PSU orientation and position

foreright

foreright

foreright

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Joined
19 Jan 2005
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461
Location
Romford, Essex
Are some PSU's designed to be mounted at the top and some at the bottom of the case.
My Thermaltake (which I want to replace) has the fan pointing down and is ideal for my top of the case design. I see that most show the fan facing up. That suggests base mounting. As the screws on the back of the PSU are not in line, I cannot turn the PSU upside down.
Am I right and where do I find out which one is top mounting?
 
If the case is designed to take a psu in the bottom then it usually has a cut out in the base for the psu fan to suck in cool air from outside the case. In this case the psu fan should be mounted face down. A bottom mounted psu with the fan facing up is going to make bugger all difference to case temps anyway as most of the heat is in the top of the case. If anything you run the risk of dropping something inside the psu.

As your case is top mounting just buy any quality psu of the desired wattage. No such thing as a psu made specifically for top or bottom mounting.
 
If you've got a vent in the bottom of the case and a bottom mounted PSU it's better to have the PSU fan own for cooling anyway as it keeps the airflow for the PSU entirely separate from the rest of the PC.
 
On my case, (Lian Li A70F) the psu can be mounted on the bottom or top of the case, ive got it bottom mounted, fan facing the floor, the psu sits on rails that rise it of the case floor which has vent grooves cut into it.
 
Thanks guys..........

Can you also tell me what size is recommended. I currently have a 450W, but I don't know if that was calculated for or is efficient. As I have already said, it's awfully noisy.
I want to get one that is efficient, not too big, not too small, very quiet. Expense not important.
Thermaltake web calculator states that the demand for my PC is 280 -300W just a simple PC for office and browsing and a bit of media streaming.
What size would you get?
 
Some Antec cases have the psu fan facing up, even when the actual psu is fitted at the bottom.

It varies from case to case, the instructions supplied with the case will tell you, or just visit the homepage of the manufacturer and read the FAQ's
 
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