new cpu cooler...push pull or push push

[njflyer93]

just got a new 120 dual fan cpu cooler from thermal-take today. setup was easy but im not sure how to correctly set up the fans for the fans around them.. currently the cpu fans are like this for the cooler----><---- which i believe is the push pull setup...correct me if im wrong.. but i also have my rear exhaust fan just behind the cooler and i also have an exhaust on the top. i just need to set it up for maximum cooling efficiency i feel like how it is now the fans from the cooler in relation to the exhaust fans in the case are working against each other. oh and system specs... amdfx 8320 processor. 16gb ram.. gigabyte ga 970 ud3 mobo. thermal-take v3 amd edition case. r9 series gpu.

 

[NiHaoMike]

Most CPU heatsinks aren't restrictive enough to benefit from doubling up fans. You'll do better with one good fan than two cheap fans. (And using two good fans won't gain very much compared to one good fan. The radiators used in HVAC equipment are far more restrictive than any CPU heatsink I have seen, but even there they almost always just use one fan.)

 

[LennyRhys]

NiHaoMike is right that you generally don't see much improvement with two fans over one (my tests showed a 2*C gain, equating to approximately 5% boost).

And if your fans are blowing into each other they're set up wrong; push pull is the front fan pushing air into the cooler <----- and the rear fan complimenting it by pulling the air out the back in the same direction.

And a word about top fans: I always set my top fans to draw cool air into the case. There's often caution about setting sleeve bearing fans upside-down, and also I find that my case is a whole lot cooler with intakes rather than exhausts at the top.

 

[njflyer93]

So I should intake the top fan and set cooler so the rear exhaust fan will pull air out. Honestly I kinda that would be the right way I just followed the direction from thermaltake. I'll swap it around and post results. Right now it idles at about 46 degrees farenheit. So ill swap it around and see what kind of results we get

 

[njflyer93]

Another thought. Having one exhaust fan is okay? I mean it's a good fan it's a cooler master jet floor but having one exhaust will be more than efficient for pulling all the hot air out?

 

[freakdiablo]

Depends. I'm currently using one case exhaust fan and temps are fine, since my power supply has an exhaust fan and my graphics card has a dual slot cooler that vents air out of the back of the case. And I highly doubt it idles at 46F, unless you have your computer outside in freezing weather or you have one of those coolers with a built in TEC chip. Do you mean 46 degrees Celsius?

(Also note that load temps are more important than idle temps and I don't know if it's changed recently, but CPU temp sensors aren't 100% accurate below a specific temperature, I believe it's around 40C)