[Ham-Computers] Computer shutting itself down

[WA5CAB at cs.com]

Dave,

If the vent you mention has a four-hole square pattern around it, it was 
probably made for mounting a case fan.  If it has the hole pattern, measure the 
distance between two adjacent holes.  It should be a multiple of 10 mm, such as 
70 or 80.  Places like Micro-Center usually carry an assortment of fans in 
different sizes.  Look for an unused 5V/12V connector in the wire bundle coming 
out of the 500 watt supply you ordered (after you have installed it).  There 
are probably two sizes, the older flat 4-pin Molex and a smaller one.  The new 
fan will probably come with the small one. Depending upon how large your box is 
and the relative locations of the PS and the new fan, you may or may not need 
an extension cable.  If there are no spares, or if the only spares are not 
the same as the connector on the fan, you should be able to buy wye-cables and 
adaptor cables at the same place you get the fan.

Do not block off the front intake, though.  In all probability the PS fan 
will have a higher CFM rating than the accessory fan.  If you block off the front 
intake, the PS fan will be pulling all of its air through the accessory fan, 
and at a higher rate than what the accessory fan is rated for.

In a message dated 4/28/2007 3:50:57 PM Central Standard Time, 
dcorio at zitomedia.net writes: 
>     The fan mounted on the CPU is blowing the heat from the CPU directly 
> into the power supply. But worse than that is a vent in the rear of the 
> case, about the size of a small box-fan, _directly under the power 
> supply_! Outside air has no chance to get to the CPU, as it is drawn in 
> through that rear opening and  sucked into the power supply and 
> exhausted out by that outflow fan!
> 
>     My first thought is to pick up a small box-fan from Radio Shack and 
> mount it on that rear opening blowing in. That would put 
> room-temperature air almost directly onto the CPU, then to be blown into 
> the power supply and out through that. If I then tape closed the front 
> vent opening, it would insure good air circulation.
> 
>     Thoughts on this?

Robert Downs - Houston
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