Fan placement help -P180

Analemma0

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Jul 11, 2008
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I'm replacing all the stock fans in my P180. Here is what I currently have:

Sythe S-FLEX (1600 RPM, 63.7 CFM, 28.0 dBA) x1 -currently on my heatsink
Apevia (1700 RPM, 63.85 CFM, 29.67 dBA) x1 -currently in 2nd middle slot
Sythe S-FLEX (1900 RPM, 75 CFM, 35 dBA) x4

I'm going to use two of the 1900 fans for the exhaust (back and top), but am having a hard time figuring out the best placement of the other four fans. The slots I have left are the heatsink (120 ultra extreme), the two middle intake, and the bottom one between the hard drives and the psu. I have 4 hard drives down there but it doesn't really get too hot. I'm doing this now because my Q6600 (3.0GHz) is idling around 48-50 and hitting 65 under full load when it's running BOINC at night because of this damn heat (its about 90ºF out and my air conditioner is broken :cry: )

I'm thinking of putting one 1900 in the heatsink, one 1900 down below, the Sythe 1600 in the front of the middle slot, and the 1700 Apevia behind it.

Or I could stick the two 1900's in the middle slot, the Apevia down below, and keeping the 1600 Sythe on the heatsink.

What do you think?
 

orangegator

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Mar 30, 2007
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There is no reason for two fans in the middle section. It's only meant to use one or the other mount since they are in line with each other. No additional benefit using both. Probably the best cooling would be 1900rpm top and back exhaust, 2x on hsf in push pull (attach second fan with rubber bands) , Apevia in middle intake, and the 1600rpm in the lower section.

 

Analemma0

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I had thought of putting another fan on the heatsink but decided to wait until I needed something at newegg so I didn't need to use rubberbands :kaola: (they are selling clips for $1.50 with $7 shipping).

The middle area was what was bothering me. So there really isn't any benefit to a second fan there? Would it be better to have it closer to the front for intake, or closer for blowing on the graphics card?
 

orangegator

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If you don't have hard drives in the upper bay, then you can attach the fan to that with the included clips. If I remember right, the manual says this should help create a "wind tunnel" to blow cool air on the video card. Personally, I just removed the upper cage and mounted the fan on the front of the case.