pudgy-duck
01-30-02, 12:23 AM
Whether you have a HSF or water cooling, either way there are still fans in the case and PSU. I wanted to reduce the fan noise coming from my case. Can't get things too quiet I say.
Went down to the carpet store and bought a piece of 1/4 inch thick carpet pad that was 2 feet by 6 feet. The kind that is a bunch of recycled foam chunks glued together. Cost, not quite $5. Also picked up a roll of double stick carpet tape. Cost, $3 and change.
I have an INWIN Q500 full tower case. The kind where both sides and the top are removeable panels, and the MoBo is mounted on a removeable drawer (for lack of a better word). I cut out pieces of padding and used the double stick tape to attach them to the inside of the sides, top, and bottom of the case. Can't do much with the front or back of the case. The padding is inside the case, and cannot be seen.
This really reduced the fan noise. The howling is gone. From the front, about the only thing I can hear now is the sound of moving air. From the back, the only fan noise I hear is the whine from the PSU fan. I am going to order a Panaflo and replace it. The foam padding absorbs the noise and prevents the case from acting like a resonance chamber. I had the case buttoned up and the computer running. I then removed the left side panel while the computer was still running. The noise level increased noticeably, so I know it is helping enough to make it worth the 1/2 hr to 45 min. I spent installing it. Of course, this is not for everyone, e.g. someone with a window in their case. But if you want noticeable noise reduction for about $10 and 45 min of time, give it a try and post how it worked for you.
I use the classic S shaped air flow. All air enters in the bottom front of the case, and flows to the upper back of the case. I had the side vents already taped off. So, adding the foam padding did not change any of my temps.
Pudge
P.S. I am fairly new to this forum, and I can't harldy believe I am the first to think of this. So if this idea has already been hashed through earlier, I apologize for reposting it.
Went down to the carpet store and bought a piece of 1/4 inch thick carpet pad that was 2 feet by 6 feet. The kind that is a bunch of recycled foam chunks glued together. Cost, not quite $5. Also picked up a roll of double stick carpet tape. Cost, $3 and change.
I have an INWIN Q500 full tower case. The kind where both sides and the top are removeable panels, and the MoBo is mounted on a removeable drawer (for lack of a better word). I cut out pieces of padding and used the double stick tape to attach them to the inside of the sides, top, and bottom of the case. Can't do much with the front or back of the case. The padding is inside the case, and cannot be seen.
This really reduced the fan noise. The howling is gone. From the front, about the only thing I can hear now is the sound of moving air. From the back, the only fan noise I hear is the whine from the PSU fan. I am going to order a Panaflo and replace it. The foam padding absorbs the noise and prevents the case from acting like a resonance chamber. I had the case buttoned up and the computer running. I then removed the left side panel while the computer was still running. The noise level increased noticeably, so I know it is helping enough to make it worth the 1/2 hr to 45 min. I spent installing it. Of course, this is not for everyone, e.g. someone with a window in their case. But if you want noticeable noise reduction for about $10 and 45 min of time, give it a try and post how it worked for you.
I use the classic S shaped air flow. All air enters in the bottom front of the case, and flows to the upper back of the case. I had the side vents already taped off. So, adding the foam padding did not change any of my temps.
Pudge
P.S. I am fairly new to this forum, and I can't harldy believe I am the first to think of this. So if this idea has already been hashed through earlier, I apologize for reposting it.