Wire Management

[Xtreme2k2]

Just finished building my new rig, but theres a ton of wires everywhere (naturally..)

Well.. I was thinking of getting some molex crimp tools and wire to make my own custom length wires. Mainly to get them out of the way, and allow for better airflow.

I talked to my friend about it, and he disliked the idea, seeing as the longer the wire, the more resistance against the current. Would the couple of inches I extend it really matter? I plan on also putting the wires through a cable mesh, or wire loom to organize them even more..

I dont have everything installed yet, so I didnt get a chance to re-size the pic, but heres what the inside of my case currently looks like.

*56K WARNING*

Any suggestions?

 

[OpTiX]

cable mesh is a good idea

 

[1sikbITCH]

Feed one set of wires out the backside of your case, run them down the side, and bring them back in once you get under the 5 inch bays. Use one that doesn't have the floppy power connector on it. This set of connectors won't appear until it is right next to the harddrives, where it will plug right in. Most of it will stay hidden behind the harddrive bays, and you can plug your front fans into it while hidden back there.

Take the set of wires with the floppy connector, and use them for the 5 inch bays, and the floppy bay. Keep most of that set up top and only feed down just enough to reach the floppy.

All the rest of the wires can be crammed up top in the very top empty 5 inch bay.

For the fans in back, feed the wires up the backside and try to slip them thru the bar behind the powersupply. Once you get them past the power supply, you can hook them up back there.

With some imagination, you can hide most of all of them.

 

[Xtreme2k2]

Originally posted by: 1sikbITCH
Feed one set of wires out the backside of your case, run them down the side, and bring them back in once you get under the 5 inch bays. Use one that doesn't have the floppy power connector on it. This set of connectors won't appear until it is right next to the harddrives, where it will plug right in. Most of it will stay hidden behind the harddrive bays, and you can plug your front fans into it while hidden back there.

Take the set of wires with the floppy connector, and use them for the 5 inch bays, and the floppy bay. Keep most of that set up top and only feed down just enough to reach the floppy.

All the rest of the wires can be crammed up top in the very top empty 5 inch bay.

For the fans in back, feed the wires up the backside and try to slip them thru the bar behind the powersupply. Once you get them past the power supply, you can hook them up back there.

With some imagination, you can hide most of all of them.

Thanks I'll try that

 

[Xtreme2k2]

I was also thinking that after I got the wires cleaned up I might switch to water cooling.. Would I still need the 7 fans that my case came with?

 

[boomerang]

I'd say you don't need 7 fans right now.

Monitor your temps and disconnect fans and check the results. You'll be surprised how few you need.

 

[nick1985]

electrical tape, zip ties, and rounded cables = my friend

 

[nageov3t]

ITA.

I used to run a fan monster too. heh. in my college apartment, I had my computer in my living room, so the noise wasn't a major factor (in fact, you didn't even notice it till the computer was turned off, at which point the silence was deafening. lol). my comp had 9 fans (if you count the 2 PSU fans and the heatsink fan).

when I moved back home, though, and had the computer in my bedroom, the noise was keeping me up at night. I bought a sonnata (going from 6 case fans to 2 case fans), and the temperature difference was barely noticeable.

you also might want to consider swapping out the stock vans from some Vantec Stealth's ($7-ish per fan)... I just got my Stealth's in the mail tonight; haven't had a chance to install them yet, but I've heard nothing but good things.

 

[chilled]

Have you tried spiral wrap???

IMO, much simpler and as effective as cable mesh.

 

[daba]

Is that a ThermalTake Full tower aluminum case?
I have the ThermalTake V5000A mid-tower, and it is wire-jungle-nightmare. Thanks for the suggestions here.

 

[cloud171]

my thermaltake lanfire case is like that too, just lookin at the amount of free hanging molex discourages me from trying to organize it

 

[Xtreme2k2]

Originally posted by: cloud171
my thermaltake lanfire case is like that too, just lookin at the amount of free hanging molex discourages me from trying to organize it

Yea, I got molex connectors everywhere... they are so damn bulky too.. maybe I'll take them off for somethings, and just wire them right to the wire (granted, I would have them through another molex connector, so I can unplug it ), put a little heat shrink tubing over it and voila (sp?)

But I'd only do that for the fans and such, because there are so many of them,

 

[nageov3t]

get zip ties. zip up all the cables to be as short as possible, and move them out of the way (ie: behind the motherboard).