UPDATED WITH PICS! I have 4 Exhaust Fans and Suction! Help!

[simms]

Hey, so you probably know me from the other System Advice thread (http://forums.silentpcreview.com/viewtopic.php?t=15753)
about the computer. I have 3 exhaust fans (case, top part, and PSU) and 0 intakes. This is alright, but I also sealed up all my extra holes, so there are virtually no holes at all. I'm wondering how the system compensates for pressure...

With that in mind, I removed two faceplates that were in front of my suspended HDD's. When I put my hand in front of the suspended drives, I feel a suction coming in. I can only assume it's to equalize pressure caused by the exhausts. Now, I *think* this suction is pulling in cold air from outisde, and cooling the HDD's (probably very good, because I have no cooling on my HDD's nor do I have fans on them).

Thing is, there is a gaping hole in my case. What should I do? Put the faceplates back on and see where my computer gets air? Or, remove the faceplates and let the air through the HDD's, cooling it?

My HDD's do NOT have SMART-HDD Temp ability. So I have no HDD temps. Don't ask. I tried 4 programs. And enabled in the BIOS. I checked the HDD specs, they have SMART, but not the Temp ability.

Updated with pics!







Thanks!
Simon

[Straker]

doesn't really answer your question per se, but when i had one fan at the front of my case as intake (plus PSU fan), warm air wafted out through 2 open bays in front of my suspended drives. when i moved that fan to exhaust, the drives' temps went down 5+ degrees from the switch from case to ambient air moving past them.
and er, it'll compensate by any combination of fans making more noise, air making more noise as it whistles through tiny gaps/holes, and just plain not moving anywhere near as much air as it could be... how'd you end up with next to no intake holes? if you completely sealed any hole without an exhaust fan on it, you'd end up either with air being forced backwards in through any lower cfm/pressure exhausts, or air not moving at all.

[simms]

you'd end up either with air being forced backwards in through any lower cfm/pressure exhausts,

I think this is what's going on. Since my fans are grommeted, they have about 1/3" space away from the case. I presume the air is going around the sides of the fan, pulled in by suction, then expelled out by the fan?

I sealed all the holes with grey masking (duct) tape. My front case, oddly enough, has no holes for intake. ...

So, what should I do?

[rbsteffes]

Is there a decent place to cut an intake in the bottom of your case?

[Rusty075]

So, what should I do?

How exactly were you thinking that the machine was going to get air into it once you duct-taped all the holes?

You need to have openings for air to get in, before it can be exhausted (....not exactly rocket science )

By controlling where the intake openings are, you can control where that air flows. Over the HDD's is generally the best place.


And why do you have 4 exhaust fans to begin with?

[cyates]

the idea is to have good airflow through the case - in most pc enclosures that generally means cooler air enters from the front of the case, is heated by the internal components, and exits the rear of the case through the case exhaust fan and the power supply. by closing most of the intake holes in the case, you are disrupting that airflow. i would also guess that 4 exhaust fans are overkill and probably just making a lot of noise unless they are turning very slowly.

[simms]

Well, from my other thread, I do have a lot of exhausts. Unfortuately this case is not designed with intake in mind.

As of right now, I only have 3 exhaust fans - one on top, one on the back and on for PSU.

All are silent - either at 7V, or are Nexus (real 18dBA unlike the Vantec Stealths which lie...) so it's not a problem. I'm going to pick up a Vantex Nexus to control all the fans.

The case in on plastic. There is a lot of room on the bottom of the case for a fan, but I don't know how well it would pull in air.

[CoolGav]

My HDD's do NOT have SMART-HDD Temp ability. So I have no HDD temps. Don't ask. I tried 4 programs.

You'll want to try enabling SMART in the BIOS, then they might work...

[simms]

My HDD's do NOT have SMART-HDD Temp ability. So I have no HDD temps. Don't ask. I tried 4 programs.

You'll want to try enabling SMART in the BIOS, then they might work...

I checked the Specs on these HDD's. They DO have SMART, but not the temp sensing ability.

Back on Topic.. how would I position the HDD's to get some intake?
I guess what I'm trying to ask is..where would I even put another hole in my case for an intake..
Simon

[PhilgB]

The same place the intake is located on every case, the lower front. If the bezel does not have any holes then you will need to drill or cut some new ones.

Then, you place your hard drives behind this new intake, and cover up your 5.25" bays. Your hard drives should run just fine where they are, but we usualy place them, and the intake, in the lower front to reduce the amount of noise that has a direct path to your ears.

I would also tape up your top exhaust and place that fan in the rear for the same reason. Or leave them both taped up. Depending on the speed of the fan, you should have plenty of cooling. Cleaning up those cables would help as well.

As an alternative, you could duct your PSU to that top exhaust and use it as an intake to keep your PSU from ramping up.

There are plenty of diagrams in the main SPCR site that show a typical airflow path for a computer, and the forum has many examples of every recommendation that I have just made.

Good luck.

[ONEshot]

You could use Modder's Mesh.

[frosty]

I placed my toasting maxtor in front to the intake hole and ropped temps almost 10c lower, you gotta get na intake hole in that case and if no hdd software will run, you may try checking in the bios on boot up then under pc health, this usually will give the hdd temps.