Silverstone Tek LC16m Fan direction

[JonathanJace]

Hey guys, i'm rebuilding my htpc with new specs using the Silverstone Tek LC16m htpc case w/ 3 sata hdd's, no dvd (frame removed), and stock i7-920 cooler. The case will be outside on top of entertainment center with tv on top of it. Oh and i might crossfire 2 hd 5770's.

W/ those specs:
Do i need to use a hard drive fan?
Should the PSU pull air from the case or from the side vent?
Lastly, there are 2 rear fans and adjacent to that a side vent fan, how should i place those?

http://www.case4htpc.com/wp-content/...12/lc16m-5.jpg
the three drives are stacked on the right side and the middle and left cage are removed.

Update: fedex just got me my PSU, hot deal earthwatts 650. Should i point the 120mm fan across the pci slots or the adjacent vent?

 

[WoodButcher]

This case?

 

[JonathanJace]

This case?

yessir!

 

[JonathanJace]

any tips, any1? I'm just looking at my parts seperate, anxiously waiting

 

[WoodButcher]

That will be a hot box. First, any vid card you get should be the type that exhausts out the rear.
As for the psu I would try it both ways and check the case ambients, it may or may not help with case cooling. If it does the higher temps may cause the PSU fan to ramp up meaning more noise.
HD cooling? Does the case have a position for a front intake? if so, use it, if not mod something for an intake and mount all the existing fans except the rear as intake also. This kind of case will take some time from you to get right. I had a SFF MATX case with a layout like this and it was a job to cool .

 

[JonathanJace]

I'l try that! Along the front of the case under the front panel there is case width long vent w/o mesh. Would having the back right fans as intake and psu and hdd fans exhaust make sense. So the air comes in hard over the cpu and goes across the pci lanes and across the mobo to either left or right front HDD fan.

 

[WoodButcher]

That vent in front may work best as intake, no fans, mount all the other fans as exhaust and the air will be drawn in that vent.
This was the case I had I referred to, you can see I windowed the top to install intakes. They worked better as intake in that case but you will only find your answers through trial and error unless someone here posts with that case and the same components.
Keep in mind any fan you mount inside the case unless it is ported directly to the outside won't do much more than push air around the case and possibly disrupt a "through" case airflow. The idea being to get air moving in one direction passing over your components to cool the works, think "wind tunnel".
Your vid cards will draw air from inside the case and exhaust in the rear, the psu will do the same if you can or want to flip it so the intake is toward the mobo, two rear fans exhaust out the back draw air over the board and cpu. If you have that side fan exhaust also, all this air will be drawn from inside the front vent and over the drives if the side were intake it may improve the cpu temps but your drives will suffer. You can monitor temps with software but for the case ambients or to find hotspots you can get a digital thermometer, the type with a probe on a wire to place outside so you can read in and out. Place the probe in the PC and close the case, you'll find what works best. I got mine at Wallyworld for ten bux.

 

[JonathanJace]

Getting the last of my pieces in! saturday i should be up an running. Before then i do have two q's i couldnt figure out how to google.

The vent in the bottom front of the case, can that really get good amount of air to come through (it's not a mesh vent but overview looks like []l[]l[]l[]l[]l[]l[]l[]?
The case feet are about a good inch, is that enough clearance or should i hang the front a bit off the table for unobstructed air?

Thx big time =D

 

[WoodButcher]

You'll find out when you hook it all up, unless you get bluescreens or it is very noisy, should be fine though.