dust filters for my antec900

T

the_slayer

Limp Gawd
Joined
Feb 2, 2008
Messages
134
was thinking of either getting these aluminium mesh filters or simply using stockings...?

the thing is i would really prefer something that i can either fit between the grill and fan (not between HDD cage and fan) or over the actual grill... this way it will be easier to clean and not require me to remove the cages and pull them apart...
 
As long as the filters are not enclosed in any kind of housing, they will do fine. As you know there is no room between the fan and the front grill for a plastic housing with a filter. I just recently bought a set of steel mesh filters from performancepcs.com and am expecting them in just a few hours (slow ass UPS). Not sure how I will position them just yet, but I will probably go the route that you mentioned, between the grill and the fan, for easy cleaning.
 
dpending on what the aluminum ones i mentioned look like in person, i was almost thinking of seeing what they look like screwed directly onto the front grill... you could find a screw that would bite onto the holes from the grill... might look crap though...
 
I'm going to be using either stockings or black foam filter material from a wet/dry vac. I test fit an aluminum one just like your link and they don't fit; except as a post filter on the side window fan.
 
can anyone explain the whole pantyhose mod or does anyone have a link that explains it. Mainly how to attach it to the fan etc.

Thanks,
Jinx
 
i saw some photos of it done but cant remember the link... basically they just cut the pantyhose and then use duct tape to hold it there... pantyhose pulled all the way back onto the silver metal of the cage...
 
if you wanted to spend the money, you could order replacement filters for the 1200 from antec.
 
WarlordOne said:
I'm going to be using either stockings or black foam filter material from a wet/dry vac. I test fit an aluminum one just like your link and they don't fit; except as a post filter on the side window fan.
Click to expand...

was it the entire thickness that meant it wouldnt fit? i read that the holes stick out and that if you get a hammer and bang them down a bit then it will fit...

Look at this example... not sure if they are the same filter though.

if you wanted to spend the money, you could order replacement filters for the 1200 from antec.
Click to expand...

would they fit? where can you get them? if this is possible then why arent people just buying these??? i didnt even know the 1200 had filters!
 
The issue is that there are no mounting holes for a filter in that postition. Although after looking at those pics I figured out a quick fix. I'll get my pics up in a minute.
 
hmm i thought the 1200 filters were worked into the drive cages. in either regard it'd probably just be a quick dremel/drill job to make them fit. i wouldn't mind picking up the hex pattern over the normal mesh.

@slayer, you should be able to order most parts directly from antec via their website. just look for the spare/replacement parts section
 
Ok, like I said theres no holes to mount a filter with. There are 2 holes to mount the fans to on the reverse. With a quick drill through the other two unused fan holes I make room for this:
DSC02214.jpg

It's a super stretchy fan mount/isolator cut down so it won't interfere with the mesh front. Unmodified one for comparison.

Filter mounted:
DSC02213.jpg


Cage with fan & hdd. filter just pulls off takes only a sec to install:
DSC02215.jpg

DSC02216.jpg


Slot covers fit over work fine both with and without screws.
DSC02217.jpg


Back together before I pull it apart and spray it black...
DSC02218.jpg


The aluminum is nice but a cheap black foam filter would be able to be pulled out an cleant much easier, exactly the same way you would for the 1200. I'll probably end up switching to plain black foam filters in the very near future.

*edit*

Painted:

DSC02229.jpg
 
I'm putting some of the same filters in my case, Thermaltake Tsunami, and I think you can just vacuum right off the "front" of the filter itself.

Not sure if mounting the filter directly onto the fan, or leaving a small space between would be best (this is possible on the TT tsunami). If I do mount with space in between, I'll make a shroud that goes between them in order for best flow.

I should flowbench the fan with both configurations :D.
 
nice work WarlordOne!

given what you have said i think i may find out how much antec want for the 1200 filters... from what i have seen they just self clip in so they should just fit into the 900 as they would the 1200...?

if thats the case then why didnt they bloody include them in the 900!

ps. other people who have placed the filter in this location have said that they just use a vacuum and it sucks the dust off the filter through the grill...
 
I use similar aluminum mesh filters in my 900. They fit fine, as WarlordOne shows in his photos, and they do good job of keeping out pet fur and larger dust particles with minimal airflow restriction. I vacuum them through the 900 bay covers/grills once a week and they stay relatively clean; it helps to have a vacuum attachment with longer bristles that you can work thru the holes in the grills.

KevanB, definitely use a shroud in your tsunami if you have the space for it. You'll get much better airflow and less wind/fan noise when your fans aren't fighting the back pressure created by filters in close proximity.

I'm in the process of building up a new system and have tested a bunch of different wire meshes and manufactured filters/grills to see how restrictive (and loud) they are. You can take a look at my results here:

http://www.xtremesystems.org/forums/showthread.php?t=209801
 
anyone have a link to where i can purchase replaceable 1200 drive bays with built in filters all i've seen were replaceable 900 drive bays
 
The cages themselves look identical, other than the larger hex holes on the panel covers. If anyone can find the filters, post up!
 
Yeah i was also looking on the antec website, but didn't see the 1200 cages.
 
im using one sheet of toilet paper, not really sure how well it works, i should open up my case..

others have used dryer sheets, also probably bad. i've seen recommendations mostly for aluminum ones.
 
krouch said:
Yeah i was also looking on the antec website, but didn't see the 1200 cages.
Click to expand...

they indeed don't seem to have spare parts for the 1200 on their website. i'd suggest giving them a call. never had to myself, but i hear they have excellent customer service.
 
HSADJADI said:
dryer sheets smell so good though, free air freshener lol
Click to expand...

You guys and your dryer sheets make me.... sneeze. :eek: I did some tests with a couple of fresh-out-of-the-box dryer sheets and the smell practically chased me out of the room.

ZV3001 said:
I wonder if the aluminum filters let in more air?
Click to expand...

Than toilet paper and dryer sheets? Definitely. :D They're also probably less restrictive than the Antec 1200 filters, which I suspect are similar to the filters in the Cosmos S case. The price to pay for that better air flow is more dust inside the case, tho.
 
am i the only person who thinks dryer sheets are a bad idea? they leave enough residue on my clothes to irritate my skin. i wouldn't exactly want that caking on to my heatsinks and such.
 
Using fresh dryer sheets is definitely a bad idea. If you look at them closely, you can see the fabric softener "goop" clinging to the fibers of the sheet. That stuff is bound to get sucked into the case over time and leave a thin coating on heatsinks and components. Eventually, you'd probably end up with a layer of gooey stinky dust mud all over everything. Some people run them thru the dryer first, which definitely removes the fabric softener and almost all of the odor but deteriorates the sheets quite a bit.

I'll stick with metal meshes/cloths.
 
^those were my thoughts exactly.

though dryer sheets are good for removing certain smells from the air (specifically the air you exhale)... :D
 
well i contacted antec about the filters from the 1200 and this was there response:

The parts are similar and can work with the other enclosure. However the whole drive cage is needed from the 1200 to work with the Nine Hundred. We do not normally sell these, we only stock them for warranty replacements.

.......

guess i will give the stockings or aluminum mesh filters a go...
 
that's too bad. maybe someone modding a 1200 would want to get rid of theirs? if nothing else the aluminum filters look pretty easy to deal with.
 
On a similar note, has anyone found a guide on how to properly seal and filter a case to reduce internal dust? I try to vacuum my room every couple of days but no matter what I do, my filters need to be washed every 2 or 3 days, and my internals need to be dusted every 6 months. Then again, I want my rig to be spotlessly clean, which is surely overkill.
 
i wouldn't call that overkill. i don't know of any such guides, but the thing is, i'm not sure you'll see much improvement. some dust is simply too small to effectively filter, and the finer your filter mesh, the less airflow you'll get.

if you're willing to spend the coin, an electrostatic air filter (such as the "ionic breeze" from sharper image) will remove dust from the air a lot more efficiently than an air fliter. i don't know how near a PC i'd want to put one of those things, though.
 
Heres what I used for 6 bays. I have the stock filter and a steel mesh filter behind it. I replaced the fans with Yate loons 120x20mm. Took apart PC so I can put some holes into it. Sorry for bad pics took with cellphone.

Photo0070.jpg

Photo0071.jpg
 
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