Fans for Antec P180 case

Stephen · Post by **Stephen** » Fri Jan 20, 2006 3:17 pm

I'm currently collecting parts for a new build, and I'm trying to decide if I should stick with the stock Antec TriCool fans with my Antec P180 case. FYI - I do not plan on overclocking. For purposes of responding to this post, please assume I plan on sticking with the TriCool fans. While I may or may not, at this point I'm just trying to get a handle on coolong needs (without consideration at the moment for noise level).

The TriCool fan has the following specs (according to Antec): at low it runs at 1200RPM, pushes out 39CFM, and the noise level is 25dBa; at medium it runs at 1600RPM, pushes out 56 CFM, and the noise level is 28dBa; and at high it runs at 2000RPM, pushes out 79CFM, and the noise level is 30dBa.

For my build, in the lower chamber, I will have an Antec NeoHE500 watt PSU, and two Seagate Harddrives (yes, I know the NeoHE has had some compatibity issues with some mobos). The stock fan comes set at medium. Given the above specs, is medium the appropriate setting? Would a low setting provide sufficient cooling?

In the upper chamber I plan on a burner, a DVD-ROM, a floppy (maybe the kind with a card reader), a Canopus AVDCVio card, an Audigy card with a front bay, a graphics card (leaning towards 7800GTX with a Zalman HSF), an Intel mobo and processor with a dual-core chip and a Zalman HSF, and 2 gigs of memory. There are two exhaust TriCool fans set at low, and I'm considering adding an intake TriCool fan at low. Given the above specs, is this sufficient coolong? Would I need to set them on medium? Or, is this more cooling than I need?

JimX · Post by **JimX** » Sat Jan 21, 2006 2:16 am

Much more cooling than you need. First, no need for the noisy lower chamber fan if you have a PSU with a fan. In the upper chamber you have to see for yourself, but I think just the back fan on low will be sufficient. Maybe an Arctic Cooling Silencer for the 7800GTX to exhaust the air straight out.

andrewscarella · Post by **andrewscarella** » Tue Jan 24, 2006 4:53 pm

Why is there no need for the botttom chamber fan? wouldnt the psu fan be blowing out hot air? and therefore not be blowing air onto the hard drives? I have this same stup, but turned the fan off completely because my hard drives are in the upper chamber. Id rather not use the lower chamber fan. Do I have to duct tape the vents around the psu? but then that goes back to the question about the psu fan blowing hot air.

-Andrew

qviri · Post by **qviri** » Tue Jan 24, 2006 5:02 pm

The PSU fan (regardless if 80mm or 120mm) pulls the air into the chamber, through the PSU and out the back. Therefore if you have drives in the lower chamber, they will automatically get cooled by the air going into the PSU.

If you have a fanned PSU, it might be beneficial to tape the vents around the PSU in the back of the case so that the air won't have a possibility to short circuit and be drawn in from the back as opposed to the front of the case.

andrewscarella · Post by **andrewscarella** » Tue Jan 24, 2006 5:36 pm

i think I might try doing that. I am using asus probe, which i dont think monitors the temps of the hard drives. What software can I use to do that? Thanks

qviri · Post by **qviri** » Tue Jan 24, 2006 5:50 pm

andrewscarella wrote:monitors the temps of the hard drives. What software can I use to do that?

Speedfan works for me.

gbeichho · Post by **gbeichho** » Wed Jan 25, 2006 8:11 am

I ended up putting a Nexus fan @ 7V running slowly in the lower chamber (I have a Seasonic SS-400 PSU). I found the HD temperatures were hotter than I liked without the fan.

At worst case, I wouldn't put the tri-cool any higher than low. I use HDTemp, but the other tools will measure the temps as well as long as you're using onboard controllers. If you use a SATA card or something else, you'll have a lot more problems measuring the HD temps.