Antec 900 and Corsair 620W problem

[GSte]

My lovely new Corsair HX620 arrived today. Good quality package, but I've got a big problem with it....

My case is an Antec 900 and the PSU fits in the bottom rather than at the top, and the Corsair's fan is... on the bottom! Obviously I can't fit it like this as there would be no airflow. Fitting it upside down will leave it open to as much dust as could fall into it, and I'm not sure that this is safe, or even that it's safe to fit PSUs upside down. I could cover the fan aperture with a piece of fine aluminium car body mesh.....

What does anyone think? Should I just buy another PSU? Thanks for any help

[Flewis]

It shouldnt matter what way up the psu is as far as performance goes. There shouldnt be any dust in your case to start with tbh. Fit some dust covers to your intake fans and you wont have any problems. Dont buy another psu, not necessary.

[GSte]

Originally Posted by Flewis

It shouldnt matter what way up the psu is as far as performance goes. There shouldnt be any dust in your case to start with tbh. Fit some dust covers to your intake fans and you wont have any problems. Dont buy another psu, not necessary.

My room's always dusty somehow and it does get a bit dusty in my case... got 3 x 120mm intake fans and they seem to hoover it up. Not too bad cleaning the case every now and again with compressed air, but I'm not sure about inside a PSU...... I know that dust can cause shorts as well, and with the fan being on top of the PSU, it seems like it would be completely open to dust.

[dave87]

As Clunk will advise, use 'Bounce' dryer sheets as dust filters - it will help a lot

[Clunk]

^^ yes

I also have my psu at the bottom of the case with the fan upwards and its fine, as long as you take it out and tip the gravel out of it every other day.

[dave87]

Originally Posted by Clunk

I also have my psu at the bottom of the case with the fan upwards and its fine, as long as you take it out and tip the gravel out of it every other day.

I hate to think what your PC has gone through

[tigerboyce]

im not sure if this would work as it may cause some problems but could you not put a filter on top of the psu fan to act as a dust filter and then clean it off every week or so?

[Flewis]

I think you should stop dust getting into the case in the first place. Dust can potentially damage other components not just the psu. Ur psu may be dust free but it wont make any difference to a fried motherboard.

[GSte]

Originally Posted by Flewis

I think you should stop dust getting into the case in the first place. Dust can potentially damage other components not just the psu. Ur psu may be dust free but it wont make any difference to a fried motherboard.

Have a look at an Antec 900 mate and you'll see the problem....

Clunk... how do you attach said 'Bounce' sheets, and seriously, how often do you have to clean your PSU?

[dave87]

This would be my suggestion, tape the bounce sheet over one of the sides of the fan, probably best so that is trapped between the case and the fan, and then use normal screws to screw the fan in

[scrandman]

Not really a problem tbh. I've opened PSUs from computers that had the internals cleaned. Sure, they were manky - but they still worked.

[Clunk]

I was kidding about the gravel, but I do have the psu with the fan facing upwards and it is fine, in fact, I had to rma the psu (for a different reason), and seeing as it has been like that for 2-3 months, it was surprisingly dust free.

You can use a hole punch to make the holes, and put them between the case and the fan. Make sure they are used though, or they dont work properly

[chuckskull]

Why is everyone so paranoid about dust getting in? You think despite that big fan sucking in air that don't wont get in when it's upside down?

Just put a few filters on your case fans and you'll be fine whichever way your PSU is facing.

[GSte]

Thanks for all the advice, will give it a go.

Just paranoid about it as it cost me £100.... almost a year's wages in Bolton

[Steve B]

if you're taking it apart, dont touch any of the large caps, as you'll burn yourself

[Clunk]

Originally Posted by GSte

Just paranoid about it as it cost me £100.... almost a year's wages in Bolton

Careful of screws dropping in there. Not only will it nail your PSU, but the resulting explosion will blow the roof off your mud hut.