Antec P180 Questions

[entropy1982]

I will be purchasing the Antec P180 and plan on overclocking pretty much every single thing in the computer (7800gtx, x2 3800+, ballistix ram) and have a couple of questions:

1. I already have an OCZ 520W powerstream PSU... does anyone know if i will be forced to purchase a 120X120X25 fan to replace the 120X120X38 fan on the bottom to fit my psu? and if so which one?

2. Does this PSU have any issues with the wires not being long enough for the case?

3. I want to get maximum cooling in this case (on air). From what i understand the case comes with 3 antec adjustable fans (bottom, top, back). I want to put a fan in the front blowhole if it would help. My question is... which fan should i get? Should i get the nexus because the front needs to be super low to reduce noise? or does that not push out enough air?

4. What would be a good choice for the vga port fan (80X80X15) and would it provide better cooling for the vid card(s) at all?

5. Would replacing any of the fans that are in the places they are supposed to be (top, back) with anything i can buy out there offer me any advantage?

I know this is a hell of a lot of questions and i would appreciate any help you can provide really. Thanks so much

 

[milleron]

1. I don't know, for sure, but unless that PSU is outlandishly long, you should have no trouble. A 25mm-thick fan is going to make more noise than a 38mm one moving the same volume of air. Antec put the 38mm fan in the lower compartment for that reason.
2. Yes, some PSUs have cables too short to reach their connectors because the PSU is being mounted on the side of the motherboard opposite from the one for which most cables are designed. I had no trouble at all, using an Antec PSU. Search Google Groups for "OCZ PSU" and "P180."
3. Any fan is going to be sufficient, especially if you're willing to run it on it's highest speed for overclocking. I have an Antec TriCool in the front. It's being controlled by Asus Q-Fan, so it runs about 1,300 rpm, and my Athlon 64 3500+ runs at about 33° idle and 39-41° under the worst conditions. The Nexus you mention should be fine. I'd suggest only that you have it on a controller of some sort, so that you can adjust its noise output.
4. Depends on how much noise you're willing to tolerate. I have an Antec TriCool in the VGA duct, set to its "Low" position, and it's very quiet. You could leave that fan out to start with, see how hot the computer and videocard run, and place an 80mm Panaflo, Nexus, or Yate Loon in there if you need to.
5. Depends on how much noise you're willing to tolerate. If you're set on a whisper quiet PC, you might find something that runs a little quieter than the TriCools do. I'm perfectly happy with them, however. Mine run quite slowly, and at that speed, they're whisper quiet.

Ron

 

[entropy1982]

Wow, i didn't think anyone would be nice enough to actually answer ALL of em hehehe.
Thanks man

Anyone else have any opinions on this advice and maybe a few other options for the front fan? Thanks

 

[Shadowknight]

If you're running a P4, you can get an extender for the 4-pin connector for the motherboard from FrozenCPU or Newegg.

 

[entropy1982]

Originally posted by: Shadowknight
If you're running a P4, you can get an extender for the 4-pin connector for the motherboard from FrozenCPU or Newegg.

I will be purchasing the Antec P180 and plan on overclocking pretty much every single thing in the computer (7800gtx, x2 3800+, ballistix ram) and have a couple of questions:

hehe

 

[seniorpaul]

Antec P180 Review

In the review above, they install a PowerStream 520 into a P180, and they don't make any mention of problems with fans. They do mention that it's a tight fit, and the cable managment can be a little bit tricky.

I just ordered this case last night for a new build (which is very similar to yours: X2 3800+, 2gb OCZ DDR400, 7800GTX, DFI LP SLI-DR, OCZ PowerStream520), so i could give you some more input once it arrives. Hopefully it will be later this week. And because i like to give myself headaches, i'm going to try to get my full watercooling setup in there too.

 

[AntiStatic]

I had to buy a zalman slim fan for the vga duct. a regular size 80mm hit my 7800GTX.

 

[Tu13erhead]

Originally posted by: Shadowknight
you can get an extender for the 4-pin connector for the motherboard from FrozenCPU or Newegg.

Instead, I bought a 4-pin to Molex adapter for $2 at a local computer store.

 

[Shadowknight]

You don't have to buy a slim fan with the VGA duct; just install a normal 25mm fan inside the duct instead of the outside portion.

 

[ShazK]

How much does not using the VGA duct affect your temps because I heard that it is both noisy and innefective? I have a 6800GT with active cooling, so I was wondering if I should remove the duct entirely or put a fan in it and keep it in.

 

[shira]

Originally posted by: entropy1982

2. Does this PSU have any issues with the wires not being long enough for the case?

I asked this same question on the DFI-street forum. Two people who had built their systems based on the 520W Powerstream, P180 case, and DFI NF4 MB said there was no problem.

 

[Shadowknight]

Just about every respones I've heard says that the duct is useless. Feel free to experiment with it, particuarly if you have a VGA card that allows you to monitor temps. The thing about the P180 is that you have to experiment with what fans are on (or off), how fast they move, using or not using the VGA duct, etc. Not everyone will get the same result from the same setup, which is what I've heard from several users.

 

[Polish3d]

Originally posted by: entropy1982
I will be purchasing the Antec P180 and plan on overclocking pretty much every single thing in the computer (7800gtx, x2 3800+, ballistix ram) and have a couple of questions:

1. I already have an OCZ 520W powerstream PSU... does anyone know if i will be forced to purchase a 120X120X25 fan to replace the 120X120X38 fan on the bottom to fit my psu? and if so which one?

2. Does this PSU have any issues with the wires not being long enough for the case?

I have the system in my sig below, and I had some trouble fitting the 520w, the cables are long enough for me, though a bit longer would have been helpful. The 520w will fit but it's just a tight fit.

 

[entropy1982]

Wow thanks so much for all the responses guys... much appreciated.

Would anyone be able to suggest a fan for me to use in the front exhaust duct?

And also.... ugh... i'm sure this is a really stupid question when someone finally answers it for me but how will the front exhaust fan work if there is a cover in the front? (in other words how does the air escape?)

 

[AquaLeviathan]

First, it's not an exhaust. The optional front fan is an intake. Air gets in through the slits on the edges of the case door.

 

[milleron]

Originally posted by: AntiStatic
I had to buy a zalman slim fan for the vga duct. a regular size 80mm hit my 7800GTX.

The better -- i.e., less costly -- solution would have been to keep the fan you had and mount it INSIDE the VGA duct rather than outside in that 80x80mm recess. The ventilation is exactly the same, but the clearance actually improves.

(In my case, the subjacent video card had heat pipes extending a little above its upper edge. The VGA duct wouldn't have cleared them even with a slim fan mounted in the recess, but with the fan mounted inside the duct, the heatpipes protruded slightly into the the now-vacant recess, and the fit was perfect.)

I thought I needed a fan in the duct because of the fanless video card I have, so I installed it. Even throttled down to 5V, it's the only fan in the computer making audible motor noise. I placed a soft silicon-rubber fan grommet between the fan and the duct, but the mounting screws still transmit some of the sound to the plastic duct, so it's audible if you put your ear around the rear of the case. Otherwise, I think I'd have an essentially silent computer.

My tip to people contemplating installing a fan in the VGA duct would be to get rubber mounting pins to use in place of the metal screws. I have some on order. Most users will not need a fan in the duct, though.

Ron

Ron

 

[milleron]

Originally posted by: entropy1982
Wow thanks so much for all the responses guys... much appreciated.

Would anyone be able to suggest a fan for me to use in the front exhaust duct?

And also.... ugh... i'm sure this is a really stupid question when someone finally answers it for me but how will the front exhaust fan work if there is a cover in the front? (in other words how does the air escape?)

Like AquaLeviathan said, that's an INTAKE fan. Just use any 120mm fan known to be pretty silent -- Panaflo, Nexus, Yate Loon are top choices. As you probably know, the Panaflos, with their HydroWave bearings just don't make any motor noise at all. All you hear is the gentle whoosh of air, and it's not irritating. Although the sound coming from a Panaflo can be measured in decibels, it's not really comparable to the high-pitched motor noise that registers with most fans. Even 30 db. from a Panaflo is not going to be irritating, like it might be coming from other fans, so take the "noise" ratings of Panaflos with a big grain of salt.

Ron