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A cooling nightmare...

F

Fantasysage

Limp Gawd
Joined
Mar 29, 2010
Messages
304
What the hell can I do with this?

http://i.imgur.com/UqqmM.jpg

My case is far too small for what is in it. The CPU is fine, but those GPU's can get uncomfortably toasty. I upgraded the intake and exhaust fans with Sythe Slipstream 1900rpm fans. And took one of the old crap fans, and use automotive double stick tape to put it over the VGA port as an intake. I also keep both 280's fans on 100% 24/7 otherwise they idle at 70c and load at 95+. With the addition of the side fan and keeping them at 100% they sit at 55 idle and 75-80 load. Cable management is for naught, I have nowhere to route those suckers.

And the kicker I cannot upgrade my case. If my old man find out I just dropped an extra $1,100 on PC parts I am a dead man.
 
For a start, tidy up the cables and you'll see an improvement in temps. Looking at that mess, it wouldn't be insignificant. And I disagree that "cable management is for naught, I have nowhere to route those suckers". You just have to be creative. For a start, use cable ties. Then I see a nice empty area on top of your case. And even more empty areas in your 5.25 slots. In fact, basic cable management looks fairly easy so not sure why you wouldn't consider it.

Then consider moving those harddrives to your many free 5.25 slots.
 
echn111 said:
For a start, tidy up the cables and you'll see an improvement in temps. Looking at that mess, it wouldn't be insignificant. And I disagree that "cable management is for naught, I have nowhere to route those suckers". You just have to be creative. For a start, use cable ties. Then I see a nice empty area on top of your case. And even more empty areas in your 5.25 slots. In fact, basic cable management looks fairly easy so not sure why you wouldn't consider it.

Then consider moving those harddrives to your many free 5.25 slots.
Click to expand...

The HDD's to the free slots is actually a great idea. I am going to have to try that.
 
Bunch up your cables to keep them in front of your PSU and of the way of case airflow. You can put some of them on top of your CD ROM as well.
 
Get some scissors and go to town. Shorten wires by cutting out segments, licking your fingers and twisting the severed ends together. Remember to rub your feet on carpet a lot whilst you do all of this and touch your motherboard and other electrical components.

Alternatively,

1) Move your optical drive to the lowest spot possible to give the most room for cable stuffing into 5.25" bays.
2) Zip tie any unused lines to itself by folding them on top of each other and then using the zip tie. Stuff those bundles above the optical drive.
3) Run all fan cables vertically up, holding them to parts of the case by using tape/zip ties.
4) Use zip ties to tighten up slack into drive bays. Such as the motherboard cable (better to have the slack in the drive bay than in the middle)
5) Not sure if you're already doing this but since I can't see: run cables under motherboard whenever possible. Front usb/audio port, LEDs, fan cables, etc.
6) Go to fry's and pick up this sucker for super cheap: http://slickdeals.net/forums/showthread.php?sduid=625229&t=1977948

Here is my case with the same psu if it might give you some ideas: http://imgur.com/fQbO4.jpg . All I did really was stff all the cables into the drive bay, and I was too lazy to take off the mobo, so my computer isn't the best example.
 
You forgot to wear wool socks :p

I will have to try and take this sucker apart and back again. My big issue is this case has no space behind the mobo more than 1/4".
 
Yea man, you can definitely clean up those cables.

Is keeping the side panel off completely out of the question?
 
Have you thought about cutting a vent hole/fan in the top?
 
man what a mess with the cables. You probably need full size case to be able to hide wires.
 
kinda looks like those systems that people make with single wires braided, really silly because it just makes the wire bundle larger and harder to hide LOL
 
yea in maximum pc a few years back they had an article on suspending hdd's with (this is gonna sound weird) pencils and rubber bands for the 3.5 in bays. I think if you move your hdds there you'll be able to get better air. You can run an evga and bfg in sli (being different brands)?
 
drnilly007 said:
yea in maximum pc a few years back they had an article on suspending hdd's with (this is gonna sound weird) pencils and rubber bands for the 3.5 in bays. I think if you move your hdds there you'll be able to get better air. You can run an evga and bfg in sli (being different brands)?
Click to expand...

Yes, as long as they are the same cards it doesn't matter what the brand is.
 
So if you upgrade the case, your "old man" will figure out that it's a different PC? Heh... that blows... now let's make sure your computer does as well:

- I'll 2nd the suggestions to tidy up cabling. It can definitely be a little better if you utilize the top portion of the case. Invest in zip-ties.
- Moving drives to upper bays might work, but then that'll occupy some cable-routing space. It would allow you to duct the front-intake to your video cards, however. Ducts are very effective.
- If you decide to cut into the case, be on the lookout for expendable areas which might allow for the routing of cables: I took a dremel to my Antec P180 to give it cable-routing features and improve airflow/silence (may as well cut out the stamped fan grills while you're in surgery).

I personally think I could make it work given... several hours... but what a PITA :(

Edit: And if you wanted to suspend your hard drives, you might want to try this stuff: http://www.silentpcreview.com/forums/viewtopic.php?t=11674 - seems as though it might still allow for some cable-stuffing room...maybe... (hopefully the drives won't overheat...)
 
Well, there is a simple solution but it will make your case nosier.

After zip tying your cables out of the way as everyone says you need to get better fans for the case.

While the scythe fans may be quiet they lack a lot of power. Which is of course always the tradeoff in PC cooling, quiet vs. power.

I suggest you pickup 2 of these http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16811999344 I have them in my case as the inlet at the front and exhaust behind the CPU and they sure move more air than the scythes I tried. The downside is that with those they will sound like they are moving a lot of air (though its not a buzzing or rattling sound).
 
Bingo, lots of good ideas above. When I looked at your case pict the first things that came to mind where

1) cable management, get that shit cleaned up and route a lot of it behind the motherboard mounting plate in the "dead" area behind the right side panel. This means you are going to have to disassemble the system and plan out where stuff is going to go and maybe drill some holes in the motherboard mounting plate to do a really good job. Its worth it. Tutorials all over the net but a lot is just sitting down and figuring it out and having a 1/2 metal cutting hole saw and cheap electric drill and some caterpillar grommet. Going to need a couple of holes right next to where all those cables come out of the power suppy and spare ones duct taped in a neat manner to the back of the motherboard tray in the "dead" area. You are goint to run out of space quickly so plan carefully and tye wrap slack you cannot get behind the tray up top next to the power supply and not in the middle of the case.

2) Yes for Gods sake get at least that middle drive up into the 5/14 bays its killing your front intake airflow. Rarrange so your "busiest" drive(s) is still in front of the intake fan, if only one drive in HD bay put it lined up as close as possible to the middle of the fan to take advantage of the "dead" spot of airflow due to the fan hub so air easily goes over and under the drive and on into the main compartment. If 2 drives in lower HD bay but them both towards bottom so open path for air over the top of them to the video cards.

3) flip the drives around and with carefully measured/marked and placed holes cut in the motherboard tray wire them from the back (right) side of the case. Better yet unless you really need and use what appears to be two optical drives, dump one, get all the HDs in the 5 1/4 bays and rip out that lower HD cage completely.

you get the front intake sorted and it will make the side intake not such a big deal. In a prefect world a 4 inch metal cutting hole saw (expensive ~ $30) would fix that. You could dremel or nibble a proper hole etc. but it would still look funky due to the exising grill. Not worth worrying about right now you did what you could.

In short, you need to tear it all down and lay it out on a table with the bare case sitting in front of you and think airflow airflow airflow and stare and think for 1/2 a day planning, test fitting and taking notes and marking where holes need to be only after you are sure, outline the edges of the motherboard onto the mounting plate with a sharpie before you take it out.

A couple of cans of black spray paint for the inside after cutting the holes for cable routing is optional.
 
Last edited:
Definitely straighten up the cables as others have said.

Then, cut a hole for a 120mm exhaust fan in the top of the case - it will probably give you a 10c+ drop in case temps.

Also cut a hole in the bottom of the case so the exhaust fans are not pulling a suction on the innards of the case - no use to have a ton of exhaust fans if there is nowhere for the air to get into the case in the first place.

Then, resize the fan hole in the side of your case... having a huge fan over a small hole is not helping you one bit.
 
Just tell your dad that you wanted a new case because the old one was not working well with your "old" components...

Then go out and buy a Cooler Master 690 II for $100 and just say that it was only $100 and that is the end of it. Settled.
 
I am having no love with this build. My brand new corsair PSU died (it always seemed a little off). So when I get the new one back I will try some cable management. I also got a set of three 3.5-5.25 brackets to move the HDD's up into the bays, and will be removing the now useless IDE dvd writer.
 
Check out what I did to make the most of my old case. I had a similar issue as the "old man" factor, but in my case my wife wouldn't authorize $150 - $200 on a new case after we just spent $400 on a new computer to replace hers (that died) and $400 on a 5870 for me.

Adding holes for a top blowhole and a side fan made a 6 - 10 degree difference in temperature for me.
 
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