Project "Wind Tunnel" - TJ07 internal ducting modification [lots of pics]

Hi everyone. This is my first post on XS. Anyway, I just finished a little modding project and I thought I would share.

First off, here are my system specs:

• Silverstone TJ07 Case (black)
• Intel Core2Extreme Quad-Core CPU @ 4.0GHz
• Zalman CNPS 9700NT Heatsink
• eVGA 132-CK-NF78-A1 Motherboard
• 4GB Corsair Dominator DDR2 RAM
• (2) eVGA 9800GX2 Video Cards @ 700MHz core / 1075MHz memory
• eVGA 8600GT Video Card
• etc. (see sig)

My system is overclocked, on air, so it runs a little hot. I've always gone straight to watercooling on past projects, but I wanted to see if simply improving airflow inside the case would make any difference.

I started out using cut-up cardboard with different fan configurations to find the best flow pattern. Looks mad ghetto but when the door was on it really worked great. This sort of configuration takes in lots of cool external air, and efficiently exhausts the heated air as well.

http://img337.imageshack.us/img337/6966/dsc9230ut5.jpg

Here is the flow diagram for this configuration:

http://img402.imageshack.us/img402/7...230flowvx4.jpg

Using this configuration, compared to an non-ducted configuration, I noticed that the GPU's dropped several degrees Celsius (idle).

Well anyway, last night I started fabricating some internal ducting and an external exhaust manifold. I used some thin sheet aluminum so it was very easy to cut and work with.

I started making the external exhaust manifold. I really wanted to be able to exhaust all of the heated air out the window so it won't affect the ambient temperature in my room. I first created a template out of poster board and then used it to create one from aluminum. I wanted to make sure it would catch the exhaust out of the two 92mm fans, as well as air from the PCI card rear-vent.

Card board mock-up:

http://tfrascone.net/myphotos/g2data...3/DSC_9795.jpg

http://tfrascone.net/myphotos/g2data...3/DSC_9784.jpg

http://tfrascone.net/myphotos/g2data...3/DSC_9785.jpg

Traced it onto the sheet aluminum:

http://tfrascone.net/myphotos/g2data...3/DSC_9799.jpg

Using shears to cut the aluminum:

http://tfrascone.net/myphotos/g2data...3/DSC_9801.jpg

After creating all of the bends in the aluminum version, I used some rivets to facet everything together. I also sealed all of the seams with clear silicone.

Here is the final product, installed on the back of the case:

http://tfrascone.net/myphotos/g2data...3/DSC_9807.jpg

http://tfrascone.net/myphotos/g2data...3/DSC_9811.jpg

The next thing I wanted to do was recreate the internal ducting with aluminum. I used clear packing tape to seal up all of the 5.25" mounting holes, then I started to build the ducting. I got a little excited and forgot to take pictures of this part, but here is a photo looking in from the front of the case.

http://tfrascone.net/myphotos/g2data...3/DSC_9820.jpg

From the side, you can see the ducting (on the right) where it lines up to the video cards. I wanted to make sure that 100% of the air entering the front of the case would pass through the video cards, so that is why the aluminum is flush all the way up to the cards:

http://tfrascone.net/myphotos/g2data...3/DSC_9826.jpg

Here is a shot of the top of the ducting, after reinstalling the Scythe Kama Bay Fan:

http://tfrascone.net/myphotos/g2data...3/DSC_9827.jpg

The next part I started to build was the PCI area exhaust. I used a PCI slot fan that I had sitting around but created a custom housing to hold it.

http://tfrascone.net/myphotos/g2data...3/DSC_9831.jpg

http://tfrascone.net/myphotos/g2data...3/DSC_9836.jpg

http://tfrascone.net/myphotos/g2data...3/DSC_9835.jpg

Holding the PCI exhaust fan in place:

http://tfrascone.net/myphotos/g2data...3/DSC_9833.jpg

Here is the view looking through the front again. In this picture you can see the aluminum that I placed between the 9800GX2 cards. This blocks the 8600GT from getting cool air, but that card is just used to run my extra monitors so I'm not worried about that one:

http://tfrascone.net/myphotos/g2data...3/DSC_9837.jpg

I also used a piece of aluminum to close the gap between the motherboard tray & the 5.25" bays:

http://tfrascone.net/myphotos/g2data...3/DSC_9842.jpg

Another progress shot. You can see the aluminum piece between the two 9800GX2 cards in this photo:

http://tfrascone.net/myphotos/g2data...3/DSC_9843.jpg

When the PCI exhaust unit is installed the video card airflow is now a closed, one-way airflow setup:

http://tfrascone.net/myphotos/g2data...3/DSC_9845.jpg

I forgot that I wanted to use the rear-bottom 92mm exhaust fan for the PCI cards so I cut open the top of the PCI exhaust fan:

http://tfrascone.net/myphotos/g2data...3/DSC_9852.jpg

http://tfrascone.net/myphotos/g2data...3/DSC_9858.jpg

After that I created the top shrould. Notice how I applied tape along the edge that makes contact with the motherboard:

http://tfrascone.net/myphotos/g2data...3/DSC_9854.jpg

Top shroud installed - now the rear-bottom 92mm exhaust fan also helps to exhaust hot air from the PCI card area:

http://tfrascone.net/myphotos/g2data...3/DSC_9859.jpg

http://tfrascone.net/myphotos/g2data...3/DSC_9862.jpg

http://tfrascone.net/myphotos/g2data...3/DSC_9864.jpg

After cutting a hole in the rear exhaust manifold, I added a mount for the dryer ducting. At this point, it's pretty much done!

http://tfrascone.net/myphotos/g2data...3/DSC_9867.jpg

Here is the computer under my desk and running again:

http://tfrascone.net/myphotos/g2data...3/DSC_9876.jpg

http://tfrascone.net/myphotos/g2data...3/DSC_9878.jpg

Once again, here is the flow diagram:

http://tfrascone.net/myphotos/g2data.../flowchart.jpg

I'm really glad I did this mod. Not only is it keeping my system cool & stable, but it's exhausting all the hot air out the window, so the ambient temperature in my room is not really affected by the computer anymore.

Total materials cost: $10 sheet aluminum, $3 rivets, $4 silicone sealant, $9 dryer ducting = $26.

I think I'm going to pull out all of the ducting so I can paint it all flat-black. should look really nice once it's painted.

Cheers! :up:

Very very very cool!

I was having a giggle at the cardboard until I saw the aluminium which meant you mean business :D. Best 26 bucks spent and paint would look awesome.

now that is cool

isn't it kind of dangerous to have loose metal floating around in your case like that?

Quote:

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Originally Posted by See-Fu

isn't it kind of dangerous to have loose metal floating around in your case like that?

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none of it is loose. everything is bolted down tightly.

nice what was the temperature difference?

Quote:

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Originally Posted by roofsniper

nice what was the temperature difference?

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about 6-8 degrees Celsius compared to no ducting at all.

Quote:

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Originally Posted by theorie

about 6-8 degrees Celsius compared to no ducting at all.

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on the cpu im guessing? maybe i might try some ducting.

wow! that is awesome! & brilliant results too! :up:

question: where is that flexible duct thingy @ the back going to? is there a fan at the other end of it?

Quote:

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Originally Posted by roofsniper

on the cpu im guessing? maybe i might try some ducting.

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oh sorry, no i meant 6-8c drop (on each GPU) on the video cards temps. i've got 5 GPU's in there producing a lot of heat. haha

that zalman heatsink has always done a great job of keeping the CPU temps down, even without any ducting.

i haven't even checked if there was a difference in CPU temps because the main reason for this mod was to better cool the video cards

Quote:

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Originally Posted by theorie

oh sorry, no i meant 6-8c drop (on each GPU) on the video cards temps. i've got 5 GPU's in there producing a lot of heat. haha

that zalman heatsink has always done a great job of keeping the CPU temps down, even without any ducting.

i haven't even checked if there was a difference in CPU temps because the main reason for this mod was to better cool the video cards

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:eek: very nice! :D

where'd u get the 86gt PCI from? I thought the highest NV PCI GPU was 85GT? :shrug:

:up:

Quote:

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Originally Posted by tiro_uspsss

:eek: very nice! :D

where'd u get the 86gt PCI from? I thought the highest NV PCI GPU was 85GT? :shrug:

:up:

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oops...brain fart. it is PCI-e...i forgot...

http://www.newegg.com/Product/Produc...82E16814130085

(on my old system i used to have (2) 7800GT's PCI-e, with a single PCI vid card for the extra monitors)

I like that mate, nice one :up:

hands down the coolest air cooled TJ07 I ever seen! amazing work, concept and results!! just awesome :up::up::up:

thanks for all the feedback guys :)

Very nice! Something totally different and effective! Way to go !! :up::up:

whoa :shocked:

that's vey nice... really

Awesome :up:

It looks amazing theorie, I like it very much. Elegant, solid, home-made.

Well done !

The gpus' duct looks very very solid, nice craftsmanship :D.
If I were you I'd add some small (has to be really crammed in I guess, but still) duct for the cpu, with that tight turn the air flow has to make there is bound to be high turbulence in the area :D.
looks quite nice :D

nice ideas, might want to consider using lexan for the ducts though, pretty easy to work with and won't short out electronics

what's nice about the sheet aluminum is that it is very very thin. if lexan were that thin i imagine it would be too flexible. the case itself is made out of aluminum, so i don't see why anyone is worried about shorts. also the ducting doesnt actually make physical contact with the motherboard.

i just ordered some stuff from frozencpu: another Scythe Kama Bay HDD Cooler, two Thermal-Star Illuminated Thermometers (Blue), and another 120mm silverstone 9-blade fan.

i am going to mount the two temp gauges somewhere in the case (maybe flush with the ducting)...one will show air intake temp, and one ill show exhaust air temp.

oh, also i had some left-over ducting...so i modded my cat's litter box..LOL! no more stinky litter box! now, all the stink goes out the window... :D

there is a 92mm fan sucking air out of the box. right now it's on an on/off switch (on the back) but i just got some 12v motion detector timed switches ($6 for two on ebay). once i hook them up, the fan will run for 3min every time the cat goes in there. the fan is near silent and the cat doesn't even notice it.

http://img521.imageshack.us/img521/2723/dsc9457gq6.jpg

http://img370.imageshack.us/img370/9229/dsc9901xw5.jpg

http://img513.imageshack.us/img513/5117/dsc9458de8.jpg

nice are the temps any lower?

did u OC ur :banana::banana::banana::banana::banana: too? :D