Solved my cooling crisis.... YAY!!!!!!

[GrimReepr]

A little while back I was beating my head trying to figure out why my cpu was hanging around 55C idle, and 60C load. I heard from many people including AMD that these are not bad temps, but I wanted LOWER!!! I installed 3 80mm fans, and put 3 40mm fans in the upper most cdrom bay to blow air back to the cpu. This helped a little bit, but still not good enough. After doing a very technical test of standing on my head naked and licking the CPU with my tongue, I decided it was just too damn hot. The solution... when I took my case cover off... WOW! Cpu dropped to 45C idle and 28C case temp. This is also in a room that isnt very cold. I would imagine the temps would go lower but my piece of sh*t enlight case mounts the power supply vertically right directly over the cpu trapping all the hot air. So I decided to order the Antec SX800 case. I got it from etoyou.com I ordered the one without the power supply because I have a nice 300watt PSU that seems to do the job. Not too bad, 73 shipped to get to PA. I think it will be worth it, because that case looks so sweet. I will keep you all updated. Peace

 

[MrCraphead]

I'm pretty sure it was an airflow problem.......even though you have so many fans, they may not be positioned properly. Anyway, good luck with the new case.........

 

[SilverThief]

Definitely put some time and thought into fan placement in your new case. Do a little research and I'll bet you have some excellent results.

 

[wasnlos]

i guess any case with a normally mounted PSU will do a better job, so you're on the right track.

btw, how's your tongue ?

 

[ukDave]

<< i guess any case with a normally mounted PSU will do a better job, so you're on the right track.

btw, how's your tongue ? >>



resembling a BBQ gone wrong i should imagine...

dave

 

[Damascus]

Strange, I thought most ATX cases mount the PSU directly above
the CPU...

 

[Austin5]

The link for the case seems bad. Is that the correct addy. I would like to see it

 

[grrl]

As Damascus asked, aren't all ATX cases supposed to mount the PSU above the CPU so it can draw air out from that spot?

 

[mechBgon]

<< As Damascus asked, aren't all ATX cases supposed to mount the PSU above the CPU so it can draw air out from that spot? >>



There are quite a few that have the PSU mounted the way GR is describing, including the Inwin A-series cases, the Addtronics 3890, the flimsy no-name case I was working with today... the design really is prone to trapping hot air near the CPU, and it also limits the height of the CPU heatsink/fan if the case isn't super-wide like the Addtronics.

GrimReepr, I bet you'll get good results with your new SX800, keep us posted.

 

[Paparazi]

Hey Fellas! I had this same case design on my 1.2 T/bird, I was maxing out at a warm 65C
Yes the PSU position IS the problem but also can be your fix.
I had got just 2cm between my CPU fan and the power supply so I marked the centre point of the CPU fan on the PSU cover, removed the power supply and cut a 80mm hole in the cover of the PSU, then I fitted a standard 80mm case fan out of an old power supply sucking into the PSU.
NOW here comes the really neat bit, I turned my CPU fan around so it was also sucking and I swear I have been running with this mod now for 2 months and the highest CPU temp I have seen in that time is 44 degrees C, YES a drop of over 20c.
Fan wires black and red. Black fan wire to collective black wires on PSU printed circuit board, GROUND.
Red fan wire to Yellow collective wires on printed circuit Board. +12v.
Just be careful of the capacitors in the power supply!!!! they can give you a nasty shot even after the power supply has been turned off for a day! Martin

 

[Bagheera]

55-60C sounds pretty similar to my temps, even though my case doesn't have the PSU positioning problem. I added 2 case fans and still no good (dropped about 5C but still hot IMO). Some people said it was ok but I ain't certain if that can't cause unstability.