How to quiet a Silverstone lc16m-s HTPC case?

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knutinh
Posts: 99
Joined: Fri Nov 14, 2003 5:53 am

How to quiet a Silverstone lc16m-s HTPC case?

Post by knutinh » Tue Nov 08, 2005 2:10 am

I just got a HTPC case. I have set it up temporarily, but I allready see some changes coming. Current system:

Silverstone lc16m-s with iMedian VFD and iMon PAD remote control
Running Media Portal 0.1.3.0 front-end
NorthQ PSU with 140mm fan
2x 80mm system fans @ 12V
Zalman cnps 7000Cu at lowest speed
Samsung p80 and p120 120 and 250GB drives
NEC DVD writer
Gigabyte passive cooled GF 6600 GT
Asus p4p800E deluxe mobo
Intel p4 2.8HT Northwood

temps:
system : 39 degrees Celcius
CPU : 48 degrees celcius

I tried to install speedfan, but when I set the system fans to less than 100%, I heard no difference.

I can hear the drives working quite good. Should investigate rubber bands (lots of room - 2x3 hd cages)

Can not hear CPU or PSU fans, but might do so once I get the system fans down (too loud currently)

regards¨
Knut

knutinh
Posts: 99
Joined: Fri Nov 14, 2003 5:53 am

Post by knutinh » Fri Nov 11, 2005 5:04 am

Did some changes and made a scetch of air-flow. Open for any suggestions =)

Image

with regards
Knut Inge

stromgald
Posts: 887
Joined: Wed Jun 09, 2004 12:45 pm
Location: California, US

Post by stromgald » Fri Nov 11, 2005 9:20 am

From your description it seems like that 80mm fan is what is causing you the most trouble. I'd suggest getting 2x 80mm Nexus fans. They don't move much air so thats why you might want 2. Run it with 1 and if your temps get too high, hook the second one up too. If they can be hooked up to the motherboard, you might want to look into getting a Y-splitter for those fans to connect to 1 fanmate which will then connect to the motherboard.

If you're not using up all the DVD slots, you could suspend your hard drive in there with rubber bands or buy an enclosure for the hard drive that fits in a 5.25" slot.

stromgald
Posts: 887
Joined: Wed Jun 09, 2004 12:45 pm
Location: California, US

Post by stromgald » Fri Nov 11, 2005 9:29 am

Another thought, which way is the Papst fan blowing? Up or down. You might want to consider a blow-up setup so the hot air is exhausted out the 80mm fans. Closing up the intake near the CPU might raise the CPU temps a few degrees but could drop the hard drive temps significantly since more air will be pulled over them.

I'm assuming that the PSU pulls air from the vent next to it, then dumps it right back out, right? That would be a great setup, but I'm not sure if any mATX PSUs actually do that. Just some ideas for you to play around with if you have the time.

knutinh
Posts: 99
Joined: Fri Nov 14, 2003 5:53 am

Post by knutinh » Mon Nov 14, 2005 1:20 am

I did some minor changes with a remarkeable result. See the enclosed picture.

*turned PSU so that it is drawing hot air from the case instead of cool air from the outside. Weird design desition from silverstone. Use only adhesive tape for now, as the screws dont line up.
*installed one HD in each lower front corner, since heat tends to rise.
*One 80mm system fan was connected to constant +5V (=~1000rpm)
*The other 80mm system fan is controlled by the single mobo fan-control output using speedfan. Range is 0-100% althoug the fan stops at ~30% and starts again at ~40%. Most of the time this fan is stopped.

The result is that HD temps went from 50 degrees C to 25 degrees! Also, CPU and system temp decreased by at least 10 degs. At the same time, acoustic noise went from annoying to audible :-)

mvh
Knut



Image

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