AGP Fan Air Flow Interrupted? (Diagram)

[XtR-X]

I was wondering if my AGP Card is getting good flow and cooling towards it.

Right next to it, there is a big 120mm fan, pushing lots of air right next to the Video Card. I'm wondering if this is creating a sense of negative pressure or not enough cooling for the video card.

Please check the attatchment, then tell me what you think.

Thank you.

 

[Vehementi]

Why would that interrupt your airflow? What was another way of doing it you have in mind?

I have an 80mm fan blowing in on my video card, in the side case window. It works perfectly fine. I still retain my S-shaped airflow model, too.

 

[XtR-X]

It's blowing right into the side of the smaller fan, and I was thinking it may slow it down... by any chance... because it's not a mini-fan that blows very fast... it pushes a little CFM.

 

[Vehementi]

No, I think you're alright. I had a 70mm Delta on my old 8500, and it was blowing air out of the fins and to the left towards the same 80mm fan I have now, and the air was colliding with each other. I think my situation was worse than yours though, and I certainly was alright

Don't worry about it, if you're worried about it try unplugging your 120mm fan and see if your temps do something strange, like go down even though you reduced the airflow in your case, then you might have a problem. If not, just stop worrying about something so nit-picky. You're being worse then I am

 

[StormBringer]

Are they affecting eachother? Run them one at a time, then together, see if there is a different in the speed, if so, you will have a problem eventually, if nothing else, the negative pressure can kill the fan that is being pulled down.
If they aren't having an affect on eachother then I wouldn't worry any further unless you are trying to locate a cause of an airlow issue. If you have reason to suspect the overall airflow is being compromised, the best thing to do is pump some smoke through the case and put a plate of glass over the side so you can see the flow, then you'll be able to see the path of airflow. This will allow you to see any places affected by turbulence, negative pressure and dead air.

 

[Vehementi]

Originally posted by StormBringer
Are they affecting eachother? Run them one at a time, then together, see if there is a different in the speed, if so, you will have a problem eventually, if nothing else, the negative pressure can kill the fan that is being pulled down.
If they aren't having an affect on eachother then I wouldn't worry any further unless you are trying to locate a cause of an airlow issue. If you have reason to suspect the overall airflow is being compromised, the best thing to do is pump some smoke through the case and put a plate of glass over the side so you can see the flow, then you'll be able to see the path of airflow. This will allow you to see any places affected by turbulence, negative pressure and dead air.

And just what type of smoke would you reccomend?

 

[StormBringer]

a cheap fog machine works great, though not really practical unless you are going to do a lot of airflow testing, or unless you happen to have one you use for a halloween prop or something.

 

[XtR-X]

Originally posted by StormBringer
a cheap fog machine works great, though not really practical unless you are going to do a lot of airflow testing, or unless you happen to have one you use for a halloween prop or something.

Is this safe... using a fog machine? I can get my hands on one but it uses liquid... and sometimes it's not always gonna be liquid when it shoots out.

Is this a safe method...

I'm going to try it since I have a window case... haha.

 

[StormBringer]

yes, its safe, I wouldn't recommend running it like this on a regular basis, but for testing its fine. You'll only have it set up long enough to see the airflow.
the one I have uses a liquid too, but it creates a gas that is the fog. You might want to check the one you are using to make sure it doesn't use something that can be corrosive, but I'm assuming since mine is safe and doesn't cause any problems, yours prolly is as well.
Also, if your machine shoots out a liquid, don't use it, mine just blows out a smoky fog of whatever kind of gas is created by the liquid in the machine.
Remember, you will only be running this long enought to get a good look at the path of airflow, not like you'll be running it for a prolonged period.

 

[acidosmosis]

I think I run the same setup basically as yours. I have a 120mm bracket fan which blows onto the top of all my PCI slots and the AGP slot which also gives the chipset a bit of cooling. I've been using this setup for a pretty long time now with no problems.

The only other cooling I have is a 80mm fan on top of the SLK-900u. Then an 80mm fan sucking air in. I removed one of the fan grills though for a little more air flow (though that creates more dust obviously).

 

[lowman]

Seems OK to me...

 

[Godataloss]

Have the fan on the case blow out instead of in- then the fans will work together.