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has anyone actually tested to see that their open rigs run cooler that rigs in computer cases with fans in the appropriate places? It boggles my mind that not having a case would run cooler than a case with good air circulation.

It's simply because there are no walls to hold in or restrict the air. However I'm not sure how good of an idea an open rig is, because then all the components are much more susceptible to accidental damage.

i get 10 c cooler temps puting my rigs in boxes  vs crates  ( cold air in 1 side hot out the other )

i have 4 7950s per rig 1050 core 1250 ram 1.050v ( 1v after v sag ) 55% fan under 60 core under 80 vrm 24c input temp

except that airFlow cools better than static air. it seems to me that a case with air forced to flow through it would cool better than cards just sitting out in the open. But i could be wrong which is why i asked if anyone actually tested it.

i have tested it its 10c beter using the same amount of fans on same fan speed

The hot air it creates rises over the cold air (because physics) and essentially creates it's own airflow. A box disallows this as hot air builds up on the top.

yes, but rate of flow is higher on a closed box. the more air that passes over a radiating surface, the more cooling that is done. This is why cars have radiators rather than just let the heat radiate off the engines (aircooled VWs don't count)

That's because the engines produce heat in a small space, much like how a CPU or GPU does. The radiator distributes the heat from the small point. The heatsinks on your GPUs and CPUs does the same and it does enough.

if you are running mor than 1 or 2 rigs its beter to have them in boxes vs crates i have 20 rigs in a 3m x 3m room and couly easy have another 10 ( 30kw heat  all goes right out the window

Point a fan at the open rig.

with apen rig your rigs are the room temp in a box thay are the air input temp witch can be 20c lower than the air out temp

I can see both sides of the argument, and both sides are half right.

  Pros to putting them into a case:
A properly designed case will move cold air in, blow it over the GPU, and blow the hot air out. With everything designed right, and fans blasting, you create a sort of wind tunnel. You also have a lot more control of how the air moves, as your choice of case, fans, and fan placement can change everything. This works best with reference blower coolers, and also works best if you can put at least 1 PCI width of space between the cards.

  Cons of a case:
Most cases can accommodate 2 GPUs nicely, but try adding 3, 4, or even 5 GPUs into a case, and the heat starts to build up, with the case fans just blowing air around the gpus (and not into), and the GPU fans are completely blocked by the one below it. If you have non-reference fans, the hot air from the GPUs will either get sucked back into the same GPU, or get sucked into the GPU right above it. It just ends up as a clusterfuck of hot air that can't go anywhere, and you get crazy high gpu temps. This is where an open rig can be better.

  Pros of putting them in an open rig:
The biggest advantage is that you can use risers to separate and space your GPUs properly, even with as many as 5 or 6 or 7 GPUs. Almost every single open air rig you see has the GPUs separated by an inch, sometimes 2 or 3. This might not have the best airflow design AROUND the GPUs, but it lets the GPU fan do it's job, by removing hot air from the core. This ends up lowering the temps. Non-ref fans usually excel in this environment. They can also be dirt cheap to buy and/or make.

  Cons of open air rigs:
As stated by those previously, you have a hard time controlling your overall airflow of hot air exhausting away from you rigs. Usually this happens thru the natural process of hot air rising, but this isn't always enough. Also, open air rigs can be less protective of the GPUs and internal components, both from dust and things bumping into them.

TL:DR For 2 GPUs or less, use a case with properly designed GPU spacing and airflow in and out. For 3 GPUs or more, use an open air rig where the cards aren't mashed together, and can breathe.

Solution: Use an open-air rig with huge-ass case fans.

:P

Best of both.

Case fans? Those tiny little 120mm things? Sissy toys (https://bitcointalk.org/index.php?topic=100137.0).

I mentioned cooling concerns to a friend and she sent me this: http://www.youtube.com/watch?feature=player_detailpage&v=Eub39NaC4rc

Mineral Oil cooling.... hmmmm... probably a PIA to work on.

i do find all these threds funny i can cool 4 7950s to under 60c core 80c vrm with only 3 120mm 1.2w fans and card fans at 55% in plastic box at an abiant temmp of 26c

we ave to entertain our selves some how. Mining is like watching paint dry.

I read the title as "Open Rig vs Cat"

Rather makes sense.

Keep fuzzy animals away from open rigs. :P

Well i just took a 7970 out of a nice case running 78c and put 3 in a open aire case. Same settings and hash rate and 70 is the max I hit so far. Only been a couple hours tho. ! super high flow 120 blowing on them.