Noob question i think!

[carling220]

My case has a small fan at the back which has stopped. Whilst my temps are OK, I feel I should sort this before I overclock.

I want to moderately and safely overclock my 2500k on stock cooling. Since it runs fairly cool when not dusty, I think this should be OK?

This is my case, I think it is called an antec 600.
http://www.mnpctech.3dpixelnet.com/picture_library/antec_600_review_casemodblog.com1.jpg

Does anyone know where I can, and what size/type fan I should order for the back small fan? It's probably a really basic noob question, but this stuff was included by the store. All I ever do is change GPU.

 

[PG]

http://www.antec.com/pdf/manuals/Six Hundred Manual_EN.pdf

Looks like 120mm fan. Lots of places have them, and the speeds, and therefore noise levels can vary a lot depending on brand and model.

For a 120mm case fan, anything around 1200 rpm or less should move some air without being too loud, but this is a very personal thing.

If the top fan is working fine that would cool the case pretty well all by itself, but you are right, good to have a fan back there too.

Here is a sample: http://www.microcenter.com/product/325743/120_x_120mm_Long_Life_Bearing_Case_Fan

I have some of those. They are cheap and seem to work fine. You may not have a Micro Center nearby so you will have to see what is available.
Don't spend too much for fans. I see some stores with fans for around $20 or so and that's insane.

 

[carling220]

Thanks.

Prices do vary on scan. Some of them listed under case cans, talk about efficient heat sink cooling? I guess it's just a 120mm fan and you can use them for whatever you want!

There are two corsair ones for £20+, but talks about syncs so maybe this is designed for processor heat sinks. http://www.scan.co.uk/products/120m...pressure-1450rpm-3785cfm-23db-3-pin-twin-pack

Then there are lots of cheaper ones too? But the brand I read about called Noctua, there fans are about £15 each. For an overclocked CPU, maybe I need a better fan to pull/push more air? The corsair two pack I linked too, is £20 for two, so £10 each. They seem OK, these should suffice, giving me a spare?

 

[bonehead123]

Thanks.
There are two corsair ones for £20+, but talks about syncs so maybe this is designed for processor heat sinks. http://www.scan.co.uk/products/120m...pressure-1450rpm-3785cfm-23db-3-pin-twin-pack

Well, as usual, you will get what you pay for... go cheap & the fans are either noisy as hell, wont last very long or dont move much air.

Spend a few more $$ & get ones that are good quality so you wont have to replace them in 6 months or have to install sound barriers in your case.....

I have 6 of those ones you linked to (in 2 different rigs) and they work extremely well

 

[rchunter]

Well, as usual, you will get what you pay for... go cheap & the fans are either noisy as hell, wont last very long or dont move much air.

Spend a few more $$ & get ones that are good quality so you wont have to replace them in 6 months or have to install sound barriers in your case.....

I have 6 of those ones you linked to (in 2 different rigs) and they work extremely well

Exactly. It's definitely worth it to me to buy the good ones so I won't have to mess with it for another 6 years. I just switched over my Norco 4224 case to all noctua fans. That case is like night and day quieter than what it came stock and just as cool temp wise.

 

[MongGrel]

I love Noctua's for being quiet and effective myself, but I don't by them often.

Have several around, and they hold up a very long time.

Couple of cases that are currently using some I guess, and many are older and running like new still.

Os it an older 80 or something on a PSU ?

Does just look like a standard 120 if the one behind the CPU.

 

[rchunter]

I love Noctua's for being quiet and effective myself, but I don't by them often.

Have a several around, and they hold up a very long time.

Couple of cases that are currently using some I guess, and many are older and running like new still.

NICE. Gotta love noctua

 

[MongGrel]

If it's what I think it is you could grab a low pressure one on that rear there like the two in my 1200.

http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16835608060&cm_re=noctua-_-35-608-060-_-Product

 

[carling220]

The corsair fan I am looking at is 'high static pressure'. What effect does this have? Versus low pressure.

Are 120mm fans just fans generally, or are some optimized for case and some for heat sink use?

 

[lehtv]

High static pressure has no effect on actual CFM as a case fan, but improves airflow through dense heat sinks such as water cooling radiators. So yes, high SP means optimized for heat sink use. There are no fans optimized for use as case fans, they're just fans (with the exception of 180mm+ fans that you only find as case fans and never on heat sinks).

 

[Essence_of_War]

High static pressure has no effect on actual CFM as a case fan, but improves airflow through dense heat sinks such as water cooling radiators.

It could also help if the fan is an intake up against a hard drive cage, too. Depending on the design and the number of drives, those can be fairly restrive.

 

[BonzaiDuck]

The sheet-metal modders seem to have retired a bit from the forums, but here's an option.

I see that the Antec case already has a ~180 to 200mm fan port. Good.

FWIW, there are "great" cases, beautiful cases, mainstream cases and nothing-special cases.

He could attempt to carefully remove the entirety of the plexi-glass panel from the side-panel -- hopefully so that it could be re-installed. Then, replace it with perf-aluminum or perf-steel -- often called "modder's mesh" by the sheet-metal-modding crowd. Alternatively, replace the plexi-glass with a thicker Lexan plastic, and start drilling holes for vents and mounts to use the following type of fan.

He might be able to pick up a blue-LED Bitfenix Spectre-Pro 200mm fan and install it in the side-panel.

This is "work." Dremel. Drill. Precise marking with a hole-punch. The details for making any change to the side-panel to make a really solid installation -- he'll have to work out on his own.

Replace the stock heatsink with any good heatpipe tower -- 212 EVO at minimum, but it's cheap and effective. Buy a $5 ThermalRight blue-rubber accordion duct to fit between the EVO (or other heatpipe tower) and rear exhaust. Attend to sealing the case leaving no major leakage anywhere but at the circular fan intakes. Make the top and sidepanel large (low SP, high airflow) fans intake, and blow all the exhaust through the heatpipe tower and out the rear.

Alternatively, leave the side-panel plexi-glass, plug any holes, and -- if POSSIBLE -- install something like a Bitfenix Spectre Pro in the front (if not already fitted with similar). If not -- then a couple 140's for which cumulative rating matches that of the top fan -- now configured for intake.

THEN, OVERCLOCK that puppy.