Rear fan okay as an intake?

[Joeyob32]

Hey guys,

So I have an antec 900 that has a 200mm fan directly over the top of the mobo, and im having issues with the VRM temps. I also have 2 front 120mm fans, (very top & very bottom) and was thinking I could turn the rear 120mm case fan around as an intake, and have the front top 120mm as an exhaust instead - my logic is that this would blow cold air directly over the VRM, while still having plenty of exhaust from the top fan & front fan

(Note the bottom front 120mm is an intake)

I've scoured forums and opinion is very divided on this, so said Id pick the good folk here's brains for any thoughts before I do it.

Does it make sense?

Thanks guys!

 

[kanewolf]

Are you using an AIO water cooler? VRM temp problems are often because the CPU fan doesn't move air over the VRMs.

 

[13thmonkey]

have the air flow from one side to another, ie. front to top/back, else you might create a dead spot where air doesn't move if you have two opposing flows.

 

[Joeyob32]

Im using a 212x Turbo pointed vertically upwards, and that's exactly the problem. The cooler is blocking any air from the front top intake reaching the VRM, reversing that direction of both fans would surely rectify this, and there are no motherboard components on the other side of the CPU to worry about. In relation to creating a hot spot, the only place that could happen would be in the upper right 1/4 of the case, which houses absolutely nothing, and so wouldn't be a problem.

 

[kanewolf]

Or rotate the 212X 90 degrees so that it blows across the VRMs and leave the rear fan to exhaust the hot air off the 212X.

 

[Joeyob32]

Yeah, I was thinking about that, but Id have to take off the motherboard and that'd be too much hassle, plus it'd be blowing hot air across the VRMs, so surely cold air from outside would be best? The case has PLENTY of exhaust from that top fan, so much I think doing this might actually add to creating positive air pressure in the case too!

 

[Joeyob32]

In fact, now that I think about it, if anything having the rear fan as an exhaust is creating an airpocket around the VRM, which is causing it to heat up in the first place! Thermodynamics 4 lyf niggaz