[SOLVED] Managing air pressure in a Lian Li 011D case (fan recommendation)

mohfuu

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Dec 19, 2012
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I'll begin by admitting I tend to overcomplicate a lot of things, so the main question is written at the bottom in bold lettering.

But I'm building a new PC, and since I'm waiting for the AMD announcement next month I've stopped deliberating on motherboards and CPUs a while and am focusing my attention on the basics, like cases, radiators, fans.. ect.

I've decided to watercool this build, which will be a first for me.
I've set my sights on Lian Li 011D and I'm going to be using two HWLabs Nemesis 360mm GTR radiators, and I'm thinking about pushing air out of the case through both of them.

I'm planning on using six Corsair ML120 Premium fans (rated for 75 CFM) three for each radiator. That amounts to 450 CFMs of air vacating the case from the top and bottom of the case.

I still have three 120mm fan spots left where I can choose to push air into the case, since (I assume) static pressure won't be much of a concern for a fan that isn't stuck tightly to a radiator, I am looking for a high airflow fan that moves a lot of CFMs, more than the corsair fans ideally.

I'm sure the CFM on those corsair fans is measured on unimpeded fans, so that CFM is probably reduced a bit by a radiator in their way, certainly a thick and dense one like the Nemesis GTR, but I figure more air is always better and as I'm expelling air through both radiators it would probably benefit me to have increasingly positive air pressure in the case so that even more air gets flung through those radiators.

The main question here.
TL;DR
What three 120mm fans should I use for air intake if I have six 120mm radiator mounted Corsair ML fans expelling air?
 
Solution
PC Specs?

Whys are you fitting 6 fans to the radiator?

Case - https://www.lian-li.com/pc-o11-dynamic/
says
Top) 120mm x3 / 140mm x2(Option)
(Side) 120mm x3(Option)
(Bottom) 120mm x3 (Option)

I gather you are running the radiator on the side. With the air blowing out.
A good idea is to just blow air from the bottom to the top - so the case works like a chimney.
Try just 3 fans on the radiator, and use the other thress for the bottom and buy another 3 for the top.

I've got a 200mm front fan, 140mm rear fan and 2x140mm fans on my radiator at the top blowing out. So 4 fans all told compared to 9 for you.

SteveRX4

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PC Specs?

Whys are you fitting 6 fans to the radiator?

Case - https://www.lian-li.com/pc-o11-dynamic/
says
Top) 120mm x3 / 140mm x2(Option)
(Side) 120mm x3(Option)
(Bottom) 120mm x3 (Option)

I gather you are running the radiator on the side. With the air blowing out.
A good idea is to just blow air from the bottom to the top - so the case works like a chimney.
Try just 3 fans on the radiator, and use the other thress for the bottom and buy another 3 for the top.

I've got a 200mm front fan, 140mm rear fan and 2x140mm fans on my radiator at the top blowing out. So 4 fans all told compared to 9 for you.
 
Solution