In past discussions about case fans and cooling, I have always referred members to the AMD website and quoted their recommendations to draw in air at the front and exhaust it at the rear of the case. After adding a Biostar nVidia 6800 XT video card, my CPU temperature increased by about 4 degrees C. Removing the side cover from my Chieftec Dragon case allowed it to run with the CPU temperatures that it had before adding the graphics card. After replacing the heatsink/fan and not getting the temperatures that I desired, I decided to experiment.

With this Chieftec case, I found the coolest CPU temperatures with the two case fans at the rear blowing air into the case and with the two front fans (low in the case) exhausting.

Polygon experimented with one of his cases at the RHCF, and managed to get better results with the fans installed in a way that AMD's recommendations would say is "wrong." Evidently, air flow analysis isn't as simple as those recommendations would lead us to believe.

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In past discussions about case fans and cooling, I have always referred members to the AMD website and quoted their recommendations to draw in air at the front and exhaust it at the rear of the case. After adding a Biostar nVidia 6800 XT video card, my CPU temperature increased by about 4 degrees C. Removing the side cover from my Chieftec Dragon case allowed it to run with the CPU temperatures that it had before adding the graphics card. After replacing the heatsink/fan and not getting the temperatures that I desired, I decided to experiment.

With this Chieftec case, I found the coolest CPU temperatures with the two case fans at the rear blowing air into the case and with the two front fans (low in the case) exhausting.

But have your harddrive temperature increased, what about the ambient (motherboard) and the GPU's temps ?
Any pics of what your layout now looks like.

The problem most people bring up with your setup is the PSU chucks out hot air, it then circulates back in and then (especially if it's the 'proper dual fanned' ATX style) it goes straight into the psu again, via the CPU depending on the layout. The best way to cool the CPU if it really bothers you is to pull the air striaght from outside, often through the side of the case. This way it gets cooler air and the rest of the system still get a proper air flow.

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Team mauisun.org

HD temp: 40 C
Mobo temp: 28 C

My computer towers are in the open and have nearby air conditioning vents. I definitely would not use this arrangement if the tower were enclosed.

Edit: Here's the case. Mine has a clear side panel and no side panel fan. http://www.chieftec.com/products/dragon/dx01wd.htm

Chassis design and system cooling design is definitely not a "straightforward" process.

For any given system, there is probably one ideal solution. But, as has been discussed a little bit in previous posts, it depends on what you're trying to achieve.

I believe the AMD recommendation is generally sound - it's based on the principle that hot air likes to travel up, so you suck cool air in at low level, and transport it out at the top back. It's harder to push hot air down and out through the front. Low side of the back is usually occupied by slots, so at least bigger fans don't fit in there anyways... Most PSU's will fan out at the back, so it helping to have one general direction of airflow in the case.

Also bear in mind that processors are designed to last for MANY years at an average temp of 55'C, and will last several years at stock max temps (which varies between models and brands). As long as you don't go over the max temp of the CPU, nothing bad will happen before the current OS's can't be run on the machine.

Obviously, this is a statistical measurement, and each individual CPU may stop working at any time between minutes after it's first installed and many years later, no matter what temps it's being run at... Just like most cars are designed to last more than 5 years, but someone will probably get one that lasts a month before the engine is gone, through no fault of their own. Warranty should generally apply in these cases...

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Mats

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bump

Chassis design and system cooling design is definitely not a "straightforward" process.

For any given system, there is probably one ideal solution. But, as has been discussed a little bit in previous posts, it depends on what you're trying to achieve.

I believe the AMD recommendation is generally sound - it's based on the principle that hot air likes to travel up, so you suck cool air in at low level, and transport it out at the top back. It's harder to push hot air down and out through the front. Low side of the back is usually occupied by slots, so at least bigger fans don't fit in there anyways... Most PSU's will fan out at the back, so it helping to have one general direction of airflow in the case.

Also bear in mind that processors are designed to last for MANY years at an average temp of 55'C, and will last several years at stock max temps (which varies between models and brands). As long as you don't go over the max temp of the CPU, nothing bad will happen before the current OS's can't be run on the machine.

Obviously, this is a statistical measurement, and each individual CPU may stop working at any time between minutes after it's first installed and many years later, no matter what temps it's being run at... Just like most cars are designed to last more than 5 years, but someone will probably get one that lasts a month before the engine is gone, through no fault of their own. Warranty should generally apply in these cases...

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Mats

My new cruncher is housed in a Lian Li V 200 case that is designed for the flow to go from up to down... the interior divisions and the placements of some very nice fans help there .

The mother Board is placed on a side wall vertically... so the air flow is unimpeded by the mobo placement. Also the CPU is water cooled. Lets see if I can take a nice picture .



I am happy with the arrangement The person that built it did good.


I will be adding two extra fans for exghaust purposes and for ant protection purposes.

Nice photo! Got to love liquid cooling...

Nice photo! Got to love liquid cooling...

The nice thing is that the case is so well designed that even with the liquid cooling, the CPU could be cooled efficiently by air.


I have learned a lot with my teamates. The first thing I learned is that CPU cooling starts with the case selection. So my tidbit of wisdom: if you can afford it go for a case that is designed for good air flow and that by its design allows for the possibility of supplemental water/liquid cooling. If your case helps by its design to keep a good air flow, the battle for efficient cpu cooling is easy to win.

One good place to start finding out the bettwer ways ( and yes the cost effective ways) of CPU coolinng are the Gamer's Boards. Their case reviews are for the most part very helpful. So another suggestion: visit the gamer boards, check their technical reviews on cooling.

Nice photo! Got to love liquid cooling...

The nice thing is that the case is so well designed that even with the liquid cooling, the CPU could be cooled efficiently by air.


I have learned a lot with my teamates. The first thing I learned is that CPU cooling starts with the case selection. So my tidbit of wisdom: if you can afford it go for a case that is designed for good air flow and that by its design allows for the possibility of supplemental water/liquid cooling. If your case helps by its design to keep a good air flow, the battle for efficient cpu cooling is easy to win.

One good place to start finding out the bettwer ways ( and yes the cost effective ways) of CPU coolinng are the Gamer's Boards. Their case reviews are for the most part very helpful. So another suggestion: visit the gamer boards, check their technical reviews on cooling.

Thanks! Yes, gamers' boards are on my list. :-) Lots of goodies! I'm somewhat familiar with electronics convective cooling techniques, and have been curious about how some address the thermal load from three or four ultra-high speed graphics cards that (I suppose) might generate as much heat as the MB.

BTW, I wonder how many are thorough enough to consider "ant protection" requirements... :-)
[edit: typo]

Nice photo! Got to love liquid cooling...

The nice thing is that the case is so well designed that even with the liquid cooling, the CPU could be cooled efficiently by air.


I have learned a lot with my teamates. The first thing I learned is that CPU cooling starts with the case selection. So my tidbit of wisdom: if you can afford it go for a case that is designed for good air flow and that by its design allows for the possibility of supplemental water/liquid cooling. If your case helps by its design to keep a good air flow, the battle for efficient cpu cooling is easy to win.

One good place to start finding out the bettwer ways ( and yes the cost effective ways) of CPU coolinng are the Gamer's Boards. Their case reviews are for the most part very helpful. So another suggestion: visit the gamer boards, check their technical reviews on cooling.

Thanks! Yes, gamers' boards are on my list. :-) Lots of goodies! I'm somewhat familiar with electronics convective cooling techniques, and have been curious about how some address the thermal load from three or four ultra-high speed graphics cards that (I suppose) might generate as much heat as the MB.

BTW, I wonder how many are thorough enough to consider "ant protection" requirements... :-)
[edit: typo]

Latter today , I will post a pic the two openings that need extra fanbs. Also I wil be adding screening to the other fans I have.

[Jose:]

Latter today , I will post a pic the two openings that need extra fanbs. Also I wil be adding screening to the other fans I have.

Super! Looking forward to it! Thanks!
[edit: BBC typo]

[Jose:]

Latter today , I will post a pic the two openings that need extra fans. Also I will be adding screening to the other fans I have.

Super! Looking forward to it! Thanks!
[edit: BBC typo]

Here is a shot of the back:



The big black fan is the main exhaust fan. There is one fan as big in the front and if memory doesn't fail me one or two inside. (One cools the radiator) . Then you see at the bottom the Power Supply fan. In between the big fan and the Power supply fan you will see two open spaces. There is where the two new fans will be used.

As you can notice the back panel has a "little holes " (Talk about tech writing) the same pattern of holes is in the bottom and front..that allows for more air intake and movement. The top and side walls are solid (no wholes) all aluminum ...with the exception of a nice detail the team added: a Logo of the XtremeSystems Team using the names of the people that were involved in the gift in a clear acrylic panel.

Another detail that helps air movement: the case rests on wheels that keeps a space between the floor and the case... this allows for more intake of air.

[Jose:]

Latter today , I will post a pic the two openings that need extra fans. Also I will be adding screening to the other fans I have.

Super! Looking forward to it! Thanks!
[edit: BBC typo]

Here is a shot of the back:



The big black fan is the main exhaust fan. There is one fan as big in the front and if memory doesn't fail me one or two inside. (One cools the radiator) . Then you see at the bottom the Power Supply fan. In between the big fan and the Power supply fan you will see two open spaces. There is where the two new fans will be used.

As you can notice the back panel has a "little holes " (Talk about tech writing) the same pattern of holes is in the bottom and front..that allows for more air intake and movement. The top and side walls are solid (no wholes) all aluminum ...with the exception of a nice detail the team added: a Logo of the XtremeSystems Team using the names of the people that were involved in the gift in a clear acrylic panel.

Another detail that helps air movement: the case rests on wheels that keeps a space between the floor and the case... this allows for more intake of air.

Sweet! Thanks for the info!

Nice case Jose.
I voted black ( mine is black) but silver is so clean and classy. I still can't believe we built this right under your nose and nobody let it slip. Quiet an achievement considering how many were involved.
I have a 120mm fan mounted with industrial strength velcro placed in front of the mobo so that it blows air across the ram and mosfets. You can squeeze an extra WU out of it that way :} heater

allmost forgot, Jose runs a naked cpu he is radical.

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Nice case Jose.
I voted black ( mine is black) but silver is so clean and classy. I still can't believe we built this right under your nose and nobody let it slip. Quiet an achievement considering how many were involved.
I have a 120mm fan mounted with industrial strength velcro placed in front of the mobo so that it blows air across the ram and mosfets. You can squeeze an extra WU out of it that way :} heater

allmost forgot, Jose runs a naked cpu he is radical.

You also voted for AIR. Is my CPU naked....yikes isnt that obscene ? :)

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This and no other is the root from which a Tyrant springs; when he first appears he is a protector.”
Plato

This may sound nutty, but when I bought a system fan to cool my computer more after I decided to run Rosetta, I put vent air filters on all of the intake areas of my case to keep all the big dust out. Works well too, the only dust I have seen get inside is the powder fine size. I could go with a tighter filter,but I don't want to restrict it too much, or have the fans have to work harder than needed.
I did notice in my bios that the new fan lowered my cpu temp. about 10 degrees, and that the temp that shows in Bios is much different than the one those "system monitor" programs display. I prefer to believe the Bios displayed temp., especially since in Bios, both case and processor fan run full blast.
And with my case fan, my system is now exactly like AMD shows a system should be for one of their processors.

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This may sound nutty, but when I bought a system fan to cool my computer more after I decided to run Rosetta, I put vent air filters on all of the intake areas of my case to keep all the big dust out. Works well too, the only dust I have seen get inside is the powder fine size. I could go with a tighter filter,but I don't want to restrict it too much, or have the fans have to work harder than needed.
I did notice in my bios that the new fan lowered my cpu temp. about 10 degrees, and that the temp that shows in Bios is much different than the one those "system monitor" programs display. I prefer to believe the Bios displayed temp., especially since in Bios, both case and processor fan run full blast.
And with my case fan, my system is now exactly like AMD shows a system should be for one of their processors.

I have found that the system monitor programs do not reflect accurate temperature. Btw adding an extra exhaust fan does help too.

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This and no other is the root from which a Tyrant springs; when he first appears he is a protector.”
Plato

Can't help but think that anybody running any form of BOINC project has some kind of wind tunnel for a computer system (even me). Mind you, I've been plotting my next upgrade already (won't do so right away. Maybe 5 years from now), and I'm hoping for liquid cooling. Mind you, I'm also hoping for multiple processors as well, and with mutliple heat sources like that, liquid cooling is probably best(mmm... CPU power good...).

Oh, just as an idea, if you get the right type of chassis, you might be able to use it as a beer fridge as well. Apparently, there was a rumor going around a number of years ago where some crazy people working for Industrial Light & Magic converted one for just such a purpose.

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There are 10 types of people in the world:
Those who understand binary, and those who don't.

In 5 years time you`ll be on 64 core or more processors running cool to the touch !

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Not all Czech`s bounce but I`d like to try with Barbar ;-)

Make no mistake This IS the TEDDIES TEAM.