Power Supplies - Can they be mounted Upside down?

[209Mason]

Sorry for the Noob question... but can you mount PSU's upside-down without issue?

I've been looking at the Coolermaster 690 NV, and it's got a vent right beneath where the PSU will be (since it's bottom mounted). It seems like it'd be pretty handy to have a fan pulling in air from underneath and blowing it out the back (or vice-versa) with very little entering the case itself...

Sorry if I'm completely off here or if it's a stupid question...
Thanks in advance!

 

[JohnnyLucky]

Yes, you can mount a psu with the psu fan against the grill in the bottom of the pc case. The psu fan will suck in cool air and exhaust warm air out the back. For all practical purposes the psu is cooling itself. Make sure you have sufficient clearance under the case to be able to pull in cool air. If your case is resting on a thick carpet you may have a problem.

Some of the regulars here will comment that the psu is not being used to exhaust warm air from inside case. That's okay! That's what all the fans and mesh are for in the newer cases.

 

[ADM-86]

mmm I got the same question because I am about to buy the ANTEC EarthWatts 650

http://www.antec.com/usa/productDetails.php?id=27650&lan=us

for my dell xps 400

and if I put it how its supposed to go, the vent would look up...so I don't know what to do, what do you suggest? put it upside down or leave it normal.

 

[JohnnyLucky]

I'm looking at the photo and I see the psu at the top right of the case. I do not see a blowhole or vent in the top panel for a psu to pull in cool air.

I can't see the bottom of the psu tray/rack. Does it have hole or grill so warm air can be sucked out of the case? If it does you can mount the psu with the fan side down so it can pull in warm air and exhaust it out the back.

Looks like the psu in the case has a fan in front to pull in warm air and exhaust it out the back. That may wind up being your only option for some sort of cooling.