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case modding for better ventilation (pics)

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batboy

Senior Moment
Joined
Jan 12, 2001
Location
Kansas, USA
There are lots of threads and articles about case modification to improve air flow. Most of the experienced overclockers already know how to improve case ventilation. Others might of heard about it, but would like to know more. Well, I had a request to post some pics of my most recent project, so we go...

I'm selling my trusty Antec case, so I bought a new cheapie Apex Supercase as a replacement. The case is a beige steel ATX case that is rather plain looking, but I sort of liked the looks of the front face. Besides the low price, the bonus selling point was that it already had a side duct. They also have this same model in black.

11-154-040-01.JPG

The mods that I did can be done to any case (just do this to an empty case or else metal shavings will ruin your computer components). The side cooling duct on this case was passive, meaning it does not have a fan. So, it depends on the CPU fan to suck fresh ourside air into the duct. However, I installed a fan onto the inner side of the side panel and then attached the duct onto the fan to make an active cooling duct. The duct mounted onto an 80mm fan perfectly with no mods required.

Since most cases do not have a side duct, you can make your own by going to the link in my signature and follow the instructions starting on page 3 (you don't have to own a Prescott system to take advantage of a side cooling duct). Here is a pic after I cut out the perforation in the side panel (I used a saber saw to cut the hole out and then touched up the rough edges with a half round metal file). You can see the fan and duct assembled and ready to install.

case_mod_side1.jpg


While I was playing toolman, I went to work on the front and rear perforated fan openings too. Unless you open them up, you will lose half or more of your potential air flow. The fan will work harder trying to push air through those tiny perforations and the fan will be noisier.

Here is a before pic of the back fan opening of the case.

11-154-040-06.JPG

Here is what it looks like after I cut the opening out with a saber saw (dremel tool will work too or even tin snips/nibbler). Again, I filed the rough edges down with my handy dandy Sears Craftsman half rounded metal file with handle. I also used a little sand paper to make it smooth as a baby's butt. Looks professionally done if I must say so myself.

case_mod_back1.jpg


Ok, I now have free flowing front and rear fan openings and a side blowhole with fan and duct. Front fan and side fan are intakes and rear fan is an exhaust. Looks like I need another exhaust fan. I never count the power supply fan(s) when figuring case ventilation. Since hot air rises, a top blowhole seems logical.

case_mod_top1.jpg


Measure twice and cut once is my motto. I marked a 3" circle in the top of the case, making sure it cleared the top 5.25" drive bay and power supply area. Had to drill a hole big enough to start the saber saw. The yellow stuff on the top of the case in the last pic is duct tape. You can use masking tape or whatever. This is done to protect the case surface from getting scratched from the saber saw.

Once the hole is cut, then use a file and sandpaper to smooth out the edge. Next, carefully measure and mark the fan mounting holes. Drill the holes, mount a fan and grille if you want. Tada! Here is what mine looks like when it was finished. I installed a cool blue LED 80mm fan and fancy Batman laser cut fan grille.

case_mod_top2.jpg


Make sure you clean out all the metal shavings/filings from the inside of the case when you are done. Also, do all this work outside or in the garage or basement workshop. Personal experience has taught me that wives, girlfriends, mothers, etc. frown on making a mess in the livingroom.

Hopefully this will give folks an idea of what can be done to improve case ventilation. These mods can be done by the average guy or gal. If you don't have the tools, beg or borrow them from a friend or family member. Bigger is sometimes better. I used 80mm fans, but you can make 120mm blowholes if you want. A second side blowhole could be made to cool the vid card. A blowhole can be cut in the other side panel to cool the back of the mobo. You are only limited by your imagination.

Might as well show one final pic of the case back panel. My Antec True 550w power supply has a gold colored fan grill, so I dug around in my parts box and found another 80mm grill that was gold colored too. Pretty sweet.

case_mod_back2.jpg


Now let's go mod those cases and get some air flowing.
 
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very sweet looking! indeed those holes look proffessional!
I can't stress it enough how much people want to remove the fan grills (see link in sig) since they also kill fans after some time :)

what kind of a tool did you use to make those (very good looking) holes? I'm not familiar with a "saber saw"
 
My saber saw is the electric power tool shown is the first top blowhole pic (the pic with the yellow tape). The saber saw is like a portable jig saw. The have different blades you can use. Obviously for a case you need to use a metal blade. It's like a little hacksaw blade that the tool moves up and down at high speed. Cuts through metal like butter.

A word of warning, electric power tools can cause serious injury if not operated safely. Always use safety glasses. Be careful, because it's very easy to cut too much with big power tools.

I'm guessing a lot of people probably don't have access to saber saws, but you can do the same thing with a little dremel tool (it will just take you longer). A dremel tool probably will do a neater job too, so that less filing and sanding is required afterwards.

I've noticed that sometimes not all the pics show up. If that happens, right mouse click on the broken image icon and choose "show picture".
 
Very nice, good job, looks well good.

Ive got it easy though. I just give it me dad, and he takes it to work and does it for me. He has a 76mm hole punch so it's perfect, and perfetly smooth! ;)

Ive got 2 80mm blowholes in the top side by side he did, and i cut out the 4 80mm fan grills on the case, and coverd em with round rubber stuff. Looks pretty good.

Going to be doing a blowhole behind the motherboard, onto the back op the CPU, heard it's good, and a duct, to the CPU, either 92mm or 120mm.
 
The duct came with the case. My computer at work has the same duct too. It is two piece so that it slides in and out to adjust the length of the duct as needed. When I put the fan onto it, I had to collapse it down a little. Since several case makers are using this style duct, computer cooling retailers are bound to have them in stock soon.

Here's what that case looks like stock.

11-154-040-04.JPG
 
I just put my brand new Abit AG8 and LGA775 3.2 Prescott into the case today. Still installing drivers and tweaking things. Haven't really tested the cooling yet. Eventually, I will turn off the duct fan and see what I get compared to with it on. I can turn off the top blowhole and cover it up too.
 
batboy said:
I just put my brand new Abit AG8 and LGA775 3.2 Prescott into the case today. Still installing drivers and tweaking things. Haven't really tested the cooling yet. Eventually, I will turn off the duct fan and see what I get compared to with it on. I can turn off the top blowhole and cover it up too.

I seen your posts over in the CPU section. I did hope you having been doing more then just lurking around the forums. LOL
Looking forward to seeing the pics,
 
Looks good, I did something similer with my ancient case, tho i cut and put a Window mod on the side panel and made an Extra 80mm fan hole in the window for 2. I also did what you did on adding a fan on the top of the case.


I have never ever thought of cutting the old fan grill (built in the case) on the back like u did, very ingenius. I will have to give that a try
 
This is such a common theme and is asked about often, with a little editing and including (pics of dremel bits, etc.) this should be a sticky. Good thread batboy.
 
I have never ever thought of cutting the old fan grill (built in the case) on the back like u did, very ingenius. I will have to give that a try

Must not have read the cooling sticky's...;)

Air intake and vents

Anyone can stick a fan into the front of a case but positioning it to be effective is rather tricky, most vents in the front of PC’s have grills over them. This not only creates a whining noise with high power fans (due to the buffeting) but it also reduces airflow by as much as 65%.
Simple one this is though: simply take a pair of pliers and go around the edges till the grill falls out, once it’s removed you can sand down the edges to make it smooth (Careful, the edges are very sharp) but you cannot see it from the outside in most cases so it may not be worth the extra work of stripping down the case.

SOURCE LINK



Nice condensed, how to..:thup: better case cooling...
 
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The top blowhold on the u're modded case? does it blow IN or OUT? mine blows out and makes the case much hotter than it would be if it blew IN
 
Wow that's an awesome job on the case fans.
Now I have an idea what tools I need to create fan holes of multiple sizes. Many thanks. :)
 
My top fan blows out. Most of the time that's the best way since hot air rises. But, it really depends on the air flow in the case. Try it both ways and see what works best.
 
yeah i think i might havbe to give it a try myself, even though my copmuter has an allright air flow but it doesnt need a good one, p3 866 soon to be veleron 1.3ghz but i just like the idea of having a cool system and just to have fun doign it and to learn, but th eproblem i wil eb haviogn is that my side pannels are metal on the inside side and plastic on the outside, so i dotn knwo how this will effect the cutting precess, ooh and while im here i would liek to see what you guys think a raid of 2x 20gb 5400rpm hdds or 1 40gb 7800rpm? and i am gettign the raid very cheap off a friend who is upgrading
 
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