Noctua NH-L9a (Flipping the fan)

[IrelandMadMan]

Morning

I'm using the Noctua NH-L9a in the Lian Li PC-Q03. I'm not sure if you're familiar with the PC-Q03 but it relies on the PSU for extra cooling.

I'm wondering is it worth flipping the fan on the NH-L9a to draw heat away from the CPU and then into the PSU and out the back. Rather than pulling air towards the CPU.

I guess I could try this and check temps, but would like some feedback as to whether this is even worthwhile.

Idle the machine sits between 35-42c, probably 40c mostly. Playing minecraft it will sit around 60c or slightly more.

I'm using the thermal paste that came with the Noctua, should I maybe change it? Or should I be happy with those temps in such a small space?

Best regards

 

[mimart7]

Typically a psu will dump heat into the case. I am not familiar with any psu's that will act as an exhaust. Just put your over the fan on your psu, if you feel it blowing air into your case, then you know it wont act as an exhaust.

 

[mimart7]

My old Corsair 750 blew air into the case, I'm not sure about my Current Seasonic, because it never gets hot enough fro the fan to turn on. My old psu, would help help with airflow.

 

[mimart7]

Btw, what are the rest of your system specs? Cpu, mobo, etc.

 

[magellan]

It looks like his PSU is mounted right over his CPU. If his PSU is pulling air from the case, I'd say it makes sense he would want his heatsink fan pulling air through the heatsink rather than blowing through it.

 

[IrelandMadMan]

Thank's for the replies

Here's a side shot of the pc-q03 (Not mine). My PSU (Corsair Builder Series CXM 500W Modular 80 PLUS) slides in on it's side so the fans are facing each other.



I believe the PSU is sucking air from within the case and pushing it out the back but I may be wrong. And the CPU fan is pulling air down towards the CPU. I had in my head that it may be worth while flipping the fan so all the hot air is flowing out of the case (No doubt I'm mistaken, wouldn't be the first time)

Saying that, I'm not sure what I'm expecting because at the minute she's running at 36c after web browsing, it's probably not a bad temp for such a small and packed case. I could also have another bash at better wire management.

I have the disease again, haven't build a PC in years and now that it's all working well I just want to tinker with it again lol

Edit :

Board is the MSI FM2-A75IA-E53
36c is at 1100rpm (Quite quiet beside me)

To further add, I read that the fan can't be flipped on Noctua NH-L9a, so I guess Should relax and worry about it more when I pack the extra video card in there

Edit edit :

The PC-Q03 is limited to a 60mm max height cooler hence the slim line NH-L9a. The NH-L9a I believe is designed or aimed towards 65w CPU's rather than the 100w A10 5800 I'm using, so this may also add some heat.

 

[magellan]

Browsing doesn't put much of a load on a CPU. But my CPU idles at 60 degrees C.
Have you ever tried running Prime95?

Like you said, I'd think you wouldn't want both fans fighting for airflow.

 

[ehume]

Morning

I'm using the Noctua NH-L9a in the Lian Li PC-Q03. I'm not sure if you're familiar with the PC-Q03 but it relies on the PSU for extra cooling.

I'm wondering is it worth flipping the fan on the NH-L9a to draw heat away from the CPU and then into the PSU and out the back. Rather than pulling air towards the CPU.

I guess I could try this and check temps, but would like some feedback as to whether this is even worthwhile.

Idle the machine sits between 35-42c, probably 40c mostly. Playing minecraft it will sit around 60c or slightly more.

I'm using the thermal paste that came with the Noctua, should I maybe change it? Or should I be happy with those temps in such a small space?

Best regards

What you say makes sense. Modern PSU's with top- (or bottom-) mounted fans use those fans to blow air on their intra-PSU components. Hence, a PSU will exhaust air from a case. A heatsink that blows air away from the CPU is not bad, and one that blows the air into an adjacent PSU (as your would) makes lots of sense.

Do a run as-is to test temps, then flip the fan and do another. Be sure to keep the ambients close: even net temps can change with the ambient.