Lian LI PC-A10 case + Seasonic S12 PSU = Mismatch

[ShockwaveVT]

Hans L, while I admire your willingness and ability to craft a new back panel for your PC-A10 I must assure you that its completely unnecessary.

The standard mounting plate aims the PSU 120mm 'bottom' fans to each side of the case for good reason - its to ensure that 2 PSUs do not interfere with each other's airflow. Note that when 2 PSUs are installed, the only separation between them is the 0.5mm post. By facing the fans outward there is 1-2cm of space, plenty for the low RPM PSU fan to draw air from.

Of course most people won't be installing dual PSUs in this case (myself included). But there's still no reason to worry about altering the mounting plate. I personally just built a new system using this case and a Seasonic M12-500. I mounted the PSU as intended, with the 120mm fan aimed outwards. The airflow coming out the back of the PSU has remained cool & steady, and the secondary temperature-senstive fan on the M12 has not kicked in once. This indicates to me that the intended orientation provides sufficient airflow.

Remember, in this case the only heat the PSU has to deal with is self-generated, vs a standard ATX layout that has the PSU drawing hot air from the CPU/Mobo. Thus PSU airflow requirements are minimized.

[Hans L]

Hans L, while I admire your willingness and ability to craft a new back panel for your PC-A10 I must assure you that its completely unnecessary.

The standard mounting plate aims the PSU 120mm 'bottom' fans to each side of the case for good reason - its to ensure that 2 PSUs do not interfere with each other's airflow. Note that when 2 PSUs are installed, the only separation between them is the 0.5mm post. By facing the fans outward there is 1-2cm of space, plenty for the low RPM PSU fan to draw air from.

Of course most people won't be installing dual PSUs in this case (myself included). But there's still no reason to worry about altering the mounting plate. I personally just built a new system using this case and a Seasonic M12-500. I mounted the PSU as intended, with the 120mm fan aimed outwards. The airflow coming out the back of the PSU has remained cool & steady, and the secondary temperature-senstive fan on the M12 has not kicked in once. This indicates to me that the intended orientation provides sufficient airflow.

Remember, in this case the only heat the PSU has to deal with is self-generated, vs a standard ATX layout that has the PSU drawing hot air from the CPU/Mobo. Thus PSU airflow requirements are minimized.

Shockwave, I am sure you are right. And since I am not overclocking, I probably have the most underheated case in the universe.

I have only one PSU, as you know. The reason I turned it was a review that said that the noise would be less with more air in front of the fan (which sounded right to me). Also, probably far less heat on that side. It is only 12 mm of space between the PSU wall and the case wall.

In any event, I appreciate your comments.

[ShockwaveVT]

The reason I turned it was a review that said that the noise would be less with more air in front of the fan (which sounded right to me).

Ahh now that is a variable I hadn't considered. Indeed more clearance around fan will result in less turbulence and therefore less noise. If I had the capabilities I might be tempted to make a new mounting plate like yours to check out the effects.

[Hans L]

Maybe I should start manufacture and sell these back panels :-)

[haiker]

... horizontally flipping 180° the PSU back panel ?

[Hans L]

... horizontally flipping 180° the PSU back panel ?

Yes; I even folded it 16 times, cut out a pattern, unfolded and put it in, and still, the holdes did not match :-)

Seriously, haiker, I turned and flipped the panel all ways, and with the PSU in both positions, but if I wanted the fan to point not towards the side panel in either position, but into the empty space, there was *no* way to get the holes to line up. Take my word for it!

Happy New Year to all!

Hans L

[Breeder]

I know this is an old thread. But I've been experiencing the same issue.

I built my system which is housed in Lian Li PC-A10 case about 18 months and I had no problems. When I did come to putting the PSU I was surprised that the PSU intake was right next to the side panel.

Recently I've been having a strange intermittent problem where my system powers off randomly. Its only been happing this summer - no one really has air conditioning at home in the UK! I use Speedfan for temperature monitoring and the CPU and Northbridge temperatures are fine. However, I think the PSU is overheating which is causing the problem. I cannot determine for certain. I have a XClio X12S4P4 750W PSU. I take onboard what Shockwave VT has said above about the fan only have to deal with cooling the PSU's own generated heat. However, I still think its poor design from Lian Li. They could have put a grille like the one on the top of the case on the side panels where the PSU intake fans would sit. This would solve the problem.

Anyway, hope someone replies.

Hans L I noticed in one of your photos that you have the exhaust fan above the graphics card upside down. Look at this:

http://www.custompc.co.uk/images/fro...o_59085_26.jpg

I'm not sure if you did that intentionally but I reversed the directions of the roof fan so that it is an exhaust fan and the rear fan as an intake. It seemed more logical to me because hot air rises. so the fans would be working with the natural air flow not against it. I also replaced the original Lian Li fans with Scythe S-FLEX SFF21F which have the Sony S-FDB bearing. I use the same fan on my CPU heatsink also. A highly recommended upgrade:

http://www.newegg.com/Product/Produc...82E16835185006

Cheers!

[DratUK]

Hi Breeder,
I have the same case bought roughly the same time as Hanns. I have an Enermax 720 mounted with the fan aganst the side wall and I have not experienced any problems whatsoever.

If you can get hold of another PSU, easier said than done I know, and run it 24 hrs and see what happens.

There is enough space to maintain flow of air, subjectively,ie hold my hand against the exhaust, it never gets hot.
I suspect its possibly a failing PSU.

[bibio]

Hi,i can see point of having roof fan exhausting,but not rear fan as a intake.
Air flow Front>Rear or roof at back.CFM going in at front = CFM whats going out at back(a slight pressure in case won't hurt,makes sure all parts get a airflow over them).
You don't want Fans fighting each other,or short circuiting,blocking anothers airflow etc.
Roof fan will just try to take any air that's coming in through the rear fan(prob most not passing over much ie airs in & out before it does anything).
Any part that wants cooling,wants air blowing on it,better directionality.



Cheers BOB

[Breeder]

Actually ignore what I said about reversing the direction of the rear and roof fans. I didn't do this in the end. I remember originally I have my Thermalright Ultra 120 heatsink orientated so that the CPU was pointing up towards the roof fan which without reversing the fans would cause conflicts.

In the end I have it in the normal configuration with the CPU pointing towards the rear. I realised not long after posting and meant to edit it but you beat me to it.

Cheers!

[Breeder]

Thanks DratUK. I'll see how it goes. I have a spare Enermax PSU in one of my other machines that I could try. As I said though it doesn't happen very often and I'm pretty sure its temperature / weather related. So I'll see how it goes in the cooler weather.

Cheers!

[DratUK]

Thanks DratUK. I'll see how it goes. I have a spare Enermax PSU in one of my other machines that I could try. As I said though it doesn't happen very often and I'm pretty sure its temperature / weather related. So I'll see how it goes in the cooler weather.

Cheers!

No problem, hope it works out okay

[Hans L]

Hans L I noticed in one of your photos that you have the exhaust fan above the graphics card upside down. Look at this:

http://www.custompc.co.uk/images/fro...o_59085_26.jpg

Breeder, after your second message, where you said

"Actually ignore what I said about reversing the direction of the rear and roof fans."

is my fan still upside down?

I could not see the details in your picture (the roof fan area was too dark).

Did you get all your issues sorted out?

Regards,

Hans L

[Breeder]

Hi Hans L,

Yes you still have the fan above the graphics card upside down. If you have a look at this photo you will see how it should be:

http://picasaweb.google.com/Kristiaa...83834265527538

This is not my system. Interesting this person also has his heatsink and fan in the orientation which led me to reverse the directions of the roof and rear fan when I first built it. I decided not to have it in this configuration in the end as explained above hence the fans are in the configuration that they originally came in.

My system hasn't powered off randomly since I last posted. The weather has been cooler than it was so perhaps that's the explanation.

[Hans L]

Breeder, I'll be darned if I can see a difference. In my pic below, you can see that there is only one way to attach the fan (unless I am seeing this wrong somehow). (I assume we are talking about the ceiling/roof fan.)

Hans' case

http://img172.imageshack.us/my.php?i...nscaseog5.jpg][IMG]http://img172.imageshack.us/img172/8564/hanscaseog5.th.jpg


Kris' case



What gives?

Hans L

[Hans L]

Don't know what went wrong with the pics. I'll try again:

Hans' case

http://img172.imageshack.us/my.php?i...anscaseog5.jpg


Kris' case

http://picasaweb.google.com/Kristiaa...83834265527538


Regards,

Hans L

PS> I cannot get the pics to come up here, so please use the URLs.