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Hi there. I have a question about mounting a Zalman 9700NT.
In the past, I've seen several examples of a Zalman CPU cooler mounted with the fan pointing upward, in effect directing airflow toward what would be the ceiling of the case. I assume this was done to accommodate the mobo heatsink/heatpipe. Is this a viable option?
Is this the best way to allow for a beefy northbridge heatsink without disrupting airflow and starving the PSU intake? Is it also an option to mount the Zalman facing downward, thus blowing air through the northbridge heatsink (say, a Thermalright HR-05) and onto the back of the vid card? Or does this totally destroy airflow and starve both the rear exhaust and the PSU intake fan?
I'm curious, as I'm wanting to mount a Thermalright sink but cannot do so with the Zalman mounted as instructed with the fan directed toward the rear of the case (too crowded on my GA-P35-DS3L). If pointing the Zalman downward is a viable option, it would save me having to mount a fan on my Thermalright, and might help cool my 8800 GTS to boot. If not, I'd be fine with facing it upward, assuming it doesn't butcher positive airflow.
I do have two 80mm case fans mounted on the side panel (top and bottom), directing additional air onto the CPU heatsink and the northbridge/video card, respectively. Would this provide enough extra air intake to feed the PSU if the Zalman were pointed downward?
Thanks!
In the past, I've seen several examples of a Zalman CPU cooler mounted with the fan pointing upward, in effect directing airflow toward what would be the ceiling of the case. I assume this was done to accommodate the mobo heatsink/heatpipe. Is this a viable option?
Is this the best way to allow for a beefy northbridge heatsink without disrupting airflow and starving the PSU intake? Is it also an option to mount the Zalman facing downward, thus blowing air through the northbridge heatsink (say, a Thermalright HR-05) and onto the back of the vid card? Or does this totally destroy airflow and starve both the rear exhaust and the PSU intake fan?
I'm curious, as I'm wanting to mount a Thermalright sink but cannot do so with the Zalman mounted as instructed with the fan directed toward the rear of the case (too crowded on my GA-P35-DS3L). If pointing the Zalman downward is a viable option, it would save me having to mount a fan on my Thermalright, and might help cool my 8800 GTS to boot. If not, I'd be fine with facing it upward, assuming it doesn't butcher positive airflow.
I do have two 80mm case fans mounted on the side panel (top and bottom), directing additional air onto the CPU heatsink and the northbridge/video card, respectively. Would this provide enough extra air intake to feed the PSU if the Zalman were pointed downward?
Thanks!