Hi! I currently have this build using the GT502 case.
I just recently got 3 more case fans. Previously it was set up like this:
I think that for some reason the temps got worse and the PC much louder. It might just be buyer’s remorse but I got more fans so that they could use less RPM and be quieter, but I feel like the complete opposite has happened.
Can I change anything about this layout to optimise airflow? I was thinking of maybe switching the side panel fans to exhaust? That might starve the CPU cooler, though…
Maybe I’m just imagining things and I just need to perform exact tests to figure it out. What do you use for testing airflow effectiveness?
UPDATE:
The issue was weirder than I would’ve thought. The bottom 3 fans are controlled by one motherboard channel using a PWM splitter cable. The rear and side panel fans are the same - one channel for all 3. Previously I had just the rear exhaust plugged in to a single channel but now it’s plugged into the splitter.
Apparently the order of the fans in the splitter is VERY important. I changed it so that the rear fan is the first in the splitter and that instantly fixed the issue. ¯\_(ツ)_/¯
@Ansis@iusearchlinux.fyi - I’ll add my setup just as a reference point.
I have been very happy with the level of cooling and have set up the fans to achieve slight positive pressure. This case supports side fans, but I did not add any since they were unnecessary and would just introduce more noise with less benefit.
Pardon the dust and bad lighting - it is overdue for a cleaning but I hurt my back a few months ago and I can’t lift my computer safely to bring it outside and blow my computer air duster through it. Plus the darkness helps hide the dust. 😉: