Top Fans really help?

falcon26 · Post by **falcon26** » Sun Jan 13, 2008 12:11 am

I took my top fan out of my antec P180B case to reduce noise. My computer is dead quiet but my temps seem a bit high. My idle temp is about 40 and my load is about 50. Would putting in a top fan really help? It would be a scythe sflex 800 rpm model if I did....

jessekopelman · Post by **jessekopelman** » Sun Jan 13, 2008 1:42 am

For your CPU, those temps are fine. The only thing that would make adding another fan worthwhile is if your non-CPU temps are not good. How's the GPU and HDD temps?

Das_Saunamies · Post by **Das_Saunamies** » Sun Jan 13, 2008 4:26 am

Indeed those are okay CPU temperatures. And as suggested, I would check the GPU temperature to see if it's doing fine.

The P180 hardly needs the top fan, or the vent. Remove fan, seal vent - otherwise rear fan will draw in cool air(and dust) through there and not be as efficient. The fan, I feel, is just a precaution added by Antec to compensate for the lack of an exhausting PSU there, but it's not really necessary as the P180 is well-ventilated, has a good air buffer and has the hot-ish PSU in its own chamber. Only if you duct the rear fan or plan on cooking eggs in your case would you need to consider having the top fan and vent.

PSUs exhaust because they are hot and heat-sensitive, not because the basic ATX really needs them to.

falcon26 · Post by **falcon26** » Sun Jan 13, 2008 12:56 pm

My gpu temps are about 54 idle and 65 load that's on my 8800 ultra with a thermalright hr-03 plus using a 800 rpm scythe sflex fan. My hard drive temp is about 30-32 idle and about 40 load..

seraphyn · Post by **seraphyn** » Sun Jan 13, 2008 4:29 pm

All fine temps.

Das_Saunamies · Post by **Das_Saunamies** » Mon Jan 14, 2008 11:55 am

Doesn't sound like you have a thing to worry about. See what happens when you remove that fan and seal the hole to prevent noise escaping, dust wafting through and rear fan losing pressure. Could even do it with a heavy hardcover book in a pinch.

zorrt · Post by **zorrt** » Thu Jan 17, 2008 5:57 pm

I use the top fan and the rear fan but I have no intake fan. I find it better than 1 exhaust and 1 intake for my situation. As always test out with your system as everyone gets different results.

thejamppa · Post by **thejamppa** » Fri Jan 18, 2008 3:06 pm

I removed top fan, because it didn't seemed to effect my general temperatures and was producing some noise. I got 3 case fans: Rear exhaust ( Scythe Slipstream 800 ) Front intake ( Slipstream 500 ) and undervolted Nexus real silent in middle cage, blowing towards passive VGA cooler, NB and heatsink.

I feel the top exhaust is pretty useless, unless you have really hot components like Sli or Crossfire and such.

Das_Saunamies · Post by **Das_Saunamies** » Sat Jan 19, 2008 4:19 am

I would cull my intake in an instant if the Sonatas weren't so useless with passive intake. Every reading goes up instantly, and Noctua may howl again. It seems to be especially important for my RAM temps - together with the blow-through 9500 AM2 it solved my overheating.

Not that the intake produces a lot of noise mind you, at 660 RPM and stuck in the middle it's practically inaudible.