2 92mm to single 120mm on front of P150/SOLO/D500?

DirtyLude · Post by **DirtyLude** » Fri Nov 02, 2007 5:05 pm

Has anyone ever modded the front swinging door on the front of the P150/SOLO/Designer 500 to hold a single 120mm fan rather than the 2 92mm fans?

I will only have 2 drives in this case and would rather have a single 120mm Nexus on the front than 2 92mm fans. I have lots of time to play with the case before I put anything in it. I've test fitted it and the fan will fit and close, it's just a matter of enlarging one of the fan holes and blocking off the other, then drill the mounting holes. Some Home Depot sheet metal and JB weld is about it.

Or is this even a good idea?

Post by **NeilBlanchard** » Fri Nov 02, 2007 6:03 pm

Greetings Mark,

You may not need any fans -- and one 92mm would be plenty for two drives (unless you have an unusually hot room with no A/C).

Michael Sandstrom · Post by **Michael Sandstrom** » Fri Nov 02, 2007 7:11 pm

I am running two Samsung 500GB drives in a Solo with no active cooling and drive temps never exceed 35 degrees. I was so certain that I would never need a front fan that I discarded the fan mount unit. Minus the fan mount, air flow and serviceability are improved.

DirtyLude · Post by **DirtyLude** » Sat Nov 03, 2007 5:40 am

This will be running an overclocked Q6600 and overclocked 8800GT on a P35 board. I currently have a P150 with a single Nexus 120mm on the back, but the CPU and GPU are passively watercooled externally, so the fan doesn't need to vent much heat out of the case.

I like the P150, so I bought a Designer 500 for my new setup, which will be air cooled (HR-03GT and Ultra 120E). The Nexus 120mm is quiet, but it doesn't move much air, and now the system will be venting all heat with the case fans. I would rather have a push/pull with two quiet fans, front/back then just the single or a single that I need to crank up the speed. It's not so much for the drives as it is just to get more air through.

If you think I can still get away with a single rear Nexus 120mm, then I'll try that first.

My current case: (but I don't plan on doing anything wacky like this again)

http://www.higginstribe.com/gallery/case/final.jpg

http://www.higginstribe.com/gallery/case/

Das_Saunamies · Post by **Das_Saunamies** » Sat Nov 03, 2007 6:13 am

92mm should be plenty, it's just so the cool air gets around. Exhaust needs power, intake just needs to happen.

Pigbristle · Post by **Pigbristle** » Sat Nov 03, 2007 2:34 pm

DirtyLude wrote:Has anyone ever modded the front swinging door on the front of the P150/SOLO/Designer 500 to hold a single 120mm fan rather than the 2 92mm fans?

Yes it has been done, trying to find the thread for you now.

I'm with you on this one.
The one difference I think Antec should have made to the new Solo/Designer, was to replace the two 92mm grills for one 120mm.

We all know front fans create more noise (nearer to your ears) then the back fan & I'm sure one 120mm fan would be quieter then two 92mm.

I'll be making the exact same mod if I buy one, which is a little bit annoying after spending Â£54.

try this thread,,,viewtopic.php?t=42750

DirtyLude · Post by **DirtyLude** » Sat Nov 03, 2007 6:30 pm

Thanks for the replies, and thanks for the research Pigbristle.

My wife decided she doesn't need a new computer yet. (My computer goes to my Wife, her's goes to my Mother and so on down the line) So I have the case now, but no computer to put in it for a while. I'm going to mod the front fan mount cage, fill in the current 92mm holes and cut a new hole for a 120mm fan with mounts. If I'm adventurous I might take a look at putting the fan back in the drive cage, like the one in the linked thread.

Das_Saunamies · Post by **Das_Saunamies** » Sat Nov 03, 2007 11:17 pm

Okay then. Do take at least temperature measurements before and after please! Comparison by ear will be hard, as the fresh mod will always sound better.

HueyCobra · Post by **HueyCobra** » Sun Nov 04, 2007 12:00 am

DirtyLude wrote:I like the P150, so I bought a Designer 500 for my new setup,

Have the power/reset buttons been improved on the Sonata Designer?

DirtyLude · Post by **DirtyLude** » Sun Nov 04, 2007 1:37 pm

Power and reset are exactly the same. I wasn't aware there was a problem with them. I hardly ever use them; I just use PS2 keyboard power on.

HueyCobra · Post by **HueyCobra** » Sun Nov 04, 2007 2:20 pm

DirtyLude wrote:Power and reset are exactly the same. I wasn't aware there was a problem with them. I hardly ever use them; I just use PS2 keyboard power on.

Thanks DirtyLude. There have been issues with the P150/Solo buttons, so I was curious if they'd been improved on the Sonata Designer (which wouldn't be visible just looking at the exterior of the case).

thegoldenstrand · Post by **thegoldenstrand** » Fri Nov 09, 2007 12:05 am

If I had your set up.. i would just clear out all I could front and back and let the Nexus do its thing.

That means cut out the fan grill behind the Nexus

That means remove the fan mounts for the 2 92 mm fans up front.. and..

see what temps you get just by doing this..and go from there.

Mike

2 92mm to single 120mm on front of P150/SOLO/D500?

2 92mm to single 120mm on front of P150/SOLO/D500?

Re: 2 92mm to single 120mm on front of P150/SOLO/D500?

I agree with Neil