First build: p/s and fan questions

[StormBorn]

OK, I'm overheating. Luckily, it just crashes my system rather than burning out my CPU.

The thing is, I don't know whether to install a new p/s, a better CPU hsf, or a front case fan...I also don't know whether to install a rear case fan, and if I should, where I could possibly fit it!

Help. Please.

[Cricket]

Hi StormBorn,

First thing to do is improve your case cooling. You want to be sure you have at least 1 fan (besides the power supply fan) exhausting the heated up air from your case. If your case doesn't have a place to install a rear case fan you can either leave the case sides off (not recommended), go with a slot fan (it helps a bit, but you really want to remove the heat from around the CPU), modify your case to accept a fan on the rear somewhere (near the CPU if possible) or get another case.

With at least 1 exhaust fan installed, you don't really need a intake fan, you just need enough ventilation holes to allow cool air to be drawn into your case (the exhaust fan creates a vacuum within the case. Vent holes in the front allows air to be pulled in by the vacuum effect).

Installing a better heatsink is a good idea, but you must make sure your case removes any built up heat first or the warmed up air will just be recirculated around and around (like a convection oven).

What brand is that 250 watt PSU?

Cricket

[HAL9000]

What kind of temps are you getting that you think you're overheating?

[StormBorn]

Thanks, Cricket! I did find the space for a rear exhaust fan. The PSU came with the case--an off-brand called Genetica, and it appears to be non-removeable. Yeah, I know I should have gotten a better case but I had a time crunch and a money crunch at the same time. :/

HAL, the CPU temp has climbed as high as 198F! I live in a 100-year-old building in Central Arizona. No a/c and our high temps are hitting the mid-90s currently. We have both windows and our transom open, and the ceiling fan and a small room fan running, but it's still hot.

[juppy]

Hi StormBorn,

198°F? Man! That's like 92°C. That's getting into the critical heat range. Like Cricket said, do the rear fan thing, it'll help. Where you don't have any air conditioning in your house your temps are definitely going to be higher although I don't know that they should go quite THAT high. Basically, the hotter the room is, the hotter your system will run too. If you try a different heat sink, you may need to get a higher rpm fan that moves more air. Like maybe a Delta or something; they're noisy as hell but they do move the air. Like Cricket said, the front fan isn't as critical if you have the rear fan going but if there's a space for it you might try adding it also to see if it helps. Make sure your cables are zip tied out of the air flow path too. The more cables you have hanging everywhere inside your case, the less air can move freely through the case to cool it off.

[StormBorn]

Yep. Luckily I have the bios set to shut it down when it gets too high.

I'd rather not have to install a different heatsink, as I had the devil of a time installing the mb (those lousy stanchions!) and don't look forward to taking it out and re-installing it.

Since fans are cheap, I'll get both a front and rear one. Any brand recommendations? Also, although there's a mounting bracket in the case for a front fan and a space where a rear fan will probably fit, there's no bracket for a rear fan. Suggestions?

[juppy]

For brands of fans I'd go with something like Enermax, Vantec, or Panaflo. As I said earlier, Delta fans will move the air but they're really noisy when you get the ones up to like 6500-7000 rpms. As for where to mount the rear one, I'm not real sure about the bracket but I think you can just mount the fans directly to the case with some screws (someone correct me if this is wrong). You may need to put some washers on the inside to space it out a little (I don't know if it will clear the case or not; the install I did had the pre-made mounting brackets already in there). One note: if you do get a higher rpm fan, be sure to only hook it to the connectors that are on the power supply, NOT the headers on the mobo. Those are only rated for a small amount of power to go through them and a high rpm fan can easily pull double the power they're rated to handle. If the fan only comes with the small connector like hooks to the mobo you can just get an adapter. They're cheap.

[Cricket]

Hi StormBorn,

You can screw the fan directly to the case if you have room and the proper bolt holes and fan opening. Some people put an o-ring or grommet between the fan and the case to isolate the fan vibrations from the case (to keep noise down).

Cricket

[glc]

Before buying a bunch of fans, I'd experiment by taking the side panel off the case and blowing a small desk fan into it - this might get you through the heat wave. If this helps appreciably, you can go ahead and mount a couple of case fans.

[StormBorn]

Thanks, everybody! I love this board--everybody's so kind and helpful.

GLC, that's what I've started doing. It really does help a lot.

No boltholes on the back of the case, either, just a grid-patch of ventilation holes about 2x4 inches.

[Cricket]

Originally posted by StormBorn No boltholes on the back of the case, either, just a grid-patch of ventilation holes about 2x4 inches.

You could try adding a slot fan below the video card, but the location isn't optimal (too low). Or you could try making a chimney blowhole in the top of the case: How to make a blowhole

What case are you using anyway?

Cricket

[StormBorn]

Some off-brand called a Genetica w/250w ps. Tons of vent holes in the off-side (the side away from the mb), the bottom and the rear, but still... I'm considering just buying a better case--but those derned stanchions make me wanna cry.

[Cricket]

Originally posted by StormBorn I'm considering just buying a better case--but those derned stanchions make me wanna cry.

Antec

Cricket

[glc]

I prefer working with cases that use removable motherboard trays. I build with Enlights exclusively.

[StormBorn]

I noticed something--or perhaps I should say "re"noticed something that I didn't mention. My system temperature stays in the same range (between appx 72F and 86F) while the CPU temp is the one that climbs and climbs. The sys temp only starts climbing when the CPU temp gets *very* high.

Does this suggest it's the CPU hsf that needs replacing?

I'll look into different cases later; there's a bit of a financial crunch in my household at the moment.

[Cricket]

Originally posted by StormBorn I noticed something--or perhaps I should say "re"noticed something that I didn't mention. My system temperature stays in the same range (between appx 72F and 86F) while the CPU temp is the one that climbs and climbs. The sys temp only starts climbing when the CPU temp gets *very* high. Does this suggest it's the CPU hsf that needs replacing?

Try replacing the fan on your current heatsink with a faster one, it's one way to improve the performance of your heatsink. Might be all you need to do.

Cricket

[AlwaysUp]

Sell everything you can and buy an old window a/c unit....bolt it to the open side of your case, prop it with a brick so your desk doesn't pop up on one side! Whew...how do you do it with out A/C in the Southwest? But I've been there.
Seriously, though...have you good thermal grease or does your processor/heatsink have a pad? I've had best results getting rid of thermal pads and using a quality thermal grease.