First Impressions: 80mm-120mm adapter

A few of you regulars might remember me asking around for one of these not too long ago, but there were just none to be found unless I made one myself. Well, since I'm just too lazy and Plycon got some in stock I just decided to buy one. While I was at it, I got a 131CFM YS-Tech 120mm fan.

I finally slapped it on the 8045 tonight, pretty interesting results. I originally put it blowing down into the sink, since I seemed to get better results with the 80mm I was using doing it that way. Needless to say, the Alpha didn't like that. The temp at load ended up being 2-3 degrees over the temps with the 80mm. Turned it around and tried again, and here are the final results:

Before CPU temp: 42c at full load

After CPU temp : 37c at full load.

I'm pretty happy with the results, but I'm still having a hard time justifying the $40 bucks after shipping for just 5 degrees centigrade. I wasn't expecting cryo-tank cooling power from this, just a bit more of a boost than 5c. I know a XP1900+ puts out a bit of heat, but any of you guys think I'm doing something wrong? Should I be getting cooler temps?

What is the CFM rating on the original / new fans?

You could try turning one of your case exhaust fans around.
By adding the large fan blowing out, you just changed the case's overall airflow alot. If you don't have enough fans blowing in to supply it, the 120mm will be held back in performance.
I'd try switching around the fan on the backplane next to the printer connectors so that it blows in.

When you get 5C changes, and the system's in the 30's, you're doing pretty good. Almost any old fan can drop temps 5C when your in the 60's. The closer you get to 30C, the harder (and more expensive) it will be to get that much improvement.

Happy cooling!

where you've got the adapter?

The adapter is on top of the HS, so I could get a bigger fan on it.

The case I have is a SX-830, so I'm sure alot of you guys are familiar with the layout. Here's what fans I have in there at the moment:

2 rear exaust fans: 2 Antec 80mm fans (came with case, guessing around 32-34cfm each)
3 front intake fans: 2xEnermax Speed-Adjustable 80mm fans (around 45cfm max) 1xYS-Tech 80mm fan (48.5cfm) infront of the HD
1 slot fan: positioned between the vidcard and Audigy, supposedly sucks 32cfm out the case but it feels more like 5.
2 exaust fans inside Enermax 465w PSU: I'm not sure on the specs of these, probably in the 30-35cfm range at full blast. I'm sure you know the layout: one on bottom and one in the back of the PSU.
1 CPU fan : YS-Tech 120mm 131cfm sucking off a 8045. The original fan was a Thermaltake 80mm fan at 44cfm blowing into the 8045.

It seems like the setup now with it sucking off the 8045 seems to work better, with the 4 fans near by exausting the hot air from the CPU (2 rear 80mms and the 2 in the PSU). I should probably consider getting some more powerful fans for the rear exaust, or possibly a makeshift duct directing all the air being blown from the HSF into the exaust.

Although no cooling setup is as good as the AC unit being used. It's around 80 outside, and the AC just isn't powerful enough to keep this room cool. It could be the fact that the AC is 26 years old (never seen another 26 year old AC unit on a house ever), or the duct work going into this room just sucks. Either way, I'm running around 39-40c at full load during the day and around 36-37c at night.

Accually, I would turn around the two 80''s in the back of your case so that when the YS is pulling air through the 8045 it has fresh air to help with cooling the CPU and hs. The fans in the front of the case turn so that they blow out instead of in. Remember to try this one at a time so as to see were things go right and go wrong. Just my $0.02.

you can try cutting the factory punched fan guards out of the case and buying some of the chrom wire ones so you can get more air flow through them. there just isn't enough holes in the stock punched screens to allow good air flow.

Just something else to try if you get bored...

Try putting your adapter on top of the 80mm fan. It would be like this: HS, 80mm fan, adaptor, 120mm fan. It might not do anything, but then again it might. Try it blowing and sucking just to see. Fan stacking doesn't seem to work with same size fans, but with the use of an adaptor there is some back pressure which is the main benefit to fan stacking.

Just if you get bored.

Well, I'm getting some rather impressive cooling now that I have my window open (and it's around 48 outside). Who knows what the temp in my room is, but I'm wearing a sweater so I can't tell.

CPU running Seti : 32c

Case : 19c

I seriously doubt I'm going to be able to get my room this temp when summer hits, so I might as well enjoy this while I can.