Cooling Black ridge fan orientation

[Idle2824]

I have been testing my new Black Ridge cooler both with the 92 mm stock fan as well as the Noctua a12x15 (in the same position underneath the cooler). From the posts and videos I have seen (optimum tech etc.), it seems as though everyone is putting the fans in so that they are pulling air through the cooler. I have not done thermal testing for this yet, though the claim is that it is better in this direction.

In terms of noise, though, both the stock fan and the a12x15 are much louder when in the pull configuration, and I don't think these fans were designed for pulling air through a radiator. A further issue when using the 120 mm Noctua fan is that the screw holes for the 92 mm fan are raised, and the blades will collide with them if the assembly is knocked or disturbed in some way. I'm sure this could be fixed with a file, but it also is not an issue when the fan is pushing air through the cooler, as the fan housing separates them.

Sorry if none of this is new information, but the difference in noise level surprised me because I hadn't seen it mentioned elsewhere.

I'd be interested to know what others have experienced, and if the pull configuration is really that much better thermally with a 120 mm fan.

 

[XcPNehVYlE4A3C]

maybe pull creates more turbulence somehow? pulling air through a densely packed computer vs. through relatively open air? just a guess.

i'll be doing a build with black ridge soon, i'm curious to know too since im after low noise levels as well. in my case there will be an SFX PSU over it. what case are you testing in?

 

[Idle2824]

I haven't put my build together yet because I'm still waiting for my vlp ram to arrive, but I have a sentry 2. I tested the cooler in a cardboard box to restrict airflow underneath the cooler, but that didn't make the push configuration noticeably louder to me.

The pull configuration has the same distinctive noise as the one caused by turbulence when using the c7 cooler in a Dan case or the sentry.