Antec Solo with Seasonic X650

[Keylimesoda]

Has anyone successfully used a 120mm fan PSU with an Antec Solo?

There's no PSU vent on the top of the case. So, the options are:

1. Mount the PSU right-side up and let it pull air from the tiny gap between the PSU and the top of the case.
2. Mount the PSU upside down and let it pull hot air from the case (and most of the PSU heat rise into the PCB).
3. Drill holes in the top of the Antec Solo (additional noise?)

 

[alfa147x]

I think you're mounting the PSU wrong. Your idea of right side up is wrong. Upside down is correct

 

[JaBro999]

There is no problem with using that Seasonic PSU and the Antec Solo. I have an Antec P150, which is basically the Antec Solo in white, and a Corsair HX520 PSU, and they are perfectly compatible. The HX520 has a 120 mm intake fan, and is even manufactured by Seasonic.

You should have your PSU's intake positioned facing down, so it draws air in from the case, rather than face up and draw air from the narrow gap with the top of the case. The Solo/P150 is an older design, from when it was still the norm for cases to have an ATX PSU mounted mounted at the top of the case, drawing air in from the inside of the case and expelling it out the back exhaust. This type of design was thought to help draw hot air from the case more efficiently, perhaps lowering temperatures around the CPU. But, who knows ....

These days, you see many enthusiast cases position the PSU at the bottom of the case, usually with the option to draw air either from the inside of the case (at the bottom of the case the air should be a bit cooler) or from below the case through a bottom vent (just make sure you don't have thick carpet cutting off the air supply below the case!). The bottom mounted PSU is intended to pass cooler air through the PSU as opposed to the classic top mounted design. However, some new cases with top mounted PSU designs, like the Silverstone Temjin TJ-08-E and the Antec Solo II, have vents at the top of the case to give the option to draw air from the outside of the case. Also, these top of the case air vents allow a passive (fanless) PSU to vent the heat they generate right out the top of the case.

 

[Keylimesoda]

Is there any difference in the thermals of a PSU based on mounting direction?

For example, I had a 5970 card once and when it was mounted vertically (in a Raven RV02), it had very poor thermals, but when I laid the case down on its side, the card cooled wonderfully.

 

[ElFenix]

Is there any difference in the thermals of a PSU based on mounting direction?

For example, I had a 5970 card once and when it was mounted vertically (in a Raven RV02), it had very poor thermals, but when I laid the case down on its side, the card cooled wonderfully.

that's due to the heat pipes in the card being designed to work in certain orientations.

power supplies don't rely on heat pipes so don't have that issue.


fans on power supplies usually go on the bottom. that's how the normal solo mounting is.

 

[jtzou]

I have a Corsair AX750 (rebadged Seasonic) in my Antec no problem.

 

[kapalua12]

Much of the time that Seasonic 650 is not even running the bottom facing PS fan except under moderate load. Does this lack of additional ventilation for the case in not pulling warm case air out of the case when the fan is not running have any noticeable impact on inner case temperatures?