Computer case cooling

[Yogesh Sarkar]

I have been monitoring my CPU’s temperature for past few days now and it seems it is running quite hot. On idle and with slight load (browsing etc.) it is usually at 41-50 degree (both cores) during the day and couple of degree cooler at night.

CPU intensive programs easily push that to 70-80 degree with temperatures reaching 90 degree at full load. I guess for a Core2duo E4500 it is ok, however with summers fast approaching, it is going to get even hotter as there is no AC in the room (15-30degree celsius temperature at the moment and in summer I can expect 30-45 degree celsius temperature) .

So in preparation of approaching summer, I was thinking about ways to keep the case cooled. Right now the computer case (this one (http://www.mercury-pc.com/images/pr_ca/pr_ca_at_kob140_b.jpg)) only has a single local 80mm case fan and I feel it is quite slow, slower than the 80mm fan in the 400watt smps I have.

Would switching to a faster 80mm fan with say 25-35cfm rated airflow help matters? Especially if I use the existing fan as an intake fan and fit it at the bottom rear of the case?

Also would a no name 400watt smps be able to support two fast 80mm fans along with C2D and two hard drives?

[waynedsargent]

with a dual core you surely need more air flow than a 80mm can provide. How many fan ports does the case have? Any 120mm ports. Do you have a make and model for the case? Also have you checked to see if your heatsink fan is working?

[In2Photos]

Are you using a stock heatsink? If so , consider getting a CPU cooler. The Xigmatek line is great. I have one on my new i7 (and 4-120mm fans) and my CPU runs at 25C at idle! Gets up to about 40C running LR and PS CS2.

Fans do not require that much power so stuff as many as you can. Just buy some quiet ones. Also, go lager if you can.

[Mark1]

I have turned around the case fan so it sucks in. Then installed a fan that fills a card slot that blows out. The case has air turnover every 30 seconds. Stays very cool as the internal temp does not have time to warm the air.

[Yogesh Sarkar]

with a dual core you surely need more air flow than a 80mm can provide. How many fan ports does the case have? Any 120mm ports. Do you have a make and model for the case? Also have you checked to see if your heatsink fan is working?
It only has space for a single 80mm fan, I was thinking of fixing the current fan at PCI ports (by removing the plates) as I don’t have any PCI cards and configure it to suck in air while I get another more powerful 80mm fan, which blows out air.

Are you using a stock heatsink? If so , consider getting a CPU cooler. The Xigmatek line is great. I have one on my new i7 (and 4-120mm fans) and my CPU runs at 25C at idle! Gets up to about 40C running LR and PS CS2.

Fans do not require that much power so stuff as many as you can. Just buy some quiet ones. Also, go lager if you can.
Using the stock heatsink and fan, haven’t overclocked the CPU so never though about getting an aftermarket one.

I have turned around the case fan so it sucks in. Then installed a fan that fills a card slot that blows out. The case has air turnover every 30 seconds. Stays very cool as the internal temp does not have time to warm the air.
I am thinking of having a similar setup but with two 80mm fans.

[In2Photos]

It only has space for a single 80mm fan, I was thinking of fixing the current fan at PCI ports (by removing the plates) as I don’t have any PCI cards and configure it to suck in air while I get another more powerful 80mm fan, which blows out air.


Using the stock heatsink and fan, haven’t overclocked the CPU so never though about getting an aftermarket one.


I am thinking of having a similar setup but with two 80mm fans.
If there are no more spots for fans I might consider looking for another case. A single 80mm fan just doesn't cut it anymore.

BTW I am not overclocking my i7. I just want it to be cool. The Xigmatek Dark Knight was only $40 and seems to be well worth it. You have to have some room in the case for it though, it isn't small!

http://www.pbase.com/madawson/image/109691718.jpg

[Mark1]

There are fans that go in a drive bay as well. They may be more efficient than a card slot one.

[tim]

Remember you're trying to create airflow, in the front and out the back is normal, not point all the fans towards the center of the computer.

Toms Hardware did a huge fan review, the "Thermalright Ultra-120 eXtreme CPU Cooler" came out tops from memory. Get that and some Arctic Silver heat transfer past.

[FZ1]

Your video card and northbridge could be adding to the case temps as well. Changing out the CPU cooler won't help much if the ambient temp in the case is very high...it's hard to cool with hot air! Here is what you can do without spending a lot of money.
>The stock cooler should be sufficient but I would re-seat it with better TIM compound.
>Clean up your cables in the case so as not to obstruct airflow.
>make sure there is no dust build up on any of the fans or vents.

If that isn't helping, try a better 80mm fan as you have been thinking about although be warned that it will probably be relatively loud. From there, you could either mod your case to have maybe a side panel exhaust fan or upgrade your case to one with 120mm fans which will provide better airflow and typically run quieter.

[Yogesh Sarkar]

Well I have been checking out my case, and it seems that I can probably fit an 80mm fan in space meant to accommodate two floppy drives as I don’t have any use for it. Now if I do that, would it be better to fit intake fan at the front and exhaust fan at the rear or the other way around?

Cable management is already done in a manner that the wires aren’t creating any clutter, i use onboard vga, sound and lan so there are no pci cards.

Problem is, Delhi in summers is pretty hot and humid and can easily touch 113 degrees Fahrenheit in summers and during the day it is already touching 86 degrees Fahrenheit. I guess I’ll try out with an extra fan (with fan and cooler on in the room, I don’t think I’ll notice extra noise) and if things don’t improve, go in for Artic Silver or MX-2 (which one would be better?)

Last resort of course is to get another case, in which scenario I would easily be able to reuse the faster fan so won’t actually loose out on anything.

[FZ1]

Arctic silver and MX-2 perform roughly the same and way better than the stock stuff put on by Intel. Your biggest problem is trying to cool using warm air which is a losing battle. I hope it works out for you.