Where to move fan for best cooling (pic)?

[Stephen Henry]

I'd like to try to lower temps. I have an Antec TruPower 550 with a fan on the bottom of the (PSU) box, sucking.. in?

Here is the model: TruePower TP-550

The video card is an Nvidia 750 GTX with stock fan,

CPU an Athlon X4 760 with stock fan.

The case fan in the photo is blowing air out,

it's a cheep case, the right side panel (opposite the board) has vents on the bottom half of the panel, while a spot for a fan directly across from where the CPU is.

There is no vent on the board side or the front of the case.

I guess what I'm asking is, should I move the 1 case fan I have someplace else, and would it serve best as an intake or exhaust where it goes?

Thanks very much!!

PS.. with my browser and about 8 tabs, and spread sheet document open, Speedfan is showing 33C GPU, 39C CPU (though... it's summer and I do have a fan aimed at my feet.. so who knows if that affects temps of desktop). But (anyway) when gaming, those numbers shoot up to (respectively) ~high 50s to low (bordering mid) 60s. Speedfan shows the fire icons (..if that means anything).

 

[DonkeyOatie]

I see a lot of little bits of dust? Clean things out very thoroughly (and carefully) once a year. I would want to add an intake fan for a start (after cleaning)

Better organized cables will help airflow.

 

[Stephen Henry]

I see a lot of little bits of dust? Clean things out very thoroughly (and carefully) once a year. I would want to add an intake fan for a start (after cleaning)

Better organized cables will help airflow.

I know, youre right-- I def need to clean.

I only have the 1 fan now. Buying a second is a possibility, but if I wanted the best airflow now- are you saying I should flip the fan where it's at so it's blowing air on the CPU?

Also- are my cables really bad? I tried to push them all to that right corner, so that the only one really in the path of circulating air (far as I know) is that one in the middle of the shot.

 

[why_wolf]

If you only have the one case fan for now leave it as an exhaust fan. The way it is in that picture it's grabbing all the hot air from your CPU fan and blowing it out, which is good.

Your cables are messy but you said you case has no fans on the front so they probably aren't getting in the way of airflow. If you can zip-tie them up that would be great but I wouldn't go crazy over it.

 

[DonkeyOatie]

I know. Zip ties will keep them more compact. How big is the fan you have? Looks like 92mm?

I don't know what will work best in this particular situation. There are so many variables.

1. Clean computer and tidy up cables and see where temperatures are.
2. If you need more, then move the single fan to the other location as an intake if the helps, OK, if not move it back to where it was, as an intake.

You need to mess with this a bit. You need another fan, a good high-flow 120mm or bigger as an intake, with your existing fan in its current location as an exhaust.

 

[Stephen Henry]

If you only have the one case fan for now leave it as an exhaust fan. The way it is in that picture it's grabbing all the hot air from your CPU fan and blowing it out, which is good.

Your cables are messy but you said you case has no fans on the front so they probably aren't getting in the way of airflow. If you can zip-tie them up that would be great but I wouldn't go crazy over it.

sweet- thanks. i looked over the picture again and got to thinking- cold air sinks/hot rises, etc-- do you think the video card would be better lower, vs right below the CPU?

Also- i did a quick search and read something about airflow benefiting from a closed system vs open. So- if it *is* better to move the video card down, would the open back alts where it was (it takes up two levels in the back) compromise flow ie would it be advisable to find a way to seal them?

 

[Stephen Henry]

I know. Zip ties will keep them more compact. How big is the fan you have? Looks like 92mm?

I don't know what will work best in this particular situation. There are so many variables.

1. Clean computer and tidy up cables and see where temperatures are.
2. If you need more, then move the single fan to the other location as an intake if the helps, OK, if not move it back to where it was, as an intake.

You need to mess with this a bit. You need another fan, a good high-flow 120mm or bigger as an intake, with your existing fan in its current location as an exhaust.

great- thanks a lot. i will search the web for a quiet intake fan, and see what fixing cables does. i don't know why i ever bothered to get a FM2 board.. But fixing the temperatures will help lots in place of replacing the system!

 

[DonkeyOatie]

I like the Corsair AF 120 Quiets for intake.

 

[Stephen Henry]

I like the Corsair AF 120 Quiets for intake.

Thanks, I'll look at that brand.

A lot more goes into building a machine than I realized, and you learn more each time: cooling (thermals gels), airflow, decent case, upgradibility (board), PSU ratings.. Next build (whenever that is) I may look into water cooling and more..

 

[DonkeyOatie]

Liquid cooling is usually less efficient, more expensive, noisier, more difficult to install than air cooling.

 

[Stephen Henry]

Liquid cooling is usually less efficient, more expensive, noisier, more difficult to install than air cooling.

I see. Well I'm far from that, lol.. This machine is salvageable.. but don't have the cash now. Next build though will cover all bases.

 

[DonkeyOatie]

Let us know how it goes. Good luck.