Cooling Advice Needed for cooling packed (older) In-WinQ500 setup.

[RobMuadib]

Hey all.

I am running into some heat problems with my newly rebuilt system, the components and specs are below.

InWin Q500 (older model with 2 fan positions in top rear)
Enermax 431W PS (with 9cm fan over CPU position & 8cm exhaust)
Athlon XP1800+ @1533 w/Thermalright AX-6 & 50cfm Mechatronics 80mm fan on it (had the Delta 80cfm, but was TOO LOUD and a little to big for my tastes.)

Have a Gainward GF3 Ti200 W128MB with a 2 80mm fan card cooler deal, with a fan-hole grid drilled in case, pulling in air.
Also have an Adaptec 29160N, Audigy, Nic, USB2.0 card, with
only 1 free slot. (I had a slot cooler deal next to old vid card, but it won't fit now because of f/hs on the GF3.)

I have an I-Storm in top bay of case, cooling a 7200RPM U160 SCSI HDD, 2 80GB Maxtors with the small undermount HDD fans cooling both, an empty bay and a Lite-On 32x in bottom bay.(Had a second bay/HDD cooler, but took it out as one of the fans on it was dying.)

Anyway, I have a 50cfm Mechatronics 80mm in lower front of case, pulling air in.

I have the 2x80MM fan Card Cooler on the lower right rear pulilng air in (probably like 35-40cfm together).

I have the Enermax pulling air out over the Thermalright F/HS over the CPU, and 2x80mm in parallel in the top-rear of the case pulling air out(around 35-40cfm together). (have ribbon cables at the moment.)

Anyway, my system is running way hot now, with like a case tem of 90-96 degrees F, and my CPU is running up to 53 Degrees C under heavy load.

I just ordered a mess of rounded cables to replace my ribbon cables and 4 Sunon 50cfm 80mm fans (to replace the card cooler and top rear fans). So does anyone have any suggestions on how to get this thing to cool down.

One of my other questions, is whether it would be better to tape over the ventilation holes on the bottom part of the case (has a row of ventilation holes on bottom of both sides of case. Has a single row on the top part.)

I have the air-conditioner on in my room and it is still running this hot.

Anyway, any advice would be appreciated

 

[AkumaBao]

Sounds like you need more exhaust. With all those fans pulling in, you're just letting the air inside warm up rather exiting the case.

 

[Gene396]

Agree with AlkumaBao; too much intake. First try turning off 2 80mm card cooler. This air is probably blowing against your intake fan in lower front of case creating "swirl effect." I have 3 removable Hard drive racks. Each has a very small fan sucking air past HDs into case. (these are only intake fans in case) Every good report on cooling states that it is very important to create a positive air flow from bottom front of case flowing up and toward back of case. Your Power supply, 2 fans above PS and rear exhaust fan near CPU should be sufficent to creat this flow pattern.

Have new Q500 case. Am using 2 rear exhaust fans, PS and slot fan next to ATI Radeon 64 DDR video card. Do not have as much equiptment as you, but am runing a XP 1660+ @1.4 using HS that came with retail verson with a 60mm Delta runing @ 6000 RPM. With room temperature 70F, has system temp 29C and CPU 36C at idle. Running Flight Simulator CPU peaks out at 42C.

Hope this helps!!

Gene