Airflow in a 750D

[Dr3wX5]

Hello, I am a new poster to this forum and getting ready to start my first build. So far I have only purchased the 750d and I started thinking about the airflow.

 

Please provide feedback if this setup below would provide optimum cooling and positive pressure. I am unsure about the fans on the top and bottom.

 

 

http://i933.photobucket.com/albums/ad180/Dr3wX5/Red%20Tower%20of%20Hell/Cooling%20Setup_zpsirtzh11h.jpg

 

1. Two SP140 fans (Intake). This will most likely not change. I will also swap the metal cover with the new mesh cover when it is released.

2. Two AF120 fans (Intake). The one towards the front will be intake. Not sure if I need the second one behind it as it may conflict with the GPU (See 6) Also, I am going all SSD so I can remove both HDD cages.

3. One AF140 fan (Intake). To help assist with airflow to CPU cooler.

4. CPU Cooler, Cryorig R1 will take inlet air from (1), (2), and (3) and exhaust towards rear fan.

5. Corsair AX760i exhausting to rear.

6. Here is where the problem is. The GTX 980 blows air away from GPU. This air has no where to go. What do you recommend? Should I change the bottom fan towards the rear as exhaust and have the one towards the front as intake?

A side fan would easily remedy this but I rather not do that for aesthetic purposes.

 

Appreciate your feedback! I should have all my components within the next two months!!!

 

Andrew

[c-attack]

It looks like a fairly good plan to me. You don't need to worry about the 980 very much. The underside fans bring cool air into the heart of the card. Your SP140 front intake fans and the lower bay intake fans will provide plenty of that. If it's an ACX style 980 (2 underside fans), most of the hear will dissipate around the outside of the card and then be sucked out the rear exhaust slot. If you have one of the few reference model "blower" type cards (1 lower fan), it will push some of that hot air out the end of the card, exiting near the HDMI/DVI cable plugs. Either way, it looks like an optimal set-up.

 

This link leads to a review of the Gigabyte Winforce model, but there are some thermal images that will give you a rough idea of what the heat profile on the 980 might look like. http://www.tomshardware.com/reviews/nvidia-geforce-gtx-980-970-maxwell,3941-15.html

[Dr3wX5]

Thanks for your feedback. I also failed to realize that the GTX 980 will exhaust to the PSU, which is OK since the PSU has an air intake facing upwards and the exhaust from the GTX 980 shouldn't be too hot to affect the PSU. Correct me if I'm wrong though, I'm completely new to this.

 

I switched the top front fan from intake to exhaust so there is more of a flow stream (Bottom to Top & Front to Rear). This new setup is 4 intake and 4 exhaust, resulting in a neutral system. However, I can have the intake as performance fans and the exhaust as quiet fans. This may allow me to still get a positive pressure system as the CFM for performance fans may be higher than the quiet series fans. See below.

 

http://i933.photobucket.com/albums/ad180/Dr3wX5/Red%20Tower%20of%20Hell/Cooling%20Setup%20v2_zpsmmevwkpt.jpg

 

Now the next question is should I connect these to the Mobo or a fan controller. My Asus maximus vii formula can take 6, 4-pin fan connections, so I would be good here as the rear fan can be connected to the PSU.

OR, I can get a fan controller to control 6 fans, where the 7th would be the rear, controlled by the PSU.

 

Sound like a better setup now? Also the card I will get is probably the EVGA GTX 980 Superclocked ACX 2.0. This has the dual fan setup.

[c-attack]

Your 980 fans will actually be pulling cool air from the underside of the card into casing. The heat is then release into the air through a series of heat pipes. It will be somewhat even and then rise up and out the rear exhaust. I shouldn't affect any of your other components too much, except the PCH/chipset which hides behind the card on the motherboard.

 

I actually like your first set-up better, given you will be using an air cooler on the CPU. Nevertheless, turning that front, top-side fan in either direction likely won't have a noticeable effect no matter which way you go. If the upper bays are fairly empty and the fan can push some more fresh air into the case, then great. If it's mostly blocked by a DVD drive, fan controller, or whatever then using it as exhaust is a good move. If you are using 2x140's, definitely run both as exhaust. 3x120 might give you the option of turning the front fan to intake. But again, this is a little bit of splitting hairs and when you have it up and running the preferred set-up may become clear.

 

I am happy with using AI suite to control my fans from the motherboard. I have a fan controller for my set-up, but it's still in plastic. I just prefer the desktop control versus manual and as long as you have enough fan headers, you likely don't need it. The front two 140's, the bottom two 120's, and at least two of the top 120's (or 140's) can be run through a splitter to save fan headers. Asus mobo's usually have a 1.0 amp max on the headers and it would be hard to find any two fans that exceed that limit. You should be able to make a free choice on this based on your preferred form of control.

 

Check your PSU installation instructions when you get it. Usually, the air intake will face down and draw air from the underside of the case, then exhaust the hot air out the back. I don't have a 750D, so someone please correct me if this case is different.

[Dr3wX5]

Ah, okay I understand now. I'll probably leave it at that, with the front top fan as exhaust as I will have a Blu Ray writer and maybe something else. I think I will also use the motherboard for fan control rather than purchasing a separate fan controller.

 

My motherboard has 6 fan headers. Would they be used for any other reason besides connecting fans? I can use splitters but I do not see the benefit of keeping some free headers as I don't think I will need any additional fans.

 

Now if only the EVGA GTX 980 matched my red/black color scheme....

[c-attack]

You don't have to use splitters, but sometimes when you have a pair of fans side by side that you will always run at the same speed (like front intake) it can be more convenient and is one less dial to click. If you have the headers to spare, you can choose based on preference.

 

It's funny about the color schemes this year. I am a long time EVGA fan, but their initial difficulties with the 900 series led me to Asus instead. The EVGA's, particualrly the 970 would look great with my white Asus X99. My Asus Strix cards would look great with EVGA's X99 Classified. Still fussing over my color scheme 5 months in.