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Small Form Factor Serious cooling problems (SN85G4)

Discussion in 'Hardware' started by Shaolyen, 1 Nov 2004.

  1. Shaolyen

    Shaolyen Minimodder

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    I recently posted a thread here, asking for help with my networking problem between my Shuttle and the rest of the network.

    After a lot of Googling, I found out that someone had the same problem - and that it was to do with the Shuttle being too hot. Sure enough, taking off the case fixed the problem (providing the air temperature in the room was fairly low).

    So, I need some sort of cooling solution if I want my on-board LAN to work. It's an Athlon64 3200+/Radeon X800 rig so it chucks out a lot of heat.

    My question is, does anyone have any ideas for how to accomplish this? I'd consider watercooling, although that wouldn't be ideal - mainly because of the space I have to work with inside the Shuttle.

    Any ideas?
     
  2. Aa-chan

    Aa-chan AA-CHAN

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    There's the push/pull fan configuration and possibly mesh sides and top?
     
  3. Shaolyen

    Shaolyen Minimodder

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    :confused:

    Edit: I get the mesh sides & top, but what's the push/pull fan configuration? Direction of air flow?
     
    Last edited: 1 Nov 2004
  4. SilentDeath

    SilentDeath What's a Dremel?

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    Push/Pull system:


    First you have an 80mm internal fan, usually low speed, connected to an external 120mm fan via a fan adapter. You can run the 80mm at slower speeds because the 120mm does most of the work, and the 120mm fan makes a "whoosh" noise, rather than the high-pitched whine of the 80mm. Just make sure you've dremelled out that rear grill, that's what causes a lot of Shuttles to run hotter than they should, and for God's sake, put a finger guard on the 120mm. Even if you don't have kids/pets. Trust me. ;)

    If you'd like pictures, I'll take some, I just gotta find me cameral. :eeek:

    EDIT:

    Mesh sides can be detrimental to temperatures, too. The Shuttles are designed to draw cool air in the small vent holes in the side, that way the air flows right over the coils and transformers (at least, that's what they look like), as well as the Southbridge, on the other side of the case. Try the push-pull without the mesh first, and if it's still not what you're looking for, get the mesh.
     
  5. Shaolyen

    Shaolyen Minimodder

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    A really stupid question - which way does the air flow?

    And yep, some pics would be really helpful - cheers.
     
  6. Aa-chan

    Aa-chan AA-CHAN

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    Air goes the same way as before; from the inside to the outside :) .
     
  7. Shaolyen

    Shaolyen Minimodder

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    Thought so, just checking. (Trying to stop myself from making stupid errors.) :thumb:
     
  8. SilentDeath

    SilentDeath What's a Dremel?

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    [​IMG]

    This is how it's set up.

    Here's how I routed the power cable (pay no attention to the LAN cable next to it).

    [​IMG]

    And, when it's all said and done:

    [​IMG]
     
  9. Shepps

    Shepps Slacking off since 1986..

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    I have the same shuttle, its so badly designed! Hot air from the psu blows into the case over the cpu ice cooler :eyebrow:

    I had problems with crashing with the case on, i just leave the case off with a 80mm fan blowing air through by the psu. It needs modding!!!
     
  10. Shaolyen

    Shaolyen Minimodder

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    Looks good to me. Any idea on what 120mm fan I should order? (Noise isn't a problem.)

    Edit: Just gave it a thorough dusting. Temps are down 9*C. :eyebrow:
     
    Last edited: 2 Nov 2004
  11. SilentDeath

    SilentDeath What's a Dremel?

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    Ehh, what?

    The PSU blows air out, the ICE fan should too. You've got it set up wrong, it seems.

    As for 120mm fans, I went with a Coolermaster fan. I can definitely recommend these. Just make sure you cut out that mesh grill behind the heatpipe assembly, it'll drop your temperatures 3-5*C across the board.
     
  12. DaSuperFly

    DaSuperFly What's a Dremel?

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    On the Silenx PSU supplied with the SN85G4 the PSU pulls in air from the back and exhausts onto the heatsink.
    However once you have cool'n'quiet enabled the cpu runs so cool that it doesn't matter.
     
  13. Tomm

    Tomm I also ride trials :¬)

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    Yup. My SN85 runs pretty cool to be honest. I thought it was a stupid idea to have the PSU blowing out onto the HSF, but when you take into account that (According to my temp sensors) the PSU is possibly the hottest component in there, then it needs all the cool air it can get.

    Of course a better solution would be if it took air from the right side of something and blew it out the back, but that's another hole in the case, and it would ruin the case's looks. Which may not be the thing you are most worried about, but certainly some buyers will be.
     
  14. shroom

    shroom What's a Dremel?

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    Wow. I've had an SS51G since its debut a few years ago, and it had the same problem. One day my network just stopped working, then I let it cool down and had no future problems.

    Shuttles are strange creatures. Twice have I accidentally let it run for a week without a fan on the I.C.E. Heat-Pipe with no casualties.

    (First time I was modding and forgot to plug it back in :duh: , Second time the fan just died )

    It ran a little under usual performance, yeah, but it wasn't very noticeable.

    Yet heat will shut down the on-board lan.

    I blame realtek. :D
     
  15. Shaolyen

    Shaolyen Minimodder

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    Idle temps are now 45*C, which is a big improvement from the 57*C+ idle temps I was getting before. The on-board LAN is solid too. :)

    Installed the latest AMD64 drivers which enabled Cool 'n' Quiet, and gave everything a good cleaning. The fins from the ICE were so caked with dust that barely any air was getting through.

    I know, 45*C idle temps aren't exactly great. Will still put a 120mm fan on the back, and I'm considering putting in an 80mm fan at the top to blow cold air in towards the ICE fins.
     
  16. SilentDeath

    SilentDeath What's a Dremel?

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    45*C isn't too shabby for what you have in your box. I idle around 46*C with an AthlonXP 3000+ and a R9700 Pro, so I'd say you have done well. :)
     
  17. user0001

    user0001 What's a Dremel?

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    Sounds good to me (same as a desktop with stock cooler I would imagine). SilentDeath: You have to remember that your XP has a max die temp of about 85C while A64 are around 73C (just like prescotts too...)
     
  18. Shepps

    Shepps Slacking off since 1986..

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    do you all have v2's? Mine doesn't have a slientx psu, and it does blow hot air over the ice cooler..
     
  19. Shaolyen

    Shaolyen Minimodder

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    Mine is a V1. (And yes, the PSU blows hot air over the ice cooler)
     
  20. SilentDeath

    SilentDeath What's a Dremel?

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    I have a SN41G2V1, and the PSU and the ICE both exhaust, and I didn't change the PSU around. Odd. :worried:
     
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