Fan Orientation

2of12B0RG2of12B0RG Join Date: 2002-12-21 Member: 11285Members
<div class="IPBDescription">call me noob plz</div> I just bought a new case for my computer complete with window on the side so I can watch all the neat things that go on inside.
Anyways, the case came with one single fan mounted on the middle of the window. I bought 6 more fans and installed them and everything is hunky dory.

My friend says my fans are all backwards.

If you are looking into my case from the window, the 2 fans mounted on the rear of the case above the AGP/PCI slots are spinning clockwise, as was the fan that came pre-installed with the case. The 4 fans in the front of the case (again if you are looking into the case from the outside) are spinning clockwise.

My temperatures are fine. But who is right? I have no idea really, this is the first computer I have put together. I'm not overheating so I don't see a problem.

Comments

  • Marik_SteeleMarik_Steele To rule in hell... Join Date: 2002-11-20 Member: 9466Members
    Clockwise or counter clockwise isn't descriptive enough -- you need to think in terms of whether they're taking air from inside the case and blowing it out, or taking air from outside the case and blowing it in. As for which provides better cooling, there's still debates on whether the net air pressure inside the case should be higher or lower pressure than the air surrounding you in everyday life. It depends on too many things -- the temperature inside and outside the case, the number of fans going in each of the two directions (suckhole or blowhole), how much CFM (cubic feet per minute) each pushes...just go with whatever lowers your in-case temperatures the most.
  • 2of12B0RG2of12B0RG Join Date: 2002-12-21 Member: 11285Members
    ****. I figured this would be a simple "clockwise/counterclockwise is right."

    So you are saying I should reverse them all and see if the temp is lower?

    Damn that. What a pain in the ****.
  • DOOManiacDOOManiac Worst. Critic. Ever. Join Date: 2002-04-17 Member: 462Members, NS1 Playtester
    my understanding is this:

    fan(s) in front of case should suck air in
    fan(s) in back of case should suck air out
    fan(s) on side of case should be in the middle of some form of modded window w/ neon lights or something inside
  • Marik_SteeleMarik_Steele To rule in hell... Join Date: 2002-11-20 Member: 9466Members
    edited November 2003
    No, I'm not saying you should just reverse them all and see what difference it makes. I'm saying that if you did want the optimal solution, you'd need to see how switching each possible combination can affect it. It's like guessing a binary code -- a 4-digit binary number has, what, 32 possibilities to guess on/off? That would mean going through and testing suck/blow combinations of 6 would be more than 32 possible combinations. If you're fine with the temps you've got, feel <i>free</i> to decide not to waste your time on it.

    [edit]For my case, I went with what seemed most logical to me. My 1st sidepanel fan is directly in line with my CPU heatsink/fan combo, so having them blow air at each other would be counterintuitive. The heatsink/fan combo blows air "upwards" away from the CPU, so I have that sidepanel fan taking air directly from it and rocketing it clear outside the case.
    My 2nd sidepanel fan also takes air from inside the case and blows it out for similar reasons, only this time for the video cards and sound card instead of the CPU.
    My hard drive cooler in the front of the case takes air from outside and sucks it in -- it's one I can't (easily) change. So I decided to orient my other front panel fan in the same direction. Likewise, my power supply fan takes air and blows it from the case to out the back, so I had my other rear fan oriented in the same direction.

    Overall effect: air comes in through the front, goes out through the back or side.
  • CommunistWithAGunCommunistWithAGun Local Propaganda Guy Join Date: 2003-04-30 Member: 15953Members
    <!--QuoteBegin--2of12[B0RG]+Nov 29 2003, 05:38 PM--></span><table border='0' align='center' width='95%' cellpadding='3' cellspacing='1'><tr><td><b>QUOTE</b> (2of12[B0RG] @ Nov 29 2003, 05:38 PM)</td></tr><tr><td id='QUOTE'><!--QuoteEBegin--> I just bought a new case for my computer complete with window on the side so I can watch all the neat things that go on inside.
    <!--QuoteEnd--> </td></tr></table><span class='postcolor'> <!--QuoteEEnd-->
    This is off-topic but thats the most hilarious thing I've read this hour <!--emo&:)--><img src='http://www.unknownworlds.com/forums/html/emoticons/smile.gif' border='0' style='vertical-align:middle' alt='smile.gif'><!--endemo-->
  • AllUrHiveRblong2usAllUrHiveRblong2us By Your Powers Combined... Join Date: 2002-12-20 Member: 11244Members
    Am I the only one who thought "Whoa that's some weird kind of Geeky S&M thing" when I first saw the topic for this thread?
  • Nil_IQNil_IQ Join Date: 2003-04-15 Member: 15520Members
    edited November 2003
    <!--QuoteBegin--AllUrHiveRBelong2Us+Nov 29 2003, 07:18 PM--></span><table border='0' align='center' width='95%' cellpadding='3' cellspacing='1'><tr><td><b>QUOTE</b> (AllUrHiveRBelong2Us @ Nov 29 2003, 07:18 PM)</td></tr><tr><td id='QUOTE'><!--QuoteEBegin--> Am I the only one who thought "Whoa that's some weird kind of Geeky S&M thing" when I first saw the topic for this thread? <!--QuoteEnd--></td></tr></table><span class='postcolor'><!--QuoteEEnd-->
    No. No you are not.

    I have a total of two fans inside my computer. It regularly has little "meltdowns".
    *edit* Uh, three. It has one on the processor, one on the graphics card, and one on the power supply *edit*
  • AllUrHiveRblong2usAllUrHiveRblong2us By Your Powers Combined... Join Date: 2002-12-20 Member: 11244Members
    I'm glad I'm not the only one who has a dirty mind like that. But DAMN man! With just two fans I'd expect the innards of your computer to be fuzed into one grayich-green clump which would make a very festive holiday centerpeice.
  • BlackMageBlackMage [citation needed] Join Date: 2003-06-18 Member: 17474Members, Constellation
    edited November 2003
    - turn computer on
    - put your hand over a fan
    - if you feel air, remember that it points out
    - vice-versa

    all fans in one area or section should point one way
    all in the other should point the other way
    you said you have 7, make sure 4 point out
    if i remember from thermodynamics, try have the front part as intake (cooler air intake is better, you could exhaust into an oven as long as intake is cool enough)

    OR:

    -listen to marik and doom, they seem smart
  • DubbilexDubbilex Chump Join Date: 2002-11-24 Member: 9799Members
    *counts his fans*


    Hmmm...I only have two fans, yet my computer is running at a cool 20 degrees C right now, Athlon XP/GF4 and all <!--emo&???--><img src='http://www.unknownworlds.com/forums/html/emoticons/confused.gif' border='0' style='vertical-align:middle' alt='confused.gif'><!--endemo-->

    My fan on the side sucks stuff in. my fan on the back blows stuff out. Simple. <!--emo&:)--><img src='http://www.unknownworlds.com/forums/html/emoticons/smile.gif' border='0' style='vertical-align:middle' alt='smile.gif'><!--endemo-->
  • uranium_235uranium_235 Join Date: 2002-11-20 Member: 9478Banned
    6 fans? If it was running fine in the old case WITHOUT any fans, why in hell would it suddenly need 6?
  • TalesinTalesin Our own little well of hate Join Date: 2002-11-08 Member: 7710NS1 Playtester, Forum Moderators
    And actually, it isn't *as* important to have 'suck' fans unless you're running with filters over the intakes (to keep dust out). Personally, I have one 'suck' on the side of my case (my CPU cooler is a 'suck' type) and three exhaust fans on the back (One PSU, one chassis fan, and one slot cooler).

    As noted, just check that you've got a relatively direct airflow path. Meaning not to have an intake between two exhaust fans, or you'll just be circulating hot air instead of passing maximum cooling.
    And no, it's not as simple as clockwise or anticlockwise. Some fans are set up backward. Plus, it's much easier to just plug it in and feel which way it moves the air.
  • AeaAea Join Date: 2003-10-09 Member: 21552Members
    Have a 2:1 ratio of blowing in to sucking out, whereas your friend reminds me of this...

    The setting... The shopkeeper (Gord) is on hold on the phone while three kids walk in. They see an open PlayStation on the counter, so they walk over to see it.

    Then, the obvious intellectual of the group starts in...

    "You see, being that I've taken apart and fixed a couple PlayStations, I can tell you what's wrong with this unit. First up, the power switch is missing... and blah blah blah blah."

    "Actually, the only thing wrong with that PlayStation is that I haven't put the lid back on it. It's all fixed and ready to go." spoke the Gord.

    "Uhm..."
  • TalesinTalesin Our own little well of hate Join Date: 2002-11-08 Member: 7710NS1 Playtester, Forum Moderators
    2:1 on the *intake* fans? Far as I know, that'd just lead to a much higher air-pressure inside the case, aka: higher percentage of stagnation. Also, when working with intake filters it's much easier to have the fans be pushing the air out (non-filtered), and not having to deal with the 'choke' directly from the filter. (Try putting a house fan up against a window-screen, see how cool the room gets. Then turn on an exhaust fan, such as the one in the bathroom, using the house fan to 'boost' air toward it. Much better airflow.)

    The intake fan on the side of my case just boosts the air, making the exhaust fans' jobs easier. Though I'm considering picking up an HDD cooler unit, with filtered intakes.. give roughly 2:1 (using 30mm on the HDD unit) exhaust/intake, even with the slot cooler just using a pair of 30mm.
  • AeaAea Join Date: 2003-10-09 Member: 21552Members
    The ratio is mostly to keep a possitive pressure and keep dust from settling <!--emo&:p--><img src='http://www.unknownworlds.com/forums/html/emoticons/tounge.gif' border='0' style='vertical-align:middle' alt='tounge.gif'><!--endemo--> Cooling isn't affected that much <!--emo&:p--><img src='http://www.unknownworlds.com/forums/html/emoticons/tounge.gif' border='0' style='vertical-align:middle' alt='tounge.gif'><!--endemo-->
  • TalesinTalesin Our own little well of hate Join Date: 2002-11-08 Member: 7710NS1 Playtester, Forum Moderators
    Um... positive pressure + enclosed area = stagnant air = more time for dust to settle. Faster that air is moving, the less likelihood there is that it'll settle.
  • uranium_235uranium_235 Join Date: 2002-11-20 Member: 9478Banned
    I'm still wondering why his new case included an electric heater that required the spontaneous addition of 6 fans...
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