PSU "venting"

[nebula]

How many people here cover/close up the openings on the PSU that are on the side opposite the "exhaust" fan? I used to do this a couple years ago, but I thought now PSUs only had the bottom "intake" hole, by the CPU and the exhaust hole on the back. I opened up my case last night and realized that my PSU has many slots on this opposite side... jeez I'm braindead sometimes.

Don't these slots allow hot air from inside the PSU to be blown back into the case? Granted, there is the exhaust fan sucking it out, but if the intake fan is at a higher CFM than the exhaust, then it's gotta go somewhere.

 

[amcdonald]

If I had a 2nd psu fan, I'd tape off the other psu vents. The fan should circulate more than enough air to eliminate the need for other venting.

 

[shikhan]

I keep mine open so that way, i dont have a area of hot air at the top of my case where my optical drives are. If i closed them off, i'd have the problem of the hot air staying right by the optical drive. Plus, right now, i'm thinking about removing the bottom fan on the psu anyways because from all my research, its only there as a fail-safe and actually makes it noiser and doesn't give much benifits.

 

[nebula]

Originally posted by: shikhan
I keep mine open so that way, i dont have a area of hot air at the top of my case where my optical drives are. If i closed them off, i'd have the problem of the hot air staying right by the optical drive. Plus, right now, i'm thinking about removing the bottom fan on the psu anyways because from all my research, its only there as a fail-safe and actually makes it noiser and doesn't give much benifits.

But isn't this assuming that air is getting sucked into those slots? Since you have two fans in your PS, as I do, then couldn't air actually be coming out of those slots blowing on the opticals... If you had just one fan in the PS, the exhaust, then I could see how leaving them open would be better. But with two, maybe closing them up is better.

I don't know, just trying to generate thought.

 

[shikhan]

Yes, you're actually right now that i checked it :/ There is a slight amount of air blowing out, i never even thought about that. However, if i remove the bottom fan, you probably want to keep them open. Now i've got to think about if i wan't to put and blowhole(but fanless) at the top of my new case.

 

[amcdonald]

shikhan, I'd advise a blowhole and closing off the back psu vent.

 

[shikhan]

I really want a fanless blowhole at the top but i'm scared about screwing up my new case(Xpider). I've played with my dremel a bit on my old case and such and much cuts wern't that clean. And that case did end up falling apart (although it was a crappy case to begin with) but thats kinda pushed me away from modding if possible. Bleh