Computer too warm, airflow suggestions?

[longrawker]

Hello.

On the computer in my sig, the temperatures are getting a little bit higher than what I'm comfortable with. Rendering video, the CPU temps get up to 58 C - 59C. (Those temps are from ASUS Probe, the utility that comes with the mobo. The bios temps tend to run more or less 10 C higher than the Probe temps)

This seems a bit too hot, to me.

I have 5 case fans. The exhaust fans are: 1 on top, 1 front bottom, 1 back pannel just below the PSU. The two intake fans are on the side pannel, on top of each other towards the bottom rear of the case. (Hope that makes sense...)

The heatsink is just the standard Intel one that came with the chip. It has about 12 small fan blades on it, and one broke off when I was installing the components (spinning fan came into contact with a spare molex connector).

EDIT: Some cable management could help as well, as I've got 3 ribbon cables floating around in my case, and ridiculous amounts of molex connectors... a few cold cathode inverters... and so on. I don't quite know where to start though, and I can't find a shop in Belgium that sells zip tyes.

Is there anything I can do to cool this thing off?

[Hags]

Ok, well as far as the zip ties go, you can also use electrical tape, and a lot of stores have them in many different colors. Also, what is the room temp, as that very much affects the temperature in your system. As for where to start, I'd start with the cables and inverters, tape all of the cables and molex connectors together in neat bundles and tuck them as far to the side away from the middle of the case, as you can, do the same with the inverters. Also, you may want to replace that heatsink one of these days if you have some extra cash layin around that you have to spend :D

[MaxRat]

Longrawker....

Try playing with your fan arangement or number of fan you have in use...sounds to me you may be creating a void inside your case.

I would use the power supply solely for the exhaust especially if it has two fans...

The intake fans in the side are very good especially if they're at the bottom like This (http://www.newegg.com/Product/Showimage.asp?Mode=&Type=&Image=11-156-113-02.JPG%2C11-156-113-03.JPG%2C11-156-113-04.JPG%2C11-156-113-05.JPG%2C11-156-113-06.JPG%2C11-156-113-07.JPG&CurImage=11-156-113-05.JPG&Description=RAIDMAX+ATX-268WSP+Silver+Steel+Gaming+Case+Computer+Case+350W+Power+Supply+-+Retail) ...

Using to front bottom exhaust fan and the rear exhaust fan you may just be pulling the fresh intake air right back out not leaving any for the cpu...

Heres what I would recomend...But this is at your discretion...Put 2 90/92mm fans in the side down low as shown above...you will need to mod the case with a hole-saw....use them still as intake....take out the other exhaust fans....try it..you maybe suprised...

I use this set-up on all my cases and I can keep case temps the same as room temps....I use the power supply as the exhaust fan even if it has only one fan as this creates very little void in the case....

enjoy..

[flanzig1]

For something a little simpler: change the front fan to intake and replace the broken CPU fan.

[longrawker]

Hey.

I sense a little clarification is needed. This (http://www.newegg.com/Product/Showimage.asp?Mode=&Type=&Image=11-166-006-01.jpg%2C11-166-006-02.jpg%2C11-166-006-03.jpg%2C11-166-006-07.jpg%2C11-166-006-05.jpg%2C11-166-006-06.jpg%2C11-166-006-04.jpg%2C11-166-006-08.jpg%2C11-166-006-09.jpg&CurImage=11-166-006-01.jpg&Description=SUNBEAM+AC-T+Transparent+Clear+Acrylic+ATX+Mid+Tower+Computer+Case+-+Retail) is my case, plus or minus a few rather minor details such as the side fans being lower to the bottom of the case in my case. I know it's a little hard to see (being clear and all... imagine that :rolleyes: ), but maybe that will give a better idea of where the fans are. I'm not using the PSU as an exhaust fan, apologies for the confusion there. What I meant is that the fan in the whole below the PSU, on the back pannel of the case is exhaust.

I'd like to avoid cutting any holes in my case, as I am completely inexperienced in doing so... but changing the front bottom fan to intake will help? And yes, a bit of cable movement. Can you just roll tape the ribbon cables off, so that they become rounded? Does that help much? The way the case is, there's no place to "hide" the wound cables, as I have seen done before, it's just kind of all stuck in the middle of the case.

EDIT: The ambient temperature isn't much of an issue. Those temps are from this morning, when it was 22-23(C) in here.

Thanks for the help, keep it coming.

[MaxRat]

Just try unplugging the fan under the power supply and note the temps...

If they go down you may have a void...If they go up then you know it's actually working for you...

You may have to do this with every fan...except the side pannel fans.... On those you may try some fans with more CFM output ( like Sunnons)

I did notice a hole in the top...Do you have one? Is it a vent or a fan hole...

I personally don't recomend a exhaust fan anywhere around the PSU as it can cause a revision around there and cause a dead spot inside the PSU...

When you have too much exhaust in that area it actually tries to draw air in through the PSU and may cause it ( the PSU) to be warmer than it should be and also hold the warm air inside the case...

If you PSU has a fan (as most do) it always and exhaust...I recomend using it soley as exhaust for the hole pc...making sure you get that warm air out...all others can be intakes.... You'll just have to experiment...

[longrawker]

Just try unplugging the fan under the power supply and note the temps...

If they go down you may have a void...If they go up then you know it's actually working for you...

You may have to do this with every fan...except the side pannel fans.... On those you may try some fans with more CFM output ( like Sunnons)

I did notice a hole in the top...Do you have one? Is it a vent or a fan hole...

I personally don't recomend a exhaust fan anywhere around the PSU as it can cause a revision around there and cause a dead spot inside the PSU...

If you PSU has a fan (as most do) it always and exhaust...I recomend using it soley as exhaust for the hole pc...making sure you get that warm air out...all others can be intakes.... You'll just have to experiment...

I'm about to try unplugging the fan, and will post how it goes.

CFM output? Does that just mean faster fans? (CPU fan is at 2150, and Case fans are at 2700)

Yes, the hole in the top is a fan hole, the fan I have in it is exhaust.

My PSU has two fans, one in the back, and one in the bottom. They're both moving so slowly that I cannot determine which direction they blow, unless they're both intake - that would explain why I cannot feel any airflow.

[MaxRat]

The psu fans ARE exhaust....

Try disconecting BOTH the back fan and the top fan....check temps...

Then turn them around as intakes and check again....I'll bet once you unplug both fans and then put your hand at the back of the psu you Will feel some air movement then....

CFM= cubic feet per minute....more cfm = more air flow..and sometimes more noise... I would look over at www.nexfan.com or www.3dcool.com they are two places I have bought good brand fans...

[David M]

In general your lower fans should be intake fans and your upper fans exhaust fans since heat rises.

[longrawker]

Switching the back and top fans to intake really helped cool it off. I tried re-rendering the same video I was working with, and it topped at 45 C, in Probe, and 55 C in Bios.

Any idea why the bios temps are 10 degrees higher?

[MaxRat]

Just another one to prove the theory....

I am glad you got temps to drop...

The biggest thing I see is too much/many exhaust fans near a PSU....These can really have a negative effect...Actually pulling the warm air from the PSU into the case...If you have too much exhaust it has to draw the air from somewhere and it will from the shortest path....

Some say the temp reading difference can be software error...but unless you have access to a pyrometer ( infrared heat scanner) you may not know...A hardware temp controller may be able to pinpiont which is more accurate...Most say the bios is..but I know some of them to be way off...ans 10 degrees is about the norm....

[Cangri]

There are some rounded cables on xoxide.com they are the best for increasing airflow and buy the best fan with the highest cfm xoxide has a lot of great fans and cables o and have really good parts for modding.If your psu have a lot of cables that u don't use buy a modular psu.Those are all my recomendations

Is that a Thermaltake case because almost all the Tt cases fans are not good they are just crap