Fong Kai (FKI) FK320

[Chuck]

My current problem with my InWin 500 case is that the fan on my FOP38 is just so damn noisy! I don't want to spend loads on a new case if it doesn't help me much. Does anyone who has the case think it'd be a good move for me to get it? Or would some other method of noise reduction have a better bang per buck?

 

[clumsum]

Chuck,
Don't change cases (especially if your InWin is the S500 w/rear case fan mount), just replace the fan on the FOP-38.
You can leave the hs mounted on the cpu (to avoid any damage) and just release the wire fan mount clips and replace just the fan w/any other quieter (less rpm) 60mm model.
You can always re-install the 7000rpm fan if your system develops heat related issues...............................

 

[zision]

does the back fan duct come out far enough to really get all the heat from the CPU? On most socket motherboards that is.

 

[Chuck]

clumsum,

It's the G-500 I think. Just a fan at the bottom-front. I'll try what you suggested, but I don't have any more 60mm fans. Would using one of those big case fans (attached with some string or something), be ok?

 

[clumsum]

Chuck,
You definately need a fan mounted on the heatsink, but you can usually get by with less airflow (rpm/noise) if you are not over-clocking.

Check w/some of the web sites that sell coolers and fans, you can probably just order the YS Tech fan that comes on the FOP32 directly from GlobalWin.
The only difference between the FOP-38 and the FOP-32 is the fan speed.

Check around the local pc stores where you live, especially the smaller ones, someone has to have 60mm 3-pin fans for sale.
Also, you may want to add a rear case fan to your pc, if you have the grill/mounts already there.
Usually the front case fan will suck air in (intake) and the rear fan will blow out (exhaust).

You can sometimes find a very cheap brand hsf for sale and just remove and use the fan on your hs.

 

[Chuck]

Isn't that what the PSU fan is supposed to do? At the moment i've got one case fan at the front-bottom, one in the front-mid (cooling my HD's), and then the PSU one (sending air out of the case). I was thinking that those big case fans most shift quite a lot of air, but not nessasarally at a high RPM.

 

[clumsum]

zision,
I am not sure about how effective the plastic duct is at sucking air off of the cpu as when users reverse the rear fan to exhaust.
That is one of the reasons why I have left my rear fan w/duct blowing air onto the hsf.
I think we need some cpu/system temperature testing in this area to just confirm what most users seem to take for granted.
I have not oc'd my 700 Athlon so heat has not been an issue in my case.
However, I am still very curious and will try to check it for myself, if no one else does.
I know that a lot of design and testing went into certifing this case for xeon and 10K hdd use, it seems to me that F-K would not ship this case to market w/the fan improperly installed, but I just don't have enough data to argue the point either way....................?

 

[clumsum]

Chuck,
The case fans basically just try to keep the air mass inside the case as close to ambient (room) temperature as possible, they do not usually need to be high rpm (loud) fans, although it seems like the more fan blades the better.
The cpu hsf draws in this hopefully ambient temperature air and forces it across the hs fins in order to increase the efficiency of the hs.
If the heat drawn off of the cpu hs causes the air temp inside the case to increase and not be expelled then all the temps begin to rise.
So you actually need a combination of both fan types, case/hsf for proper cooling of all componets.