Airflow - Fan placement help needed

[Deleted]

So before installing a new power supply and graphics card i thought that i might as well clean out the case. I dismantled everything and hoovered the dust up. However, upon putting everything back together, i realized that perhaps i haven't place the fans the way in which the guys that built my system had placed them

This is what it currently looks like: http://imgur.com/a/qaC2n

- I Have a Zalman z9 plus case
- Using the Fans which come with the case
- 1 front , 1 side case , 1 top , 1 rear
- top fan and front fan can be controlled by the fan controlled i have at the front
- I have a hard drive in the hard drive bay right next to the front fan
- My msi gtx 1060 is along side the side case fan

I'm assuming judging by the pictures:
- If the grey and black zalman logo is visible from the outside, then air is being pushed out ?
- If the blue compliance sticky label is visible from the outside then air is being drawn in to the case?

By this deduction it seems that currently the air is being drawn in from the rear and top fan > and being expelled out from the side case fan and front fan?

Another thing to note is that currently the CPU Fan is blowing air out towards the rear fan, but the rear fan is drawing air in. Am i right in thinking this is a conflict? Where should my CPU fan be facing? As you can see, i really need the help to rectify this issue i caused myself.

What should be the optimal placement of my fans? Thanks in advance for any suggestions.

[potis]

The pure black logo with the white Zalman is the front, the blue Zalman logo side is the back.

Front = pull, Back = Push.

Quick glance seems you are okay, you are pulling from front and rear and exhausting from top/back.

Although your side fan images confuse me a bit o.O

And yes, you are creating a vacuum (Or how its called) with your CPU/Rear fan, i assume your Corsair Vengeance are too tall for the fan to fit..Most people with those RAM have that issue, including myself

I turned my rear fan off for that reason since my fan is facing the rear fan too.

Tried different things, its all irrelevant in the end, you wont see much of a difference, best you will probably manage is a 3C difference on the CPU and that usually includes removing the DvD cage.

And i wouldnt worry too much about it, the whole fan placement thing is a waste of time, there is a temperature difference between good airflow and bad airflow but its irrelevant in most cases as long as your PC isnt constantly working at 85C +.

In other words, as long as you arent running a 8 year old toaster that you havent cleaned in the last 3 years, the airflow difference you will see between good placement and bad placement is irrelevant, you shouldnt worry too much about it, especially since you are using an aftermarket cooler.

Just keep your PC clean.

[Deleted]

oh so the blue sticker is the side which the air is always flowing out? So then there is no vacuum between my cpu fan and the rear fan? as the cpu fan is blowing the warm air from the processor heat build up towards the rear fan & the rear fan is pushing the air out

[Soisoisoi]

Ideally, you want more fans pulling air into the case than pushing out (positive pressure, less dust, keeps air flow going in one direction), and you also want it all going in the same direction. So, in from the front/bottom, going out at the top/back.

Using your picture, yours should look like this:


With the side-fan also being an in-take preferably, so all the air is getting pushed up and out of the top/back of the case, and keeps air going in one direction. You can basically ignore the PSU as it's facing down, which is good, it isn't adding any heat to your PC and it isn't diverting hot air down either.

[Deleted]

most fans push air out in the direction of the "spokes" that connect the fan to its housing.

[Deleted]

Oh awesome. Thanks for the explanation. Just need to turn my CPU fan around so the fan is facing the ram as I've just seen the arrow on the CPU fan which indicates it pulls air in

[Deleted]

Ideally, you want more fans pulling air into the case than pushing out (positive pressure, less dust, keeps air flow going in one direction), and you also want it all going in the same direction. So, in from the front/bottom, going out at the top/back.

Using your picture, yours should look like this:




With the side-fan also being an in-take preferably, so all the air is getting pushed up and out of the top/back of the case, and keeps air going in one direction. You can basically ignore the PSU as it's facing down, which is good, it isn't adding any heat to your PC and it isn't diverting hot air down either.

this is the best way to use your fans!! i wanted to say you 100% the same. its the best way!
do it like the picture shows it! its very good explained!

ONLY ONE THING i would change. put the cpu cooler to the other side. on the picture to the right.
so he blows cool air to the left side. i think that would give a better airflow