Airflow in an Antec p182?

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Xuestor
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Airflow in an Antec p182?

Post by Xuestor » Tue Feb 19, 2008 7:51 am

Hello! I want my computer to run as quiet as possible, with decent temps. My question is plain and simple, how should I config my fans for optimal airflow and cooling with silent operation? This is my config/airflow direction at this moment: (exhaust and intake are noctuas @600rpm)

Image


Comments and ideas are very welcome!

Thank you

cmthomson
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Location: Pleasanton, CA

Post by cmthomson » Thu Feb 21, 2008 1:25 pm

The intake fan is not needed, and is just adding noise.

You probably only need one of the two exhaust fans. Experiment by removing a fan and blocking the hole. I'm betting you only see a few degrees higher temperatures, and noticeably less noise.

BTW, if you haven't already done so, you should remove or trim the plastic doors that cover the inlets (keep the dust filters though).

newschool
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Post by newschool » Fri Feb 22, 2008 12:56 pm

When you use an exhaust fan at the back of the P182, YOU HAVE TO block the top opening, else there will be a "air short" : your exhaust fan will draw air from there and not from your case.

Eagle156
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Post by Eagle156 » Fri Feb 22, 2008 5:26 pm

newschool wrote:When you use an exhaust fan at the back of the P182, YOU HAVE TO block the top opening, else there will be a "air short" : your exhaust fan will draw air from there and not from your case.
I actually kept it open. I had it sealed but I'm using the stock intel HSF (piece of crap), and it was way too loud that way. Unsealing it let cool air into the HS, keeping the revs low. This way with one intake and one exhaust you basically have separate intakes for your cards and CPU, although it did raise my gpu temps a bit - probably because of lower static pressure. That HSF is such a pita though, sounds horrible even at low RPM.

hyuga
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Post by hyuga » Mon Apr 07, 2008 9:01 am

I am having airflow problems using a P182. I currently running 2 Noctua S12s for the top and rear exhaust. I am using a Ninja and added the stock fan that came with the Ninja, but it did not help a lot. Temps are high inside the case, causing the CPU to go over 60°C. I think I am having an "air short" issue.

I will try following some of the advice in this topic:

1. Remove the plastic doors that cover the inlets in the front of the case.
2. Block the top exhaust, remove the top fan.
3. Use 2 fans: CPU/heatsink and rear exhaust. For this, I want to use the 2 Noctua S12s I already have, although it seems a P12 (or similar fan) is usually used for that.

I am not sure what to do with the bottom fan in the lower HDD chamber. Remove it? Turn it off?

tyn
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Location: Australia

Post by tyn » Tue Apr 08, 2008 2:37 am

Some of the advice seems a little strange to me. In the diagram the CPU fan is pulling air through the CPU heatsink and directing the hot air toward the top of the case. It seem logical to have the top case fan running so that hot air gets out of the case.

Wouldn't it be better to block/stop the rear fan instead of the top one?

I have the same kind of setup with my CPU HSF and it would be nice to be able to get the airflow to work properly.

Thanks,
T

yukon
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Post by yukon » Thu Apr 10, 2008 9:11 am

Noise escaping from the top of the case can be more direct to the computer user. If that isn't an issue, the top vent could have the additional benefit of exhausting the rising warm air.

If you use the top fan rather than the rear one, then yes, blocking the rear exhaust would avoid the air short-circuit there.

Luminair
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Post by Luminair » Fri Apr 11, 2008 3:28 pm

hyuga wrote:I am having airflow problems using a P182.
...
I am not sure what to do with the bottom fan in the lower HDD chamber. Remove it? Turn it off?
The bottom middle fan doesn't do anything but blow itself out against the back of the psu.

And an unmodified p182 can very quickly find itself with three or four outputs and only one input. Obviously this is totally sub-optimal.

So do this: viewtopic.php?p=404018#404018

tyn
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Location: Australia

Post by tyn » Sat Apr 12, 2008 10:01 pm

Hello again. I decided to give blocking off the top fan a try. While I was messing around with the case I noticed the run of holes in the rear of the case next to the expansion card slots (below the rear exhaust fan).

I put a piece of paper on it and it seemed that air was being sucked into the case. I covered half of these (closest to the rear exhaust fan). Any opinions on if this is a good idea?

T

yaler
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Location: Toronto, Canada

Post by yaler » Sat Apr 12, 2008 11:47 pm

I'm not a scientist but air has to come from somewhere ;)

Either from the intakes in the front of the open holes in the back.

In your case its obvious that the air sucked up and out would be replaced from the bottom openings.

I don't think the air pressure would drop that significantly if you cover those holes, but you might get enough back pressure to cut down the effectiveness of your fans...

I use an intake fan to try and keep everything balanced.

Anyone with a scientific background have something to say? This is probably covered in a couple of SPCR articles...

tyn
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Joined: Sun Aug 20, 2006 7:10 pm
Location: Australia

Post by tyn » Sun Apr 13, 2008 12:05 am

I was trying to avoid having the outside air coming in through the holes under the rear exhaust and then going straight out through the rear exhaust. I'd rather have the air travel over the PCI and PCIe cards before heading out the rear exhaust.

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