Side fan case mod

[panfist]

Edit: Considering that there are zero votes for exhaust, could anyone that votes for "you need to bench it" please qualify their vote? Thanks.

So I just took a dremel to the side of my case and added an 80mm intake fan directly over my NB. At low RPM, it was equal to having no fan. At high RPM I got a small drop in temps but it was not worth the extra noise and did not let me overclock any higher.

I expanded the opening so that I could install a 140mm fan in the side. With the 140mm intake fan, my temps are much better and even better than running the computer without the side panel installed. I've been running it without a side panel for the last week or so because I've been in and out of the case at least once a day, trying to get everything just right.

I also have a 120mm intake fan in the front and a 140mm exhaust fan in the back next to the CPU.

It's late and I'm too busy to benchmark it now, but I want to see what the difference is if I run the fan as an exhaust or an intake. I am planning on doing a 24 hour run of Orthos and ATI tool for both intake and exhaust. Actually now that I think about it, I probably will run the first benchmark for 24 hours to see the true final load temps, but I'm pretty sure the second benchmark will be clear in under an hour whether it is going to win or lose.

I was wondering if anyone had a lot of experience in the matter and could save me the time benchmarking. Any thoughts would be appreciated.

Edit: here's a pic attached. Yes, the LEDs are covered in duct tape. Why, oh why must nearly all fans have bleepin' LEDs on them, that bother my movie watching and my slumber. Yes, it's also held in place with paper clips. And so is the fan on my CPU tower. And yes, I'm using a craptastical Antec Smartpower 500. A new PSU is next on my list...

[Big_Daddy]

Fan blowing in will give you the best results, as long as there is adequate exhaust.

140mm Yate Loon Black (http://www.petrastechshop.com/14yalod1cafa.html)

And if you want a clear fan, a little snippy snippy on the led's will make them go bye bye.

[mpilchfamily]

Typical the side fan is placed as an intake. This brings cool fresh air directly to the CPU and GPU. As for balancing the Exhaust with the intake you need to remember that your PSU also acts as an exhaust aiding that 140mm fan you have in the rear of the case. If the side fan is placed as an exhaust then you are taking the air away from the CPU and GPU which may result in higher temps.

[panfist]

And if you want a clear fan, a little snippy snippy on the led's will make them go bye bye.

I'm a little worried to simply cut the LEDs out of the circuit. I don't know what's up with these Aerocool 140mm fans (http://www.aerocool.us/p-accessory/strameliner/streamliner.htm). When I unplug them, they don't just turn off, the LEDs blink for a few seconds afterwards like there is some kinda switching power circuitry. I'm worried I might screw it up if I don't replace the LEDs with some other kind of load. Are my worries unfounded?

[Big_Daddy]

I'm a little worried to simply cut the LEDs out of the circuit. I don't know what's up with these Aerocool 140mm fans (http://www.aerocool.us/p-accessory/strameliner/streamliner.htm). When I unplug them, they don't just turn off, the LEDs blink for a few seconds afterwards like there is some kinda switching power circuitry. I'm worried I might screw it up if I don't replace the LEDs with some other kind of load. Are my worries unfounded?


Yup..

Does it do it while the fan is still turning? If you give the fan a push, do they light up as well?

Just don't let any of the leads touch.

[panfist]

Yup..

Does it do it while the fan is still turning? If you give the fan a push, do they light up as well?

Just don't let any of the leads touch.

The only thing that's weird about it when it's running is that both of my aerocools report inconsistent RPMs, or maybe that's just my motherboard. They report about 1100 RPM, but sometimes 0 RPM, even though they always spin at what appears to be a constant speed.

I'll let you know if they light up when I push the fan when I get home.

[mpilchfamily]

Thats all it is. The fan is still free spinning after you unplug it. So the motor then acts as a generator supplying some voltage to the LEDs. That or there is still some power left in the small amount of circuitry in the fan that the LEDs are feeding off of. Either way its nothing bad and cutting the LEDs off the fan will not hurt anything. No need to try and replace them with another load or anything. The LEDs only present a very low load anyway. We're talking under 2 mA for all the LEDS on a single fan.

[panfist]

Thanks for the input mpilch and big daddy, I've snipped the LEDs on my front and side fan and I feel like serenity and harmony have finally been restored, lol.

I don't understand what the obsession is with blinging out every different part with LEDs nowadays. I always just bought whatever components were the best value and suffered through the LEDs.

Unrelated point: now I wish I could figure out how to gut the LEDs out of my Razer Copperhead.