesitate between your two suggestions,

Either :
bottom as intake (UNI FANS)
top as exhaust (UNI FANS)
side as exhaust (AIO FANS) + AIO behind the fans

Either :
bottom as exhaust (UNI FANS)
top as exhaust (AIO FANS) + AIO
side as intake (UNI FANS)
There's really nothing to hesitate with here. It's not like you're installing a 10900K + 3090 in there.
 

Phaaze88

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@JohnBonhamsGhost
Downvote me to the moon if you want - you're really suggesting that, as passive as hot air rising is, it overpowers an aggressor - a fan?
Heat can spread in all directions.
Heated air rises because it has lower density than the air around it.
But does any of that matter when there's an external force at play? Are you actually taking that into account?

Take a passively cooled PC: the heated air is going up, whether inside or outside the system.
Now if I fill the front with intakes, what happens to the air inside the PC? It gets pushed in the same direction that fan is moving it until it is out of the fan's 'influence'.
Top intake? Front exhaust? And so on...

Again, are you really suggesting that the passive behavior of hot air rising overpowers an aggressive fan?
 

DSzymborski

Titan
Moderator
Yeah, if heat rising could defeat a fan, then all heating ducts would have to be on the floor - your HVAC's fan is quite far away at this point.

Now, that doesn't mean top intake is a good idea or anything since in most cases, it'll fight with most horizontally mounted GPUs which are the norm.
 
Again, are you really suggesting that the passive behavior of hot air rising overpowers an aggressive fan?
yes.
no matter how small a room or compartment is, and no matter how many fans you have blowing in whatever direction; some warmer air will always end up towards the ceiling of that room or compartment even with areas of escape for air. a total vacuum would have to be created to defeat this mechanism.

now how about starting your own thermodynamics thread where you can continue any argument you feel instead of hijacking this one?