Front fan grille mystery
Moderators: NeilBlanchard, Ralf Hutter, sthayashi, Devonavar
Front fan grille mystery
As a newbie, I’m failing to understand what purpose is served by having fan grilles located between the front fan and the outside casing. What are they guarding against? Surely they are a restriction to air-flow – also a restriction to noise escaping, which may be why Ralph decided to leave his in place (Ralph’s 3700 in photo). Please solve this mystery for me!
Mine is a general query regarding most computers I’ve seen – I’m not so much questioning what Ralph has or hasn’t done to this example. Although, having looked at that photo again, I’m wondering if Ralph hasn’t removed the centre section of grille, directly in front of the fan, and left the rest to cover in the gaps between fan and casing. Anyway, I’m asking why, generally speaking, why most computers have this grille in the first place.GamingGod wrote:im pretty sure he just didnt see the need, and probably didnt feel like it.
Mine is a general query regarding most computers I’ve seen – I’m not so much questioning what Ralph has or hasn’t done to this example. Although, having looked at that photo again, I’m wondering if Ralph hasn’t removed the centre section of grille, directly in front of the fan, and left the rest to cover in the gaps between fan and casing. Anyway, I’m asking why, generally speaking, why most computers have this grille in the first place.GamingGod wrote:im pretty sure he just didnt see the need, and probably didnt feel like it.
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MikeC
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EMI shielding is the main reason for fan grills. To stop Radio Frequency electromagnetic energy from escaping the case and rasing havoc with your... cell phone, cordless phone, radio reception... whatever. I have had only ONE experience of EMI intereference in a PC -- my sis was on the phone to me on a cordless phone, sat down at her computer & immediately, the connection became garbled. She moved a few feet away from her computer... clear again. It was a Mac -- ha!
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Ralf Hutter
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Re: Front fan grille mystery
As far as my case goes, when I initially built that system I cut out the back grill knowing that I would need an exhaust fan there. I left the front grill intact hoping that I wouldn't need a fan there and wanting to save the time that it takes to cut out the grill by hand.Sooty wrote: which may be why Ralph decided to leave his in place (Ralph’s 3700 in photo). Please solve this mystery for me!
After I got the system running I found that I didn't need the front fan for cooling the case but that I did need a tiny bit of aircooling over the HDD. I left the grill in place so I could mount whatever size fan I wanted (80mm, 92mm or 120mm). The fan that's there is a 92mm L1A running at 5 volts. I can't hear any turbulence that's being caused by the grill so I just left it in place. At some point in the future I may rip apart that system and cut a 92mm hole in the grill.
my theory is that the guys who make the 'chassis' of the case and the art guys who make the 'body' don't really get together on the project, but rather work to a list of specifications... ie, it has to have some air intake at the front, be strong / lite, look nice, etc.
just a theory i'm chucking up cos my other theories have been said.
just a theory i'm chucking up cos my other theories have been said.
Correct. You won't pass FCC testing without the grates, or any other countries emissions testing.MikeC wrote:EMI shielding is the main reason for fan grills. To stop Radio Frequency electromagnetic energy from escaping the case and rasing havoc with your... cell phone, cordless phone, radio reception... whatever.