Has anyone else found this?

Last week I finished upgrading my pc, it now runs AXIA 1GHz (@1.33 now), Thermoengine with Abit KT7AR, geforce2 GTS32Mb etc.

As I thought my puny 200watt PSU didn't stand a chance once I started messing with multipliers and voltages. So I got a luvly enermax thingy with 350Watt. Once this was in all was great for a while but then the system started hanging. Motherboard moiter and VIA HM were reporting CPU fan failure!

I worked it out eventually. Because I have a tiny minitower case, the fan that sucks into the bottom of the PSU is only about 1cm above the CPU fan! As the fan on the thermoengine is pulling air down, and the PSU fan sucking it up they are in obvious conflict. It would seem the PSU fan is more powerful than the CPU fan and was slowing it down to below the alarm point!

Has anyone else seen this? Any comments or advice would be mucho appreciated. Could I reverse the direction of the CPU fan so it pulls in the same direction? Or just ditch it altogether?

PLease help.

Yes you can reverse the direction of the CPU fan so it pulls in the same direction. Just swap the fan wires. Not sure if this will give optimal cooling. This hs is designed for the corrent direction of air flow. Just try it.

Cheers for advice, I will try reversing the fan. I wouldn't have thought it would make much difference to cooling because as long as the air is moved away from the heatsink it is ok. (Right??). I my even try ir without the CPU fan altogether! This case is so crowded that as well as the PSU fan suckinh 1cm above the HS, there as also two 8cm YS-Tech fans sucking out within a couple of inches. Of course I'll be carefull........ Until I smell burning at least

I wouldn't suggest swapping the wires, you need to keep proper polarity on most computer fans. Just turn the fan around. It's easier, and leaves a cleaner look than a spliced wire.

for three pin connectors you can just pop the wires out by using something thin to press down in the slit to the metal and gently pull it out, and then swap. Try the fan both ways, it vary's for everybody on which is better.

Nightfire is absolutely correct. Brushless DC fans are polarity sensitive. That does not mean you can't flip the fan though. I have run a ThermoEngine with YS-Tech 26cfm fan and the cooling suffers about 3-5C with the fan on suck. In your case, it seems like the only solution, unless you get a mid ot full tower.

Hoot

Thanks guys, I'll keep you posted!

Update.........

Tried this with no CPU fan, obviously had to put one of my case fans on the CPU fan header to stop the motehrboard getting worried.

Good results so far! I'm not sure what output the YStech fans are but with two of them so close to the heatsink pulling air out, and the PSU right above it pulling as well the temps are exactly the same with the CPU fan removed.

With a mild overclock 0f 1333 (10*133) I get 42C after 2 hours of Sandra burn in, and 27C idle. Not fantastic, but not yet dangerous!

Mike