Well, I've only ducted one PC before and it was directly from the side of the case (thus no big deal) This time it's a little different..

I would like to duct the 120mm fan ontop of my case directly onto the processor. I have some questions though.

What material should I use for the ducting. I'd like to fine (ultimately) a 120mm flexible material for ducting, as my zalman CPU heatsink is about 120mm wide, as well as the top intake. This would obviously be ideal.

Well I guess that's the only question really. lol. Well, thanks for any info that can be provided.

I guess if I do this.. I'll be adding an 80 mm exhaust ontop of the computer (oi) lol. possibly two.

those are good plans.. but realize the point of ducting is to bring fresh cool air onto the cpu heatsink... if you have some other exhsut(s) right by the duct intake you aren't accomplishing anything. best duct from the side which is the same.. doesn't really matter where you duct from as long as it's fresh air, because it all goes to the same place and out of your HSF (heatsink and fan).

if you duct with 120mm you will probably have to have a 120mm fan on your CPU too which is highly unlikely. I would stick to a duct the size in mm of the CPU fan you plan to use long-term, wether it be the one you have or one you wanna get : )

they make ducting kits that work very well because they attach perfectly onto your fans.. making your own would be a challenge and might not come out very good unless you have some amazing ideas for connecting the duct to the fans.. i hate to say it but this might be one of those times where you wanna resort to a company-made mod

3" and 4" flexible aluminum duct used for dryers is the only thing that comes to mind.

Hmm yes, well here's the thing. Ducting decreases the CFM of the intake fan A. B.. the CPU fan is 92 Mm and built in an.. open fashion, IE there is no fan housing, it is the heatsink, so pressure is not really a concern, and thus more is always better. Especially when it will be cool air. The secondary blowhole ontop of the computer will of course be vented away from the intake. I plan on putting it behind the 120mm fan ontop and above the power supply, where I have a few inches clearance. Just to slowly vent any hot air that may BUILD up..up there, not really as an 'actively' cooling fan per se.

Yeah I was thinking about the dryer venting, I'll have to give that a try.

Also, a company made mod won't work very well in my case because of my cpu fan... the zalman 7000 CU, which I later realized, although stelar for cooling, is very restrictive for ducting. I think that ducting would enable me to lower my over-all fan noise though, so we'll see. ( I can always run the panaflow at a slower rate.


As far as attatching the duct, that will be fairly easy. Wire ties can easily be looped through the available holes on the 120mm fan (which was attatched to the top of the case using the method I mentioned in my blowhole post) and the cpu end will hopefully either fit right over the heatsink and wire tie to the available brackets or to the sink itself.

you could use that flexable plastick ducting that comes with dryers and spray it up, 2 meters of 120mm will cost next to nothing and can take alot of heat.

Yeah plastic ducting would be less dangerous (i mean not to the extreme loll) than alu since it can come into contact with some components and conduct electric charges= short circuit

Just make sure that when you attach the duct to you heatsink, that any hot air dissipated has somewhere to go (ie.. don't cover up too much of the HS with the duct). Plus, logic would suggest that ducting air from the top of the case would be least effective as if would be the warmest. If it is the easiest to do and the air is still cooler than the air inside the case I don't see why it shouldn't work though.