PAL8045 dual 80mm mod

[AmStoned]

So I got some time on my hand this morning, a few extra 80mm low fans, and decided to cool down my CPU a bit. I got a couple of them metal wires from chinese takeout boxes, straighten them out, measured, make them look like SK-6 wires, hook up the bottom two holes of one Antec 80mm fan, swung the wires under the Antec case support bar, take it back up, hook them on to top holes on fan, tighten. And since there's about 1/2" clearance between the fan and case panel, I slipped a piece of wood under the fan. Done. Initial results are good. Ambient = 18C, Case tempt = 16C, CPU load = 36C. Now for the pic.

[floppybootstomp]

So what's the noise like? Looks good.

[AmStoned]

Well, the only noise in the system comes from the Sunon 80mm (32db), the Antec 80mm (21db) I've added as a cross flow is pretty calm along 3 front and 3 rear of Panaflo 80mms (21db). I wonder if taking out 2 fans in the front will give me the same core tempt while lowering the noise more? Hmmm....

[floppybootstomp]

Take 'em out and see. I've actually got three switches mounted on a front 5.25" panel. They switch each of the stock Antec exhausts individually and the front 80mm Evercool inputs as a pair.

Quite good fun actually, trying different combinations just switching and noting the temp differences and if someone else in the room is watching TV and the dialogue's quiet, I always turn off the front pair, they're quite noticeable.

All fans on - idle 38C; full load 41C (KT7 RAID 4a BIOS). If I turn all fans off (another 80mm Evercool on the Alpha 8045) temps still never rise above 49C and then it's ultra quiet.

Room temp usually around 21C.

Go on, have a tinker :)

[AmStoned]

Yeah, I'll give it a plug tonight. Damn, might need to turn off the CPU tempt alarm, switch out the Sunon and stick another Antec on the Alpha. 'Til then....

Edit: I'll post another side view pic tonight when I switch in another Antec.

Cats: Yeah, I have a tendency to wrap everything up and around, creates more space.:D

[catcorpse]

that's sweet, and I did like what you did with the cables. It looks really neat unlike mine

[ImaginAsian]

Reminds me of the good ole Alpha PEP Days :)

What were the temp improvements? Also it looks like the atx cable is in the path of the side airflow?

[AmStoned]

Little update on the tempts. 1.53 @ 1725. Ambient = 18C, Case = 34C, Load = 40C. This is @#$% sweet. Just two 3 points up from 1.53. But I'm only testing the new cooling scheme. Gonna take it back to default or something so I don't kill my HD. PCI is around 37-38 MHz. Ouch. So default tempts with same ambient and case are: Idle = 35C, Load = 37C.

[AmStoned]

Brand spanking new break through. After a month of loading the core at default, I've ventured into OC territory again tonight. Very good results. Ambient and case tempts remained constant. Load = 41C. 12x145=1740. No prob so far, as everything's running smooth as butter. I'll let it sit for a while and aim for 150FSB = 1800.

[AmStoned]

Bent the shroud up so air from side fan blows onto HS. And replaced Antec fans with Panaflos. Sw33t. Performance gain you ask? What? I can't hear you. Maybe a bit quieter and a bit cooler.