Open case vs closed case

[umbolo]

Here's the deal. When I have my case side panel open (Silverstone Temjin TJ02) my idle temps (Core Temp / TAT / Everest) are around 30-35C, while under load (Orthos) they rise to 45-50C, never over 50C. Those are very nice temps IMHO (at the moment I run E6600 on stock voltage, with Artic Freezer 7 Pro @ 1700rpm, with Artic Ceramique thermal compound). However, when I close my case, my idle temps rise to 42-46C, and load temps go to 58-61C. That's more than 10C difference, which is a lot.

Temjin TJ02 has 2x12cm fans, one intake, other exhaust. Front intake fan has only limited intake capability, since there's no opening / hole / mesh in front, it sucks air through little opening on bottom side of the case. My cabling is pretty neat, I don't think I can do much better with this case and those cables (but there are practically no visible cables, apart from SATA cables I just couldn't hide completely, but they don't interfere with airflow much). I suppose I'll invest into some additional cooling solution - either 12cm fan in 3 5.25" bays, or some solution like Scythe KamaBay, or I'll transfer my HDDs to 5.25" bay plus 12cm fan in front of them (but I'm not sure this will help much, since there's no opening in front of lower 12cm intake fan). Temjin02 also has little grilled opening next to PCI slots, so I might buy something like Lian Li BS-01, to suck hot air from graphic card (because when I open my case gfx card is very hot to the touch - maybe I'll use some after market cooler, like Zalman too).

Here's my question: what is better, to run case open with 35C / 50C temps and possible exposure to dust, or run my case closed with 45C / 62C temps?

Those are quite extreme differences in temps, and my system is still not overclocked. I'm more attracted toward open case solution (although noise levels rise that way, which I DON'T like), but I'm a little bit worried about dust issue - I have 5 chinchillas in my room, and they bath in fine sand, and their very fine fur is also around the room. Even without them my room is dusty, in spite of my weekly vacuuming / cleaning schedule. I suppose I'd have to put PC on my desk, since floor is dustier..no?

 

[filthysanchez]

why don't you try reversing the airflow?

ex. turn the fans around, and make the front an exhaust, and have the heatsink/back fan blow to the front

 

[umbolo]

why don't you try reversing the airflow?

ex. turn the fans around, and make the front an exhaust, and have the heatsink/back fan blow to the front

I'm really not sure it'd help..I think the hot air would just bounce of front side wall back onto HDDs, and slowly accumulate in the case (besides it's not that front intake doesn't blow relatively cool air - if I put my hand in front of HDD bay I can feel colder air going). Also, hot air has tendency to go up, so IMHO there's no sense to have exhaust fan at lower position level than intake fan, more so if there's no opening in front of exhaust fan. I might try that, but I'm not sure it'd help. Thanks for the tip anyway.

 

[Michael Daly]

Temjin TJ02 has 2x12cm fans, one intake, other exhaust. Front intake fan has only limited intake capability, since there's no opening / hole / mesh in front, it sucks air through little opening on bottom side of the case.

You don't want to chew up the front of that case (fancy!) so there's not much you can do about the intake fan.

Perhaps you could set up some cross-flow? Consider an exhaust fan on top between the PSU and the back of the 5 1/4 drive bays. At the same time, cut a hole in the bottom of the case behind the drive bays and cover that hole with a dust filter. You'll want to put some short legs on the case to lift it off the floor a bit more than the stock feet do - a couple of cm should do. No one will see the bottom hole, so it's just the top hole that will muck up the visuals of the case.

 

[Dark Prodigy]

Would definately keep the side panel closed and improve cooling. The crossflow fan and the blowhole fan are good ideas to add cooling power.

 

[umbolo]

Well, I guess I'm better off selling that case and getting some other case (I've read several reviews about not-so-stellar Temjin TJ02 thermal performance). If I drill my case with several holes I'll just de-value it, and it's only 30 days old, so I can still get good price for it. I do fancy Lian Li PC-7 Plus, but its 80mm fans and only 3 HDD slots are somewhat of a turn off for me (I could live with 80mm fans, but I need much more disk space).

Is dust so bad for components? Here's theoretical question - what's worse for longevity of components - 10C higher temps or possible exposure to dust? I ask this because I have one rig 7 years old rig which is covered by dust like an old attic, and still works like a swiss clock (although it's temps are relatively high too )

I'll first try to play with some solution like Lian Li BS-01 - 12cm fan next to PCI slots, since I have grilled space there (although it's not available here, so I'll make some ghetto version).

 

[cozumel]

To answer the original question:
IMHO you're way better off having the side panel open. Although dust can increase temps it can be cleaned every so often. High temps of 60+ will just shorten the life of your components.

I had a similar problems earl;ier this year with a lovely looking acrylic case. Trouble was temps were hitting 70 on full load at stock speeds!! Bought myself LianLi PC-60 Plus and now temps are 34 idle and 52 on load with a 25% overclock. Very, very happy with my LianLi.

I also looked at the Antec P180. I emailed Antec to check if my PSU power lead would reach the connector on the mobo and it wouldn't so I got the LianLi instead. But the Antec really does look a beautifully designed case for maximising airflow and keeping all parts of the case lovely and cool.

 

[RiverRed]

consider swapping both fans for some high CFM ones ?

 

[umbolo]

consider swapping both fans for some high CFM ones ?

That's an option too, first one I actually considered, but those Silverstone fans are rated quite good, and I wanted to explore other possible options before investing +50$ for additional fans, which might, or might not help.

I suppose having my case open, and dusting regularly is best option prior to selling the case (which is lovely in every other way) and replacing it with some other case which might be even worse (and besides I had big trouble finding case which I liked, and which was reasonably priced..I even payed more than I intended since TJ02 was one of the few cases I even considered).

 

[Jakalwarrior]

I like my trusty lakewood fan from walmart. Side of case off blowing in it gives as more cooling than you could ever get from cpu fans and its cheap. Gave all my case fans to my girlfriend lol. Took both sides of case off and it blows over the motherboard tray and out the back side.

 

[lillimon04]

turn the cpu cooler fans rpms up!

 

[umbolo]

turn the cpu cooler fans rpms up!

Artic Freezer 7 Pro's fan max. is @2500rpm. However, if I turn it to that speed, I only get 1-2C better temps, while noise level is really unbearable. At ~1700rpm I get practically the same performance, while it's almost silent. There's absolutely no need for that.

 

[umbolo]

I like my trusty lakewood fan from walmart. Side of case off blowing in it gives as more cooling than you could ever get from cpu fans and its cheap. Gave all my case fans to my girlfriend lol. Took both sides of case off and it blows over the motherboard tray and out the back side.

What are your experiences with dust? How often do you need to clean it? I don't need additional fans blowing over my open case, since my temps with open case are quite nice, and I wouldn't even start this thread if I wasn't concerned with dust issue (I do have relatively dusty house, and no amount of vacuuming can cure that, plus there tiny fur in my room, because of the afore mentioned chincillas). If dust isn't big issue really, I'll just leave it open.