How to cool a HTPC to prevent overheating???

slim01 · 18 Jul 2017 at 06:06

Hey guys,

Just looking for some cooling suggestions as had my gaming HTPC overheat recently, which hasn't been a noticeable issue until Fallout 4, in which it shuts down after running my temps up to...
-91c CPU
-80c mainboard(!!)
-51c HDD
and 86c on the GTX 970

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Specs...
Case - Fractal Node 605 currently with;
1x120mm left, 2x120mm right,
+(unoccupied) 2x 80mm at rear

i5 2500k (stock clocks atm, would OC if any headroom)
EVGA SSC gtx 970
16gb vengeance
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I'm guessing the mobo at 80c (and probs the ram) is causing the shutdowns.
This must be because the case is just not exhausting the heat generated & smashed around randomly in the case by the GTX 970... CPU air however is being pushed directly out the back.

Current airflow notes;
-The intake fan on the left is only really cooling the GTX 970 as it's so big it's acting like a wall to the right side (CPU/mobo) area of case.
-I'm not familiar with creating positive pressure etc, which is the best layout to try? How do I know where to install SP type fans rather than AF CFM?

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So... Which of these below, or other solutions would you try? I'm not too handy with modding but may attempt a simple-ish drilling job.

1) Buy a reference style gtx970 (or gtx1060/1070) ...
-Would having the GPU exhaust heat directly out the back likely cause acceptable temps?

2) Install/mod case to fit a water cooler (Corsair H100i v2 240mm rad)...
-Impulse bought this last week as £80 in sale, but think it will require a lot of modding to fit properly... Any ideas if its possible in a fractal Node 605 and how easy?
-Also will this even worth the hassle, as will GPU will still cook mobo/cpu/ram?

3) FANS - Adding 2x 80mm or new layouts Creating positive pressure etc
-I don't understand the best way to get a positive pressure setup needed in this case; Not sure if adding 2x80mm fans as exhausts will help as CPU air is maybe exhausted directly out anyway?

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I think option one is going to be the most cost effective way to go... So +Which gtx1070 cards do you know of that exhaust heat directly out the back? would it ONLY be the reference ones made by Nvidia?

Load Temps (with case closed, room temp around 18C)...

Thanks guys & gals

slim01 · 18 Jul 2017 at 06:18

Also, here is a screenshot of my IDLE temps, after 6 hours of just shopping and iTunes...

Daytones · 18 Jul 2017 at 08:04

I would probably say Occupying the 2 80MM at the back will give some results, pulling out of the case, Just because at current I can see a lot pushing in, But fans can suffer diminishing returns on length of push force. I.E if you kept walking further away from a desk fan you would eventually stop feeling it. so airs getting in easily but seems more like its leaking out of the case instead of being pulled out?

As per having a rear exhaust fan it will get hot air out of your case but from my experience not always the best cooled graphics out there, but my rear exhaust card was a r9 290 and they are extremely hot...

Could always go extreme and AIO cool your graphics but in the space you have would be tricky.

Are your fans PWM, / can be controlled? Could always try ramping up the RPM and try see if it can give a bit more push out of the case.

slim01 · 20 Jul 2017 at 00:46

Daytones said:
I would probably say Occupying the 2 80MM at the back will give some results, pulling out of the case, Just because at current I can see a lot pushing in, But fans can suffer diminishing returns on length of push force. I.E if you kept walking further away from a desk fan you would eventually stop feeling it. so airs getting in easily but seems more like its leaking out of the case instead of being pulled out?

As per having a rear exhaust fan it will get hot air out of your case but from my experience not always the best cooled graphics out there, but my rear exhaust card was a r9 290 and they are extremely hot...

Could always go extreme and AIO cool your graphics but in the space you have would be tricky.

Are your fans PWM, / can be controlled? Could always try ramping up the RPM and try see if it can give a bit more push out of the case.

Thnks for speedy response Daytones.

Well I have some good news... Last night I did 3 things which have helped unbelievably so far, only tested with case off +Fallout4 but;
13c off CPU max
13c off Mobo max
12c off HDD max
8c off minimum but max stayed the same

This is what I did, for anyone interested...
1) Cleaned intake fans of dust - they were relatively dusty on close inspection, not too bad though.
2) Removed the cases metal mesh fan guards on all three 12cm intake fans (and just stuck on the dust filter to case with black tape).
3) Swapped the CPU intake fans in position 2 & 3 around (the fan plugged into the CPU fan header is now feeding the cpu cooler, rather than blowing onto it from the right).
I think taking off the guards was the biggest cause for the improvement - I noticed when through them if I put my hand behind I could feel nothing with both guard and filter. With just the dust filter air was able to pass through easily.

Yeah I think AIO would be a pain to fit tbf, would have to have radiator somewhere next a 12cm fan slot unless drilling/modding things to back of case etc...

I'm not sure if y fans are PWM - Don't they have to be 4pin for this? And shouldn't case fans speed up anyway as mobo temps go up?
*I damn hope so, because I currently have my CPU fan plugged into the "SYSFAN2" header. The fan makes a horrible whining/buzzing noise (similar to coil whine) when connected to CPU header*
I currently have the Coolink 12cm fan (pulls lots of air) in position 2, feeding the CPU intake. Is this a bad idea? I know its not ideal... Perhaps is the cause of some of my problems at full loud with case closed?

How do I know which fans I have are the different types? I believe there's 2 types - Ones for air flow (AF) and ones for pressure (SP or SF i think)? I think the 80mm rears *if i buy them* are pushing up against the metal guard so may need them to be SP/SF?

Daytones · 20 Jul 2017 at 10:16

Morning,

Glad to see you have gotten some improvement, Didnt even consider cleaning the fans suppose wasnt aware it had been used a while but yes cleaning does help

Yes PWM fans usually are 4 pin, and usually yes they should? spin up if it gets warm But to many variants for that, depends on fancurves of any software etc. Id imagine that fan does have coil whine as higher pm and with it being in the header is it in it wont be running as high as when your cpu gets warm the cpu fan header might be ramping up another fan? so maybe get a new one for the CPU?

Wouldnt of though the 12cm fan would be an issue supplying the CPU intake. Would be more a case of what will work best for it, Id still peg money on something to take the air out of the system Dont think you will see quite as high drops as cleaning but Im still working on my current Rig as at current has 1 intake fan

and thats mounted mid board lol Damn alienware cases.

P.s AF fans are for flow of air and the SP are pressure. Sp are good for GPU cpu or anywhere you need to blow faster to get the hot air off, and the AF will e more beneficial for how much air is pushed