Case fans make a difference for HTPC?

[davidj1987]

Just was curious for anyone with a HTPC case or older style Desktop case knew or had if they made any difference? I have two in the HDD cage, two in the rear as exhaust but I have a down draft CPU Cooler (Noctua NH-C14) so I doubt I'd really see any benefit from the exhaust or intake. As a matter of fact I don't have any HDD's in the computer, just two SSD's but those generate next to no heat (if any but I may be wrong).

I can't get PWM functionality working (fans are full PWM) as the motherboard fan software (correct BIOS Settings) doesn't work too well and Speedfan doesn't work with ASUS Z87 motherboards at all (worked awesome with my older ASrock Z77 machine with the same exact fans) but my Noctua CPU fans for my cooler that are NOT PWM work great so that's important. CPU temps are OK (overclocked 4670k at 4.2ghz) and don't get above 65C but just curious if case fans helped you with a HTPC?

[Draco1962]

I think the case fans make a huge essential difference and are a must, especially in an HTPC setup. For your PWM fans, have you the considered an external bay mounted controller (assuming you have the space, if not, disregard). What kind of fans and size are you using or intend to use? Noctua seems to be a favorite as noted here.

[davidj1987]

At idle there's a 2C difference at the most. I have quite a few $$$ in Amazon and Newegg gift cards so I might get a PWM fan controller - are there any that don't have knobs or levers the go past the 5.25 bay as my case has a door that goes over the 5.25 bays? Won't be out of any money though if I get one. My case is a SilverStone LC-20. I love the looks of this case even though it is dated, plus the first computer I ever built was in this case.

My current fans are PWM Arctic Cooling 80mm fans and I have 2x 92mm fans (same as the other ones just 92mm) in the HDD Cage where you can daisy chain up to five together - I had four 80mm in my old HTPC daisy chained with a 92x14mm Noctua fan and controled with Speedfan and it worked great but that was with a ASrock MB.

[Draco1962]

I pefer the larger fans as they move more air with fewer RPMs. Newegg has one that is touch panel controlled. There are probably a few others that may be better.

[davidj1987]

I can't fit anything larger. So I bought a NZXT Sentry Mix 2 - works with PWM fans, don't like the touch panel personally (very few work with PWM) and got 2 Noctua 80mm (and a 92x14 mm one also) fans plus it doesn't stick out of the bay. I have a low profile 92mm fan from NOCTUA. For giggles I hooked it up to the PSU where it'd run at full speed (it's a 2200rpm fan) and it wasn't too loud at all plus blows a lot of air so I'll grab it for later. A shame since I liked the arctic fans since they daisy-chained together however it was a wiring mess. I don't mind the color scheme for this rig so the Noctua's will be OK. I can't fit a regular 80x25mm fan on the side vent but I bought a Noiseblocker 80x15mm fan for the side vent too.

Amazon was about $12 cheaper than Newegg and with burning up a gift card... only $4 outta pocket.

[Draco1962]

Not bad! I saw that one as well but didn't realize the speed adjustment bars are recessed from the face. I have found that to be true a lot of the time with Amazon. I also prefer their returns policy without having to jump through as many hoops as Newegg. I bought my Antec P280 mid-tower case via Amazon and saved almost $15 at the time I ordered it (originally was about $10 when I added it to my wish list but the price dropped a few days later adding another $5 in savings).

[davidj1987]

OK, I got the first fan installed, not hooked up but I had one of the 92mm Noctuas's I ordered plus I neatened up the wiring a bit and planed it all out, took notes so when I get the parts I can rock and roll. Once I get a lot of computer parts at once I get too excited and I install sometimes haphazardly so I planned it all out. Will have to remove the Mobo for the side vent but for that side vent on the right side, would it be better as an exhaust or intake? I know the front should be intake and rear should be exhaust but this is a desktop HTPC style case and the exhaust vent is right where the cpu cooler is.

Here is a ROUGH picture of the work in progress attached. Missing the back fans and the optical drives but I have the cables in placed to get it all ready. Unfortunately as I was doing the wiring I had to remove the SATA ports (I run a RAID 1 config) I accidently swapped the SATA ports I believe and now my Windows install went back to day one and it was like I reformated. No biggie as I don't really have anything of note that isn't backed up on it.

[DazzleHP]

It's a bit tricky to see your setup from the one photo, but if i were in the same situation i would use the nearest fan to your cpu as exhaust, you want to get the heat out of there as quick as possible, and use whichever is pointing toward an open area as the intake. Above all you should aim for a "quick" air flow, in other words the most efficient way to get air in, and back out again as quick as possible. Believe it or not i've seen setups where basically they've created a convection oven! Blowing heat around and essentialy cooking hardware lol

A good rule of thumb (i think) is to use the nearest fans to your cpu as exhaust, and try to situate other fans totally opposite (as you can get) as intake

[Draco1962]

My setup is designed for positive pressure, with the bottom mounted PSU pulling in air from the bottom and exhausting out the back.. Works like a chanp along with the other fans.

[davidj1987]

I'll the rear as exhaust and the front as intake but dunno about the side, I'll use it as exhaust. I have a 1150 Haswell and it gets hot with a mild OC!

[Draco1962]

Sounds like you have a good plan.

[davidj1987]

I got the 80x15 mm noiseblocker fan in, at about 40% you can't hear it. My idea of zipties wouldn't work so I took the motherboard out which I didn't want to do but thankfully it wasn't too bad. Hooked up all good and WOW this thing is quiet now and I can ramp up if needed.

Pics to follow... I wish the case was a few cm longer as the 5.25 drive cage unless I used a stock cooler it will only go in at an angle :/

[Draco1962]

Zip ties for cable management? I know I was fortunate with my case due to the size and the fact that there is room built-in for cable management through the case and behind the motherboard. I found an Instructible here that kind of combines some things I have done in less roomy cases. I have used combinations of cable ties (small zip ties to be precise), electrical tape and I didn't have or couldn't afford sleeving to wrap doubled-back cojoined power connectors to elimate the extra connector from just dangling out. Your case does seem pretty filled in about every available space.

[davidj1987]

I didn't want to remove the motherboard so thought zipties would be the next best thing to mount it but I thankfully had 15mm fanscrews with the case so I stuck it out and did it that way even though it was 30+ minutes to take the MB out and screw the fan in - I have it as an exhaust.

Attached some pics. I included a picture on the side. The side 80x15mm fan is hard to see but it's there. It's a popular fan replacement for the SFX 450W PSU from Silverstone used in the Steam Machine beta and I have the non modular version in another system and I don't think it's that bad but I'm not terribly picky but the fan is $20 so just a heads up if you buy the PSU and want to replace the fan. The fan controler fits great and you can't turn off the LED lighting but that's OK I usually have the 5.25 bays covered with the door 99% of the time. It ramps the fans to around 40% and it's REALLY quiet when at 40% and the noisest fan is the noiseblocker fan. However the 92mm Noctua's are 92x14mm and not too loud but low a LOT of air.

Video of the fan replacement:

[Draco1962]

Will be interesting to see what your temp averages are on this. All looks pretty cool (pun intended)!

[davidj1987]

I have about a 3-6C difference at the most and again the system isn't loud unless I get really close, about three feet away I can't hear it at all at the lowest settings. If the motherboard software wasn't bad, I'd have enough room (no joke) to plug all the fans in the motherboard maybe neatening up wiring but again the software wasn't very good and had the same effect (goes down to 40%).