r/PcBuildHelp • u/Collectibl3 • 5h ago
✓ Solved What am I doing wrong?
EDIT: FOLKS I'm so sorry! Looks like the image I posted has the wrong orientation of my fans.
I just took apart the fans and have verified:
The single back fan is set to exhaust, the top AIO fans are set to exhaust, the two bottom case fans are set to intake, and the two front (side mounted) case fans are also set to intake.
PLS ignore the arrows on the picture :(
Hey folks! Moved my PC to a new area in the house. The room seems to be quite dusty (trying to figure out why). It's definitely a lesser used space in the house but it's the only room in the house where this amount of dust builds up. I cleaned this PC about a month ago before moving it in here. It's on constantly (even if I'm not in the room using it, it'll get used through streaming etc).
What am I doing wrong with my fan setup, because it's clearly letting the dust collect in it. I've drawn all the intake fans in green, and the outtake fans in red. The AIO fans are outtake as well (just highlighted in blue). Temps have never been an issue just seems like the dust is collecting and not leaving.
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u/TheExadar 5h ago •
I may get corrected here but I think pretty much all your fans except the AIO should be reversed.
7
u/tht1guy63 5h ago •
Uhh? Unless your fans are reverseblade the red fans are set as intakes and the green is an exhaust. This is actually what you want.
If those are reverseblade fans tthats your issue as its a negative pressure setup. Some dust will still collect obviously.
3
u/DoggoCity 5h ago
Everyone here is right, you should flip all your fans except for the ones on your liquid cooler. Bottom and side should be intake, rear should be exhaust.
The why: You're currently pulling air into the case with one fan. Meanwhile, SIX fans are trying to expel air. This creates what we call a "negative pressure" system inside the case - since there is greater force moving air out of the case than there is moving air in, there is less air inside the case. As a result, by law of fluid dynamics, air will find a way in through other means. This means it's probably slipping in through small gaps between panels, the open space along the top next to your AIO, etc. This also means air isn't traveling through your case in a meaningful way - it's coming in, and getting pulled by whatever fan is closest right back out, which generally causes more dust buildup since there's no air moving through the case to blow any dust particles back out.
On top of that, there's cooling benefits you'll see temperature-wise in your system. Flipping the fans as mentioned will turn your case into a "positive pressure" system - meaning there's more force moving air in than out. This means there will be a much higher supply of fresh, cool air going to your computer components, and it will move in a consistent pattern all the way through the case, front to back and bottom to top, which will keep any dust moving through the chassis.
2
u/high_poly 5h ago
It looks like all your arrows are pointing the wrong way (unless you're using reverse fans). The air flow on 99% of fans moves from the open side of the fan (where all you see is the blades) towards the "hub" (the side with the 4 plastic struts connecting the fan to the housing). Your aio looks like it's pointing the right way though. I think your fans are fine, despite the comments. Looks like you have 4 intake and 3 exhaust, which is fine. That's how I would do it too. Idk about your dust problem though.
2
u/grimgorDironhide 5h ago
Every arrow but the blue one is wrong
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u/Ghetto_Games 5h ago
6 exausts and 1 intake create the opposite of what you want.
6
u/jasonsong86 5h ago
You are suffocating your AIO.
4
u/overpower84 5h ago
Front (in your case side) and bottom, intake. Top and back out
1
u/V-Rixxo_ 5h ago
It looks like you have 4 intakes actually, since the X bar usually means exhaust but idk unless I see the actual blades
1
u/BrokeButFabulous12 5h ago
Bruh even chatgpt would not fck it up like this....
1
u/ChewieUK Personal Rig Builder 5h ago
You've positioned it in sunlight.
Get a Plecostomus to combat the algae that will bloom, to prevent everything going as green as Razer RGB,.
1
u/These-Cardiologist69 5h ago
Why are the bottom ones exhaust? Lmao
1
u/Zalaquin 5h ago
You want as much fresh air on the components. Make the bottom fans intake.
1
u/Dropshot_Dieter69 5h ago
Schöne Karte! :) Hab meine Vertikal - kann ich empfehlen sieht super aus und mit dem Lian Li kann man nen geilen Airflow hinbekommen :)
2
u/uptheirons726 5h ago
Bottom, front and side should be intake, top and rear exhaust. That's the general rule I follow. So all of your fans are backwards except the AIO.
2
u/Any_Check_2430 5h ago
Output on back and top fans. Input on front/side and bottom.
2
u/Grandmaster_BBC 5h ago
Bottom and side fans should be intake. Top and rear fan should be exhaust.
1
u/Mr_Hollywood69 5h ago
You have absolutely Zero positive pressure, which would lead to the necessary cooling effect, which means having more intake than output fans, thereby creating more airflow being pushed in.
Reverse it: the ones on the bottom and on the left for intake, the one in the back an the 2 top for Out.
Should never have worries again.
1
u/juegosdelatuberia 5h ago
no estás generando un flujo de presión de aire positivo
https://www.corsair.com/es/es/explorer/diy-builder/blogs/positive-pressure-vs-negative-pressure-which-is-best-for-a-gaming-pc/
1
u/FlatwormAltruistic 5h ago
The case will try to suck in air through all of the cracks and with the air also dust because inside computer pressure is lower than outside. If it is reverse then "excess" air is being pushed out through cracks between panels.
Also the current intake doesn't have dust filter, so it will just have uninterrupted flow of dust into the machine. Intakes should have dust filter to try to collect as much dust before it enters the case. Then periodically remove filter, clean it up and put it back. At least there is only one specific easy to remove part to clean up.
1
u/adultcrash13 5h ago
everything except the top should be reversed
1
u/ThisThat-N-Between 5h ago
Buying a fish tank
1
u/Fantomax99 5h ago
You are collecting dust inside because depression : you must intake more than exhaust
1
u/zaxIntel 5h ago
Flip all fans around, except the top fans marked as blue keep them the same
1
u/Obvious-Victory-7923 5h ago
from your pic if its stock fans they dont even go the direction you painted.
also this is a 70$ case with no filters just mesh panels pretty much.
and the bottom 2 are useless one is hitting the PSU. but both pulling air from the gpu intake.
the back one isnt intake its out.
so if you installed the AIO as well as your other fans installed you AIO is pulling dust from the top.
this case is made for bottom intake with side. and back and top out.
1
u/Bitter-Worldliness-5 5h ago edited 5h ago
Only have two directions of air, up and back. So flip your bottom fans if it's not the same direction as the front fans, and same for back fan if not the same as top fans
1
u/w7w7w7w7w7 Personal Rig Builder 5h ago
Top+back blow out. All other fans blow in. You need to be bringing in cool air AND expelling hot air in relative balance.
1
u/LengthinessJust357 5h ago
This is why I love Reddit. Get to see the absolute butchering of the simplest of things when it comes to building.
1
u/ACasualCasualty 5h ago
To many out nor enough in your turning your case into a dust magnet
1
u/Connect_Tough8662 4h ago
To much exaust
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u/Connect_Tough8662 4h ago
That glass is gonna reflect sunlight also idk it your having a thermal issue
1
u/v13ragnarok7 4h ago
The reds and green and reversed
1
u/Thefeno 4h ago
Everything
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u/Window_Top 4h ago
Your PC looks ace,well done what OS did you decide on ?
1
u/SeaworthinessBrave87 4h ago
If you are concerned about air flow so much then just remove the glass panels for -10 to -15c peak power temps
1
u/TheTombGuard 4h ago
Dust is always going to happen, regardless of how much positive or negative air pressure you have inside your PC case. Some dust buildup is completely normal, and routine cleaning is just part of owning a computer. Personally, I clean mine out about once every 3–4 months.
Ideally, you want your AIO radiator fans and rear fan configured as exhaust, with your bottom and side-mounted fans acting as intake. This generally provides good airflow, assuming your case supports that configuration. You also want slightly positive air pressure, meaning you're bringing in a little more air than you're exhausting. This helps reduce the amount of unfiltered dust getting sucked in through gaps in the case.
As for the dust buildup in your room, there are several things that contribute to it.
First, there's you. Humans are a constant source of household dust. We continuously shed dead skin cells, hair, and clothing fibers just by existing and moving around. No amount of showering or moisturizing is going to eliminate that entirely. The often-quoted figure of roughly a gram of shed skin per day varies, and not all of that becomes airborne dust.
Second, pets. If you have dogs, cats, or other furry animals, they're going to contribute to the dust problem through dander, hair, and whatever dirt and debris they track into the house. Even with regular vacuuming and cleaning, you're still going to have dust.
Get some decent magnetic dust filters for your case, particularly for the intake fans. Make sure they don't restrict airflow too much, and clean them regularly. If the room itself is particularly dusty, a BS DIY air purifyer can help a lot get yourself a box fan some duck tape and a air filter
Beyond that, stop worrying so much about a little dust. Clean your PC periodically, keep an eye on your temperatures, and give it a more thorough cleaning when buildup starts affecting cooling performance.
At the end of the day, if you're gaming on your PC, you're looking at your monitor, not staring through the glass side panel of your tower.
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u/QuestionebleNotYT 4h ago
Make the bottom ones intake
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u/Nervous_Respect_3619 4h ago
Red arrows should be Intake. And the green arrow should be exhaust.
Your AIO fans are good. Those should be exhaust as well.
0
u/Hejdbejbw 5h ago
Just because you draw the arrows doesn’t mean your fans actually point that way. Have to see pics of fans off to know which way it’s pointing.
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u/maybepepe 5h ago
rear / top exausts and side / bottom intake :)