question for all FK-320 owners

[SWScorch]

I have had a Fong Kai FK-320 for some time now, and as many of you know, I absolutely love it. It is simply an awesome case and I feel its worth every penny I paid for it. However, I do have one gripe. The left side is very troublesome to attach and detach. Actually, troublesome is a bit of an understatement. It takes me several minutes of struggling, fighting, groaning and straining to detach it. I sent my FK-320 in a few weeks ago to get replaced, as the power supply blew, and I also thought that the reason the case side was so hard to detach was because it had somehow warped. Upon recieving my replacement case, however, there is no difference. It still takes a large amount of effort to slide the side on and off (off being exponentially more difficult.)

Other FK-320 owners, I ask you this: have you noticed the same thing? Upon reading reviews of this case prior to purchasing it, I came across no mention of this annoyance. I certainly feel that it is noteworthy enough to make it into any review, although, truth be told, the side is fine for the first couple times.

If you have noticed the same thing as I have, have you done anything to correct it? After careful scrutinization, I feel as if the problem is that the side presses with too much pressure on the rearmost part of the case (illustration) Luckily, this is the only problem I have with the case, but seeing as how I take the side off with some regularity, it is a fairly big problem. On the plus side, however, within a few months I should have biceps the size of tree trunks.

 

[alisajid]

I have the FK320, and unfortunately, the same problem too. The side panels (both of them) are a pain to install and to remove. I ordered mine with the thumb screws, hoping that would make a difference. (What was I thinking?) The damn thing came with a PSU and case fans that made it sound like a generator. I would not buy the case again.

If you do manage to come up with a solution, please do post.

BTW, doesn't the metal "fin" separating the PSU and the motherboard base pose a cooling problem, restricting airflow?

 

[SWScorch]

it probably would be better to not have the "fin" there, but I doubt it makes enough of a difference to truly be detectable.

I love this case, although I probably would rather buy an ANtec SX1040 instead.... simply because of this problem. I find that the right side is incredibly easy to remove however. If only the left side was as easy, I wouldn't hesitate to buy another.

 

[Becks2k]

Yup i have the same problem... left side... well gues thats relative.. the side you take off all the time is hard as hell to take on and off.

I can't get it off with the case standing up... i have to pull it out from under the desk lay it on its side and put my weight on it and push back.

but if i had to do it again i'd get a different case i think. It owned when i got it but now i think there are some other cases i'd rather get.

 

[Tetsuo316]

don't have the case, so i'm not exactly sure what you mean (the illustation - despite its exactness - didn't clear it up either ), but would this maybe help you out?

 

[SWScorch]

no, I dont think that would help, as it is not the tabs that make it so difficult. Rather, the inside part of the side presses very hard against the part I have highlighted in red on my illustration. There is so much pressure that it requires a lot of force. Also, I think that the top edge of the side presses very hard against the plastic top of the case that it is flush with. I may have to do some filing to see if I can make the fit better. I really love this case, but because I remove the sides quite a bit, I will do whatever is needed to facilitate this process.

 

[SWScorch]

I just spent a while studying the case in great detail. I removed all the black plastic parts so all there is now is the steel frame. Once you take the top off, the problem becomes readily apparent. The side is actually taller than the space it is supposed to fit into! That is to say, the little tabs on the top, like the ones they bent in that article that Tetsuo316 posted, are actually above the holes they fit into. So, you have to force them into the holes, which causes the side to bend a tiny bit, but it also means that they are constantly exerting upward force against the frame of the chassis. I filed the tabs down a little tiny bit and had a noticeable effect; however, it is still very difficult. I think I will contact Fong Kai about this.

 

[clumsum]

SWScorch,

I also have a F-K 320 for almost two years and still think it is a great case .............. stiff side panel and all!

As we all know, this case has very tight fitting side-panels, my personal observation is that the tight spot is exactly where you observed (not in the pictures) but, upper front part of the case.......!
However, after many side openings I have learned not to fight or force the panels, they are large and flat and relativly light-weight.
I used to also lay the case on it's side to re-install the panel, now I just:

Place the side panel on (up-right) into position, get it started (top and bottom) into the slots in the housing ......
Tip the whole case slightly to right, so I can run a finger along the lower edge to make sure all the tabs are in position (no bulging out)....
Usually I have to adjust the lower center part of the panel with a light palm slap to make sure the tabs are locked in........
With the case still tipped, I check the same area of the top of the panel to make sure it's flat against the housing, then ......
Slide the panel a touch futher forward (which locks the metal tabs into place) then, ... sit the case up straight and..... then evenly push/pull the panel forward into fully closed position.
Sometime I have to gently persuade the upper right hand corner into position with a fairly sharp slap with the heel of my hand.

I know this sounds like a long, complicated procedure but actually it's easier each time and I no longer dread removing the sides.
I actually respect the tight fit ..... that really helps to keep the airflow through the case where it's designed to go, with no excessive rattles or vibration.

As for the "thin fin" under the ps, I don't think that small brace will seriously obstruct any airflow ........... I use the plastic ducts anyway!
I would purchase this case again, with no hesitation ...... even knowing it has a flaw or two (EVERY case does) and the 320 more than makes up for a stiff side panel with many great features which I can easily list, but this post is much too lengthy already.

I hope these tips help someone else ........?

 

[dell]

The metal fin serves two purposes. First it provides additional structural support for the back pane. By having a rigid back pane I/O cards become less likely to work their way free during transport. Second and most important, the metal fin has a positive effect on the correct type of airflow. It is intentionally designed into the 320 to provide airflow isolation. Most rear fan mid tower designs have an inherent cooling problem. Ambient air from the rear fan enters the chassis to be quickly exhausted out by the power supply. This posses a major cooling problem. Lack of necessary cooling over drives and I/O cards and chipsets which are outside the processor region since ambient air travels the path of least resistance.

I think you are starting to get the picture of why the metal fin improves the correct type of airflow. Briefly, the rear fan provides outside air direct to the processor region, which is the biggest heat source. At the same time, the power supply fan helps exhaust internal air that had a chance to flow over other sources of heat: high RPM drives, video cards and memory. The metal fin creates a barrier between the two paths to enhance heat dissipation. By forcing the the power supply inlet source to the front of the case.

 

[clumsum]

dell,

Thanks for the explanation, I know the vertical rear strut built into the mb panel was also to make the housing more rigid for shipping pre-built systems.
I read somewhere that the F-K 320 was designed for some company ............ Silicon Graphics or something like that, ... and was actually engineered for dual Xeon cpu's and 10K+ rpm multiple hdd's .............!
Also that the hdd bay was actually designed to function as a type of heat sink .......... ?

 

[SWScorch]

Fong Kai replied to my email inquiring about the tightness of the side panel. Here is what they had to say:



<< Dear Mr. Roberts,



I read your review and posts with great interest. I do have some comments and suggestions that might help.

One of the people in the chat group was correct. The FK-320 has a tight fit on purpose. We are trying to limit the flow of air to certain parts of the chassis, so the flow can cool the intended portions of the motherboard, cards and processor. The ?fin? was also installed to help the airflow cool the processor and not get sucked out the power supply.
I also had a problem removing and installing the side panels on the FK-320 when I first started with Fong Kai, but I have learned a few tricks over time. One thing I discovered is that the side panel is easier to remove and install if the unit is lying on its side. I also discovered that you must be sure that all of the tabs are seated in their slots before pushing the panel forward. If you miss a tab and force the panel forward, the tab will bend and this will make the panel harder to install next time. The panel must lay flat before it is pushed forward. Firm pressure should be enough to make the panel slide. If you bang it one of the tabs usually gets bent.
Another thing that helps is applying some silicone lubricant or WD-40 to the tabs, but you must be careful to remove any excess before installing any computer components. This will make the panel slide easier.


Please let me know if any of these suggestions worked for you. Hope to hear from you soon. >>



So, yes, they know how difficult it is to attach and remove the side panel, and yes, it was made that way in order to keep the airflow as controlled as possible.

Also, I have found a better way to remove the side panel, rather than trying to slide it off. First, unlock the tabs. Then, dig your fingertips underneath the edge of the panel that sticks out at the back; the edge that contacts the rear of the chassis. There should be just enough clearance for you to get your fingertips in. Then, just use it like a lever and push the panel out backwards. Then it just pops off very easily. Sort of hard on the figners, but it takes much less time and straining.