Best place for Fans....

[DragonQ0105]

I've ordered many components on the internet to build a new PC, due to arrive on Monday.

Specs are high, so cooling is important:

AMD AthlonXP 3200+ (Barton, 400MHz FSB)
1GB DDR3200 SDRAM
120GB HDD (7200RPM, UDMA133)
GeForce FX5600
CD-RW 52x32x52
etc...

To increase airflow, I decided to get a full ATX Tower Case (My other PC is a Micro-ATX Format, with the PSU sitting right next to the CPU Heatsink/Fan, causing extreme heat (who designed that?!), but with the new ATX Case, the new 400W PSU will be above the motherboard completely)

The CPU Fan is a decent model, with three modes which can be varied by a switch which fits into a spare PCI Bracket. The three modes are:

1) AMD Duron/AMD Athlon up to 2500+
2) AMD Athlon up to 3200+
3) AMD Athlon up to 3400+

Since noise isn't really a problem, I'll probably run it at full speed to provide the coolest CPU possible.

Anyway, the case has for 2 80mm Fan Brackets, but I don't know yet where they are. I have purchased 2 decent 80mm Fans, but I'm unsure of how to set them up...

I'm guessing one bracket will be at the top-rear and one at the lower-front. If this is the case, should I have the lower-front Fan as an intake, and the other top-rear fan as an exhaust? Will this provide the most efficient air-flow?

Thanks in advance for any replies...

 

[Grenage]

I'm guessing one bracket will be at the top-rear and one at the lower-front. If this is the case, should I have the lower-front Fan as an intake, and the other top-rear fan as an exhaust?

Yes, that's a sensible setup. I can't see any problems with that.

 

[DragonQ0105]

OK, thanks.

But what if, for example, they are both at the bottom (front + rear), or I have one on the side?

 

[kjv1611]

Whether you have one on the bottom in back or not, you need one near the top, and if you buy a new power supply, it's suggestable to make sure it has it's intake at the bottom of psu, and not front, as it will help pull heat off of processor. Usually, if a fan is at bottom in an ATX case in back, it is only there in the form of a PCI slot fan which is used to take heat away from video card - not a bad idea if use high end video card. With the side fan (learned this one with my own pc case) - if it is between the front intake fan of case and the processor, you need to make sure it's blowing in, if "behind" the processor when compared to front intake fan, then probably should be blowing out.

Stephen
"Jesus saith unto him, I am the way, the truth, and the life:
no man cometh unto the Father, but by me." John 14:6 KJV

 

[Grenage]

Heat rises so ideally you want a fan higher in the case for extraction of warm air. Wherever your fan options are, I always put intakes low and extracts high.

 

[kjv1611]

And if you have a log of heat, it wouldn't be a bad idea to put one in the top of the case blowing out. I've considered this myself - sometime just modding the case a little. Some cases are built that way already, but most you have to actually cut the hole. I need a dremel - or I guess, want one. [SMILE]

Stephen
"Jesus saith unto him, I am the way, the truth, and the life:
no man cometh unto the Father, but by me." John 14:6 KJV

 

[paparazi]

DragonQ0105
You will see a world of differance using a full tower when compared to the cramped insides of a mini ATX.
The differance is so dramatic that just two fans (front lower drawing in, rear top back exhausting) will be plenty even for a hot Barton 3.2+
Twin fan PSU's usually help but with a full ATX case don't have the dramatic effect that usually have when used with a mini or midi tower, this is just because they are mounted so high and far away from the CPU.
Martin


We like members to GIVE and not just TAKE.
Participate and help others.

 

[DragonQ0105]

My other PC is MICRO-ATX, not Mini-ATX...so the difference isn't as much as you say, but I guess it's still a lot.

Can I just confirm that all "ATX" Motherboards fit into any "Full ATX Tower" Case? The Mobo I'm getting is rather large (320x220mm) - whereas my MicroATX Mobo was only 244x220mm....

 

[kjv1611]

Any style ATX mobo should fit in a full tower case, as they seem to fit just about any format from what I've seen and read. For instance, I noticed a listing for a Chieftec full tower that stated it was AT, ATX, Mini ATX, Micro ATX, and maybe another...

Stephen
"Jesus saith unto him, I am the way, the truth, and the life:
no man cometh unto the Father, but by me." John 14:6 KJV

 

[VacuumTubeEra]

DragonQ0105 - The motherboard will fit, a lot of thought has gone into the specifications for the various size motherboards. Take a look around this web site for the tech specs:

http://www.formfactors.org/default.asp

 

[DragonQ0105]

OK Thanks guys

 

[ceh4702]

Some of the newer computer cases have gone to 120mm fans because they are quiter and pull more air than a 80mm fan. They spin at a lower RPM and have larger fan blads so they make less noise.

I built a computer a while back for a friend using old parts in a Gateway full Tower and it had room for a fan on the top and the bottom. of the case. It was just an old case he had laying around so I used it and it turned out all right. It was only an AMD K6-2 300Mhz processor so I wasnt worried about the heat too much.

There are some newer cases like the Antec Sonata that have extremely good cooling and run quiet. The Antec SLK37000BQE is another budget minded Antec case with 120mm exhaust fan. However, if you have the money, and you have the room, just get a full tower case. You can find them from about $80-$300 depending on whether it is Aluminum or has its own hard drive or whatever. Some newer cases like the Thermaltake Tsunami, or the CoolerMaster CM Stacker have some interesting designs.



If you do not like my post feel free to point out your opinion or my errors.

 

[kjv1611]

Is the Tsunami on sale anywhere yet? I read an article or 2 about it before, but couldn't find it on sale (yet) at the time.

Stephen
"Jesus saith unto him, I am the way, the truth, and the life:
no man cometh unto the Father, but by me." John 14:6 KJV

 

[micker377]

Just watch out for "dead" areas. For instance, my side fan pulled air out - right above the CPU fan which directed air down. This created a dead area between the CPU and case. I sometimes have to use a strip of tissue to plot air flow.

 

[KiloZ]

A relative of mine had a PC built by a friend of theirs this last winter and it ran fine. But as summer set in the CPU temp went through the roof. I looked it over and found the same problem that micker377 (above post) mentioned; that being, the side fan was blowing outward but was positioned right above the CPU fan causing a vacuum (one pulling against the other). To fix, all I had to do was reverse the side fan so that it was pointing inward, supplying more air to the CPU fan, and install an 80mm exhaust fan and the top-rear of the case. Problem solved.

- KiloZ

 

[Xone]

kjv1611 check out

http://www.xoxide.com

i saw a sale on the tsunami case the other day, and i hope they're still having it

 

[kjv1611]

Thanks for the info, Xone! I've been waiting for a while now to see what that case will run, and whether it would be worth trying or not. I'd love to try it, but may wait a little while to see if it comes down a little from that $140 mark first. [SMILE]

Stephen
"Jesus saith unto him, I am the way, the truth, and the life:
no man cometh unto the Father, but by me." John 14:6 KJV