case fans?

[Hicks12]

Well i have a chief tec case and well its not exactly quiet with 4 80mm and 1 92mm case fan. I was wondering if there is a way to mod it (without cutting it too pieces etc) so i could use say, 120mm or larger. I remember seeing some bracket things, any recommendations? i can have a total of 6 80mm case fans, 2 at the back panel and 1 92mm on 1 panel and then up to 92mm on the other side panel and then about 3 80mm inside the front of case, 2 hard drive/floppy cages 1 has a mount for 80mm but other has room for one and then 1 at the bottom. Any ideas?


A different question now..... dvd rw drive recommendations? i have 2 ide ones atm and would like to replace with a sata one too increase airflow, needs to be black and fastest read speed of dvd say 12x+, writing speed doesnt really concern me as it would only be occasional. Digital output for sound is a plus as i have the cable for my current one xD.


Another different question now xD..... would it work out cheaper too just buy a new case e.g. cm 690(any better cooler cases? looks are a plus). Now lighting, for some reason ive had the urge for a few months too get green (neon?) lights in the case, does cheap and cheerful work in this area? big case mine is and its around the same size(or bigger) then the cm690. Or should i get different colour , had blue once but any better ones?.

Now what fans would you recommend?



Thanks guys.

[PsychoChimp]

If you've got the space, you could use something like this: Computer hardware and software at amazing prices, available online from Scan Computers UK

Or just try without a few fans and see if your temps suffer...

Chimp

[GoNz0]

i used to run 2 fans inline to half there voltage and shut them up, not to hard to do if you have a micro screwdriver to pop the pins out the plugs.

[amjedm]

Have you tried disabling some fans to see if they make a difference on temps?

I used to have a (well still have but don't use it) SuperFlower Aluminium case which took six 80mm fans. It was very noisy when fans were on full blast as you know. It was much better when I switched to a case with 120mm fans.

[Pob255]

The CM690 is a nice case but not if you want to put light tubes in it, ideally you want something with a side window, try the Antec 900 good cooling and a nice big side window
On these light tubes, I've got a coolermaster Aurora (not bad) also got some from Sharkoon (nicer and came with an on/off switch, which I mounted to the front of my case)
Although the easy way to add a bit of light to a case is LED fans, esp as current LEDs used are both lower power and brighter and don't effect the fans performance so much as the eairly ones did.

One problem you may have trying to stick 120mm fans in that case (esp at the back) is case width, most older cases are just not wide enough to fit a 120mm fan at the back.

I've got a Pionner sata dvdrw from, after it was recomeded to me by Lee
Although we have some LG ones at work and I'd say they are slightly quieter at full read speed, however they are not quite black more a very dark grey
ps x20 dvd read speed on sata dvdrw drives is pritty much standard.

[Hicks12]

thanks for that, i thought pionner was good but wasnt sure as i only knew about their standard dvd players etc. LG are quieter drives? sounds like a good thing because noise is getting annoying, can put my case fans on mediam speed and its ok but then my drive is like ZOOOOOM every other time . I do have a problem with setting the fan speeds which is that my motherboard has only 2 fan slots that can be controlled by software(asus q-fan) and that currently holds 3 fans, 2 back fans and 1 side fan. I can make it nearly silent now but as the front ones are powered straight from molex connecters i cant change them, would it be wise to add them too the current fans connected too the motherboard? or would power suffer?.

From the back of the case (inside) there is about 13cm wide till it hits the motherboard cutout. It has already 80mm mounts but should be enough room for 12mm fans right? still need to find some mounts for it but no idea yet.

edit: just so you know the antec case is way out of my price range xD, £50 is stretching it as im not allowed to spend that much (dad thinks its waste of money since i got a decent one).
Cant FIND any fan mounts which is becomming annoying. Anyone know of a good fan controller for say £15 or less and can support up to say 5 or 6 fans.

edit2: heres some pictures of the case, some are old ones(high quality) and the newer ones are done on my phone as i cant find my camera >.<








The cable's should be out of the way soon its just i need to use another hard drive for my dad to get work off his old hard drive .
Any ideas? thanks guys.

edit3(so many ay?): found a site that shows a chieftec dragon and although the exterior is different the interior is very similar(mines smaller though) Chieftec / Chenming - Black Dragon Full Tower Case what does it mean with a full length card steady? my case has that and i have no idea what its for, keeping cables together?

For dvd drives, any recommend this one Computer hardware and software at amazing prices, available online from Scan Computers UK ? seems good and i cant remember if samsung drives are quiet and all that Or this one Computer hardware and software at amazing prices, available online from Scan Computers UK
The last one doesnt have lightscribe, is that useful? i doubt it because i hardly write/burn disks .

So far, inside case is 38C and motherboard 40C(so it says, ati tool+asus probe) and cpu is 36C, this is idle but the cpu never hits high as as the bios reports wrong temps anyways thats fine. Will try load later but it does seem a bit high imo, although i can hardly hear my fans now xD.

[Pob255]

Opps, just double checked, it's the samsung ones we have at work not the LG
Light Scribe is for special Lightscribe DVD-r disks, basically the have a special coating on the top, so once you've burt you data to them you flip them over and you can burn an picture onto the other side.

All dvd drives tend to whir a bit when they read beacuse of the speed they spin the disks at.

I can honsetly sudgest this, for a low cost maunal 6 fan controller.
Computer hardware and software at amazing prices, available online from Scan Computers UK
There's no automatic control you have to turn the knobs your self, but it is very good.

Although I must say the case is just crying out to have a big hole hacked in the back and a 120mm fan slapped in there

But if you don't want to then PsychoChimp already posted you an answer
Computer hardware and software at amazing prices, available online from Scan Computers UK

If you have 3 unused 5.25" bays (or nothing useing the front of the bay) then this would let you stick a fan at the front.
Computer hardware and software at amazing prices, available online from Scan Computers UK

[Hicks12]

well under load ambient temps hit around 46c which is bearable and cpu 38c. But i may try those uv mount things, any chance you know how they work?. And i was thinking of using that fan controller but i decided not to bother as &#163;18 is alot imo for controlling some fans, decided to hook them up using molex connectors, got like 3 on 1fan connections but still work fine . Now any recommendations for fans? something quiet but with good airflow. that 14cm fan mount is appealing a bit but i would think is going too far perhaps, got in black? will try it later maybe xD.

Now for light again, any specific brands? or does a random generic one work just as good?.

Thanks for the help guys.

[Hicks12]

any chance someone can recommend a cheap decent fan ? need to find one and prefably one without led's or green ones

edit: are these any good? Computer hardware and software at amazing prices, available online from Scan Computers UK

actually how about these Computer hardware and software at amazing prices, available online from Scan Computers UK

[PsychoChimp]

If you can stretch your budget then the Sharkoon "Golf-Ball" fans are very good, either the 1000 or the 2000 depending on how quiet you want them.

Chimp

[Pob255]

Not the Akasa smoke grey while I'n not exactly sure, I've used the 92mm version and they are NOT good.
The frames are rather flimsy and the blade are not that well ballanced which lead to some nasty vibration buzzing.
The Akasa Amber's are decent.

The Sharkoon golf balls are highly rated by quite a few people.

The old sharkoon system 900rpm fans where very good but I'm guessing from scan web site they are eol (end of life, ie replaced with a new version)
So based on the quoted numbers this one should be good
Computer hardware and software at amazing prices, available online from Scan Computers UK

Also the SliverStone FN122 is very good
Computer hardware and software at amazing prices, available online from Scan Computers UK

EDIT: Also the Scythe S-FLEX but they are &#163;11 each so I'm guessing out of your budget.
They are very quite, however I'd not get the 800rpm ones as while they are next to totally inaudiable they don't put out that much air.

I've not used one of thoes ducts but it looks like you screw one end onto the vent with normal fan screws and the screw the fan on the other end.
Umm looking at your pic's there no fan screw holes just slots for the fan mounts :/ so you might have to get creative

[Hicks12]

yeh your right, thanks for mentioning about the mounting xD totally missed it. Guess im screwed then >.<. Unless someone has an idea on how to change a screw mount too a clip mount? or does someone know where too find chieftec case mounts?

I was really thinking of getting a cm 690 but dad wont let me >.<(even though its my money), unless someone knows of a decent case for around &#163;30 and has good cooling with say 3/4 12mm fans and doesnt look too bad then please say xD

edit: well im thinking now that there might be a solution. If i left the current mounts on and took their sides off then i could mount the akasa mount on there(they use plastic pins) so then screw in the fan, possible?. Will check for myself.

edit2: well at having all fans set to silent, its hardly noticable(compared too a low end pc) but it does get hot idle >.< 40c cpu and 40c mb 38c inside case, gfx card is 50c, that hot for everything at stock isnt it.

[dodgybob]

If you want some decent cheap 120mm fans, the nexus ones are really good. Aria seem to have some in very cheap.

[Hicks12]

i got some more pictures of the mount i have currently...


and where it mounts

I was thinking it should be possible and so i will go with buying 2 lots and 2 fans, those that you mentioned are not bad bob but still not sure. This one seems good Computer hardware and software at amazing prices, available online from Scan Computers UK perhaps too good to be true? 17db and 40cfm.

[dodgybob]

I believe the fans I've linked to are the famous orange nexus fans beloved of silentpcreview but now in a new colour. They have a very smooth noise that's unobtrusive and you can easily volt mod them to 7v for even quieter airflow.

I must admit I was surprised to see them so cheap and i'll be picking up a couple to test out shortly. I have just upgraded from a SLK3000B with 2 nexus fans to a P182 and even though I have the tricool fans set on low it's definitely louder and more irritating.

[Pob255]

I doubt you'd get two on there as they are bigger at the 120mm end so you need 40mm minimum between each 80mm fan vent to fit two in there, which it doesn't look like your case has.

To use that pastic clip, you'd have to cut the 3 side bits off minimum, the plastic pins might not be good enough to hold the barcket and 120mm fan so you may need to cut them off and then drill holes to put screws through.

As to cheap cases, the cm690 is very nice (although you cannot use IDE hard drives in it as they don't fit in the cage/cradel system)

As for cheap cases the Akasa Zen is suposed to be very good, and comes with 2x120mm fans (1 front 1 back) &#163;31
Computer hardware and software at amazing prices, available online from Scan Computers UK

Although the Sharkoon Rebel 9 Economy doesn't look too bad
Computer hardware and software at amazing prices, available online from Scan Computers UK - Sliver for &#163;27
Computer hardware and software at amazing prices, available online from Scan Computers UK - Black for &#163;26
Remember you'll need to ad the cost of the fans on top as it comes with none.

There's a intresting mod of it here
Mod Sharkoon Rebel 9 (not in english) mainly spraying the insides black and putting in a side window, but the important bits are he's fitted 2 120mm fans in the front
pic1
Looks like he's just mounted them by threading cable ties through the screw holes and the drive cage
Pic2
Only found one review and it's a non-english one
Here's the Google translation
As you can see in this pic it comes with one front 120mm bracket which is movable
Don't know if these brackets fit but they should do if you wanted another in there
Computer hardware and software at amazing prices, available online from Scan Computers UK


ps don't bother with the version that has a big fan on the side, all the reviews/test of cases with that kind of fan show they have little effect.