Can I drill a fan hole here?

[Judaeus Apella]

I'm pretty sure I can, but thought I would check first before I went ahead and did it. A new video card isn't in our budget...

It's a PCIx MSI 5300 (5200 hamstring), and the yellow dot in the two pictures below is where I need to drill the hole. (At the far end of the card, beyond and just above the PCI slot)

http://www.xtremesystems.org/forums/attachment.php?attachmentid=50589&stc=1&d=1156635886

http://www.xtremesystems.org/forums/attachment.php?attachmentid=50590&stc=1&d=1156635886

[DAK1640]

Be careful on multi-layer boards...Many times the circuit runs can't even be seen.

[tdunks]

Yes you can. To know if you can ust look for any traces near that spot drilling through traces is BAD but if there is no traces it is ok.

[ReD.SkY]

oh god... why?

use Velcro or glue or something.

[Judaeus Apella]

Turned out I didn't need to LOL. I custom cut a hex machine screw and put it through the heatsink. It's holding so tight, its fine all by it self and I don't need another screw. :D

[Royicus]

You did it? Wow. So, I know that that is not a single layer board, and quite often traces are run on layers of the board that you can't see. They do this because either there are a lot of traces that go to one area, or because the circuit is not planar. Actually, it will be a combination of both, probably.

At any rate, I would not recommend anyone do this unless they have the layout for the board so they can see exactly what they will be drilling into.

Also, drilling into certain plains of the board can change some of the electrical properties (inductance and capacitance mainly). In some circuit layouts, the actual form of the traces (or planes) is important to circuit functionality.

[古強者死神]

This is what I use a metal coat hanger for or zip ties :P

Use the coat hanger and bend it to a custom mount for the fan and mount it to a sold part of the case, paint it and your done.

Or in my current case I have a fan zip tied to one of my water lines to keep my PWM IC;s cool.

As said above it would have been a bad idea to do it.

[GAM]

I often wondered about drilling through PCB's. I suspected as much - good to know. Thanks.