FT02, Positive Pressure, "The Mod" - Shroud or no?

Hello. I performed the mod several months ago (sig rig) and have been relying on zip-ties. I've been wanting to purchase some of D-Wood's brackets for a really long time but I can't decide which way to go - the "Stock" bracket with the stock fan or the "Fan" bracket with some NF-B9s I impulse-purchased.

I have been going back and forth for quite some time between the two options, but can't decide which is best. My goal is to be as silent as possible while maintaining positive pressure and being able to bench my cards without their turning off or blowing up. AFAIK, either option would allow me to maintain positive pressure (it's not like less air is being pushed in) and I'm just being anal, so I leave it to you, OCN: which option should I choose? The "Stock" bracket with stock impeller fan and shroud or the "Fan" bracket without a shroud?

P.S. "Shut up" is now a vote to "shut me up" so that you can exercise your own opinions in this thread

My previous attempt to decide.


My cards and case:
For reference, my 470s:

Here they are on Newegg.
Better pic of MSI PCB compared to reference - basically the same with some more chokes.
More pics of the Nvidia reference version.
Here's my case on Newegg.


The problem:
To further explain, here is my case as it is now - naked GPUs without fans or shrouds:

As you can see my radiator placement significantly reduces airflow. I may add some NF-F12s to pull on the radiators but as of now I can't afford (financially) to be bothered.

AFAIK this is what the pro/con list for either option would look like, but I could be wrong:
"Stock" Bracket
+ Keep shroud on - looks nice
+ Better VRAM cooling because of shroud
+ Maintains airflow Silverstone intended (in through 180mm fan, straight up, out through GPUs)
- Small, whiny fan is loud and generally inferior to the NF-B9 in every way
"Fan" Bracket
+ Super quiet fan
- No shroud means messy airflow
- NF-B9 would cool VRMs well but no real airflow to the VRAM at the top of the case
+/- Without the shroud there should be more pressure as more air is being pushed around?
+/- Without the shroud all of the air being pushed around would move towards the CPU, messing up airflow, but that's just a giant exhaust tunnel anyway? (180mm fan into NH-U12 push-pull and straight out exhaust)


Shrouded, stock bracket and it's reference fan: Stock airflow, shroud directs cold air to VRAM at the top of the case, but whiny stock fans



So, the benefit to not having the stock fan is having a nice, quiet fan. However, this may screw up airflow a lot.
The non-shrouded, 92mm fan: the VRMs and all will surely stay cool but there won't be much air getting to the VRAMs. Air is being pushed towards the exhaust tunnel but the dead air in the front corner of the case (by the disk caddies) might fill up with warm, dead air (the drive caddies obstruct airflow quite a bit) by the VRAMs. However, air blowing around everywhere means less dust, particularly since the radiators and fan filters are significantly reducing pressure without a pull fan. P.S. Accidentally wrote VRM instead of VRAM in pic



Help me stop beating my head against the wall!

P.S. I would just compare with zip-ties since I have I need but the heatplate's screw holes on my 470s are too small to get zip-ties through and the screws cost as much as a bracket so no dice
Edited by claes - 11/3/12 at 7:40pm

2 votes and a tie

I'm thinking I'll go the stock/shrouded route, although I do hate those fans. Even at 45% (minimum for benching in my experience) they are really whiny, but hopefully I won't need to go that high in regular use.

Any last thoughts or opinions before I order this weekend?

EDIT: PS: Previous attempt
Edited by claes - 11/2/12 at 4:59pm

Now votes are leaning towards no shroud! If anyone has 2 cents to throw in I could sure use it!

Further efforts in pedantry!

To further explain, here is my case as it is now - naked GPUs without fans or shrouds:

As you can see my radiator placement significantly reduces airflow. I may add some NF-F12s to pull on the radiators but as of now I can't afford to be bothered.

Now, if I were to use the shrouded, stock bracket and it's reference fan:

Stock airflow, shroud directs cold air to VRMs at the top of the case, but whiny stock fans

So, the benefit to not having the stock fan is having a nice, quiet fan. However, this may screw up airflow a lot.

Or the non-shrouded, 92mm fan:

VRAM and all will surely stay cool but there won't be much air getting to the VRMs. Air is being pushed towards the exhaust tunnel but the dead air in the front corner of the case (by the disk caddies) might fill up with warm, dead air (the drive caddies obstruct airflow quite a bit) by the VRMs. However, air blowing around everywhere means less dust, particularly since the radiators and fan filters are significantly reducing pressure without a pull fan.
Edited by claes - 11/3/12 at 4:12pm

Thanks so much for your help! After reading again I see that my language is pretty confusing, and I was mixing up VRMs and VRAM that whole time :/. I edited my first post, hopefully my question will be clearer now. Unfortunately I couldn't change the poll options but hopefully they're clarified now

Glad I could help you out with that deal, it'll be really interesting to see how the Seidon performs, AFAIK you'll be the first!
Edited by claes - 11/3/12 at 5:26pm

Decided on the fan bracket, think I'll appreciate the noise difference. Let you guys know how it goes with benching, thanks for entertaining my nonsense!

I did try that with a pull fan on one of the radiators but found the air was too hot .

I ended up ordering the fan bracket, so hopefully that will work out nicely. I may still try to move my radiators to the exhaust if I can get them to fit, which should solve my heat problems on the GPU side of the case. I may even try bending the brackets a little so that I can keep the airflow moving up and back towards the exhaust. Thanks for everyone's suggestions!