What's with the vents in the side panels these days?

kent

kent

2[H]4U
Joined
Apr 8, 2001
Messages
2,603
When I first started building computers in the late 90s I never saw CPU air ducts or vents in the side panels of cases.

As time progressed, and even a few early Antec cases I owned had some sort of shroud that went over the CPU. Anyone remember those translucent blue/red/orange/pruple Antec cases they made? I had a blue one with a shroud.

Anyways, what's with the vents located around the expansion slot area? Without a fan there aren't they introducing negative air pressure? I work at a dirty warehouse and we have fans in the back blowing in and fans in the front blowing out, it helps blow the dust (in a computer's case -- hot air) but if we have a third bay open with no fans the air pressure dies and dust doesn't escape.

I've been taping mine with clear scotch tape, but...

http://images10.newegg.com/NeweggImage/productimage/11-119-106-08.jpg

That's what I'm talking about
 
Well its for Video Cards that dont have inclosed fans to pull in cool air from the outside. Also you can mod a fan to fit there to blow cool air acoss to the Video Card.
 
FS - not the CPU duct, I actually removed mine and put a 92mm fan there because that's how big the duct was.

I just meant the small venting holes below the duct. Seems useless.
 
yeah... I always cover mine with black acrylic (or at least acrylic painted black lol... I usually add some sort of painted logo too and light it with LEDs)

They REALLY obstruct my case airflow as I normally have a fine tuned, "tunnel" of air...

The CPU ducts do actually help quite a bit. I added one, and recieved a SIX degree temperature drop... Just make sure it FITS properly! Most of these barely reach/cover the cpu fan... Also, cover it with some electrical tape to make sure theres a good seal.

Sigh.
 
The cpu duct I usually pop off, add a fan (blowing in), then screw the duct to the fan. This does two things.....it adds a buttload of cool air blowing directly on the cpu cooler, and it helps to extend the duct closer to the cpu (plus, most I've seen are adjustable to make them as long or short as you need).

As far as the expansion slot vent, it's just to help bring cool air in for the expansion cards/video card. I guess you could mod a fan to it, to bring air in or out, as suits your purpose.

If you're concerned about dust, why not take advantage of the extra cooling, but cut down on the dust, by putting something on there as a filter? I'm sure with a little work, you could put some cheesecloth, or a piece of nylon stocking, on there to trap the majority of the dust coming in there, right? :)
 
Those grills over the expansion cards really piss me off to. There is one on the Tt Mambo that I have my server in and all it did was let dust in. I had filters over the front intake and the CPU duct, and with that grill open (and the PSU/rear fans extracting) the XP120 clogged up in no time.

In the end I bent a few bits of cardboard and taped them in such a way that I could slip a piece of open cell foam (I used a piece that came under a motherboard) in and out easily. Ever since all I've had to do is take the filters off occasionally and blow them out. I'm sure it's not the most airflow friendly approach as that foam is quite thick, but at the end of the day it doesn't really need it at all. CPU is steady at 35C at full load thanks to FAH, case temp is 29C and the hard drives range from 34C to 41C (the hottest is in a 5.25" bay away from the front fan. Ambient temp atm is about 26C.

mambo-sidepanel.jpg


The same grill in my Centurion 534 (which I think you posted, got cut out and replaced with a window with no noticable effect on temps..
 
agreed, a properly constructed cpu duct owns. I hate all the random little holes in cases these days. lots of cases will make the back panels mesh and what not, totally messing up my airflow.
 
Yes, today's systems creat A LOT more heat than they did in the late '90s.

My 1st system, a 400mhz Dell Dimension, only had one 92mm fan at the back. Not even one in the PSU. Can you imagine trying to keep a modern system cool with that?
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Back
Top