My Passive Air Cooling Guide/Expreriment
Hello, I have a compucase 6A19 that holds instore a hot pair of D805 and Asus P5LD2.
Im a man who likes running things on 4Ghz even at 2o'clock noon without my HW being exposed 2 dirt.
What u do?
U cool!
4 all compucase users atleast, I promise a decrease till 10C.
A few months ago I got myself a brand new PC with a black & fun compucase case.
With it I got a 120MM fan blowing in the back of the case.
That fan with the help of an 80MM PSU fan did a merit job but I wasn’t even close 2 satisfied.
I got pretty warm temps with this setup cause no air was blowing in properly.
Here is what I did:
Phase 1:
I took an 80MM fan and a fan from an old psu [those who doesn’t know how 2 make a case fan out of a psu one, do ask], and I decided that the thing that must come 1st is an 80MM fan blowing from the lower front of the case so it would complete circulation with the 120MM in the upper back part of the case.
That already made a tremendous change in temps.
I believe 4 those who doesn’t have spare fans and just wants something simple – take a 120MM fan and put it in the lower front end [so u have 120 in the back up,a 120 low front , and a 80 PSU].
**Comment:
Now the valued efficiency of the fans kicks in good since my goal in this "experiment" is 2 exhale more air than what im getting in and by thus creating negative pressure inside the case which will lead 2 passive intake through the holes in the case.
There4 if I posses a 120 lying in the back which exhales and another 80 PSU exhaler I cannot have Inhalers which equal the exhalers or outperform them.
So practically the only thing allowed in this setup are 2 80MM fans at max.
http://img160.imageshack.us/img160/697/13zv3.jpg
1st steps of circulation - beyond the HD, 2 the GPU, on 2 the CPU and out the back.
Phase 2:
At least in this case, there are 2 ventilation holes in the side of the case, now what I do is seal the upper ventilation holes [tape or whatever] from 2 main reasons:
A. As I said b4 we r making a low pressure sys. here so passively coming air will address the areas most easy 2 get in from, meaning the top "Holer" since its closest to the 120Exhaler [air will just go in and right out without effecting temp 1 bit].
B. I also partly base on the physics law saying that hot air goes up, so I must insert air through the bottom [Where the boiling hot GPU lies]. There, it gains temp a bit, flows up [Cause of fan and heat law thingy] and help cool the CPU a bit.
So now, while the upper holes are shut, air comes from the bottom and does as described above. [B]
http://img160.imageshack.us/img160/1474/46by.jpg
Basically the red weak arrows present what would have happen if a pass was available there - no effect.
Phase 3:
Small but significant – I do not have in my possession a floppy drive so I was able 2 leave open 2 floppy area which in air direction leads straight 2 the RAM, keeps on going to the CPU and out threw the back fan.
http://img160.imageshack.us/img160/340/54je.jpg
The silly Floppy Airway. photo - "air" attracted 2 the Heatsink goes through Ram on the way.
Phase 4 Or reason 4 success:
In the left side of the case [not the side with the vent. Holes] there is the metal piece that on top of lies the MOBO and only a small part of the computer is exposed [the part near the PSU and also the part infront of the HD and CD drives]
The part near the PSU u just seal [tape or such] – he is located high and has no much use [Tempwise].
The Part infront of the HD u cover with a net!
What I did was just taking an airconditioner filter and taped it 2 the case.
His upper part I covered with some more tape [reasons are already mentioned above and kinda repeats themselves by now]
Now, a condition of air flow at the base of the Mobo, mostly around the RAM is created and it reduces temp in a most drastic way.
http://img160.imageshack.us/img160/6264/89oe.jpg
This is the crucial net - has a large important intake.
Remember covering its top.
and also making this junk prettier.
Phase 5:
Also a small step but is highly critical – sorting the wires.
Basically not much 2 add here, just think where it is best to put the wires.
What I did was:
- Taping the DVD-RW wire 2 the base of the case [near the edges of the mobo] so it wont bother air flow.
- Connecting the unused PSU cables [with whatever]
- The used PSU cables I taped near the HD in ways that wouldn’t bother the rushing air.
Phase 6:
Take a look at your PCI slots, try setting all the cards [except GPU] as further as possible from the CPU and GPU and leave the Back of the case, connecters area, open, so the GPU will have an easier time enhaling air.
Phase 7:
Move the HD to the lowest place possible so it wont block the low front fan air flow but it would still chill the back of the HD.
Till now the situation is as described:
Sys B4 Treatment [No Oc]
{Case closed from both sides – including – 120MM fan in the back – 80MM PSU – 80MM in the front – 80MM in the side = A very noisy and unefficient sys.}
Mobo – 39C
CPU – 45C – 48C
GPU – 58C-59C
HD – 34C
Sys After Treatment [No Oc]
Mobo – 34C [-5C]
CPU – 36C – 38C [-10C]
GPU – 51C [-8C]
HD – 29C [-5C]
Much Much Diffrence!
Sys After Treatment [OC 3.8GHZ]
Mobo – 38C
CPU – 44C – 51C
GPU – 53C – 54C
HD – 33C -34C
I believe those are excellent temps 4 a setup like mine.
Hope I didn’t miss ani important details so far…
*Comment:
My fans current fans are weak so plz notice there might be even lower temps with nicer fans.
Cool Comment:
Cause of low pressure if u take a tissue and throw it on an opening u left in the case it sticks on it.
Also Important, most of those who heard about this immediately suggested netting the whole case – that is a very bad idea!! Cause youll have no air movement, no air control and no low pressure cool thing.
Hope I helped anyone.
This Concludes my "Passive Air Cooling Guide"
Writer: Daniel – AshkenAZoNi – Ep0x
