Tower 900 Build Questions about Fan direction and cooling loops

Hi everyone,
I will be building the tower 900 system. Two loops 1 for CPU and 1 for GPUS. The case in the rear has rad 4 on the right with 4 fans and rad 2 on the left with two fans with two rear mounted fans and 1 on the top. The front of the case has a fan in the middle on a pedestal and also the top. I am confused on which which way I need to setup these fans to get the most optimal cooling.. I have drawn some quick pics with MS Paint since I don't have Autocad on this pc. Please feel free to edit or please tell me which direction everything needs to face.

2nd Part: The cooling loop. The return will be the inlet at the top of the resi. So I am assuming the loops goes as follows: Out from pump, to CPU In, CPU out to Rad In, Rad out back to the inlet at the top of the reservoir. is this correct?

All help much appreciated!

Front and Sides should be intake, top and rear should be exhaust for proper airFLOW.

EarthDog said:

Front and Sides should be intake, top and rear should be exhaust for proper airFLOW.

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Hi EarthDog, thank you for the response. I made a better picture. This case is partitioned. The blue blocks with orange outline are the radiators. Please look at the pic and let me know if I am correct. Much appreciated!

I'd prefer the way I already mentioned.

You can configure it that way if the case allows, but you are dumping the entire heatload into your case. While that is ok, you may even get the best temps in the devices in the loop. But since you really only have a single q4p for exhaust, you are just stuffing the case with warm air through both rads.

Again, I'd go front/side/bottom intake and top/rear/back as exhaust. I don't think that back chamber is going great to do much for the front.. so in essence you have 1 140mm exhaust. Whereas if you go with airflow, overall system temps will be lower, but perhaps the cpu/gpu 1-2C higher.

Edit: Are the rads on different sides/chambers of the case? Or both on the back/opposite side of the motherboard chamber?

EarthDog said:

I'd prefer the way I already mentioned.

You can configure it that way if the case allows, but you are dumping the entire heatload into your case. While that is ok, you may even get the best temps in the devices in the loop. But since you really only have a single q4p for exhaust, you are just stuffing the case with warm air through both rads.

Again, I'd go front/side/bottom intake and top/rear/back as exhaust. I don't think that back chamber is going great to do much for the front.. so in essence you have 1 140mm exhaust. Whereas if you go with airflow, overall system temps will be lower, but perhaps the cpu/gpu 1-2C higher.

Edit: Are the rads on different sides/chambers of the case? Or both on the back/opposite side of the motherboard chamber?

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Hi Earthdog, btw I like your profile pic!
The rads are on different sides of the back of the case. The 480 is on the right and the 240 is on the left facing inward to each other.
What confuses me is if I need to pull outside air into the radiator on both side and then use the rear case panel which is in the same "box" to take the heat and push out of case.There is no flow in the front of case due to the partition with the two fans I would think it would be pushing the heat generated from other non watercooled components up and out of the case. I attached a few stock photos for you to see. I really appreciate your suggestions and if you could take the images and draw on them it would be helpful!

Found a video of the exact case OP is talking about. Didn't understand at first or know it was a new design from TT. Looks like a nice unique looking case.



After viewing the video, I believe your best bet is to setup the loop first and then the fan configuration or airflow for the radiators in the back can be left dead last. Because of its design of having the radiator fans on the outside of the case allows you with the ability to easily flip them from intake to exhaust or vise versa. You could then test it out since again, this is a new design and most won't be familiar with the airflow in a case of this nature.

Nonetheless, let us know once you're set and done, the fan configuration you've set and what temps you get from both flow paths.

GTXJackBauer said:

Found a video of the exact case OP is talking about. Didn't understand at first or know it was a new design from TT. Looks like a nice unique looking case.



After viewing the video, I believe your best bet is to setup the loop first and then the fan configuration or airflow for the radiators in the back can be left dead last. Because of its design of having the radiator fans on the outside of the case allows you with the ability to easily flip them from intake to exhaust or vise versa. You could then test it out since again, this is a new design and most won't be familiar with the airflow in a case of this nature.

Nonetheless, let us know once you're set and done, the fan configuration you've set and what temps you get from both flow paths.

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It is definitely a unique case and it looks like a lot of fun to work with you're right setting up the cooling Loops first as a priority it's just that little Heat box in the back might be tricky but I thought about it and I figured the Rads can both be set up for intake and the rear fans in top fan can be set up for exhaust so we draw cool air into and through the radiators and suck out the heat using the three additional fans on the back and top. The front of the case is a bit odd because I would be blowing hot air up across the board and then exhausting out through the top but there's no way to pull cool air in but then again that might not be needed since the blocks are going to be water cooled and the only thing that will be subjected to heat is anything exposed such as the ram.. I just don't want to create an oven out of it LOL

That is some case indeed.

So, if I'm interpreting correctly, the majority of the heatload is going to be in the rear chamber of the case, with just one or two fans in the front chamber for flow over the components. As such, I would definitely run the fans on both radiators inward to make sure they keep getting cool air. Even if you can't manage to get air out as fast as you're bringing it in, it shouldn't matter too much since the radiators will be exhausting into essentially an open box, with what appears to be plenty of ventilation for airflow.

Dlaw said:

That is some case indeed.

So, if I'm interpreting correctly, the majority of the heatload is going to be in the rear chamber of the case, with just one or two fans in the front chamber for flow over the components. As such, I would definitely run the fans on both radiators inward to make sure they keep getting cool air. Even if you can't manage to get air out as fast as you're bringing it in, it shouldn't matter too much since the radiators will be exhausting into essentially an open box, with what appears to be plenty of ventilation for airflow.

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Exactly. I am hoping the cool air drawing into the rear of the box through the rads any heat can be removed via the rear fans. The front of the case almost makes no sense because no cool is drawn in but any heat remaining in the front should be pulled out from the top fan.

I would use a fan in the top as exhaust and one on the bottom chimney thingy for intake. Even if you plan on waterblocking the RAM and VRM, there's still the north/south bridges and the sound section that will need some decent airflow. I would rather pay the extra money for another fan than worry about my SATA controller going because it got hot while I was doing some image editing or something. Plus, another fan is way cheaper than blocks for your RAM and VRM, if they even make one for the later.

Edit: After rereading the thread, I see that this was the point you were making in the first place. Yes, I agree. Off to bed with me.

Ok.. I see now...

I'd run the way you said...either that or put the 2x120 on top front with 2 more fans intake and have the 4x120 on back as exhaust. You can have the top fan as exhaust or intake in that case (I'd keep it as exhaust).

I worry that with so much intake and the chambers not truly being separated you won't be able to get the heatload out fast enough with one fan on top.

Personally I would exhaust all the radiators heat out of the case and supply some serious intake fans to keep the radiators fully supplied with fresh air.

Build complete guys! You can see it here! http://www.overclockers.com/forums/...-Thermaltake-900-Build!?p=7981152#post7981152

Hey guys! I'm new to this whole forums things...I just purchased the tt 900 and was looking for info on how to setup fans and stumbled on this...I see you finished your build which looks sweet!! What did you end of doing with your fans? What config did you use?

Thanks
Alex

Aldri said:

Hey guys! I'm new to this whole forums things...I just purchased the tt 900 and was looking for info on how to setup fans and stumbled on this...I see you finished your build which looks sweet!! What did you end of doing with your fans? What config did you use?

Thanks
Alex

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Look at my post just above yours and you will see how I set mine up. Basically my bottom fan blows up to the top fan and the top fan exhausts heat out. This is in the glass area.
In the rear i draw cool air in from the front of the radiators and i have fans on the back panel that exhaust that air out through the back. Hope that helps. My pc has remained cool and runs great daily

Old thread I know, but I'm thinking about redoing my cooling fans and was thinking...

Currently I have dual 560mm rads in a push/pull config with the top and rear fans as exhaust. What if I were to setup the bottom 4 fans (2 on each side) of each radiator as intake fans and the top 4 as exhaust? It's a definite pain in the *** having to switch so many fans around but I think I may mess around with some ideas and see what works best.

Do you have this case, I take it?

At a high level... front/sides = intake, top/rear = exhaust.

As far as what you are trying to explain... it isn't making sense to me... you would have the fans on the rad working against each other. A push/pull is the best you can do.

With 2x 560mm rads in play, why are you searching for every last degree in the first place? Unless you are rocking a couple of 2080 Ti's under water along with a HEDT CPU overclocked, your temps are fine........

EarthDog said:

Do you have this case, I take it?

At a high level... front/sides = intake, top/rear = exhaust.

As far as what you are trying to explain... it isn't making sense to me... you would have the fans on the rad working against each other. A push/pull is the best you can do.

With 2x 560mm rads in play, why are you searching for every last degree in the first place? Unless you are rocking a couple of 2080 Ti's under water along with a HEDT CPU overclocked, your temps are fine........

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Yes https://www.overclockers.com/forums/showthread.php/788563-Thermaltake-Tower-900-Build-Log
I am trying to squeeze out every last degree that I can. Lets forget I have push/pull for a second. I meant for bottom two radiator fans for intake and the top two as exhaust. I know you normally want all as intake for cooler ambient air to flow across the radiators and then expel the hot air through the back/top of the case. I'm just concerned that there is more positive air pressure in the case than negative because there are only 3 exhaust fans and 16 intake (8 per radiator). So I was wondering about a few different configurations.

1. Use the 3 exhaust fans and switch them to intake and the radiators as exhaust.
2. have the air flow as intake into one radiator and exhaust through the other.
3. Have the air flow through one radiator as intake and the other as exhaust.
4. Have the two bottom fans on each radiator as intake and the top two as exhaust.

--> = direction of air flow
f = fans
| = radiator

current config: air blows against each other and out the rear/top (probably optimal)

--> f|f --> <-- f|f <--

2nd configuration: two bottom fans as intake. two top fans as exhaust.
--- rad 1 ----- rad 2 ---
<-- f|f <-- --> f|f --> top exhaust
<-- f|f <-- --> f|f --> top exhaust
--> f|f --> <-- f|f <-- bottom intake
--> f|f --> <-- f|f <-- bottom intake

or

<-- f|f <-- --> f|f --> top exhaust
--> f|f --> <-- f|f <-- top intake
<-- f|f <-- --> f|f --> bottom exhaust
--> f|f --> <-- f|f <-- bottom intake

Probably doesn't make much sense using these last two configurations. I'm just really in the mood to try out different things and see what the best results are.

b60khansen said:

Old thread I know, but I'm thinking about redoing my cooling fans and was thinking...

Currently I have dual 560mm rads in a push/pull config with the top and rear fans as exhaust. What if I were to setup the bottom 4 fans (2 on each side) of each radiator as intake fans and the top 4 as exhaust? It's a definite pain in the *** having to switch so many fans around but I think I may mess around with some ideas and see what works best.

Click to expand...

I had this Tower900 too , Tested many layout . Best was this : both my radiators intake / top 140 fan exhaust , and back side panel completely removed (or even you can mount a 20cm Noctua exhaust with zip ties if u want ) ,hot air from rads escaped on back side like charm.