Documentation for a small modification for the 250mm side panel fan controller that I did for the XClio A380 case.
Product:
http://www.overclockers.co.uk/showproduct.php?prodid=CA-019-OK
NOTE: You do this at your own risk I'm not responsible for any eventuality ocurring from someone carrying out these instructions.
This case comes with a controller for the side panel fan mounted on a bracket that fits in a rear PCI expansion slot, however, if you want to adjust the fan its not easy when the controller knob is stuck down the back of your PC and if you have a setup like mine with multiple video cards, and other assorted expansion cards then you don't have the space for it either...
My solution was to mount it behind the front door using the floppy disc drive slot (which I don't use)...
For this modification everything you need should have come with the case - if you've lost the various bits and pieces that came with the case or have already removed the metal backplate from the floppy drive slot then you will find this harder to do.
1. Find the fan controller bracket - its usually already mounted at the back, remove it and keep to hand... also in one of the bags of screws, etc. that come with the case you will find a selection of wire ties - you need 2 of them.
2. Open the front door on the case and remove the grey plastic covers from the floppy disc drive bay and the larger optical drive bay immediately above it. Keep the grey plastic covers bay safely to one side as you will need them again.
Leave the metal back plate on the floppy drive as it is (do NOT remove it) but twist the metal plate on the drive bay above back slightly at the bottom as shown in the image.
3. Thread the cable from the fan controller underneath the plastic bar that seperates the floppy bay from the drive bays above it and push it through the gap at the bottom of the metal plate as you can see in the image above.
At this point you might want to remove the black plastic knob from the fan controller and keep in a safe place as it makes it easier later on.
4. Take one of the wire ties and thread it through the top left most hole of the metal plate at the back of the floppy bay, then continue to thread it back through the hole immediately below it so that the ends stick out but the middle is behind the metal. Repeat this again with another wire tie on the right side of the plate - refer to image above. (be careful of sharp edges, this bit can also be fiddly)
5. Place the fan controller bracket so that the back of the variable resistor is against the metal backing plate in the floppy bay and the wire ties are stick out the bottom and top of it as shown in the image below.
(don't leave the black plastic knob on as I did at this point - it makes it harder later on)
Now tighten the wire ties until the backet is held firmly to the metal plate, I found tilting it back and upwards slightly allowed me to get a tighter fit then pulling it back into rest.
6. This is as far as your going to get without a dremel or drill with a hole cutter attachment. Looks a bit ugly but you can slide the ties up a bit to make it look neater. [if you have no way to safely cut a hole in plastic then replace the black knob on the controller bracket and skip to step 11 below]
7. If you have the ability to safely cut a hole through plastic then, remove the black plastic knob from the bracket if you haven't already and line up the part of the bracket where the screw hole is with the indentation in the case as shown by the red arrow in the image above. Then find the grey plastic cover from the floppy drive and push it into place (it won't fit) but this will leave a mark on the reverse of the cover where the knob would be as shown in the image below.
8. Use whatever method to cut a 1.5cm hole in the plastic cover using the mark as a guide for the center of the hole.
9. Place a small piece of cardboard in the hole in the black knob to prevent it fitting on fully and place it back on the controller bracket - you will have to tweak it a bit to get it so that theres enough cardboard to give you a decent grip but not so much that the knob sticks out too far and stops the front door from closing.
10. Now place the grey plastic cover back on the floppy drive bay as it was originally.
Product:
http://www.overclockers.co.uk/showproduct.php?prodid=CA-019-OK
NOTE: You do this at your own risk I'm not responsible for any eventuality ocurring from someone carrying out these instructions.
This case comes with a controller for the side panel fan mounted on a bracket that fits in a rear PCI expansion slot, however, if you want to adjust the fan its not easy when the controller knob is stuck down the back of your PC and if you have a setup like mine with multiple video cards, and other assorted expansion cards then you don't have the space for it either...
My solution was to mount it behind the front door using the floppy disc drive slot (which I don't use)...
For this modification everything you need should have come with the case - if you've lost the various bits and pieces that came with the case or have already removed the metal backplate from the floppy drive slot then you will find this harder to do.
1. Find the fan controller bracket - its usually already mounted at the back, remove it and keep to hand... also in one of the bags of screws, etc. that come with the case you will find a selection of wire ties - you need 2 of them.
2. Open the front door on the case and remove the grey plastic covers from the floppy disc drive bay and the larger optical drive bay immediately above it. Keep the grey plastic covers bay safely to one side as you will need them again.
Leave the metal back plate on the floppy drive as it is (do NOT remove it) but twist the metal plate on the drive bay above back slightly at the bottom as shown in the image.
3. Thread the cable from the fan controller underneath the plastic bar that seperates the floppy bay from the drive bays above it and push it through the gap at the bottom of the metal plate as you can see in the image above.
At this point you might want to remove the black plastic knob from the fan controller and keep in a safe place as it makes it easier later on.
4. Take one of the wire ties and thread it through the top left most hole of the metal plate at the back of the floppy bay, then continue to thread it back through the hole immediately below it so that the ends stick out but the middle is behind the metal. Repeat this again with another wire tie on the right side of the plate - refer to image above. (be careful of sharp edges, this bit can also be fiddly)
5. Place the fan controller bracket so that the back of the variable resistor is against the metal backing plate in the floppy bay and the wire ties are stick out the bottom and top of it as shown in the image below.
(don't leave the black plastic knob on as I did at this point - it makes it harder later on)
Now tighten the wire ties until the backet is held firmly to the metal plate, I found tilting it back and upwards slightly allowed me to get a tighter fit then pulling it back into rest.
6. This is as far as your going to get without a dremel or drill with a hole cutter attachment. Looks a bit ugly but you can slide the ties up a bit to make it look neater. [if you have no way to safely cut a hole in plastic then replace the black knob on the controller bracket and skip to step 11 below]
7. If you have the ability to safely cut a hole through plastic then, remove the black plastic knob from the bracket if you haven't already and line up the part of the bracket where the screw hole is with the indentation in the case as shown by the red arrow in the image above. Then find the grey plastic cover from the floppy drive and push it into place (it won't fit) but this will leave a mark on the reverse of the cover where the knob would be as shown in the image below.
8. Use whatever method to cut a 1.5cm hole in the plastic cover using the mark as a guide for the center of the hole.
9. Place a small piece of cardboard in the hole in the black knob to prevent it fitting on fully and place it back on the controller bracket - you will have to tweak it a bit to get it so that theres enough cardboard to give you a decent grip but not so much that the knob sticks out too far and stops the front door from closing.
10. Now place the grey plastic cover back on the floppy drive bay as it was originally.
