# Case air flow, am i doing it wrong?



## rainisthename (Jun 24, 2009)

Okay I have a raidmax smilidon.

it has 1 120mm intake on the front
1 120mm intake on the back
1 80mm intake on the side
1 80mm exhaust on the side
1 80mm intake on the other side


the case came like this so what is the best setting for optimal air flow?


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## Phædrus241 (Mar 28, 2009)

Generally the rule is air comes in the front/bottom and leaves through the back/top. With side fans, if they're low down, around where your GPU is, they should be intake, if they're up by your CPU they should be outtake. Exception is fans behind your motherboard tray, those should probably blow in.

So I think your case setup should probably be good, assuming the top side fan is outtake and bottom side fan is intake.


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## rainisthename (Jun 24, 2009)

Haha yeah, that is how my fan's are setup. I guess I AM doing it right!
Thanks alot


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## Phædrus241 (Mar 28, 2009)

No problem, hope it works for ya'. :grin:


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## Tyree (May 10, 2009)

1 80mm intake on the side
1 80mm exhaust on the side
That would seem to cause a negative flow of air.
My rule of thumb: Front blowing in--Rear and Top blowing out.
I've never noticed any benefits of side case fans in a well designed case.


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## pat mcgroin (May 1, 2009)

I usually try to make sure that the exhaust moves more air than the intake if and when possible.
There is usually enough openings in the case where extra air can enter from.


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## mrErick (Aug 4, 2009)

pat mcgroin said:


> I usually try to make sure that the exhaust moves more air than the intake if and when possible.
> There is usually enough openings in the case where extra air can enter from.


But doesn't that create a small vacuum inside the case, and suck in dusty/dirty air through any available crack in the case housing? I would think if anything you would want to have more air being pushed in than pulled out, so that there is a slight level of pressure in the case, repelling the dust...

I'm a complete rookie to modding though, as seen by my post count. Just a factoid I picked up from another forum/thread somewhere along the way.

Either way best of luck!


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## pat mcgroin (May 1, 2009)

Its going to pick up dust no matter what you do.
I have always been of the mind that if there is more airflow out then yes it will suck in air from other places but that it was more important to remove the heat by having good circulation than it is to cram the case full of hot air that has no where to go.


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## Phædrus241 (Mar 28, 2009)

To have positive pressure you must have intake fans, so you're still sucking in dust. :wink:


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## Tyree (May 10, 2009)

Phædrus2401 said:


> To have positive pressure you must have intake fans, so you're still sucking in dust. :wink:


 :grin:

Heat and electricity draw dust .....no way around it.


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## chowder_pants (Dec 3, 2008)

You mentioned that there is only 1 exhaust fan. I would turn that rear mounted 120 into an exhaust personaly.


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