I have for the 4th time re arranged the cables in my P180B lol.
And when doing that. I realized I did'nt need the extra USB PCI connector that whas sitting right under my videocard. I also started to wonder if those pretty thick cables coming form that USB connector where obstructing the airflow from the intake fan to the videocard?
After mounting the vented orginal PCI plate where the USB had been. I started to wonder if a vented PCI plate right under the videocard would improve the VGA cooling or the opposite? Or if such a vented plate even would disturb the air pressure in the case?. Would like to add, that all PCI plates above the videocard, are either sealed or occupied. All holes in the case that's not in use are also sealed
Your opinion please!
Vented PCI plates good or bad?
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where?wolf
- Posts: 198
- Joined: Mon Jul 31, 2006 5:10 am
- Location: Southern Sweden
as always, the answer is: "it depends."
What is your airflow strategy (what fans, where are they, and most importantly - why you chose that setup)? Does your video card exhaust the hot air outside the case or does it stay in the case? Is the airflow for your CPU heatsink separated from the video card (ducts or divider)?
What is your airflow strategy (what fans, where are they, and most importantly - why you chose that setup)? Does your video card exhaust the hot air outside the case or does it stay in the case? Is the airflow for your CPU heatsink separated from the video card (ducts or divider)?
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where?wolf
- Posts: 198
- Joined: Mon Jul 31, 2006 5:10 am
- Location: Southern Sweden
[quote="pyogenes"]as always, the answer is: "it depends."
What is your airflow strategy (what fans, where are they, and most importantly - why you chose that setup)? Does your video card exhaust the hot air outside the case or does it stay in the case? Is the airflow for your CPU heatsink separated from the video card (ducts or divider)?[/quote]
Hi!
Well, I have no top fan in the P180.
A funneled 50mm thick, 120mm Nexus as intake. Sitting in the case on the edge of the hd cage.
And is just 1 cm from the edge of the videocard.
The videocard doesnt have a separate exhaust. It's exhausting inside the case.
A 56 CFM Sunbeam LED fan as exhaust.
No duct for the CPU heatsink or such.
Hope this will be sufficient info for a conclusion?
What is your airflow strategy (what fans, where are they, and most importantly - why you chose that setup)? Does your video card exhaust the hot air outside the case or does it stay in the case? Is the airflow for your CPU heatsink separated from the video card (ducts or divider)?[/quote]
Hi!
Well, I have no top fan in the P180.
A funneled 50mm thick, 120mm Nexus as intake. Sitting in the case on the edge of the hd cage.
And is just 1 cm from the edge of the videocard.
The videocard doesnt have a separate exhaust. It's exhausting inside the case.
A 56 CFM Sunbeam LED fan as exhaust.
No duct for the CPU heatsink or such.
Hope this will be sufficient info for a conclusion?
Your exhaust fan is moving alot more air than your intake, so you have a negative pressure case. That means air will try to sneak in any hole it can find - that's a good thing. If you sealed up all the holes the exhaust fan will be working hard to move as much air as it would at lower speeds. (It can only push out as much air as the case is taking in).
Is your top exhaust sealed or open? If it's open, that's the easiest way for air to come in since the path to the exhaust wide open, a short distance away, and relatively unobstructed. However, that isn't very useful since all the air pulled in from the top just gets sent right back out with little opportunity cool the system.
If the top is closed off, you need to think about how the air is flowing. Obviously all the air is moving towards the top and rear of the case since the only exhaust fan is there. Most of the air is coming from the intake but since you have a negative pressure scenario, air is coming from other openings.
Do you have anything blocking airflow in the 5.25" drive area? If air is coming through there, that'll limit how much extra air is coming from the bottom of the case.
If that's blocked up and the expansion slot covers are open, that'll allow an air current from the video card area to the exhaust. Of course, the intake fan is blowing directly towards the openings so that'll limit how much can actually come in. Then again the video card fan's air current may form a wall of air eliminating the effect by the intake. Of course that fan might have all sorts of effects on air flow in that area. In other words, that lower area of the case has airflows too complex to simplify and figure out without actually testing.
If I were a betting man, I'd wager closing off the expansion slots would have little effect on temperture but likely help cut down on noise from the GPU fan, but only testing can give you the full story.
Is your top exhaust sealed or open? If it's open, that's the easiest way for air to come in since the path to the exhaust wide open, a short distance away, and relatively unobstructed. However, that isn't very useful since all the air pulled in from the top just gets sent right back out with little opportunity cool the system.
If the top is closed off, you need to think about how the air is flowing. Obviously all the air is moving towards the top and rear of the case since the only exhaust fan is there. Most of the air is coming from the intake but since you have a negative pressure scenario, air is coming from other openings.
Do you have anything blocking airflow in the 5.25" drive area? If air is coming through there, that'll limit how much extra air is coming from the bottom of the case.
If that's blocked up and the expansion slot covers are open, that'll allow an air current from the video card area to the exhaust. Of course, the intake fan is blowing directly towards the openings so that'll limit how much can actually come in. Then again the video card fan's air current may form a wall of air eliminating the effect by the intake. Of course that fan might have all sorts of effects on air flow in that area. In other words, that lower area of the case has airflows too complex to simplify and figure out without actually testing.
If I were a betting man, I'd wager closing off the expansion slots would have little effect on temperture but likely help cut down on noise from the GPU fan, but only testing can give you the full story.
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where?wolf
- Posts: 198
- Joined: Mon Jul 31, 2006 5:10 am
- Location: Southern Sweden
[quote="pyogenes"]Your exhaust fan is moving alot more air than your intake, so you have a negative pressure case. That means air will try to sneak in any hole it can find - that's a good thing. If you sealed up all the holes the exhaust fan will be working hard to move as much air as it would at lower speeds. (It can only push out as much air as the case is taking in).
Is your top exhaust sealed or open? If it's open, that's the easiest way for air to come in since the path to the exhaust wide open, a short distance away, and relatively unobstructed. However, that isn't very useful since all the air pulled in from the top just gets sent right back out with little opportunity cool the system.
If the top is closed off, you need to think about how the air is flowing. Obviously all the air is moving towards the top and rear of the case since the only exhaust fan is there. Most of the air is coming from the intake but since you have a negative pressure scenario, air is coming from other openings.
Do you have anything blocking airflow in the 5.25" drive area? If air is coming through there, that'll limit how much extra air is coming from the bottom of the case.
If that's blocked up and the expansion slot covers are open, that'll allow an air current from the video card area to the exhaust. Of course, the intake fan is blowing directly towards the openings so that'll limit how much can actually come in. Then again the video card fan's air current may form a wall of air eliminating the effect by the intake. Of course that fan might have all sorts of effects on air flow in that area. In other words, that lower area of the case has airflows too complex to simplify and figure out without actually testing.
If I were a betting man, I'd wager closing off the expansion slots would have little effect on temperture but likely help cut down on noise from the GPU fan, but only testing can give you the full story.[/quote]
Wow! Thanks for your very throughout ansver!
Well, I have tried some different things, since I first read your ansver.
Sealing the top vent, did have some positive impact on the case overall temp. wich dropped 3C.
But did increase the cpu temp by 2C. Guess this have to do that with the top vent open. I had the intake air from the top sweeping over the XP90 in a fast and steady stream. But the case as such did'nt benefit from that air stream. Exactly as you said.
Then I opend the top vent again and made a kind of "Ghetto Kama bay".
Using one of the spare Tricool fans in the 5.25 bay area and also seaing all holes in that drive carge. I had the Tricool controlled with the Antec hardware fan controller on "low". So I belive I had near the same airflow (36CFM) as with an orginal Scythe Kama Bay (30CFM).
This whas the config, that gave me the lowest temps overall. 4C, case and 3C cpu lower temp. But whas of coarce slightly noisier. But not disturbing in any way. Just a thad bit louder. mostly due to that the hissing of the air passing the door vents increased.
Config 3. I sealed the top vent again. Removed the "Kama Tricool " fan. Isolated the 5.25 cage with PC sound damping mat in multiple layers.
And it gave me 3C cooler case but higher CPU temp by 2C. But up today the most quiet performance. The PC is standing on top of my desk. About 40CM from my ears. And I can only hear the faint rush of air thru the intakes in the front door.
The interesting thing where, that if sealing or leaving that PCI plate open. Leaving it open where the best soloution. Despite what the fan config where. Open PCI slot gave 3- 4C better card temp under load. And the noise is very low from the videocard. running it at stock speed. I have to put my ear to the case and really consentrate to be able to hear it at all.
I also saw from my ATI Tray Tools in game temp display. That it took longer time for the card to reach it's top load temp with the vented PCI plate open. One reason for the open PCI is better. Could be the fact, that I have the back of the case fasing a window. And I have a small vent that is open there. pulling in some fresh air into the room. This vindow vent, is in about the same hight as the pci plate.
So I have come to the conclusion, that as long as the room temperature is decent ( 18C - 20C). The most silent and effective way to run my P180 case. Is with the top vent sealed. Just the funneled Nexus as intake and the vented PCI plate open. Even though I get a couple of degrees "hotter cpu" ( 32C idle and 46C max load). As you can see, not a very discourageing temperature.
But probably, open the top vent and adding a Scythe, Kama Bay or the "Tricool bay", for the 5.25 cage. Will be a better choise during the summer months.
And as for the noise then. It wont matter much, as I have a pretty noisy table fan in the same room as the computer. Running at full throttle during the warm months of the year practically 24 hour a day. And this fan will drown all eventual noises, coming from the computer.
Edit.
One thing that would be interesting to know.
If I where to add a 120mm Tricool (on low) in the front mount of the
the intake fan / upper hd cage, as a kind of "tandem fan set up" with the Nexus in the other end of that cage. Would this have any positive effect for the intake airflow?
Is your top exhaust sealed or open? If it's open, that's the easiest way for air to come in since the path to the exhaust wide open, a short distance away, and relatively unobstructed. However, that isn't very useful since all the air pulled in from the top just gets sent right back out with little opportunity cool the system.
If the top is closed off, you need to think about how the air is flowing. Obviously all the air is moving towards the top and rear of the case since the only exhaust fan is there. Most of the air is coming from the intake but since you have a negative pressure scenario, air is coming from other openings.
Do you have anything blocking airflow in the 5.25" drive area? If air is coming through there, that'll limit how much extra air is coming from the bottom of the case.
If that's blocked up and the expansion slot covers are open, that'll allow an air current from the video card area to the exhaust. Of course, the intake fan is blowing directly towards the openings so that'll limit how much can actually come in. Then again the video card fan's air current may form a wall of air eliminating the effect by the intake. Of course that fan might have all sorts of effects on air flow in that area. In other words, that lower area of the case has airflows too complex to simplify and figure out without actually testing.
If I were a betting man, I'd wager closing off the expansion slots would have little effect on temperture but likely help cut down on noise from the GPU fan, but only testing can give you the full story.[/quote]
Wow! Thanks for your very throughout ansver!
Well, I have tried some different things, since I first read your ansver.
Sealing the top vent, did have some positive impact on the case overall temp. wich dropped 3C.
But did increase the cpu temp by 2C. Guess this have to do that with the top vent open. I had the intake air from the top sweeping over the XP90 in a fast and steady stream. But the case as such did'nt benefit from that air stream. Exactly as you said.
Then I opend the top vent again and made a kind of "Ghetto Kama bay".
Using one of the spare Tricool fans in the 5.25 bay area and also seaing all holes in that drive carge. I had the Tricool controlled with the Antec hardware fan controller on "low". So I belive I had near the same airflow (36CFM) as with an orginal Scythe Kama Bay (30CFM).
This whas the config, that gave me the lowest temps overall. 4C, case and 3C cpu lower temp. But whas of coarce slightly noisier. But not disturbing in any way. Just a thad bit louder. mostly due to that the hissing of the air passing the door vents increased.
Config 3. I sealed the top vent again. Removed the "Kama Tricool " fan. Isolated the 5.25 cage with PC sound damping mat in multiple layers.
And it gave me 3C cooler case but higher CPU temp by 2C. But up today the most quiet performance. The PC is standing on top of my desk. About 40CM from my ears. And I can only hear the faint rush of air thru the intakes in the front door.
The interesting thing where, that if sealing or leaving that PCI plate open. Leaving it open where the best soloution. Despite what the fan config where. Open PCI slot gave 3- 4C better card temp under load. And the noise is very low from the videocard. running it at stock speed. I have to put my ear to the case and really consentrate to be able to hear it at all.
I also saw from my ATI Tray Tools in game temp display. That it took longer time for the card to reach it's top load temp with the vented PCI plate open. One reason for the open PCI is better. Could be the fact, that I have the back of the case fasing a window. And I have a small vent that is open there. pulling in some fresh air into the room. This vindow vent, is in about the same hight as the pci plate.
So I have come to the conclusion, that as long as the room temperature is decent ( 18C - 20C). The most silent and effective way to run my P180 case. Is with the top vent sealed. Just the funneled Nexus as intake and the vented PCI plate open. Even though I get a couple of degrees "hotter cpu" ( 32C idle and 46C max load). As you can see, not a very discourageing temperature.
But probably, open the top vent and adding a Scythe, Kama Bay or the "Tricool bay", for the 5.25 cage. Will be a better choise during the summer months.
And as for the noise then. It wont matter much, as I have a pretty noisy table fan in the same room as the computer. Running at full throttle during the warm months of the year practically 24 hour a day. And this fan will drown all eventual noises, coming from the computer.
Edit.
One thing that would be interesting to know.
If I where to add a 120mm Tricool (on low) in the front mount of the
the intake fan / upper hd cage, as a kind of "tandem fan set up" with the Nexus in the other end of that cage. Would this have any positive effect for the intake airflow?