Need Help with setting up an AMD FX Liquid CPU Cooler

[Brad Bodnaruk]

Okay, I purchased my AMD FX 8150 w/liquid cooling retail box.  Now, setting it up, The liquid cooler suggests a push pull design for the fans to cool the liquid I imagine.

 

http://www.legitreviews.com/amd-fx-8150-black-edition-cpu-water-cooler-review_1743

 

Do I want:

 

1.  Warm air from inside the case blown into the cooler and then the second fan exhausting the warm air out of the case?

or

2.  Cool air from outside the case blowing into the case/water cooler and the second fan exhausting into the case?

or

3.  Cool air from outside the case blowing into the case/liquid cooler and the second fan blowing warm air from inside the case onto the liquid cooler?

 

just my brain trying to figure it all out.

 

thanks

 

Brad

 

[T3X4S]

Well generally, you want cool air running across the radiator.

But doesnt the manufacturer have some drawings showing fans/direction of blades ?

I know its made by Asetek - so maybe they have something...

I would hate to tell you a definite answer, but then find out you already have case fans in place creating a vacuum or too much positive pressure.... etc

So.... RTFM unfortunately... sorry not a better answer.

This is from your link - what does that tell you ?

[HawkMan]

Place the radiator at one of your top exhaust fan mounts and blow air out of the case through it. The case air is more than cool enough to keep it cool.

 

You definitely do not want to blow air into the case through the radiator.

[Mindovermaster Moderator]

I use rear exhaust like the picture above with my Corsair 80i

[Brad Bodnaruk]

Place the radiator at one of your top exhaust fan mounts and blow air out of the case through it. The case air is more than cool enough to keep it cool.

 

You definitely do not want to blow air into the case through the radiator.

I am using number two, basically your suggestion not to use, its how the manual I believe wanted it set up, but it does keep the case very warm, maybe I should pull the fans and remount them.

[wiretap]

In the dozen or so watercooling builds I have done over the years and in my current computer, I find it best to mount the radiator in the front of the case so it is getting an intake of cool air across it. Then the other case fans exhaust the hot air out of the case. 

 

But for your cooler, you could just install it per the manual where it is sucking in cool air from the rear, and have the other case fans on the front/top/wherever, exhausting out the hot air from the case. 

 

Having internal radiators always brings up this dilemma of using the warmer air from in the case to exhaust over the radiator, or using cool air and exhausting it into the case to be expelled later. I've found that for overclocking purposes, you want the coolest air across the radiator from outside the case blowing over it, then worry about exhausting the hot air later. In reality, temperatures are only a few degrees different in either setup, but I guess it depends how anal you are.

[HawkMan]

the thing is, radiators can effectively cool with pretty warm air. but the exhaust REALLY hot air. so with the radiator at intake you're making your case REALLY hot inside, adding a lot of secondary heat back to the CPU, and worse to the graphics card and even chipset and HDDs.