Airflow mods for WaveMaster

Junk · 23 Jan 2007 at 16:05

i love my wavemaster, and i can't find a new case that i really like.

prob is airflow, it's tat.

anyone have any experience of improving it, or any general non case-specific suggestions ?

case visible @ http://picasaweb.google.com/markgbrew/680iGTXBuild

jaykay · 23 Jan 2007 at 16:18

Some people drill the hole at the front bigger to allow more air through
others install http://www.overclockers.co.uk/showproduct.php?prodid=FG-004-DE
these and turn them to low to try and get any more airflow
and have you got the top blowhole installed?

Raikiri · 23 Jan 2007 at 17:45

Depends if you are willing to cut it or not

A top 120mm blowhole and a 140mm fan on the side would help a lot without increasing noise levels much at all. You could also use an 80mm to 120mm adapter and fit a 120mm fan on the back (possibly externally if it won't fit internally).

Don't buy Deltas unless you're deaf, you will end up just sticking them in the cupboard

Junk · 23 Jan 2007 at 20:07

i think i can easily replace the front 2 fans with a 120mm, with a little drilling for more air holes.

i have inserted the blowhole and fan at the top, 80mm.

and shall look at adding a 120mm at the back.

she's running fine now at 3ghz, but as always, i want more!

toying with the idea of a duct for the CPU fan.

Raikiri · 23 Jan 2007 at 20:13

http://www.overclockers.co.uk/showproduct.php?prodid=HS-027-TR
http://www.overclockers.co.uk/showproduct.php?prodid=HS-003-SY
http://www.overclockers.co.uk/showproduct.php?prodid=HS-000-SB

As you're using the stock cooler I think the best option would be one of those (well, in the pics you are anyway)

D.Roberts · 23 Jan 2007 at 21:23

or do what i have done and go nuts

http://forums.overclockers.co.uk/showthread.php?t=17598056&highlight=modded+wavemaster

it is different now to pics shown will have to update them soon to show you all.

Raikiri · 23 Jan 2007 at 21:38

I remember that D.Roberts, looks very good imo... now how about borrowing that mill to do a window on my G50?

D.Roberts · 23 Jan 2007 at 21:39

hahahaha yes i remeber you asking last time and getting warned not to haha.

Raikiri · 23 Jan 2007 at 21:43

Ah, I asked to pay that time I just want to borrow it this time

D.Roberts · 23 Jan 2007 at 21:52

its not my machine m8 if it was then yes but me boss wouldent allow it for insurance reasons soz.

Phil2008 · 24 Jan 2007 at 11:54

Ive just cut a hole out of the side panel and stuck a 120mm fan on and black grill to tidy it up. got the temps down a good 10c or more.

Cpu temps was 45c idel, now 28-32c idel, Graphic card temp 42c idel. So I will be keeping my lovely black wavemaster for meny years to come, and if I keep this pc as a 2nd pc when I upgrade I will be buying another black wavemaster.

simonnance · 24 Jan 2007 at 12:24

some would say that sticking your case in a wooden box is NOT the best way to keep temps down.

My dad has a very nice wooden desk that he jams his old PC into..... he needs a desk fan pointed at the front to keep the thing working!

Phil2008 · 24 Jan 2007 at 13:17

simonnance said:
some would say that sticking your case in a wooden box is NOT the best way to keep temps down.

Yeah but I think 28-32c idel cpu and 42c idel gpu temps are more then cool enough. Plus it dampens the noise when I leave it on over night and it blocks off the blue leds too.

But I want to get a new desk some time so I can have it on the desk, cos its too sexy to be locked away in a cupboard. Oh yeah I have one of those golf ball fans on the side panel.

Phil2008 · 24 Jan 2007 at 18:33

This is the pic of the side of my case with the 120mm fan

Junk · 24 Jan 2007 at 21:12

Thanks.

thats a good idea, i am also toying with *** idea of adding a duct to the side panel for the CPU cooler.

simonnance · 25 Jan 2007 at 00:15

I'm pondering a few mods for my Akasa Eclipse, side fans, bottom fans (i use the wheels), and a top blowhole are all being thought about (wouldnt want to do them ALL, or my case would become a small hovercraft!).

Particular problem is not heat on the CPU or Gfx (the former has an Ultra-120, the latter is a HIS IceQ card), but heat in my PSU. Its got a dinky little 80mm fan on the back (rather than a 120/140mm on the bottom), which has to cool 850W worth of capacitors and transformers...... and because the rest of my case is sub 25dBa then its audible. If i can get cooler air to the PSU it might not be such a prob, so i'm tempted to place a Scythe Kama Bay w/ 120mm fan to increase cool air circulation up top, which hopefully will cause the PSU fan to ramp down a bit.

I've tried putting a quieter 80mm close to the PSU, but the air disturbance from hitting the spinning fan blades creates even more noise, even though the PSU fan slows down.

Phil2008 · 25 Jan 2007 at 00:19

Junk said:
Thanks.

thats a good idea, i am also toying with *** idea of adding a duct to the side panel for the CPU cooler.

Like I said My pc was idling at 45c before I had the fan, then it took it down to 36-38c with the fan. Then I got rid of my sli 6800gt cards for a x1900xt card and that took the cpu temp evern lower to 28-32c idel.

Phil2008 · 25 Jan 2007 at 00:34

simonnance said:
I'm pondering a few mods for my Akasa Eclipse, side fans, bottom fans (i use the wheels), and a top blowhole are all being thought about (wouldnt want to do them ALL, or my case would become a small hovercraft!).

Particular problem is not heat on the CPU or Gfx (the former has an Ultra-120, the latter is a HIS IceQ card), but heat in my PSU. Its got a dinky little 80mm fan on the back (rather than a 120/140mm on the bottom), which has to cool 850W worth of capacitors and transformers...... and because the rest of my case is sub 25dBa then its audible. If i can get cooler air to the PSU it might not be such a prob, so i'm tempted to place a Scythe Kama Bay w/ 120mm fan to increase cool air circulation up top, which hopefully will cause the PSU fan to ramp down a bit.

I've tried putting a quieter 80mm close to the PSU, but the air disturbance from hitting the spinning fan blades creates even more noise, even though the PSU fan slows down.

When I installed the fan on the side panel my psu ran much cooler. Before I had the fan, my psu was blowing out hot air and the top of the case was quite warm where the psu sits, cos all the hot air was mainly from my sli card and they were heating everything else up including the psu. Now the top of my case isnt even slightly warm and blows out cool air from the psu.

Junk · 25 Jan 2007 at 11:39

a better PSU may be in order. when i added a more powerful PSU to my rig it ran 15-20 degrees cooler!

simonnance · 25 Jan 2007 at 13:02

I'm running an Etasis ET850, one of the best PSUs out there at the moment. It's just a bit loud compared to the rest of my components...... Prob doesnt help that the aluminium case transfers vibrations pretty well, might try and find some standard foam to deaden it, not "official" stuff though, its far to overpriced for what it is.