Cooling with side-fan

[Pestul]

I have one of those acrylic windowed Chen-Ming cases with the side fan. By default, the fan blows air out of the PC... and the 2 rear fans also blow out. Do you think I should reverse the flow on the side fan?

Thanks

[Groltz]

Conditionally, yes.

If your side fan is aimed at the video card and motherboard NB you can get a good results from letting it blow air on them.

If it isn't, you might not be improving anything by reversing the fan.

[Allan]

I'm with Groltz. Try reversing it...

[CCW]

i agree, have it blowing in, will do more good than have it blowing out

Craig

[SteveI]

What else do you have blowing in?
Rule of thumb, by having about an even CFM out and in, you will have the most "turn over" in air circulation. If you have more blowing out, then definitely blowing more in is a good idea.

[timbob2469]

Pestul, If you have a hard drive larger than 60GB you might want to relocate that fan to the front of the case drawing air in and across the hard drive, memory, motherboard, and cpu cooler and out the back. If you need to get an additional fan you can always get one out of an unused power supply unit. I always have a couple of AT type that where scavenged out of tossed computers. They usually have those aggressive thread mounting screws and some even have a plug on the end that fit right into an adapter. In a pinch you can hardwire them.
Bob

[Neofate]

Originally Posted by Pestul

I have one of those acrylic windowed Chen-Ming cases with the side fan. By default, the fan blows air out of the PC... and the 2 rear fans also blow out. Do you think I should reverse the flow on the side fan?

Thanks

Definitely, reverse that sucker. I would also consider reversing one of those rear fans to blow inward as well. Although if they are really close it might just be self defeating and loop.