Cooling Question - Antec P182

GJUK · 6 Sep 2011 at 22:37

Hello

I got a P182 case, that I had for years...it been abused...kicked marked etc, but need to move it to the lounge to act as a media server, so I got to tidy up a bit...and make it quiet...so I need new fans as the ones in there are getting a little old and noisy and as I going to shove 6 hard disk in there I need it cool and quiet...

Spec of server

Corsair 650W PSU
Q6600
not to sure what CPU cooler is but has a 120mm fan on it (i try find model)
Abit ip35 pro
4gb ram
6*1TB disk
case takes 4 120mm fans....just need ideas on suitable replacement....nice quiet....with loads of air to cool the PC

GJUK

Tealc · 6 Sep 2011 at 22:48

Suspend all hard drives with bungee elastic or similar. 3 in bottom bay and remainder in main compartment. Consider 5400 rpm drives. Fit fans that spin at less than 800rpm. Remove front and rear metal punched fan grilles and cover top fan slot.

GJUK · 7 Sep 2011 at 09:09

Hi

I got 6*Samsung HD103SJ Spinpoint F3 1TB and their rather quiet it be a while before I replace them.

So only install 3 fans....one bottom between PSU and HDD....one in front of the other HDD tray, and just one rear, lose the top fan?

GJUK

Tealc · 7 Sep 2011 at 11:11

I find the top fan slot the noisiest area on my P183. Since blocking it I have slightly warmer case temps but the overall noise output from the case is greatly reduced. As for the 7200 spinners if you are happy with the noise then all well and good but I will say that since suspending drives I would never go back to physically screwed drives again. I even suspend my 5400 drive as it's what I would call noisy.

As for fans 3 should be sufficient for a server unless it's running 100% load all the time. I would have thought it'd be better for a really quiet server that sits quietly in the corner offending no one rather than a screaming wind tunnel getting on your nerves while watching Hale and Pace, or whatever you enjoy.

Try not to get hung up on temperatures.

As you silence stuff you'll find new noises and may even discover your hard dries are noisy anyway, or the PSU's fan is obnoxious. Lots of fun making stuff quiet.

GJUK · 7 Sep 2011 at 12:30

The P182 was my gaming PC, since it been replaced with a laptop, I going to use it as the server, so I get an upgrade in CPU, currently the server never get above 60% CPU, so after upgrade will be even more bored ;-)

...

I ordered a Sharkoon Silent Eagle SE Modular 120mm Fan to see what there like....once server built will see how it does with 3 current fans and the new one....then I can upgrade fans as and when....I can always cut and blockholes later depending if it does my head in ;-)

I got to repair the top of the P182 as the plastic got damaged

Thanks for the help....

GJUK

Tealc · 7 Sep 2011 at 13:03

The fan grilles made a big difference for me. I noticed that on the front fan slot that when I opened the filter door the fan started to create a strange vibration noise as it pulled air through the square holes. Once roughly removed with crappy tin snips and given a token file down the fans are quiet and make only a benign sound. The rear fan slot wasn't such a restrictive grille and the noise characteristic wasn't too bad with stock. Before mod I ran a 1200 rpm fan and now I run a fan at 800rpm and airflow, using my hand as test, is about the same. All the airflow hitting the metal grille is wasted and reflects off and slows other airflow down.

Those Sharkoons look like a nice fan option. Simple to choose the fan speed that suits you by swapping the cables around but adds a few pounds to the price for such convenience and the PWM control options. I like that the cables are sleeved too.

GJUK · 7 Sep 2011 at 20:04

Fan on slow delivery....so will get it next week....Get it all together and go from there...but I keep your ideas in mind if it to noisy....

Case has been stripped and cleaned....BIG balls of fluff....so time to see if it still works ;-)

GJUK