Hi guys, I want to present you my newest PSU mod.
Todays PSU feature two designs: one 80mm fan blowing out (and maybe some blowing in, but adding no airflow) or one 92-120mm fan blowing in at the bottom. The first solution overs little airflow and the source of noise is directly at the back. The second sulution needs much of space inside the PSU and the airflow has to go around a corner. So this is my solution:



This a Enhance 300W unit and two 80mm fans taken from a Samsung 112W ATX PSU blowing in. At 5V this are the most silent fans I encountered yet (was not able to compare Panaflo or Nexus). I removed the interior of the PSU and dremeled two ~80x80mm shapes in the back. The fans are a around 3mm too big, so the outer side is hanging over a little bit. I used two ordinary fanscrews per fan.

The result: It may not look good, but I am very satisfied. The noise is very predictable since you can use you favorite fans. The fans are running at a fixed 5V. Don't know the rpm. I can feel an airflow going through the grill on the exhaust. The air never feels hot. Haven't done any temperature testing because I am very confident that the PSU is fine.

System:
Athlon 1700+
Radeon 9700
2 Hdd
768MB RAM

note: the second fan is slightly damaged, in case you wonder.

Hi jojo4u

Like Your mod and I´m surprised noone has responsed to it.
I have two qustions. Where are the Atx/molex cables (on my Antec these makes it impossible to install two 80mm fans (maybe two 60-70mm´s - haven´t tried yet).
Second: Did you do anything about the outtake area except from removing the original fan (seems like the 110/230V plug area could cause some turbulence/restriction af airflow - unless it´s totally grilled, like on some of the never 120mm psu´s)?

Apart from it seeming a logical "direct cooling/noise reducing" principle i like that the mod makes it easier to create a direct air intake, for instance throgh the front of the case (where you can additionally cool one or two Hd´s through a couple of 5.1/4" drive bays).

Regards, Finn

This is a bit similar to my mod with TruePower 550W, though this one has been taken a bit further. I didn't try to put both of the fans on the case side of the psu:




How is the back of the PSU? I know it matters not to many, but I'd wish my solutions be nice to look at as well, as much as they are visible. And did you seal any extra holes on the sides? (I'd assume you did). Your solution has a very good change to be very good lookin as well, btw, depending on the backside.

Never mind. No responding does not mean that this topic is not interesting. There may be simply no more to add. If I would reply to every interesting topic every day...



I also dremeled a U-like hole in into the cover of the PSU. Since ATX PSU hang upside down in the case, the cable now exit the PSU at the bottom putting no stress at the fan. You can see it in the picture if you have some imagenation. The cables exit at the lower right corner of the second fan. I also drilled a small hole at the arc of the U-like hole. Then I drawed a wire through it and now the cables are thightly tied to the cover. I hope you understand what I am trying to say?



No I did nothing - it would be quite a mess and i would gain not much area.

I did the same mod on a Seasonic SS300-GS:



Fans: 2x Panaflo FBL L1As running at 5v. As the PSU innards are quite restrictive and there's lots of surrounding air in the Sonata these fans work extremely well. The holes were dremmelled out, although a thin amount of metal on the right side was left for stability. They're hardmounted but at that speed vibration is minimal. Exhaust air is comparable to an Antec TP380S (stock Sonata PSU), so warm but not dangerously so. And it's a lot quieter too.

Turning off the computer, discharging and checking the heatsink temperature it feels no warmer than the exhaust temperature, so I am comfortable with the fans at 5v. There are two heatsinks placed in front of the fan so it is probably more effective than the original exhaust fan (the air was always cool).

RE: power cables. I did the same, cutting triangle shapes and bending them over right below the original opening. Bending the triangles means no sharp edges for the cables to get caught on.

Two fans... ...

My Enermax 365 has run for nearly three years with a single L1A at 5V with no problem...

...Well, ... at least until last night when it died...


Along with my Abit KG7raid MoBo..

Hey, I'm a careful guy. And one fan isn't hardcore enough!

Cool mod!
All PSUs should have their fans on the inside blowing through the unit .
More airflow for the same noise and there is a less direct path for the
sound to get out.