new solution for a quiet pc

Aracu · Post by **Aracu** » Thu Apr 21, 2005 10:55 pm

It seems like there is a basic design flaw in all marketed quiet pcs, which is that the power supply is inside the pc. Why not have a fanless power supply mounted on top of the pc case, with a hole drilled on the top of the case just large enough to allow the cables through. Then the power supply will not heat up the inside of the case, and the inside of the case won't heat up the power supply, allowing the simultaneous co-existence of
a fanless power supply with minimum airflow.

The possible objections I see to this are 1. the back of power supply needs to use the case as a heat sink. Solution: fasten an aluminum plate to it. 2. the bottom of the power supply will heat up the case or need airflow. Solution: elevate it slightly with two aluminum bars resting on the top of the case. 3. it's too unappealing visually and too dangerous.
Solution: fasten a grill box over it. 4. it's too wierd. Solution: that's
because we're conditioned by habit. 5. it's too bulky. Solution: no
solution.

Also, I was wondering if anyone knows how an Elan Vital power supply
can be purchased in the U.S.A. Judging from reviews, their 500 watt
version sounds like it could easily be the best fanless power supply
on the market, however there doesn't seem a way to purchase it in
this country.

Splinter · Post by **Splinter** » Thu Apr 21, 2005 11:05 pm

Not enough airflow, issues with cable length, could easily get knocked off and reak havoc with the insides of your PC

Apart from that, solutions that use an insolated airspace for the PSU, like the Antec p180 and the modded Sonatas provide many of the benefits you speak of, with little drawbacks.

Splinter · Post by **Splinter** » Thu Apr 21, 2005 11:06 pm

Oh, and welcome to the forums

Aracu · Post by **Aracu** » Thu Apr 21, 2005 11:32 pm

Thanks Splinter. The cables wouldn't have to be much longer if the power supply were on top of the case. About the lack of airflow, the power supply would need less airflow than if it were in the case, because it wouldn't be enclosed in a relatively small space, and wouldn't be in the same space as other heat causing elements. As a precaution, it would be safer to use the type of "fanless" power supply with a back up fan in case of overheating.

Post by **Ralf Hutter** » Fri Apr 22, 2005 4:44 am

Our Grand Vizier already posted his take on this idea about 14 months ago. This is why we bow in supplication towards Vancouver several times daily.

MalcolmC · Post by **MalcolmC** » Fri Apr 22, 2005 6:42 am

Aracu is talking about a fanless PSU. This is something I had been thinking about for some time - I really cannot think of a thermal/noise downside with taking it out of the box. Since the PSU has no fans, it cannot provide any cooling in the case - only extra heat.

With the PSU out of the box, it should get more ventilation also.

The only problem as far as I can see is that it's not so neat and more likely to put a strain on the PSU leads when moving the computer around, unless the PSU were attached to the box (presumably on top).

Aracu · Post by **Aracu** » Fri Apr 22, 2005 9:15 am

Thanks Ralph and Malcom...it's great to see that Mike C. tried it
successfully. He just ran the cables through the power supply
mounting hole. I agree with Malcom, that it's awkward for moving
the case etc. with the power cables more vulnerable. A nice grill
could be fastened over it. I wish that manufactururers of cases and
silent power supplies had already starting designing them like this,
since it would solve the problem of a fanless power supply with
minimum airflow in a workstation computer needing higher levels
of wattage. Sooner or later they will because the other solutions
do not solve the problem. I haven't tried it yet, because I haven't been able to find a way of ordering a Greenerger power supply in the U.S. It's
too bad that some of the most advanced computer products aren't
available in the U.S.

Another added benefit is that it leaves a space to mount one more
low dBA fan in the back of the case. It's a benefit because multiple low dBA fans will be more silent than their equivalent in fewer but higher dBA fans, according to the physics of sound.

mathias · Post by **mathias** » Fri Apr 22, 2005 5:25 pm

Aracu wrote:I haven't tried it yet, because I haven't been able to find a way of ordering a Greenerger power supply in the U.S. It's
too bad that some of the most advanced computer products aren't
available in the U.S.

Stop whinning, your store options are already better than that of most if not all countries.

How about getting a fanless PSU and aiming a contingency fan at it, to be activated by a T-balancer or something like it?

Aracu · Post by **Aracu** » Fri Apr 22, 2005 6:10 pm

That's a funny word "whinning", halfway between whining and winning.
Your solution sounds like a good idea but I'd rather get my my hands
on a high powered fanless PSU that has it built in. The less complicated
the better, right?

mathias · Post by **mathias** » Fri Apr 22, 2005 7:36 pm

Stop waInI<insert engma here>.

FWIW, I was rather glad when I could finally get a fortron(12cm fan version), which I modded with a nexus for use outside the case. The rest of my system's not as quiet as I'd like, but I think this arangement has a lot of potential, and would work even better with a blue storm, green power or even a seasonic, but those would probably need something even quiter than a nexus to work best.

And you might have too high hopes for the greenerger, the 12cm fan must cut into heatsink space, that control knob looks awfully obstructive, it could have a lousy fan, and it probably will have to turn on the fan if you leave it on for a while, although it might be made by fortron since it's made in taiwan.

Aracu · Post by **Aracu** » Fri Apr 22, 2005 8:17 pm

Sure, mounting a power supply outside the case which has a noisy fan
running would be counterproductive.

Supposedly the Greenerger's fan runs briefly and not often, unless the
computer is drawing close to the power supply's maximum 500
watt output which is unlikely to occur, and it is claimed to not spin very fast or put out much sound even then. The only info I've found on it consists of 2 reviews and the company's specs. Other fanless power supplies over 350 watts have been shown to have design flaws according to reviews. The Phantom 500 could turn out to be a solution. I was
considering the Phantom 350 but Antec tech support thought it wouldn't
be able to handle the system I was putting together for an audio
workstation with lots of hard drives and audio/video streaming.