PCI slot cover touches motherboard.

[ironk]

I have put a pci slot cover on a open slot, and it doesn't go all the way down into the case hole at the bottom. If the slot cover touches the motherboard, will the motherboard short out? I don't know if its the case that was the wrong height slots in the back, but I thought all covers were the same length? The ones I have are these:

http://www.amazon.com/Ziotek-Metal-Case-Slot-Covers/dp/B000BSJHRI

I am using them on a ATX case. Also, do they make covers like the following that push in instead?

http://i.imgur.com/Y8f4tXf.jpg

 

[PhIlLy ChEeSe]

I would just use a file or a bench grinder, make it fit. You may have used the extra tall stand offs for under the motherboard, so now it will touch the board instead of fitting normally. You could try using shorter stand offs, its really up to you.

 

[ironk]

The end of the slot piece is supposed to go all the way down into the motherboard tray area, but these covers are about a few mm short so they kind of slant forward towards the end which makes them touch the motherboard. The thing is that all pci covers are about 4-3/4" long from what I have seen so I don't think its those. It wouldn't be a problem if the covers were plastic, I don't think.

I have put a example picture here with the slot end in red outline:

http://i.imgur.com/Pv4YqKE.png

In mine, the cover does not reach all the way to the end so when I tighten the screw at the top, the bottom of the slot cover slants slightly forward which touches the motherboard.

 

[ClockHound]

I would just leave them off and get better cooling, assuming a positive pressure front-to-back airflow.

 

[PhIlLy ChEeSe]

I know what the covers look like, what I don't know is what your talking about "they touch the board"? But you don't post a photo of that, you show me stuff that is irrelevant. If you look at a 2 slot GPU when it is seated the PCI-E cover built into the card, touches the board. So I'm really confused as to what your talking about other then a normal cover?
There is a gap left between the board and the case on purpose, for the covers and GPU'S to slide into. If the cover is touching the EDGE of the mother board your fine, if the cover is touching the top side of the mother board then its not meant to.

 

[mikeymikec]

I bought a pack of 10 PCI blanking plates and none of them have fitted a computer I've tried them in yet (as in, the length of the plate is too long and makes the top lip hang past the point where it can be screwed into the case). In some cases I've broken bits off the bottom end and they work well enough, but I've generally resigned myself to scavenging old PCs for plates that fit.

 

[ironk]

I know what the covers look like, what I don't know is what your talking about "they touch the board"? But you don't post a photo of that, you show me stuff that is irrelevant. If you look at a 2 slot GPU when it is seated the PCI-E cover built into the card, touches the board. So I'm really confused as to what your talking about other then a normal cover?
There is a gap left between the board and the case on purpose, for the covers and GPU'S to slide into. If the cover is touching the EDGE of the mother board your fine, if the cover is touching the top side of the mother board then its not meant to.

Sorry, I think this image will explain it more:

http://i.imgur.com/0hTZPyJ.png

Its not touching the top of the motherboard, but the edge as you mentioned it. You said that it is ok for it to do that, but I thought the motherboard shorts out if it touches part of the case...either way, I don't like it doing that (its just me) but I don't want to leave the slot open either.

I bought a pack of 10 PCI blanking plates and none of them have fitted a computer I've tried them in yet (as in, the length of the plate is too long and makes the top lip hang past the point where it can be screwed into the case). In some cases I've broken bits off the bottom end and they work well enough, but I've generally resigned myself to scavenging old PCs for plates that fit.

That is strange too, I guess they don't make all of them the same type/length then. I am looking around for covers that you "push" into the slot rather than just cover them, but haven't found them.

 

[mikeymikec]

That is strange too, I guess they don't make all of them the same type/length then. I am looking around for covers that you "push" into the slot rather than just cover them, but haven't found them.

I think that's because those might be considered to be single-use / disposable ones (or perhaps I'm alone in not being able to consistently remove them without damaging them in some way!).

 

[ironk]

I think that's because those might be considered to be single-use / disposable ones (or perhaps I'm alone in not being able to consistently remove them without damaging them in some way!).

I thought they were quite sturdy, but they seemed to work the best for me. One end of them would go to the outside of the slot and then they would just snap into place (some had option for screws on the top too).

 

[BonzaiDuck]

Touching the edge of the motherboard would seem "par for the course."

I've often had minor troubles installing a PCI plate so that the tab at the end fits in the narrow space between case and motherboard-edge.

Bend it, and it will fit.

My collection of PCI/PCI-E plates probably precedes the "PCI-era." I think even ISA or EISA plates are the same.

 

[Joepublic2]

I've had this happen a lot with cheap cases like in your pictures and it's never caused a problem. I don't know if you could short to a grounding section/layer but even that shouldn't cause a problem because it'll be at the same potential as the case to begin with. There aren't any traces running around the absolute edges of the board carrying a potential relative to the case if that's what you're worried about.