Am I seein' a problem here with graphics card ventilation?

[Mike_Warner]

My main gaming rig is dead- my graphics card literally cooked itself to death in about 2 years due at least in part I believe to too many hot things stuffed into too small an area coupled with too many hours of World of Warcraft :p: I tried for 2 years to remedy the situation ultimately resulting in a computer that sounded like an industrial refrigeration unit- I even disassembled the card and re-pasted the GPU heat sink- but it wasn't enough. I've ordered a new graphics card and a 700D to stuff it into but I have some concern about ventilation, or lack thereof, in the graphics card area:

 

http://i268.photobucket.com/albums/jj24/Zeetocht/Corsairairflowthought-2.jpg

 

I haven't decided on specifics yet but my plan is to install 2 intake fans in a push/pull configuration at the bottom, 2 fans in a push/pull configuration pulling fresh air from outside the case over the H50 radiator and 2 or 3 exhaust fans on the top. It looks to me like fresh air to the graphics card area in this configuration is gonna be defeated by the back fan being reversed thereby not pulling air in a more diagonal direction through the case from the bottom intake fans. I'm wonderin' if a side intake fan mod might be a possibility here but that leads me to wonder at what point adding fans becomes counter-productive- I may have done that with my current case. Is it possible to have so many fans blowing in so many different directions that the result is chaotic turbulence vice organized airflow and efficient ventilation?

 

Any thoughts? Before we go down that road, yes, I'd love to liquid cool my rig but I'm retired and can't afford that. Even so, I can't believe graphics card designers would deliberately design cards that require liquid cooling to operate normally without sayin' so and I've seen plenty of posts here and other places where Folks are gettin' decent temperatures without it.

 

I hate second-guessin' the engineers who design such things and I trust Corsair but the case, graphics card, H50 and fans are gonna tap me out financially and my paranoia may be causin' me to see assassins lurkin' in the shadows here so that's why I'm askin'

 

:p:

 

 

Thanks

[deees]

I think it will depend on the card. I had no problem with a GTX295, but when I switched to a 5970, I found that it was starved for air. (A simple test is to remove the door and see it if drastically changes things.)

 

I ended up modding the window to add a 140mm fan until I can find a card that doesn't need so much cooling. Others have replaced the fan in the MB chamber for a bigger, (CFM wise), one. I'd also consider replacing the stamped fan grill with a wire one.

[Mike_Warner]

I think it will depend on the card. I had no problem with a GTX295, but when I switched to a 5970, I found that it was starved for air. (A simple test is to remove the door and see it if drastically changes things.)

 

I ended up modding the window to add a 140mm fan until I can find a card that doesn't need so much cooling. Others have replaced the fan in the MB chamber for a bigger, (CFM wise), one. I'd also consider replacing the stamped fan grill with a wire one.

 

I was lookin' seriously at a 5770 and then I found a 260GTX for 20 bucks less. The research I did indicates the 5770 is probably a better card but 20 bucks is, well, erm, 20 bucks :p:

 

When you say "...the fan in the MB chamber..." are you referring to the intake fan at the bottom of the case? If so, I've decided to put 2 Noctua NF-P14's in a push/pull configuration there.

[deees]

You'll probably be OK with the stock case. If you do replace the fan, you might consider the Noise Blocker instead of the Noctua. I think replacing the grill would probably net you more airflow than two fans.

[saint12]

i replaced the bottom 140 with a noiseblocker blacksilentpro pk-3 and its not that bad 90cfm 1700rpm 27db have 2 5770 idle around 40-45c was 55c before the fan change

[Mike_Warner]

i replaced the bottom 140 with a noiseblocker blacksilentpro pk-3 and its not that bad 90cfm 1700rpm 27db have 2 5770 idle around 40-45c was 55c before the fan change

 

What are your loaded temps?

[Destrozo]

I was checking out my case and my 5970 was also being starved for air...when I would remove the side panel my GPU temps would drop 7-8c. I was thinking about replacing the lower fan with one that has a higher CFM but not sure if that will be enough. Just wondering if anyone has tried putting a fan in the empty drive bays...I was searching around and came accross this.

 

http://www.tigerdirect.com/applications/SearchTools/item-details.asp?EdpNo=3301340&CatId=805

 

Its for cooling hard drives but looks like you could just use it to pull more air into the caes. Anyone think this is a good idea?

[boogieman]

IMO ya have to get the cool air coming in low on the case and exhaust out the top. Heat rises. Vid cards are low so I personally would try a way to get air on them/it.

[stacker]

I was checking out my case and my 5970 was also being starved for air...when I would remove the side panel my GPU temps would drop 7-8c. I was thinking about replacing the lower fan with one that has a higher CFM but not sure if that will be enough. Just wondering if anyone has tried putting a fan in the empty drive bays...I was searching around and came accross this.

 

http://www.tigerdirect.com/applications/SearchTools/item-details.asp?EdpNo=3301340&CatId=805

 

Its for cooling hard drives but looks like you could just use it to pull more air into the caes. Anyone think this is a good idea?

 

Same observation here. Did the same check and mine was a little warmer than yours. I have since installed two 120mm XIGMATEK XLF in the bottom as push / pull and two CM 120mm R4-EXBB-20PK in push / pull on my H50. Case temperatures dropped a significant amount. I found that my three 120 mm 90cfm fans on top were starving for air.

 

I am actually letting the MB control fan speed on the H50 fans now and idling my i7 860 at 35c and no noise :laughing: It is clocked at 3.8 and staying nice and cool now.

 

The 2 GTX 275 cards are now idling at 46c with fans at 50%. As always when I play COD, I ramp up to 100% on the cards and before I was hitting 75c full load but now I can play for extend periods and never exceed low 60c range.

 

So I have an awsome case now with temperatures that are close to the numbers I had with my old haf case.

 

I don't like the leds on the new XIGMATEK fans so I ordered two Noiseblocker NB-BlackSilentPro PK-3's to replace them.

 

Next step will be getting the product below if I see my temps climb this summer (Arizona can get a little warm). This one will uses a 120mm fan so with the righ choice of fan I can put a lot of air in the case if needed.

http://www.frozencpu.com/products/5433/cpa-155/Lian_Li_Triple_525_Bay_120mm_Fan_Module_-_Black_CCFANMODULE_BZ-502B_.html?tl=g43c241s630&id=7aXLU4cu&mv_pc=1418

 

So I would have to agree the case is somewhat starved for intake air and needs a little help to balance the flow.

[Mike_Warner]

 

I found that my three 120 mm 90cfm fans on top were starving for air.

 

How did you do that?

[Destrozo]

Nice find stacker...I like the looks of that one way better...I may have to order one up.

 

How did you do that?

 

The way I tested my system was I ran a benchmark (furmark) and waited for my temps to reach max and level out then I just took the side cover off and watched the temps drop.

[stacker]

How did you do that?

 

Did the same test as Destrozo did and monitored temperatures. Door open, cool, closed Hot. I also slowly began to close my door and it was pulled shut by the vacuum within the case (it almost latched). The 3 90cfm fans up top were pullling more air than the case could supply. Now that I have opened up the bottom drive bay shield and let the 90 CFM fan push air through it and added the two 140's at the bottom it is working as it should or I should say the best it can without water cooling the 275's.

 

Here is a quick Pic before I replaced the two 140mm XIGMATEK XLF with Noiseblocker NB-BlackSilentPro's for an idea how I did it. I will post more Pics once I have done the last mods. Waiting on info from Corsair about the 4 R60's I have that do not play well in Raid before I do any more work with it.

 

 

http://i58.photobucket.com/albums/g253/akguy_2006/DSCN1672.jpg

 

Oh .. one thing to mention. Not one hole for mounting the bottom fan lined up. It is just wedged between the rails. Holds it fine though but figured if anyone wants to attempt doing it they should know about the alignment issue.