Ideas for optimizing a cooling air flow for the ATX case

bupkus

Diamond Member
Nov 25, 2000
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I'm sold on the idea of cutting a blow-hole in the top panel of all my atx cases for a quiet 120mm fan. However, I've always been concerned with the negative pressure in the case that would slow the venting of the PSU. My latest idea is to reverse the direction of the PSU fan to vent upward to the blowhole.
Some of my PSUs have a fan that is aimed downward, sucking air inward and out the back. I could reverse the fans and mount the PSU upside down. That way the negative pressure would assist the PSU fans to draw the air in from the back and upward to the 120mm fan.
Anyone see any problems with that?
Of course, if the PSU has only one fan pointed outward, the reversal would not give a clear destination of where inside the case the warm air would exit. I can't say I would like to do the fan reversal for that kind of PSU.

EDIT: Nuts, I forgot the holding screw placement isn't symetrical. I'd have to cut and thread custom holes in the PSU. Well :roll: it was a good idea.
 

alexXx

Senior member
Jun 4, 2002
502
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i dont even know where to start
but, why do you think a top fan will be the best in your situation? why do you want to destroy the great working venilation of hte powersupply?

What you need to do is take the side panel off, stare for a couple hours at the inside of your computer, decide what needs the most airflow. decide how to acheive that airflow.

It isnt as straightforward as adding a random fan and hoping it works..
 

VERTIGGO

Senior member
Apr 29, 2005
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I've come up with a plan for my rig, strictly for air because i lug it around and i need reliability. I just ordered an XP-120 with a panaflo 115cfm fan for it. I'm planning on an ATI silencer for my gpu (any other recommendations? i was considering the silencer because i think its genius to have the air ducted straight out the back of the case). Air cooling, however, requires a reasonable ambient temp inside the case, (the current topic) so here's my plan:

My thermaltake soprano already has good stock airflow, (120mm and 80mm in, and 120 out, as well as the ATI graphics cooler and PSU airflow out the back). However, I'd like to maximize the cooling capability of each major component.

I'm thinking about 1 or 2 120mm fans on the bottom of the case with a good air filter, to bring fresh air from the floor of my room up the center of the case. I'd reverse the front intake to pull that air across my drives directly out the front, so that their heat is not added to the case ambient. Also, the bottom intake would direct fresh air into the ATI silencer, to maximize it's cooling of the gpu. The rest would move up to replace the air pulled out of the back of the case through the exhaust and PSU.

On the side, instead of the stock 80mm I'm considering a larger hole, and a duct straight to the CPU HSF, (xp-120) which would give the fx-55 115 cubic feet of the freshest room air per minute, maximizing my OC. That air would also cool the chipset and ram, and be pulled out the back through the exhaust and PSU. This means for the cost of 3 120mm fans and some tools i can maximize the freshest airflow directly to each major component, instead of using air thats already passed several heatsources.

Any thoughts?
 

JEDIYoda

Lifer
Jul 13, 2005
33,986
3,320
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I will tell you what appears to work very well for me!!
I have only 2 - 80 mm fans blowing air into the case over my harddrives at the bottom of my case!
Everything else is sucking air out of the case!
The side panel fan, the fan on top of the case everything sucks air out!!

That works very well for me!!

I do have 2 sets od interl fans that I use!
One to cool the memory modules and a combination Vantec dual fan set up blowing air up at the Video card!!

Im cool as cucumber!!!
 

Howard

Lifer
Oct 14, 1999
47,982
10
81
If the combined airflow into the case is greater than the combined airflow out of the case, air will leak out of holes and such, instead of leaking in. That means that if you filter the intake air, dust will be minimized. Just a tip.
 

VERTIGGO

Senior member
Apr 29, 2005
826
0
76
:cool:

well i do enjoy the sound of a good supercharged engine...

anyway living in okinawa with house fans on 100%, i don't notice the computer noise much. Also, the noise indicates good airflow, which is reassuring, and my game sound is far louder anyway!