Someone please tell me if this is beginning to bore ya'll...
I simply couldn't resist...
Once the idea entered my head I couldn't shake it, and, like most of these ideas, only a real life test would confirm/disprove it's worth.
Last week, after I first modded my PSU and installed a 120mm intake fan on the bottom, it seemed to me that I was unfairly burdening my PSU by in effect using it to hoover hot air off the heatsink. So I wondered what might happen if I just flipped it over and expelled it's waste air into a vent in the roof. The 80mm fan on the back of the unit was flipped also, so it now functions as an intake along with the grillwork on the inside front.
I was fortunate in that this Xaser case has a subplate on the back which the PSU bolts to. Simply flipping it upside over and placing it outside the case made it possible for all the screwholes (save one) to line right up. I figured that 7 out of 8 screws was enough to safely mount the PSU, especially as it rests full length on rails.
An added bonus was that in it's new position, the wiring fell on the side of the case where most of the optical drive plug ins were. Of course another round of cable modification was in order, but I'm getting pretty good at that.
Here is how the new setup looks...
http://server4.uploadit.org/files/30...PSU%20Mod1.JPG
As long as I had to strip out the case to cut one vent, I figured what the hell and redid the original blowhole fan also. From the factory the original fan has only a few holes in the roof to blow through, a problem made even worse by the decorative grill that covers that up. So I cut out the entire area and made a subplate (I even managed to recycle one of the aluminum front panel deco plates for this :) ) which now carries two 80mm exhaust fans. And just for good measure I added my two fan control switches also. These switches allow me to shut off two sets of fans (case back and case roof) or switch between 5v and 12v. Here is how the case roof turned out...
http://server4.uploadit.org/files/30...New%20roof.JPG
I've also been thinking of mounting my receiver for my wireless/optical mouse up here too, but it slipped my mind, so that will happen another day. :rolleyes:
Of course this wasn't enough to keep me occupied, so I moved the HDD back onto the motherboard wall with it's dedicated fan- a configuration which made it very happy temp-wise.
I also decided that this was the perfect time to practise my heatsink lapping, so I lapped the Zalman ( starting with 400 and ending up with 1500 grit wet/dry paper) and then ultrasonically cleaned it up and installed it.
Then I installed the two rear case fans, set up to intake air, with the Thermaltake ducts, so the HSF had fresh outside air to work with. Like so...
http://server4.uploadit.org/files/30...HSF%20Mod4.JPG
This arrangement makes for one happy camper, folks. Results prove it.
http://server4.uploadit.org/files/301103-burn7.jpg
Those with eagle eyes and an elephant's memory (VB1234?) will notice that the temps climbed a bit more than is usual for me during the test. This is caused by the way I have SpeedFan set up. Max fan speed is only 70% ( almost inaudible) and minimum speed is 50% with a desired target temp of 38 degC. Soon after the test finished the CPU temp fell back to 37C where it sits now. Ambient case temp is 24.5, HDD temp is 26, PSU temp is 26 and video card is 27C. All in all, I think my best allround configuration so far.
Will this ever end?
No. :P
