Has anyone ever tried this?

ChemGeek · Post by **ChemGeek** » Wed Apr 20, 2005 8:42 am

Hey guys, I have view about every article on this website, but this is my first post, I hope it is not wasting everyones time.

I have this obsurd sounding idea, and I was wondering if by any strange chance anyone has thought of the same thing or has on opinion on it. My goal here is to make the quietest gaming PC I can. I have an Antec Sonata case. I have a 120mm case fan, a 92mm fan blowing on the CPU heatsink, and a 92mm fan blowing at the heatsink from the side and there is a 120mm fan on the power supply. There is also a 120mm case fan in the fron side of the case. What I am thinking of doing is moving the power supply into the case farther so that it is not sucking the hot aire from the CPU. Now I know this may sound stupid as I will not be moving as much air away from the CPU, through the power supply. But, in the interest of a quiet computer, if the PSU is not sucking hot air, the fan on it will not ramp to a higher speed and hence keep quiet. The PSU would be ducked out the back of the case where it would anyways, just the power supply would be moved forward catching cooler air. So I will not be venting the PSU into the case. This is an older pic, I have an NV silencer on the 6800GT now and a thermalright XP-90 on the CPU with a 92mm fan on it. There is also more airflow coming in the front of the case due to a recent MOD, I used a dremel to cut a bigger hole in the front part of the case (in front of the drive bay). I could actually fit a 92mm fan there now. I will try and post a newer pic. Any comments suggestions? Am I just being foolish?

Tibors · Post by **Tibors** » Wed Apr 20, 2005 12:35 pm

The trick of moving the PSU forward is not very common, but it is tried before with succes. There are two projects by bluefront that use it. I have had a system that used it (with limited succes, but that PSU was even to loud when running outside the case). I've seen it mentioned a time or two more.

Opsman · Post by **Opsman** » Wed Apr 20, 2005 8:45 pm

I've seen this mod done on the sonata. Check the Sonata Mod thread as I think there is a link on page 2 or 3 that is a well documented mod that includes the same PSU move.

I am about to mod my Sonata case. Question: Where'd you get that great black foam?

ChemGeek · Post by **ChemGeek** » Wed Apr 20, 2005 9:38 pm

That is Acoustifoam from http://www.acoustiproducts.com/

There is a precut set for Sonata, it is expensive, but it really makes a difference. If you are serious about silencing the computer you should get this stuff.

Bluefront · Post by **Bluefront** » Thu Apr 21, 2005 2:26 am

The last four computer projects of mine used this technique. What I was doing was moving the PSUs further back into the case, so the bottom 120mm fan of each PSU, lined up better with the CPU heatsink. I was using the PSU as the only case fan.

My current project which is mostly finished, has the PSU moved back about 4". In this setup the PSU is not exhausting the CPU heat....which naturally lets the PSU fan run slower.

There are many benefits to this technique......quieter running is just one.

AMS project

ChemGeek · Post by **ChemGeek** » Thu Apr 21, 2005 8:47 am

Bluefront, that is almost exactly what I was thinking of doing. It is nice that the Silverstone CPU cooler lined up in the socket that way (i am sure you planned that though. I am curious what kind of temps you get at the CPU under load? What types of fans are those 120mm? What speeds (or volages) do you run them at? I was going to leave the 120mm case fan on the back of my case, but maybe I might use your idea and put it over the CPU becuase my XP-90 fins are all verticle, so I might get better colling that way! Although it looks like you had a much larger case to work with, the sonata is on the small side. I will have to see what kind of room I am going to have.

Bluefront · Post by **Bluefront** » Thu Apr 21, 2005 10:42 am

The case/board/CPU heatsink were planned in advance....as was the PSU placement and that exhaust chamber mod. And it's a large case, about 4" taller than normal.

I have made a number of changes to the fan setup....trying for maximum cooling at the quietest possible operation.

Right now there is a 1600rpm YateLoon over the Silverstone heatsink. Below the heatsink there is a slim 80mm fan.....it'll do 2800rpms.

The two 80mm fans visable in the exhaust chamber....do about 2200 rpms.....but only turn on at very hi temps (controlled by a DD5).

I am using a LIS2 fan controller to regulate the other fans....the two internal/hard drive fans, and one lower 120mm Yate Loon 1200rpm intake fan (no pictures of it yet).

I'm still adjusting the fan speeds...complicated setup. Basically the fans idle at about 60/70%, and gradually speed up to 100% at max temps.

I idle at 37C and max out at about 46C.....depends on ambient temps. This is a P4-3.2NW.

Oh the PSU is completely stock....it has a hi-speed Yate Loon in it. But it never speeds up, and I cannot hear it at all. There are no openings in the front of the case now. I changed the location of the second intake to the bottom of the case (no pictures of that mod yet either). This is an extremely quiet setup.....rather involved mods though.

ChemGeek · Post by **ChemGeek** » Thu Apr 21, 2005 12:17 pm

Extensive mods are welcome here!

I am having the most problem trying to keep the machine silent while trying to cool down the P4 3.2 prescott. To keep the machine quiet, I have to run all the fans at 7V or below. Those dang Vantec 120mm fans get so loud at higher speeds. I got my hands on a couple of old PSU casings, I will use the dremel on them tonight to try and construct my duct. I may try to pull the air from the CPU from above as was seen in your setup as well as one I saw in a Sonata thread.

One step at a time.