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Case Modding an Antec Sonata

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Burner27

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I have 4 HDDs in my machine in an Antec Sonata and I am using an enermax 94cfm 120mm exhaust fan only. I am including a picture of my computer's "guts" where I did have a fan next to the HDD rack up until 3 days ago. After I installed my 7800GTX, I found that the card is so long the PCIe power connector won't fit in with the fan in place. It had to come out. So......

My question is, at idle my HDDs run between 38c and 41c. Is this considered an "unsafe" operating temp?

I plan on adding a blowhole over the CPU/GPU on the side panel using another enermax 94cfm 120mm fan which should move a lot of air into the case.

Do you think adding a blowhole to the side of the case closest to, but not on top of the HDDs drawing air in would:

A) Mess up the airflow design of this case
B) Help in cooling the HDD even though the fan wouldn't be directly on the HDDs?


Or should I just get a bigger case with an intake fan near the HDDs so air can flow over the HDDs?

Opinions/suggestions are greatly appreciated.

Pic:

PICT0087.JPG
 
38 to 41c doesn't sound that bad to me. Most drives are rated for running temps much higher than that. You didn't specify what sort of drives you had however. Certain drives deal better with heat than others.

HOWEVER: Seeing the drives all stacked like that, leaves me a TOUCH on the leary side. I'd consider a slightly larger case. The Lian-Li v1000's are nice, and have plenty of places to mount your drives such that you could space them out. There are a plethora of other options as well, just research them some.

-Ghent
 
Ghent915 said:
38 to 41c doesn't sound that bad to me. Most drives are rated for running temps much higher than that. You didn't specify what sort of drives you had however. Certain drives deal better with heat than others.

HOWEVER: Seeing the drives all stacked like that, leaves me a TOUCH on the leary side. I'd consider a slightly larger case. The Lian-Li v1000's are nice, and have plenty of places to mount your drives such that you could space them out. There are a plethora of other options as well, just research them some.

-Ghent
Click to expand...


Your point is well taken. I think I have "outgrown" my Sonata. The hard drives I have are in my sig. I am considering the Antec P180.
 
I have had a Sonata for 2 years and have always been dissatisfied with the "front" fan setup. I just moved my rig into another case, so now I am planning on modding the Sonata. I would like to turn the drive cage around 90 degrees and put a nice 120mm fan in front of the drives instead of in back. What do you think?
 
a side 120mm intake for the sonata isnt such a bad idea and would be a good alternative to spending more $$ on another case, so i vote for that and a top 120mm blowhole, as for me i hav a cardboard side with a 120mm intake pointed directly at the GPU which really helps the case temps out alot but i think it would be better to position the 120mm bewteen the cpu and gpu ;)
 
Hmmm, if you want better cooling on your case. Cut the front out and add a mesh style front, some person here named Nightwind or IceWind or something along those lines did a mod on an Antec Sonata, it looked hot. But, then he went out and bought a P180 =(, it made me cry because he made such a nice case.

If you like the style of chassis the Sonata has, I suggest a super lanboy. Because to me its like a sonata minus the steel. That and the front is more efficient with air intake.
 
After modding the Sonata and putting in the 120mm blowhole.........there was no difference in my case temps. In fact, my HDDs actually got warmer!


So, I lived and learned. I ordered a P180. At least I got to use my dremel!
 
wait....a blowhole or a fan hole? i had a fanhole and it dropped my case temp at least 5*C :cool: and whered u put it?
 
N H O said:
wait....a blowhole or a fan hole? i had a fanhole and it dropped my case temp at least 5*C :cool: and whered u put it?
Click to expand...

Side Panel blowing ONTO my GPU/CPU
 
N H O said:
that would be a fan hole then ;) blowholes are for exhausting air
Click to expand...


Thanks for the clarification.

Doesn't matter now anyway. It didn't help so I ordered an Antec P180.
 
Burner27 said:
Thanks for the clarification.

Doesn't matter now anyway. It didn't help so I ordered an Antec P180.
Click to expand...

is there anyway you can throw that fan in front of the hard drives, like someone said by cutting the front and adding some mesh. Maybe having that side fan suck air out would help. I know when I added a fan blowing into my case everything went up, which I suppose was caused by all the air turbulance.
 
m-unit said:
is there anyway you can throw that fan in front of the hard drives, like someone said by cutting the front and adding some mesh. Maybe having that side fan suck air out would help. I know when I added a fan blowing into my case everything went up, which I suppose was caused by all the air turbulance.
Click to expand...


There is no way to mount it in front of the HDDs. Tried having the fan suck are out too. Still no change.
 
wat he means is cut a fanhole thru the front bezel and place a fan there, which i personally think kills the simplicity of the sonata
 
N H O said:
wat he means is cut a fanhole thru the front bezel and place a fan there, which i personally think kills the simplicity of the sonata
Click to expand...


Yeah that kinda messes up the front. I think the P180 I ordered will satisify my requirements.

I wanted to have air moving across my HDDs which is achieved in the P180 no matter where I mount my HDDs.

I wanted air moving across my video card which is something this case can do. And something I do not have in my Sonata is air moving into my PSU which the P180 does have!! I went to CompUSA yesterday and checked it out. They wanted $170 + Tax for it!!! When I looked at the case, it seemed like the frame for the PSU migh be a bit small, but I'll see and the front door the way it is attached seems a bit "flimsy" as well but I may be able to re-enforce it.
 
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