Ducts/fan adapters for CPU/drives

[AC]

I am thinking of buying/making some ducts to channel the hot air from my cpu/drives to the outside, and a fan adapter to replace my noisy 60mm cpu fan with a larger quieter fan. Any suggestions/guides/links/etc. to info on where to buy/how to make?

 

[fast_eddie]

AC;
It is probably easier to duct cool outside air into your 'box' and duct it to where you need the cooler air than trying to 'grab' the heated air and channel it outside the case. Hot air rises, so it is probably best to have and exhaust at the top of the case.
I have yet to find adequate ducts (for my BP-6 project 'box') at any websites; I am planning on fabricating ducts to the 2 Celeron 433s, the 4 Maxtor HDDs, and the Matrox video card. I have already mounted a 120mm fan at the top of the case for exhaust; also have a 120mm intake fan at the front of the case that will be 'ducted' to the 4 HDDs (gonna stand them on their side, 2 wide X 2 high; almost finished with the mounting bracket). I have mounted a 120mm fan ON the rear of the case (not enough room IN the case) to provide cooling air to the dual CPUs; having problems getting the airflow and angles of the ducting completed to my satisfaction. I may resort to mounting a 120mm fan on the side of the case; will be a straight 'shot' toward the CPUs that way.

 

[AC]

I would like to kill the noise from my computer. It has 4 fans (Delta 120mm on rear panel, Nidec 120mm on front panel, Sunon 60mm on cpu, generic 80mm on PS), 5 hard drives, and 2 cd/dvd drives total, but it sounds like a hurricane.

I would like to setup a duct system to channel air more efficiently and replace those fans with slower/quieter ones.

Any suggestions?

 

[fast_eddie]

check out Gizzo's fan index
Gizzo's site
for specs on major fan brands

I would replace both 120mm fans with Panaflo L1A fans; blowing in.
As for the 60mm fan on the CPU; can you afford to lose some Airflow for the sake of quiet? If so, pick out a fan that you would feel comfortable with for exhaust.
Ditto for the 80mm PS fan; get a quiet one.
Then I would cut the top of the case for a 120mm exhaust fan (blowhole).

As for internal duct for the drives; you have to give me some idea as to your case arrangement.

 

[AC]

The picture of my case.
The specs for my case. (Note the dimensions.)

I am wanting to make a duct from the CPU hs to the lower 120mm cutout. Thus, would it be possible to replace the 60mm CPU fan with the 120mm case fan via the duct and have the hot air from the CPU channeled directly out of the case? It would be overkill, but that will be one less noisy fan. Since two of the drives are also next to the cutouts (in mounting bracket), I was thinking of making some sort of air flow guides to channel cool air through the drives and out with the same duct system.

The 3 HDD and 2 CD/DVD drives in the front produce a lot of heat when all are working hard. I want to remove that plastic speaker/fan holder and mount them by other means. However, a duct system is also needed to move air around those drives. A 120mm fan in the front should do it.

Just purchased an EnerMax FC PS, so that should take care of the noise from the PS.

How loud is 30dB? My roommate has an HP P3 500MHz. It seems to have only one PS fan. It is nearly silent.

I forgot to mention that I have an Alpha PAL6035. It needs really good airflow. With my 120mm fan sucking (blowing out) right next to it, CPU temp according to the thermistor is around 45*C (with RC5 running). With it off, it is 55*C.

So, do you have any suggestions on what I can use? Nonconductive materials preferred (I don't want to fry anything). Gizzo said he used lexan. What is that and where can I get it? Is it easy to mold? Something flexible would be nice for the drives.

For fans, I was thinking of getting some temperature controlled ones that run between 20dB and 40dB. How do those work out? Are they annoying?

 

[fast_eddie]

hey there AC;
1. nice, roomy, wide case you have there!
2. trash the front plastic fan holder - install a 120mm Panaflo L1A fan - use the rear HDD rack to mount 2 HDDs placed directly on the floor of the case behind the front fan [you can secure with double-stick tape] - you may want to have a small duct or deflector to aim some fan airflow [from the front 120mm fan] up to the HDD that you mount in the front,lower 3.5 drive rack
3. use the rear lower fan hole [120mm Panaflo L1A fan] to supply cool air for the CPU heatsink thru a duct that you fabricate
4. punch a hole in the top of the case for a 120mm fan to exhaust the heated air [I can't evaluate the clearance avavilable for an internally mounted 120mm fan from the LiteOn website images.} OR looks like you have sufficient room up next to the 5.25 drive rack on the right hand side to mount an exhaust fan there
5. the louvers on the left side of the case look useless for providing any cooling for the 5.25 drives; I would seal the louver area with a sheet of aluminum & double stick tape (I believe in sealing evry place that dust can be sucked into a case; I filter all intake fans & run more intake than exhaust to 'pressurize' the case.)
6. I would mount the CD drives in alternate 5.25 openings - if you are concerned about heat from them, you could then mount small low speed fans horizontally to circulate some air across the bottoms of the drives
OR if you can mount a fan in the right side panel at the top, cut some holes in the right side of the unused 5.25 drive mounts to allow some air flow across the bottom of the CD drives
7. LEXAN is a type of plastic that is very flexible & bullet proof; usually used for windows that are not exposed to direct sunlight - I have worked with .092" [approx 1/10 of an inch thick] for below ground & north facing windows and have folded thin strips back on itself! no cracking or any evidence that it was folded over! HAVE NOT found an adhesive that works on Lexan Also not easy to cut! you can check out Lexan at HomeDepot or Lowes Home Center stores
I am going to use aluminum to form ducts for my dual CPU BP-6.

Remember that hot air rises; probably a lot easier to push ducted cool in at a heatsink than it is to 'suck' the hot air away from a CPU.

Gotta go now!

Ed