Intel stock sink, folds 24/7. Of course the top of the case gets warm, but not like hot warm. Case temp is 23 C, ambient is 18.3 C.
I have a Chieftec and an Antec like the ones displayed earlier, and they run hotter by comparison with a dual 604e and a 1900+ respectively. The top of those cases feel hotter to me anyway.
Bottom line: YMMV.
-drasnor
0
Geeky1University of the Pacific (Stockton, CA, USA)
edited December 2003
Of course the top of the case gets warm
Hmm. The only case I've ever had the top get noticeably warm on is the SLK; and now that I've modded the blowholes into it, it doesn't get warm, either. The reason it gets warm is because hot air rises, and mid-towers, ones with single exhaust fans in particular, have a tendency to trap that heat in the pocket of air around the optical drives and the PS.
The second fan does a lot to counteract that, but the best solution is to either put a blowhole in, or get a bigger case. I consider any case where the top is noticeably warmer than the bottom to have poor airflow, but that's just me.
But, as you said... YMMV.
0
Straight_ManGeeky, in my own wayNaples, FLIcrontian
edited December 2003
Well, lessee-- for a top blowhole, a reasonable volume of airflow can be gotten with a high efficiency 80x25 mm fan. Top panel is not a slide-off, you would get to drill out come pop-rivets and replace them, and you would need the following to go along with it:
a 2-fan PSU, simply to not be sucking air against the fan ariflow that is trying to cool PSU.
An 80 mm Panflo, Delta, or YS-Tech fan that has a rheostat on it or can be run at variable voltage. The YS-Tech that svcompucycle sells can do this.
What they did was to cut out the top of a door for a Vantec controller, and then make edges that look semi-decent.
No, not a 92 mm, an 80 mm dual ball or hydro bearing fan. Need not have sense wire, but does need to spin up at 6-7 volts max and does need to be running full steam at 12-12.5 Volts, and dual-ball bearing fans or hydrobearings will do this. Sleeve bearings are no good for a variable voltage setup, too inefficient. No thicker than a 25mm though, or you will be blocking the vents in most PSUs.
There IS another way to do this, which is how I do my Antec cases:
TOP two bays get something other than burners, bottom two big bays get burners. Then you get the advantage of the back fans more, and the blowhole with a less volume-effective fan can not disturb PSU airflow and still suck remaining heat up out of case top without trying to reverse airflow through PSU. Get a PSU with good fans, though, TWO of them. Probably means a name brand PSU and not a generic as part of your system set bundle, probably a 480 Watt or 500 Watt. An AMD+P4 rated PSU will have extra umph in the 12 volt for what a P4 system would use for an accessory circuit pair, and I tap those for fans and do not use on mobo as most mobos do not need that lead (two yellos, 12 V, two returns, black, squareish connector with a tang on end, you DO use squeeze-on self-tapping atoumotive harness tapins on power lines for best results and being able to later use that connector if you want that.)
Since you are going to probably need to mod to get best results, would just get a Chieftec, myself, and a very good PSU with money savings. And buy fans by model, not by cost being lead determinator of what fan.
I agree that an 80mm can be used for a top blowhole but in doing so to reach the same airflow as a 92mm fan it will be spinning faster and generating more noise which is why I suggest and used a 92mm fan for a top blowhole.
It will fit quite snugly in between the longest optical drive you care to put into that style of case at the top and the PSU with no problems at all
0
Geeky1University of the Pacific (Stockton, CA, USA)
edited December 2003
Madmat, I'd go for a 92mm blowhole too, actually. Although I do have a drive that is big enough that they would not fit in the top bay with a 92mm fan there; My old (Summer '01) Plextor 24/10/40a CD-RW is a full 8" long, and so it is actually too long to allow the use of a 92mm fan. However, new CD-RWs, like my LiteOns, are only 6" deep or so, and it shouldn't be a problem. So, unless he has an old optical drive that has to go in the top bay, it should be a non-issue.
By the way, if you're going to get a 92mm fan, get a Sunon KD1209PTB2; they flow 44cfm @ a rated 35dba, but in free air, they're basically silent.
Deal of the day from Newegg if you like the Chieftecs/Antecs etc.
Looks pretty ok and also have front usb and whatnot. $35 shipped is just too good to pass IMO.
Ok, what if I ordered this fan along with this case, and simply modded the case to have a blow whole. And possibly even take the side case fan out. Would that fix the issues with this case?
How about this Antec SX835 case? ? It comes with a 350 watt psu and I seem to remember Geeky saying that he preferred the airflow pattern of this series much better than the Antec 10XX/Chieftech/TT series that you were originally looking at. It's also only $82 and $18 shipping, which puts it exactly at your $100 limit. Also, it will give you a decent psu to have as a backup psu in case you have one go tits up.
0
Straight_ManGeeky, in my own wayNaples, FLIcrontian
edited December 2003
Geeky was right, although with that case I would use a fan behind the HDs in the swingout bay, blowing inward into case. I would put very high volume back fans in, and take the Antecs and use them for front fans. Three front, lower volume fans, and two higher volume exhaust fans so as not to get into a positive case pressure situation which is what happens when you blow air in more forcefully than it goes out. Second, more noise in back is not gonna balst your ears as much, and it is more likely to vent case right in a closed in situation. Avoid covering over top of case under a desk if you can, put it next to desk, about 7-9 inches out from wall (from back of case to wall (so air vents and flow between back of case and wall can bend easier and go upward). One more hint, if you have carpet, raise case on a wood rack (I use oak 2x2s, with short bottom pieces going across width of case, longer pieces on top, with pieces on top going front to back, glued and deck screwed together with about 2-1/2" deck screws screwed into predrilled holes) about 3" to 4" above floor to minimize dust coming bottom inward fan and clogging the intake port.
One disadvantage of this case is that the back fans will be blowing at a privacy or reinforcing panel on an average desk and you would get back pressure which would radically reduce outward airflow volume and thus net cooling, the taller case would let you have the fans a tib higher if you HAVE to put the computer under a desk.
Comments
I have a Chieftec and an Antec like the ones displayed earlier, and they run hotter by comparison with a dual 604e and a 1900+ respectively. The top of those cases feel hotter to me anyway.
Bottom line: YMMV.
-drasnor
Hmm. The only case I've ever had the top get noticeably warm on is the SLK; and now that I've modded the blowholes into it, it doesn't get warm, either.
The second fan does a lot to counteract that, but the best solution is to either put a blowhole in, or get a bigger case. I consider any case where the top is noticeably warmer than the bottom to have poor airflow, but that's just me.
But, as you said... YMMV.
a 2-fan PSU, simply to not be sucking air against the fan ariflow that is trying to cool PSU.
An 80 mm Panflo, Delta, or YS-Tech fan that has a rheostat on it or can be run at variable voltage. The YS-Tech that svcompucycle sells can do this.
What they did was to cut out the top of a door for a Vantec controller, and then make edges that look semi-decent.
No, not a 92 mm, an 80 mm dual ball or hydro bearing fan. Need not have sense wire, but does need to spin up at 6-7 volts max and does need to be running full steam at 12-12.5 Volts, and dual-ball bearing fans or hydrobearings will do this. Sleeve bearings are no good for a variable voltage setup, too inefficient. No thicker than a 25mm though, or you will be blocking the vents in most PSUs.
There IS another way to do this, which is how I do my Antec cases:
TOP two bays get something other than burners, bottom two big bays get burners. Then you get the advantage of the back fans more, and the blowhole with a less volume-effective fan can not disturb PSU airflow and still suck remaining heat up out of case top without trying to reverse airflow through PSU. Get a PSU with good fans, though, TWO of them. Probably means a name brand PSU and not a generic as part of your system set bundle, probably a 480 Watt or 500 Watt. An AMD+P4 rated PSU will have extra umph in the 12 volt for what a P4 system would use for an accessory circuit pair, and I tap those for fans and do not use on mobo as most mobos do not need that lead (two yellos, 12 V, two returns, black, squareish connector with a tang on end, you DO use squeeze-on self-tapping atoumotive harness tapins on power lines for best results and being able to later use that connector if you want that.)
Since you are going to probably need to mod to get best results, would just get a Chieftec, myself, and a very good PSU with money savings. And buy fans by model, not by cost being lead determinator of what fan.
John.
It will fit quite snugly in between the longest optical drive you care to put into that style of case at the top and the PSU with no problems at all
By the way, if you're going to get a 92mm fan, get a Sunon KD1209PTB2; they flow 44cfm @ a rated 35dba, but in free air, they're basically silent.
Deal of the day from Newegg if you like the Chieftecs/Antecs etc.
Looks pretty ok and also have front usb and whatnot. $35 shipped is just too good to pass IMO.
One disadvantage of this case is that the back fans will be blowing at a privacy or reinforcing panel on an average desk and you would get back pressure which would radically reduce outward airflow volume and thus net cooling, the taller case would let you have the fans a tib higher if you HAVE to put the computer under a desk.
John.