Baking an HTPC e5200

[robAP]

Soafter running it as a normal computer for a few months, I finally installing the HTPC into the console and to my HDTV having used AS5 on everything inside that i could use it on. I come to find out that the airflow is not Ideal (I thought it might not be). I'm using the stock heatsink/fan and it has been quite effective so far but now that airflow is restricted, of course it was going to suffer a bit but i had no idea by how much. The cable management is very good and its a good clean flowing setup, just suffering fomr the usual HTPC case syndrom of not enough intake from cool places.

 

Idle: 53c

Load: 61c running super Pi, possibly a few deg. higher using OCCT, but I do not want to chance it.

 

I'm running all stock settings and voltages.

The back of the case blows air out, and there is a hole in the back of the console to allow venting. the intake is through the front but it blows around 2 HD's and honestly I do not think it to be perfect in any way. Besides adding unattractive air ducting to the front of the console, I would like to just make the cooling more efficient. Therefore, Please recommend a SMALL and QUIET solution that does not involve water and/or a bunch of money. I'm using a Silverstone HTPC case and It will not handle the 120 ULTRAs or other similar huge fat sinks the normal cases will hold. Something flatter is ideal but I will look at all solutions presented. Remember please, I cannot spend alot of money on the best. It has to be much better than stock, fit in the limited case space, and be a really good deal. no $50 jobs here.

 

 

thanks.

Edited June 4, 2009 by robAP

[dr_bowtie]

see if you can mod fans into the case anywhere... I modded 2 90mm fans in the bottom front of my HTPC case (Raidmax IceCube) and it worked wonders...

 

heat is no longer an issue and everything is very cool and quiet....

[Andrewr05]

Possibly modify your entertainment console with some mesh on the front instead of the solid doors (assuming thats what it has)

[Msdr250]

Your case has basically the same dimensions as my htpc case. I found that the ARCTIC COOLING Freezer 7 Pro fits & works wonders in mine.

 

 

hope this helps

[robAP]

bowtie, good idea. there is some room but i'm not going to mod anythign on this case, it's too nice really, and i've got enough to do without having to pull this entirely apart again. id rather just get a better cooler and work on air direction. the console has doors on the front yes, but with nicely done glass work (those schemingly crafty pennsylvania dutch/amish) so the mesh concept is out. and thanks msdr250, i didn't think that cooler wold fit at all but i guess it does. I will deff. give that a shot. another idea is that the exit fans in the back blow out an opening in the rear of the console i cut holes out of, and since the PSU also blows hot air out a hole cut similar on the other side, mabye i shold turn the fans around and run them as intake fans from the back, and let the PSU/graphics card blow the exit air out on the other side of the case. i will have to fiddle around with this concept as that might work better as well.

 

also. if i start flipping fans around i think im gonna ditch the nZXT fan controller as i really cant tell any difference in fan speeds. the fans are lower rpm, good volume anyway so a change in voltage might not yield much RPM change anyway, therefore not much difference. i'll have to order that HSF, for what it is that's quite a decent price.

Edited June 5, 2009 by robAP

[robAP]

well. i reversed the 2 rear facing fans, assuming i was just not bringing in enough air to begin with and it worked. 13 deg. C drop in load temps. now i'm seeing 47c load. seeing how its summer already and one of the AC ducts dumps out behind the console, i'm set when that's turned on. so that sounds like a good setup. I was about to go get the freezer pro 7 but i no longer need it if this is the solution. thanks for the help guys! if this didn't do it i was gonna go buy more parts. sometimes the best solution is the simplest one.