My components (all laying on a table so far):
The goal: PC as silent as possible, even with possible underclocking of the hottest parts. I'm trying to build a system to last for years and i've chosen few of the component thinking about the future demands. I have no need to push everything out of them yet (overclocked memory, another PSU, extra fans and crossfire with two GPU's are all future options)CASE: Antec P182
MB: Abit X38 quadGT (question 1)
CPU: Intel core2 duo E8400 3.0Ghz
CPU heatsink: Noctua NH-U12 "brick" (question 2)
MEM: 2 * OCZ DDR2 1GB PC2-8500 with heatsinks
GPU1: Asus EN7300 GT Silent 256Mb
GPU2: (will be added later) (question 3)
GPU heatsink: stock model or accelero S1 rev.2 (question 4)
PSU1: Seasonic S12II-380
PSU2: Seasonic S12-430 (question 5)
HDD1: 500Gt WD5000AAKS
HDD2: 500Gt WD5000AACS (question 6)
FAN1: Noctua 120 x 120 x 25 NF-P12-1300
FAN2: Noctua 120 x 120 x 25 NF-P12-1300
FAN3: Noctua 120 x 120 x 25 NF-P12-1300
FAN4: Noctua 120 x 120 x 25 NF-P12-1300
FAN5: Noctua 120 x 120 x 25 NF-S12-1200 (question 7)
Price of all the component's above (couple of them were used) was all together 750€ here in Finland
The idea: I'd like to try to cool the computer with overpressure instead of underpressure (please arque that a lot) by putting the needed amount of fans to blow cool air towards the hot components from down / front / back, and to leave the P182 top hole open (without a fan) letting the hot air breethe out free. I really don't know if this is a good idea at all, but that's why i'm writing here. I will probably need some channeling / tubing inside the case to get the cool air exactly where it's needed most, and to get it to blow all the component from right direction (mostly from down).
Base of the idea:
- Installing fans deep inside the case is vanishing a bit of their sound
- Overpressured air is capable of moving more heat than underpressured
- ABit quadGT has automatic rpm reduction for several fans
- Heat rises up, i'm just helping it out with a little pushing
Problems to solve:
- Possible turbulence inside the case
- Overpressured air is also moving more sound waves
- Aiming the cool air to blow where it's needed
The questions:
1. Which parts of the motherboard need direct cool air, and how it could be aimed for them?
2. Is it possible to put a noctua fan under the NH-U12 heatsink and blow the heat away upwards aiming the top hole? And how do I get the cool air under the heatsink?
3. Which pair of GPU's would be best (price/cooling/performance) for a crossfire system in the future?
4. I already have two of those very good accelero heatsinks, but I don't know if I need one yet in this system. Would you recommend to replace the stock sink of my old EN7300 GT, or do I really win any dB:s by doing so?
4b. How should I direct the blowing of cool air for the GPU? Should I divide the case to have a totally own wind tunnel for GPU (in future two of them)?
5. If I need the extra power in the future, how would you install two PSU's in P182 (note: P190 has two), or should I get a bigger PSU then?
6. Which one of the HDD's should be prime, or does it matter at all in sound level? Should I just use the faster AAKS model?
7. How many fan's should be used (5V / 7V) and where? There are a lot of possibilities in the front panel, and it might be even possible to use the empty backside cardholes to get the cool air in. I don't know if there's any room for 12cm fan thou.
More interesting question
8. Has anyone ever thought if certain fan rpm's or HDD rpm's resonate inside the case to make the sound louder? What frequency levels would a P182 have to be avoided?
9. I will probably get some disturbing turbulence inside the case if i need to use air-tubes, but if it all goes well, i might find all the sounds mixed to a very nice and steady humming. What size and what material should i use in these tubes? Is the "wired pipe" best option? (At least it's easiest to bend)
10. Is this all worth trying at all, or is the traditional underpressure system just better?
(I'll add some pictures here later)