n00b has a question :D

Hello everyone.... I'm new to oc.com and this forum but not to computers I have been oc'ing my computer for about a year now, and I must say this website is great.... the more I read and more info i get the better my oc goes...

Anyway I have this little graph here and would like your guru opinions about it.

Thx

M






Okay it's not displaying properly because text is screwed up.. but by colors and postions you can tell which is my P.S. || FANS || & processor /w heatsink


My question is which one do you suggest. I have FIG B the buttom one where both fans on the back are blowing Exhaust and I have one intake on the front...

DO you think I should get one more intake ?? on the side maybe. Also my computer idle's at 34 and full load goes up to 38 c's I was worried about those temps for a while but after reading through here.. 40c is considered low

One more question. On the intake on buttom front and exhaust on back rear. Would drilling out and removing the fan guards help with flow reduction ?? Would air get sucked through more easier and faster ??

I also drilled bigger holes from about 1/8" to 1/4" size on my front cover

WELCOME TO THE FORUMS!

My setup is like your fig.A (the top schematic) except for the top blowhole. At 20C ambient I have 34C full load temps running SETI@Home. I have a 80mm intake sitting in the side panel pumping outside air right into/onto my 60mm heatsink fan. I cut a 80mm hole (with a fangrill) in the bottom of my PSU to get better airflow out of the case and added a 80mm intake in the bottom front of the case as well. So like your fig.A the CPU gets it's own cold air directly from outside, and the rest of the system gets cold air from another intake.

-edit- Yes! By all means drill out the fan guards, even on the back of your PSU and replace it with a 'wire' fan guard!!!

Here's a pic of how I nibbled out the front grille and the bottom of the front panel to get that air flowing freely...

I have mine set up similiar to figure B. The only reason I don't have it set up like figure A is I believe it disrupts airflow at the bottom of the case plus it makes no difference for my temps. It might be different for you. I would try both ways and see which is better.

And as Lancelot says definitely drill out the fan guards. It does improve air flow.

I personally would not use either of those layouts for the following reasons :-.

Figure A for example blows the hot air off the heatsink into the system, which is not desirable as system temps effect stability as much as processor temps. The air would most likely meet with the incoming air from the front fan while a pressure drop caused by the top fan and PSU fan could circulate the warm air causing a localised warm spot.

Figure B just has to much air being sucked out imho which although ok first of all, generally sucks in a lot of dust due to negative pressure inside the case which insulates your components and increases temprature.

Personally I like exceptionally large in the lower regions of the case ( blowing cool air in ) and slightly smaller fans in the higher regions (sucking warm air out) I always aim for slightly positive pressure inside the case as this assists in moving the cooler air through the case and across your system.