Installing fans in my Kingwin 424 case

[CasmirRadon]

Okay, I feel stupid for even asking this, and don't really know what I expect out of you guys. But I've got a Kingwin 424 case for my first build, and I do love it... only problem is that it's about as loud as running a jet engine in my room all day (and I wish I could sleep through it at night).

I've already read a thousand pro/con reviews on fan types, and I've got 3 panaflo's just reading for purchasing.

My problem is, how am I supposed to change/install the two intake fans in the front of this case? Take a look at Anandtech's review of the case to see some pictures of what I mean. The bottom picture gives a broad view of how the hard drive cage is blocking the two fans, and in the top picture if you look carefully you can see how I wouldn't be able to reach the bottom 2 screws on the bottom fan. The cage appears to be wielded into place...

Do I just need really small hands and lots of patience? Or did I pick a case that is especially difficult to switch the fans on?

ANY tips or advance would be appreciated.

 

[imported_Kiwi]

I have a system in that same case, and the fans in mine aren't particularly loud. I have even added one more than it came with. The internal 3 1/2 drive cage is attached with four screws that you get to by snapping off the front bezel. No problem at all. Unless they have changed that case in the last couple of months -- I got mine last July.

 

[fireontheway]

remove the intake filter then you should see the plastic pins securing the two fans. and also you 'll prolly need smaller hands and some patience ...

 

[CasmirRadon]

Thanks. I'll just go ahead and buy those fans, set aside some time over the weekend and get it all done. My build could do with some cable management anyway, might as well take out the motherboard tray and get everything neat and tidy while I'm in there.

Thanks again for the help.

 

[Algere]

Do you wanna remove the stock fans because it's too loud or are there other reasons too?

I mean afterall why not just use the adjustable knob (behind front panel) to change the fans's speed.

 

[CasmirRadon]

I have already turned down the speed with the adjustable knob on my case, which did make the fans quieter... but they still remain quite loud.

Part of this discomfort may be because the computer is placed only a few feet from my bed, but my friends and family have all commented that it is an especially loud computer as well. Not sure why I'm having more problems then other people with this.

 

[lenjack]

Don't feel stupid for asking questions...that's what we're all about. Nothing wrong with being noobish. Many of us were when we started here.

 

[CasmirRadon]

OK, I opened up my case an took a good long look inside, and here is what I've found.

First of all, it seems the fans are attached with some sort of locking push-pins instead of screws. Is there some obvious way to remove these that I don't know? Is there a special took I could find? Or should I just break them out like my Dad suggested?

Second, I only just bought my case a month ago, but my 3 1/2 drive cage is affixed with rivits, not screws. Which is annoying, but not an impossible problem to get around.

At this point I'm thinking of just replacing the rear fan, and disconnecting the front intake fans. Through my searches through the forum I found a website of guys who ran a bunch of fan tests, that basically suggested that having nothing but a rear outtake fan is not necessarily suboptimal (sorry, don't have the URL handy).

 

[xbassman]

Originally posted by: CasmirRadon
OK, I opened up my case an took a good long look inside, and here is what I've found.

First of all, it seems the fans are attached with some sort of locking push-pins instead of screws. Is there some obvious way to remove these that I don't know? Is there a special took I could find? Or should I just break them out like my Dad suggested?

Second, I only just bought my case a month ago, but my 3 1/2 drive cage is affixed with rivits, not screws. Which is annoying, but not an impossible problem to get around.

At this point I'm thinking of just replacing the rear fan, and disconnecting the front intake fans. Through my searches through the forum I found a website of guys who ran a bunch of fan tests, that basically suggested that having nothing but a rear outtake fan is not necessarily suboptimal (sorry, don't have the URL handy).

To remove the push pins, I use a knife blade to pry them out. Just slip the blade under the cap and pry it out. It will come out when you work it a bit.

If this is by your bed, you probably won't be satisfied with the silence unless you reduce it to just the 1 exhaust. and maybe 1 intake blowing across your hard drive. (if necessary)

I would cut out the stamped fan grills and replace them with a wire grill. This will give you less restriction and turbulence.

If you remove the intakes completely you wouldn't even need a grill there except the filter cover.

That said....for this to work well you need a cool running processor and efficient cable management.
Silence usually (but not always) comes at the expense of cooling capacity.

 

[CasmirRadon]

Thanks for the help, I think I am going to go with a single panaflo exhaust fan for now, and monitor my system for a while to see how that works. For the past day and night I've run my system with just the exhaust stock fan running, which has actually been working pretty well (aside from the already mentioned sound). So I'm optomistic.

Thanks again everyone.

 

[Frakk]

I'm just about to order the case in silver without a window and I'm gonna change the fans too, and here I found some good info, thanks for it.
However I'm still not sure in couple things. Im planning on modding the case a little, a 120mm fan hole on top, above the cpu, 2X 80mm fan
holes on the side, one by the pci and agp slots, one right in front of the cpu and the stock fan wholes on the front for the hd's, and back exhaust
are gonna stay. Im gonna use all SilenX fans, all 14db which is pretty silent, plus all of them except the top 120mm fan are going to be thermistor
ones so they only spin up fast when its needed. Its gonna give me a total of about 200cfm max airflow while running pretty silent. Since I dont need
fan controlling for the 80mm fans(the temp is controlling them) I'm thinking on hooking the top 120mm fan up to the knob in the front panel. It's got
2 3pin connectors so it shouldnt be a big trick, however I dont know if it works for all kinds of fans. I've read a review when he tried to measure
the voltage but he got messed up numbers and said that it could be alternating current. I dont know what to think cause I cant try it myself yet, so any
suggestions on this concept would be good Other than that the replacing of the fans seems pretty straigt forward, remove the jammed plastic things,
get the fan out, replace fan with screws, possibly cutting out the stock fan holes and replacing with grills. I cant wait til I get this case and start making
it happen.
Thanks for any thoughts

 

[nOObBooB]

Horrible, case i have one and its too damn loud. I couldnt find a way to make it quieter. Its so freaking loud i even heard teh case over my music. The only way is to get a fan controller that sits in one of the drive bay. For like $20.

But i did, i got an antec case sonata. Its extremely quiet. And just as cool, only increase on 3C from the difference in case temps.

 

[AnnoyedGrunt]

I just posted a review of this case in a different thread.

I also found the case loud in its stock form, so I replaced all 3 fans with Panaflo 1900 RPM ones (about $13 for all three from SVC). I have the front two fans attached to the speed controller and running @ their lowest speed (probably 1200-1500 RPM) but the rear fan is still @ 1900. The case is much quieter now, and it's getting to the point where the case fans are no longer the loudest component in my case. Still though, I am going to remover the rear case fan altogether and see how that affects noise and temps. Hopefully my PSU will be able to remove the heat as required. Luckily, it's getting closer to winter, so my room temps are getting much cooler.

Overall, I think the case is very nice, and by swapping the fans for some lower speed ones (and maybe using a fan controller for the rear fan) it can be made very quiet.

-D'oh!

 

[nOObBooB]

Acutally you might want ot remove those 2 front case fans. When i did so my caes temps droped a couple degrees. Preferablly you want to have more exhuast than intake becuase you want the exhuast fans to pull the air thru the computer case. Not just force air in and have no where for it to go. So what was a really nice setup i had with the case was i added a blow hole to the top of the case. That really helped cool my case. I was down 26C case temps and 32C for cpu idle. Under load my case them was only 36C and cpu 42C to 45C.