# [SOLVED] switching exhaust fan around to intake.



## crucial09 (Jan 7, 2010)

I have attached a pic, and my specs are to the left.

My question is that if I flip the exhaust fan on the top of my rig to intake air, will I benefit from better motherboard cooling?

currently my idle temp for my motherboard hovers around 100F.

I have my cpu exhaust fan for my liquid cooler, so with cold air blowing in from the top and front will that fan be enough for the exhaust?

Thanks for your opinions.


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## burrell (Feb 13, 2010)

*Re: switching exhaust fan around to intake.*

i think it would definatly drop your motherboard temps, and possibly RAM temps, but the air would be pulled over the hot chipsets, RAM ect on your MB before being pushed through your Radiator, which could possibly increase CPU temps, but only slightly i would say.


Just my opinion though, have a play around and record your temps either way.

I recommend CPUID HW monitor for this as it records MIN MAX temps for many parts of your PC, so you can compare intake with exhaust.

Burrell


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## crucial09 (Jan 7, 2010)

*Re: switching exhaust fan around to intake.*

Alright Burell thanks.

I have Everest Ultimate Edition to record max and minimum temps.
I love that program. It has stress testing and everything in it.

I'll post back later today, I don't have enough time right now to take off the top of the case and switch the fan around.


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## burrell (Feb 13, 2010)

*Re: switching exhaust fan around to intake.*



crucial09 said:


> I have Everest Ultimate Edition to record max and minimum temps.


oh, good!

That'll do the job.

Burrell


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## Doby (Jan 17, 2006)

*Re: switching exhaust fan around to intake.*

Normally the fan at the top of the case should exhaust air out because this is were hot air in the case rises to


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## crucial09 (Jan 7, 2010)

*Re: switching exhaust fan around to intake.*

Yeah I understand that. But I am curious to see if the top pushing colder air down will cool my motherboard, and cpu radiator down more.

However it would also create more dust in the system and I would have to clean it out more.
I normally open it up and clean every week or two anyways.


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## shotgn (Aug 10, 2008)

*Re: switching exhaust fan around to intake.*

Have you tried to add another fan on the radiator to do a Push-Pull?

I had read that some people got some success by doing that...Just food for thought


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## Tumbleweed36 (May 14, 2005)

*Re: switching exhaust fan around to intake.*

I think by doing so (turning in to blow down), you are actually going to create a turbulance in the case and it will be worse and not better and as Doby mentioned the natural flow of heat is UP.

Why do you really have a concern since 100f = 37c. There is nothing wrong with that temperature.


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## crucial09 (Jan 7, 2010)

*Re: switching exhaust fan around to intake.*

@shotgn I was looking into the push pull theory. I have enough room for it, however I cannot find another fan like the coolmaster 120mm fan I have already.
It is 1500rpm, 50.4CFM, 25.6 dba, model # DF1202512SELN
I read they have to be the exact same fan, or the same specs, so that they do not stress each other by having different air flows.





@ Tumbleweed Just curious to experiment and see if it would lower any.
I get my core i7 870 down to 33C 33C 30C 30C with my sealed liquid cooler.
Just wanted to see if I could the motherboard down lower. I don't think I will though because the top fan does not have a dust filter so lots of dust would enter.

I can add a side fan but I don't want to make my system any louder, it is very quiet on idle with my fans turned down low and I love it like that. Will another 200mm fan add much noise do you think? If I get a similar coolmaster fan as the ones in the pic


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## Tumbleweed36 (May 14, 2005)

*Re: switching exhaust fan around to intake.*

The only fans I use anymore are the Antec tri-cool. You can set them to three different speeds simply with a little switch they have on them. Also, if you like led lights, they have some cool looking fans and they are about as quiet as you can get when on the slower speed (that is what I run mine on). Just a suggestion to take a look at them and I happen to like the 120mm for my cases.


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## crucial09 (Jan 7, 2010)

*Re: switching exhaust fan around to intake.*

Alright will do. Thanks.

I will look on newegg right now.


Edit: I can only seem to find Antec Tricool cases on newegg.com
Can you post a link of where I can buy these fans? Thanks

These are 120mm antec fans on newegg.com
Some have the 3 speed. Can you recommend one. I see some that are 2 ball bearing and are more expensive. Then the cheaper ones don't list a bearing type.

Im thinking this one, I don't care about leds. But if I get a blue led one can I turn off the leds?

http://www.newegg.com/Product/Produ...209006&cm_re=antec_fan-_-35-209-006-_-Product


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## Tumbleweed36 (May 14, 2005)

*Re: switching exhaust fan around to intake.*

Here is the one I get (love that blue) for my cases. I am not sure about turning off that LED, I think they are neat:

http://www.newegg.com/Product/Produ...209011&cm_re=Antec_fan-_-35-209-011-_-Product

If you don't want the LED, get one without it, they have those. Staples has those also for about the same price BTW.


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## crucial09 (Jan 7, 2010)

*Re: switching exhaust fan around to intake.*

Okay thanks a bunch.

Staples has them in the store do you think? or online?
It would save a lot of money on shipping if I could pick them up in the store.


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## Tumbleweed36 (May 14, 2005)

*Re: switching exhaust fan around to intake.*

I was in a Staples store about sixty miles from here while visiting a relative in that town and they had about six or eight of them in stock. Therefore, it would be my guess that most of their stores will have them in stock.


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## crucial09 (Jan 7, 2010)

*Re: switching exhaust fan around to intake.*

Thanks a bunch. Marked as solved now.
I am really surprised they have the 3 speed fans. That is very convenient.


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## crucial09 (Jan 7, 2010)

Results!!!!

I bought 2 antec tricool 120mm blue fans and installed one of them on my asetek radiator first to test it.

stress test: went up to 68C with fan on medium.
idles at 34C 34C 31C 31C with fans on medium.

Installed both doing the push pull theory.
stress test: went up to 60C with fans on LOW.
idles at 31C 31C 27C 27C.


These fans look amazing. I will post a pic as soon as I take one. My core i7 870 stays colder and quieter with both fans. I never even have to turn them up from the low setting!

Thanks for recommending the antec tricool. the switches hang out of the watercooling slots my case came with so they are really easy to turn up, I just reach to the top back of the case and turn it up.
Thanks! I am definantly going to recommend this push pull theory to h50 corsair owners and asetek lclc owners.


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## Tumbleweed36 (May 14, 2005)

Glad it worked out for you. I think it is great that you got the "blue" ones since those are the ones I have. I kind of felt if you did get that color you would enjoy the way they look. 

I also only run mine on low and they are very quiet and adequate for most applications. However, if you need more air, then that is the option you have. 

Nice report back to the forum and will wait for the picture. Thanks and enjoy your rig.


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## Doby (Jan 17, 2006)

Yep this is a interesting thread can't wait to see the pics of your rig, Ive been toying with the idea of getting the corsair H50, don't really need it but it seems like a no fuss product that I would like to try first hand


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## crucial09 (Jan 7, 2010)

Pics with the new push pull fans. First pic is how it looked before with the old fan.
OLD FAN:










NEW ANTEC TRICOOL 120MM WITH BLUE LED AND PUSH PULL


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## burrell (Feb 13, 2010)

Looks really nice crucial!

Glad you liked the push/pull setup, BTW Where did you buy the extra screws from?

I ended up using cable ties for my second fan!

Burrell


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## crucial09 (Jan 7, 2010)

Went to the local hardware store, OSH, and matched it the best I could. 
The threads on the new screws are alittle bigger then the original. But it only goes in about a quarter of an inch so I just eased the screws in, spinning them out then back in to rethread the radiator.

I have honestly never seen a screw with such small of threads as the original for this radiator. It was ridiculous. lol


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## burrell (Feb 13, 2010)

The Corsair screws are exactly the same!

What size did you go with, i will have to try and see if they will work, thankyou

Burrell


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## crucial09 (Jan 7, 2010)

Corsair bought their sealed h50 cooler from Asetek. They just slightly modified it.

the screw bag says:

Machine screw - zinc
round head phillips
25 quantity
*4-40X1-1/4 size*

Just match the size and threads the closest you can. Thats all I did.
When you screw in the screws go 2 turns in, 2 turn out, then repeat 4 turns in 2 turns out to ensure you safely screw the screws in without damaging the screw threads or your radiator threads.


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## Doby (Jan 17, 2006)

Nice neat job! really looks great


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## crucial09 (Jan 7, 2010)

Thanks Doby.

It really helps idle and load temps.
What temps are you getting idle and load and what cpu cooler do you have?
You can most likely get it colder with this, or a corsair h50 set up in the push pull way.


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## Doby (Jan 17, 2006)

Right now I am using the stock cooler now this ain't the system listed on the left its a quad core I just built a couple months ago and never updated "my system"

My current system has a AMD Phenom II X4 945 Deneb 3.0GHz 95W.

With a room temp of 20C and with the computer at idle the cpu's at 33C and motherboard at 32c, good temps I know but I may experiment with overclocking it and different types/manufactuers of ram. Right now at stock speeds standard crucial ram performes as well as corsair &ocz higher end sticks


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## crucial09 (Jan 7, 2010)

Oh that sounds fine.
I wouldn't spend the extra money on it if I were you.
Even with overclocking I don't think those temps will go too high.


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## burrell (Feb 13, 2010)

crucial09 said:


> *4-40X1-1/4 size*
> 
> Just match the size and threads the closest you can. Thats all I did.
> When you screw in the screws go 2 turns in, 2 turn out, then repeat 4 turns in 2 turns out to ensure you safely screw the screws in without damaging the screw threads or your radiator threads.


Thanks mate.


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## crucial09 (Jan 7, 2010)

No problem.
Post a pic of yours if you get it all hooked up right. lol


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