Aero 7+ and Epox board - Tip

[danrok]

I have fitted a Coolermaster Aero 7+ CPU cooler. I noticed a slight problem with it installed on my 8RGA+ board.

In the first pic you will notice that the fan intake is directly above the NB and graphics card heatsinks which do throw out alot of heat.

In the second photo I have unscrewed the fan and rotated it through 90 degrees, so that it has a better chance of sucking in cooler air.

Doing this has reduced my CPU temps by 1.5 degrees celsius (idle and under load). Not bad for a 2 minute job.

This isn't an issue with all mobos, it just depends on the orientation of the CPU.

[Allan]

Good idea... so, how are your temps now??

[danrok]

Originally Posted by Allan

Good idea... so, how are your temps now??

Now 1.5c lower, so a definite improvement.

[Aedan]

You'll also find that the "front" of the blower, which is the hole without the motor supports on it, sucks in the majority of the air.

Additionally, I've found that any cross flow (IE, air blown across the intakes) seems to hinder the blower's operation, probably because it's upsetting the airflow internally to the cage.

[danrok]

You're right there! Even if you place your finger near the intake you can hear it straining to draw air in.

I think a flat fan draws air from a wide area, where as this type draws in along a narrow path directly from the front of the intake. This would explain why my cpu was hotter with it pointing at that hot NB chip.

[Aedan]

The back of the fan, where the motor lives, appears to block a significant amount of airflow - IE, blocking the back doesn't really make much difference. That's a shame, as it means only half of the blower is actually doing something!

[danrok]

I am tempted to get some duct hose to attach to the intake and then straight out to the front of my case where the two lower external drive bays are.

Similar to this kit which draws from the top (scroll to the bottom of the page):
http://www.chill-tek.com/products/fan-grills.html

[Aedan]

Give it a go and see how well it works! As long as there's good airflow through the duct, the blower should be ok with it. What would be better would be having the blower at the front of the case, blowing the air all the way to the heatsink.

Like traditional fans, blowers work best blowing into a slight pressure increase, rather than sucking from an area of lower pressure. The blower should be able to provide enough pressure that the ducting won't make too much difference to the airflow.