Vent holes open or closed?

[Tateman1]

I was wonder which would be better for air flow in my case. Should I tape up the vent holes on the side of the case or leave them open? I don't have any side fans, only front and rear. Just thought I would see if you all had any insite into this.
Thanks,
William

 

[Hala]

closed will be better

 

[tweakr]

Depends on the airflow characteristics in your case. If you've got a negative pressure (more fans going out than in), then leaving them open would help airflow a bit. If you've got high positive pressure, then shutting them will stop cold air being "let out" without going past your hot components.

cheers
tweakr

 

[Edman]

tweakr: What about me, I have 4 Fans in my PC Case, one is the exhaust fan of the Power Supply, I put an extra (same size) fan in the front part of the case (Blows Air in), the other 2 are the CPU heat sink fan and another in a side of the CPU (pointing to it), and may case (AOpen HQ45) have only a set of grid-holes in the left side of it, so what's your recomendation (open or closed).

Thanks!!

:frown:

 

[tweakr]

Edman : When you talk about a fan pointed towards the cpu, do you mean installed blowhole-style in the side of the case (ie you cut a hole in the side of it), or just moving the air inside the case to the heatsink?. If the second, then close up the side vent holes - if the first, leave em open.

cheers
tweakr

 

[Edman]

Thanks for your answer tweakr, and about that fan is blowing the air towards the CPU heatsink, so I gonna close that hole-grid.

Thanks again!

 

[Tateman1]

Hmm, here is how I have mine setup. I have on fan at the bottom front blowing air in. Then I have a 2 fans in a 5inch bay drive case pointing down from my burner bringing air in. I have a slot 1 Golden orb on my p3. On the Back side, I have one fan about in the middle blowing air out. Then I have the fan inside my power supply also blowing air out.

 

[Tateman1]

Anyone else have any opinons?

 

[heng1028]

i think open is better because you can let more cold air in.
this is what i did for mine

i have 1 front 50cfm blowing air in and another 50cfm exhast air out from the rear
both are 80mm

it is loud though

 

[Tateman1]

Yeah, mine is pretty loud. I was thinking of putting in some of that dynamat in my case.