2x Nexus D12SL-12 for a Performance M-ATX build GTX 780 etc?

Control: management of fans, temp/rpm monitoring via soft/hardware

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Oubadah
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2x Nexus D12SL-12 for a Performance M-ATX build GTX 780 etc?

Post by Oubadah » Fri Sep 06, 2013 1:21 am

I'm making a performance M-ATX build in a Silverstone PS07. The PS07 is effectively a TJ08-E with two 120mm fans instead of the one large one.

Image

As there are to be no mechanical HDDs, the only significant thermal considerations are a single GTX 780 (reference EE cooler) and an i7-4771 cooled by a Noctua NH-U12S. All components are to be stock, no overclocking.

The PSU has it's own discrete air channel, so it's not part of the equation.

The following is NOT the actual system, it's somebody's TJ08-E build I sound on the internet, but it will give you a rough idea of what mine will be like (same GPU, HSF, even mobo):

Image

In an attempt to maintain positive air pressure when the GPU is full tilt, there will be no exhaust fan in my build. The two 120mm fans in the front will be the only case fans. These two fans are filtered.

My question is: Will a pair of Nexus D12SL-12 fans be sufficient to cool the system, and if not, what are your suggestions?

Thanks.

flemeister
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Re: 2x Nexus D12SL-12 for a Performance M-ATX build GTX 780

Post by flemeister » Fri Sep 06, 2013 4:44 am

I think that would be quite sufficient, yes. :)

The PSU has it's own air channel, as you said. The GTX780 takes in cool air from the top Nexus fan, and exhausts it straight out the rear vent. The CPU gets fresh air from the bottom Nexus fan, and the easiest way for the warm air to exit the case is out the rear 120mm fan vent. Some would rise up to the PCI slot vents, but it wouldn't affect GPU temps since it's intake area is back towards the front of the case, and the top Nexus fan would overwhelm any warm air from the CPU from drifting back towards the GTX780's intake.

Abula
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Re: 2x Nexus D12SL-12 for a Performance M-ATX build GTX 780

Post by Abula » Fri Sep 06, 2013 6:43 am

The ap181 on the tj08E is what really drives the case, it moves a lot air, now on the ps07 with 120s idk if it will have the same effect, probably, but I would get 3 nexus basics, and place two on front and one on the back, you shlound still end up with positive presure as its 2/1 + the gtx 780 slot cooler, but I woul go with msi GTX780, that shlould be quieter.

CA_Steve
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Re: 2x Nexus D12SL-12 for a Performance M-ATX build GTX 780

Post by CA_Steve » Fri Sep 06, 2013 9:40 am

Abula wrote:The ap181 on the tj08E is what really drives the case, it moves a lot air, now on the ps07 with 120s idk if it will have the same effect, probably, but I would get 3 nexus basics, and place two on front and one on the back, you shlound still end up with positive presure as its 2/1 + the gtx 780 slot cooler, but I woul go with msi GTX780, that shlould be quieter.
+1....and you can always dial in the case fan RPM for optimal temps/noise/positive pressure.

Oubadah
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Re: 2x Nexus D12SL-12 for a Performance M-ATX build GTX 780

Post by Oubadah » Thu Sep 19, 2013 3:16 am

Not very promising so far. I haven't got the whole system yet (waiting for C2 z87 boards), but I've been testing D12SL-12's in a PS07. I thought this would be the perfect case (a TJ08-E without being stuck with that damned fan), but it's intake system is ridiculously restrictive as it turns out. Even with two D12SL-12's at full speed, I don't think there will be enough airflow to maintain positive pressure with the GPU loaded (not to mention Haswell's heat which I will be contending with). At first I thought it was the filter (something I could have re-skinned with a better mesh), but upon removing it I realise it's just the intake vents on the side causing most of the problem. It's OK with the door open, even with the filter installed. So basically there isn't enough airflow, and I wont use any higher RPM fans as it's already too noisy as it is.

Also tried two NF-S12B ULNs for interest's sake (this is the noise level I actually wanted) and the case renders them thoroughly impotent.

I could tell that intake system would be restrictive, but I didn't think it would be that restrictive.

lodestar
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Re: 2x Nexus D12SL-12 for a Performance M-ATX build GTX 780

Post by lodestar » Thu Sep 19, 2013 5:25 am

It may be significant that the similar build you pictured was fitted with an exhaust fan. As I assume you are using the U12S cooler in PWM mode it would make sense to fit a PWM controlled exhaust fan. Operating the CPU and exhaust fans as a PWM chain would give you low idle speeds and noise but automatically increased case airflow under the stress of gaming. This would fit it with the need to restrict the fan noise and temperatures of the GTX 780 which also has PWM fans. The best choice for the exhaust would be the NF-F12 , the same fan as fitted to the CPU cooler. It comes with a Y adapter, extension cable, rubber mounts etc - essentially a complete fitting kit. The other option you might look at is changing the PSU orientation to fan downwards so that it acts as an auxiliary exhaust.

Abula
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Re: 2x Nexus D12SL-12 for a Performance M-ATX build GTX 780

Post by Abula » Thu Sep 19, 2013 5:49 am

As loadstar posted the Noctua NF-F12 PWM would be a good choice for restricted spot, , according to noctua is good for rad/heatsinks and should be on a filter, usually is the fan Noctua includes in their 120mm coolers, it has been tested by SPCR on heatsink reviews like Noctua NH-U12S Slim Tower Heatsink and Noctua NH-L12 Low Profile Cooler, you could use a Akasa Flexa FP5 PWM 5-Way Splitter - Smart Fan Cable (AK-CBFA03-45) to connect all 4 fans the same and control them on CPU_FAN header.

If you go the PWM route, you should pick your motherboard carefully, and ask yourself the following, do you want to control it via software like FanXpert2 or Speedfan (might or not support the sensor on the mobo), or pure bios. If its fanXpert2 then go with Asus motherboard (but be warned their bios pwm control is not that great in terms of allowing the user to pass 40%, on fanXpert is great). If you want bios fan control, then i strongly suggest you check go with MSI motherboard, their bios allows 12.5%, 25% and 37.5% all lower than Asus restrictions and to what i have seen Gigabyte aswel, not sure on Asrock though.

If you don't want PWM fans, the best alternative would be Scythe Gentle Typhoons, this has been the most popular fan among watercoolers/oveclocker for its high static preasure and the design of the bearing that will work fine on horizontal placement, there are lots of version on different RPMs, AP12/14 were reviewed by SPCR Fan Roundup #6: Scythe, Noiseblocker, Antec, Nexus, Thermalright and came out really well, but the most commonly sold is Scythe Gentle Typhoon D1225C12B5AP-15 (1,850 rpm), to me at 12V is very loud, but the fan do likes undervolting, i'll try to run FanXpert2 on an AP15 if i can find the box where i store them, but you can also go for a lower rpm version, imo a good option could be the 1150rpm version, Scythe Gentle Typhoon D1225C12B3AP-13 (1,150 rpm).

Oubadah
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Re: 2x Nexus D12SL-12 for a Performance M-ATX build GTX 780

Post by Oubadah » Thu Sep 19, 2013 3:59 pm

I'm not going to install an exhaust fan because now there's no doubt that it kill the positive air pressure and turn the whole thing into a dust fest. If I was happy to sacrifice positive pressure, then I wouldn't even be bothering with Silverstone - I'd go straight to Lian Li for a much higher standard of build quality and QC (not to mention aesthetics).
lodestar wrote:It may be significant that the similar build you pictured was fitted with an exhaust fan.
Not really, because they're using a TJ08-E there and I know from experience that it's more than capable of cooling a relatively high performance system with just the 180mm fan. Although the TJ08-E's intake does look pretty restrictive, I can't believe the difference between it and the PS07. I had a GTX 580 and 2600k in a TJ08-E, never any issue with temps or maintaining positive pressure, even with the fan at a moderate speed. I wasn't even using the AP181, but an older model.

I'm sorely tempted to abandon the PS07 and get a TJ08-E for this build, but the 180mm fan is more of a curse than it is a blessing. I can't even get a single non-Silverstone fan that size in this country. Last time I pulled a fan from my first gen FT02 to replace the AP181 (which was an unreasonably loud piece of junk), but I no longer have the FT02 to cannibalise, and I have no idea what model of fan it used. Plus, even with the FT02 fan, the TJ08-E was still a little louder than I wanted.

Maybe I should just pull the door off the PS07 and be done with it - the case is ugly enough already. EDIT: actually, I could probably just cut out a large vent in the door and cover it with a 'decorative' mesh like stuff on the TJ08-E

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