More cooling woes...

"Steve Hall" <stevehall.TakeThisOut@hotmail.com> wrote in message
news:4c420c63.0403170348.6743208c@posting.google.com...
 > Folks,
 >
 > Some of you may remember my posting a few months ago regarding cooling
 > my machine... I have an XP1900 sat under a Zalman Flower (all Copper,
 > not Copper / Alum), plus two rear exhaust 80mm fans, 1 side intake
 > 80mm, and 2 front intake 80mm fans (positioned to blow over the HDDs).
 > Zalman is mounted with Thermal Silver... All of this is in a lovely
 > blue Chieftech Scorpion Case.
 >
 > I am happy enough now that a) the XP1900 for architectural reasons
 > runs hotter than other XP processors, and that b) CPU / Chassis temps
 > of around 50C / Room temp + 2C are about normal.
 >
 > However, Ive recently moved my machine into a fully enclosed
 > "hideaway" - cupboard! this houses the lot - tower, keyboard, mouse,
 > AND monitor.
 >
 > When I'm using the machine actively (hideaway doors open!)
 > temperatures dont change much. However, if I leave the machine running
 > in the background, I have to leave the doors open, otherwise the
 > Chassis / CPU temps creep up - both about 1C 30 mins - I dunno if this
 > rise "maxes out" at all - when the CPU got to the mid 60s I opened the
 > doors and it slowly cooled again.
 >
 > The main problem is that the case is quite large, and the front is
 > just a few mm from the closed doors - so I guess that, and the
 > generally enclosed factors mean airflow is limited. The rear of the
 > chassis is positioned such that the exhast fans line up with 2 custom
 > cut holes...
 >
 > Basically, Im looking for thoughts as to how to keep it cool when
 > idling in the background (yes, I know I could leave the doors open,
 > but would rather close them)... I wonder how much of the rise is from
 > the CPU acting as a "radiator" - would water cooling bring my CPU temp
 > down dramatically and thus bring the overall case / hideaway temp down
 > too... Any other thoughts?
 >
 > Perhaps someone could suggest a reasonably priced alum chassis with
 > support for 5 80mm fans... would this help?
 >
 >
 > Thanks
 >
 > Steve

Hi,

Changing the case/adding fans isn't going to make much difference if there
is no proper airflow in the first place.
You either need to make some holes in your 'hideaway' doors, or, as you
said, leave the doors open.

SteveH<!-- ~MESSAGE_AFTER~ -->
 >> Stay informed about: More cooling woes... 

You may want to think about adding some forced ventilation to your hideaway
unit. Something like an intake fan at the bottom, and an out-take fan at
the top. Maybe a 120mm 120v, or you could hook a 12v one to your
computer's PSU so they'd turn on and off with the computer. You may just
get by with a single intake fan, since you presumably have enough air
flowing out.

I'd also think about doing some form of ducting. I don't imagine the back
of the case is really close to the "custom cut holes", and you may just be
blowing warm air around in the enclosure. And if you could somehow direct
fresh air into the front intake fans, it might help too, but it doesn't
sound like you have a lot of room to work with on there.

I'm running into a similar situation. I've taken my computer out of it's
case, hacked off all the extra bits, and shoved it into a desk drawer. I
have the benefit of not having a drawer front on it yet. Actually, I haven't
got around to attaching the front yet, if the truth be told. But when I
prop the drop up where it will go, it seals off the space too tightly, and
the heat climbs (but the noise drops, so I want to do it. Plus my son is at
the wrong height to drop things into the drawer, which scares me). So what
I think I'm going to do is duct some fresh air directly to the CPU using an
80mm fan, and then duct the exhaust air out, as I find the diffusion off the
PSU fan allows too much warm air to just circulate around. I plan on
finding some PVC pipe that's about the right size for an 80mm fan, and then
doing the ducting with that since it's easy to work with. BTW, I also have
a Zalman all copper unit, but it's the 7000, not the flower.

Clint


"SteveH" <steve.hough DeleteThis @NOSPAMblueyonder.co.uk> wrote in message
news:jTZ5c.18977$7F4.424484011@news-text.cableinet.net...
 > "Steve Hall" <stevehall DeleteThis @hotmail.com> wrote in message
 > news:4c420c63.0403170348.6743208c@posting.google.com...
  > > Folks,
  > >
  > > Some of you may remember my posting a few months ago regarding cooling
  > > my machine... I have an XP1900 sat under a Zalman Flower (all Copper,
  > > not Copper / Alum), plus two rear exhaust 80mm fans, 1 side intake
  > > 80mm, and 2 front intake 80mm fans (positioned to blow over the HDDs).
  > > Zalman is mounted with Thermal Silver... All of this is in a lovely
  > > blue Chieftech Scorpion Case.
  > >
  > > I am happy enough now that a) the XP1900 for architectural reasons
  > > runs hotter than other XP processors, and that b) CPU / Chassis temps
  > > of around 50C / Room temp + 2C are about normal.
  > >
  > > However, Ive recently moved my machine into a fully enclosed
  > > "hideaway" - cupboard! this houses the lot - tower, keyboard, mouse,
  > > AND monitor.
  > >
  > > When I'm using the machine actively (hideaway doors open!)
  > > temperatures dont change much. However, if I leave the machine running
  > > in the background, I have to leave the doors open, otherwise the
  > > Chassis / CPU temps creep up - both about 1C 30 mins - I dunno if this
  > > rise "maxes out" at all - when the CPU got to the mid 60s I opened the
  > > doors and it slowly cooled again.
  > >
  > > The main problem is that the case is quite large, and the front is
  > > just a few mm from the closed doors - so I guess that, and the
  > > generally enclosed factors mean airflow is limited. The rear of the
  > > chassis is positioned such that the exhast fans line up with 2 custom
  > > cut holes...
  > >
  > > Basically, Im looking for thoughts as to how to keep it cool when
  > > idling in the background (yes, I know I could leave the doors open,
  > > but would rather close them)... I wonder how much of the rise is from
  > > the CPU acting as a "radiator" - would water cooling bring my CPU temp
  > > down dramatically and thus bring the overall case / hideaway temp down
  > > too... Any other thoughts?
  > >
  > > Perhaps someone could suggest a reasonably priced alum chassis with
  > > support for 5 80mm fans... would this help?
  > >
  > >
  > > Thanks
  > >
  > > Steve
 >
 > Hi,
 >
 > Changing the case/adding fans isn't going to make much difference if there
 > is no proper airflow in the first place.
 > You either need to make some holes in your 'hideaway' doors, or, as you
 > said, leave the doors open.
 >
 > SteveH
 >
 ><!-- ~MESSAGE_AFTER~ -->
 >> Stay informed about: More cooling woes... 

"Clint" <noone DeleteThis @nowhere.invalid> wrote in message news:<3X%5c.87854$Up2.60951@pd7tw1no>...
 > You may want to think about adding some forced ventilation to your hideaway
 > unit. Something like an intake fan at the bottom, and an out-take fan at
 > the top. Maybe a 120mm 120v, or you could hook a 12v one to your
 > computer's PSU so they'd turn on and off with the computer. You may just
 > get by with a single intake fan, since you presumably have enough air
 > flowing out.
 >
 > I'd also think about doing some form of ducting. I don't imagine the back
 > of the case is really close to the "custom cut holes", and you may just be
 > blowing warm air around in the enclosure. And if you could somehow direct
 > fresh air into the front intake fans, it might help too, but it doesn't
 > sound like you have a lot of room to work with on there.
 >
 > I'm running into a similar situation. I've taken my computer out of it's
 > case, hacked off all the extra bits, and shoved it into a desk drawer. I
 > have the benefit of not having a drawer front on it yet. Actually, I haven't
 > got around to attaching the front yet, if the truth be told. But when I
 > prop the drop up where it will go, it seals off the space too tightly, and
 > the heat climbs (but the noise drops, so I want to do it. Plus my son is at
 > the wrong height to drop things into the drawer, which scares me). So what
 > I think I'm going to do is duct some fresh air directly to the CPU using an
 > 80mm fan, and then duct the exhaust air out, as I find the diffusion off the
 > PSU fan allows too much warm air to just circulate around. I plan on
 > finding some PVC pipe that's about the right size for an 80mm fan, and then
 > doing the ducting with that since it's easy to work with. BTW, I also have
 > a Zalman all copper unit, but it's the 7000, not the flower.
 >
 > Clint
 >
 >

(my original rant snipped!)

Thanks for your replies guys... I think you're right... Improved
airflow around the hideaway in its "closed" state... and ducting for
the exhausts to get that damned hot air out...

I recently built my brother a new machine based on an XP2000... that
runs about 20oC cooler than my 1900 - perhaps a new CPU would help
too... not convinced that the high CPU temp is contributing that much
to the rise in box temp tho... Thoughts?

Steve<!-- ~MESSAGE_AFTER~ -->
 >> Stay informed about: More cooling woes... 

If you're going to run your computer in a closed cabinet, it is going to
overheat. It has no way to draw cool air in, REGARDLESS of how many fans
you use.

--
DaveW



"Steve Hall" <stevehall RemoveThis @hotmail.com> wrote in message
news:4c420c63.0403170348.6743208c@posting.google.com...
 > Folks,
 >
 > Some of you may remember my posting a few months ago regarding cooling
 > my machine... I have an XP1900 sat under a Zalman Flower (all Copper,
 > not Copper / Alum), plus two rear exhaust 80mm fans, 1 side intake
 > 80mm, and 2 front intake 80mm fans (positioned to blow over the HDDs).
 > Zalman is mounted with Thermal Silver... All of this is in a lovely
 > blue Chieftech Scorpion Case.
 >
 > I am happy enough now that a) the XP1900 for architectural reasons
 > runs hotter than other XP processors, and that b) CPU / Chassis temps
 > of around 50C / Room temp + 2C are about normal.
 >
 > However, Ive recently moved my machine into a fully enclosed
 > "hideaway" - cupboard! this houses the lot - tower, keyboard, mouse,
 > AND monitor.
 >
 > When I'm using the machine actively (hideaway doors open!)
 > temperatures dont change much. However, if I leave the machine running
 > in the background, I have to leave the doors open, otherwise the
 > Chassis / CPU temps creep up - both about 1C 30 mins - I dunno if this
 > rise "maxes out" at all - when the CPU got to the mid 60s I opened the
 > doors and it slowly cooled again.
 >
 > The main problem is that the case is quite large, and the front is
 > just a few mm from the closed doors - so I guess that, and the
 > generally enclosed factors mean airflow is limited. The rear of the
 > chassis is positioned such that the exhast fans line up with 2 custom
 > cut holes...
 >
 > Basically, Im looking for thoughts as to how to keep it cool when
 > idling in the background (yes, I know I could leave the doors open,
 > but would rather close them)... I wonder how much of the rise is from
 > the CPU acting as a "radiator" - would water cooling bring my CPU temp
 > down dramatically and thus bring the overall case / hideaway temp down
 > too... Any other thoughts?
 >
 > Perhaps someone could suggest a reasonably priced alum chassis with
 > support for 5 80mm fans... would this help?
 >
 >
 > Thanks
 >
 > Steve<!-- ~MESSAGE_AFTER~ -->
 >> Stay informed about: More cooling woes... 

"Steve Hall" <stevehall DeleteThis @hotmail.com> wrote in message
news:4c420c63.0403170348.6743208c@posting.google.com...
[...]
 > Basically, Im looking for thoughts as to how to keep it cool when
 > idling in the background (yes, I know I could leave the doors open,
 > but would rather close them)... I wonder how much of the rise is from
 > the CPU acting as a "radiator" - would water cooling bring my CPU temp
 > down dramatically and thus bring the overall case / hideaway temp down
 > too... Any other thoughts?
 >
You're cpu cooler keeps your cpu a certain number of degrees above ambient.
You're heating up the air in your cabinet i.e. ambient wrt the pc, so the
cpu temp will go up. Water cooling would only help if you put the radiator
outside the cupboard! Bottom line, you really need some way to get the hot
air out of your cupboard.

Tony<!-- ~MESSAGE_AFTER~ -->
 >> Stay informed about: More cooling woes... 

Steve,

So I made the changes I mentioned in my original post; that is, added a duct
for the PSU fan, and another fan blowing in on the CPU. Turns out that a
3.5" holesaw matches up pretty close to a 3" white sewer pipe, at least, I
think that's the dimensions. Anyways, picked up a 45 degree elbow for the
CPU duct and a straight connector for the PSU, and plugged them right in.

Right now, my system is running Prime95 at about 10 degrees cooler than it
ever did before. This is with the drawer front on it as well. It's pretty
much stabilized at 48 degrees (CPU) and 31 degrees (MB). I've never had it
running under 50 for the CPU before with Prime95, either with or without the
case on.

Clint

"Steve Hall" <stevehall.DeleteThis@hotmail.com> wrote in message
news:4c420c63.0403180338.e2025bb@posting.google.com...
 > "Clint" <noone.DeleteThis@nowhere.invalid> wrote in message
news:<3X%5c.87854$Up2.60951@pd7tw1no>...
  > > You may want to think about adding some forced ventilation to your
hideaway
  > > unit. Something like an intake fan at the bottom, and an out-take fan
at
  > > the top. Maybe a 120mm 120v, or you could hook a 12v one to your
  > > computer's PSU so they'd turn on and off with the computer. You may
just
  > > get by with a single intake fan, since you presumably have enough air
  > > flowing out.
  > >
  > > I'd also think about doing some form of ducting. I don't imagine the
back
  > > of the case is really close to the "custom cut holes", and you may just
be
  > > blowing warm air around in the enclosure. And if you could somehow
direct
  > > fresh air into the front intake fans, it might help too, but it doesn't
  > > sound like you have a lot of room to work with on there.
  > >
  > > I'm running into a similar situation. I've taken my computer out of
it's
  > > case, hacked off all the extra bits, and shoved it into a desk drawer.
I
  > > have the benefit of not having a drawer front on it yet. Actually, I
haven't
  > > got around to attaching the front yet, if the truth be told. But
when I
  > > prop the drop up where it will go, it seals off the space too tightly,
and
  > > the heat climbs (but the noise drops, so I want to do it. Plus my son
is at
  > > the wrong height to drop things into the drawer, which scares me). So
what
  > > I think I'm going to do is duct some fresh air directly to the CPU using
an
  > > 80mm fan, and then duct the exhaust air out, as I find the diffusion off
the
  > > PSU fan allows too much warm air to just circulate around. I plan on
  > > finding some PVC pipe that's about the right size for an 80mm fan, and
then
  > > doing the ducting with that since it's easy to work with. BTW, I also
have
  > > a Zalman all copper unit, but it's the 7000, not the flower.
  > >
  > > Clint
  > >
  > >
 >
 > (my original rant snipped!)
 >
 > Thanks for your replies guys... I think you're right... Improved
 > airflow around the hideaway in its "closed" state... and ducting for
 > the exhausts to get that damned hot air out...
 >
 > I recently built my brother a new machine based on an XP2000... that
 > runs about 20oC cooler than my 1900 - perhaps a new CPU would help
 > too... not convinced that the high CPU temp is contributing that much
 > to the rise in box temp tho... Thoughts?
 >
 > Steve<!-- ~MESSAGE_AFTER~ -->
 >> Stay informed about: More cooling woes... 

Pretty "cool" !!!


"Clint" <cneufeld RemoveThis @shaw.mysocks.ca> wrote in message
news:NW37c.867302$ts4.254128@pd7tw3no...
 > Steve,
 >
 > So I made the changes I mentioned in my original post; that is, added a
duct
 > for the PSU fan, and another fan blowing in on the CPU. Turns out that a
 > 3.5" holesaw matches up pretty close to a 3" white sewer pipe, at least, I
 > think that's the dimensions. Anyways, picked up a 45 degree elbow for the
 > CPU duct and a straight connector for the PSU, and plugged them right in.
 >
 > Right now, my system is running Prime95 at about 10 degrees cooler than it
 > ever did before. This is with the drawer front on it as well. It's
pretty
 > much stabilized at 48 degrees (CPU) and 31 degrees (MB). I've never had
it
 > running under 50 for the CPU before with Prime95, either with or without
the
 > case on.
 >
 > Clint
 >
 > "Steve Hall" <stevehall RemoveThis @hotmail.com> wrote in message
 > news:4c420c63.0403180338.e2025bb@posting.google.com...
  > > "Clint" <noone RemoveThis @nowhere.invalid> wrote in message
 > news:<3X%5c.87854$Up2.60951@pd7tw1no>...
   > > > You may want to think about adding some forced ventilation to your
 > hideaway
   > > > unit. Something like an intake fan at the bottom, and an out-take fan
 > at
   > > > the top. Maybe a 120mm 120v, or you could hook a 12v one to your
   > > > computer's PSU so they'd turn on and off with the computer. You may
 > just
   > > > get by with a single intake fan, since you presumably have enough air
   > > > flowing out.
   > > >
   > > > I'd also think about doing some form of ducting. I don't imagine the
 > back
   > > > of the case is really close to the "custom cut holes", and you may
just
 > be
   > > > blowing warm air around in the enclosure. And if you could somehow
 > direct
   > > > fresh air into the front intake fans, it might help too, but it
doesn't
   > > > sound like you have a lot of room to work with on there.
   > > >
   > > > I'm running into a similar situation. I've taken my computer out of
 > it's
   > > > case, hacked off all the extra bits, and shoved it into a desk drawer.
 > I
   > > > have the benefit of not having a drawer front on it yet. Actually, I
 > haven't
   > > > got around to attaching the front yet, if the truth be told. But
 > when I
   > > > prop the drop up where it will go, it seals off the space too tightly,
 > and
   > > > the heat climbs (but the noise drops, so I want to do it. Plus my son
 > is at
   > > > the wrong height to drop things into the drawer, which scares me). So
 > what
   > > > I think I'm going to do is duct some fresh air directly to the CPU
using
 > an
   > > > 80mm fan, and then duct the exhaust air out, as I find the diffusion
off
 > the
   > > > PSU fan allows too much warm air to just circulate around. I plan on
   > > > finding some PVC pipe that's about the right size for an 80mm fan, and
 > then
   > > > doing the ducting with that since it's easy to work with. BTW, I also
 > have
   > > > a Zalman all copper unit, but it's the 7000, not the flower.
   > > >
   > > > Clint
   > > >
   > > >
  > >
  > > (my original rant snipped!)
  > >
  > > Thanks for your replies guys... I think you're right... Improved
  > > airflow around the hideaway in its "closed" state... and ducting for
  > > the exhausts to get that damned hot air out...
  > >
  > > I recently built my brother a new machine based on an XP2000... that
  > > runs about 20oC cooler than my 1900 - perhaps a new CPU would help
  > > too... not convinced that the high CPU temp is contributing that much
  > > to the rise in box temp tho... Thoughts?
  > >
  > > Steve
 >
 ><!-- ~MESSAGE_AFTER~ -->
 >> Stay informed about: More cooling woes... 

Actually, it's pretty butt-ugly right now, and I need to fix some of these
things in place. I've got the funky white sewer pipe almost dangling
around, which can't be good. But a couple pieces of 3/4" plywood with the
appropriate hole in them and I should be good to go.

At least it's rigged up enough to show that it's worth the effort. Even
now, it's idling at 36 degrees on the CPU, which is much cooler than I've
ever had it before. And that's with the drawer front on. I'll probably
look around for another fan as well, since the one I've got going right now
is too noisy for my taste.

Clint

"Ohaya" <Ohaya DeleteThis @NO_SPAM.cox.net> wrote in message
news:Vgp7c.14347$TV6.9129@lakeread02...
 > Pretty "cool" !!!
 >
 >
 > "Clint" <cneufeld DeleteThis @shaw.mysocks.ca> wrote in message
 > news:NW37c.867302$ts4.254128@pd7tw3no...
  > > Steve,
  > >
  > > So I made the changes I mentioned in my original post; that is, added a
 > duct
  > > for the PSU fan, and another fan blowing in on the CPU. Turns out that
a
  > > 3.5" holesaw matches up pretty close to a 3" white sewer pipe, at least,
I
  > > think that's the dimensions. Anyways, picked up a 45 degree elbow for
the
  > > CPU duct and a straight connector for the PSU, and plugged them right
in.
  > >
  > > Right now, my system is running Prime95 at about 10 degrees cooler than
it
  > > ever did before. This is with the drawer front on it as well. It's
 > pretty
  > > much stabilized at 48 degrees (CPU) and 31 degrees (MB). I've never had
 > it
  > > running under 50 for the CPU before with Prime95, either with or without
 > the
  > > case on.
  > >
  > > Clint
  > >
  > > "Steve Hall" <stevehall DeleteThis @hotmail.com> wrote in message
  > > news:4c420c63.0403180338.e2025bb@posting.google.com...
   > > > "Clint" <noone DeleteThis @nowhere.invalid> wrote in message
  > > news:<3X%5c.87854$Up2.60951@pd7tw1no>...
   > > > > You may want to think about adding some forced ventilation to your
  > > hideaway
   > > > > unit. Something like an intake fan at the bottom, and an out-take
fan
  > > at
   > > > > the top. Maybe a 120mm 120v, or you could hook a 12v one to your
   > > > > computer's PSU so they'd turn on and off with the computer. You may
  > > just
   > > > > get by with a single intake fan, since you presumably have enough
air
   > > > > flowing out.
   > > > >
   > > > > I'd also think about doing some form of ducting. I don't imagine
the
  > > back
   > > > > of the case is really close to the "custom cut holes", and you may
 > just
  > > be
   > > > > blowing warm air around in the enclosure. And if you could somehow
  > > direct
   > > > > fresh air into the front intake fans, it might help too, but it
 > doesn't
   > > > > sound like you have a lot of room to work with on there.
   > > > >
   > > > > I'm running into a similar situation. I've taken my computer out of
  > > it's
   > > > > case, hacked off all the extra bits, and shoved it into a desk
drawer.
  > > I
   > > > > have the benefit of not having a drawer front on it yet. Actually, I
  > > haven't
   > > > > got around to attaching the front yet, if the truth be told.
But
  > > when I
   > > > > prop the drop up where it will go, it seals off the space too
tightly,
  > > and
   > > > > the heat climbs (but the noise drops, so I want to do it. Plus my
son
  > > is at
   > > > > the wrong height to drop things into the drawer, which scares me).
So
  > > what
   > > > > I think I'm going to do is duct some fresh air directly to the CPU
 > using
  > > an
   > > > > 80mm fan, and then duct the exhaust air out, as I find the diffusion
 > off
  > > the
   > > > > PSU fan allows too much warm air to just circulate around. I plan
on
   > > > > finding some PVC pipe that's about the right size for an 80mm fan,
and
  > > then
   > > > > doing the ducting with that since it's easy to work with. BTW, I
also
  > > have
   > > > > a Zalman all copper unit, but it's the 7000, not the flower.
   > > > >
   > > > > Clint
   > > > >
   > > > >
   > > >
   > > > (my original rant snipped!)
   > > >
   > > > Thanks for your replies guys... I think you're right... Improved
   > > > airflow around the hideaway in its "closed" state... and ducting for
   > > > the exhausts to get that damned hot air out...
   > > >
   > > > I recently built my brother a new machine based on an XP2000... that
   > > > runs about 20oC cooler than my 1900 - perhaps a new CPU would help
   > > > too... not convinced that the high CPU temp is contributing that much
   > > > to the rise in box temp tho... Thoughts?
   > > >
   > > > Steve
  > >
  > >
 >
 ><!-- ~MESSAGE_AFTER~ -->
 >> Stay informed about: More cooling woes...