My Box is burning up! Need some help cooling the thing [Seriously]

JuicyBlack · Apr 25, 2014

Hi guys, before we all go about how the content of this thread is not what you expected to see, pls hear me out. I have a Mid ATX tower which only has 1 fan blowing air out towards the back of the unit. This is not may main unit btw.

The dam thing shuts down randomly because there isn't enough cool air coming in; to cool down the components.

There are no other spots to place fans in this thing. The right panel is a solid unit, the left one is soldered to the frame, no holes in it either. The top panel is a solid unit too. The front of the unit has space for hard drives and towards the top enough space for 2 dvd drives.

Anywho, I was thinking: I've seen fans that you place between the hard drives and blow air up and down; if u have 2 hard drives and 3 bays that is! - Is there something similar that I could put on the available DVD area that would suck air towards the interior of the unit?

I have speedfan running and the readings are critical! OK I might be exaggerating a bit but the machine is running hot!

As far as the use: I intend to use this box as a headless media server for my Roku via Plex.

Now, here are the images you were probably expecting to see:

SeanAustin · Apr 25, 2014

Ever considered a water coolant system? A friend of mine uses one and his computer literally can't get hot.

http://lifehacker.com/5940236/a-beginners-guide-to-water-cooling-your-computer

Carreira · Apr 25, 2014

When was the last time you openned the tower up and cleaned the fan, reapplied thermal compound or whatever it is called in english, and mounted the thing back up again?

JuicyBlack · Apr 25, 2014

Sean,

Thats a sick setup.. I've been researching these water cooling kits for a while but since I have only one spot towards the back of the unit where I could mount a fan I've been hesitant about replacing it with anything else.

This amazon kit looks good > http://goo.gl/QPf0tE

The question I have is: If I replace the large fan with the water cooling radiator won't there be other components that need cooling as well? These cooling kits focus on the cpu which is good enough if thats the only component that would cause the system to shut down.

I might be having a blonde moment here..

JuicyBlack · Apr 25, 2014

Carreira said:
When was the last time you openned the tower up and cleaned the fan, reapplied thermal compound or whatever it is called in english, and mounted the thing back up again?

I vacuumed the entire thing about 3 weeks ago, the pc keeps shutting down due to overheating.

U may have a point about changing the thermal compound tho.

I think I'll put a water cooling unit and turn this thing into a frankenputer

Carreira · Apr 25, 2014

If you're worried about knowing what parts do overheat try to download a software that tells you just that - there are plenty of software pieces around that tell you the temperature of severall of your components with a simple click... I used one but I don't remember the name :/

Carreira · Apr 25, 2014

JuicyBlack said:
I vacuumed the entire thing about 3 weeks ago, the pc keeps shutting down due to overheating.

U may have a point about changing the thermal compound tho.

I think I'll put a water cooling unit and turn this thing into a frankenputer

Do change the thermal compound while you're at it... if the pc shuts down due to overheating I bet the mass is already dry and does nothing but isolate the heat which is even worst.

Chris22 · Apr 25, 2014

You could build a giant bong to cool it

http://diysrc.com/uberbong-a-new-high-in-cpu-cooling/

JuicyBlack · Apr 25, 2014

Chris22 said:
You could build a giant bong to cool it

http://diysrc.com/uberbong-a-new-high-in-cpu-cooling/

OMFG .. mind = BLOWN!

FBGuru · Apr 25, 2014

Can't you simply pour a bucket full of water over the box to cool it off?

ArtVandelay · Apr 25, 2014

JuicyBlack said:
Now, here are the images you were probably expecting to see:

View attachment 49034

View attachment 49035

View attachment 49036

Actually, no - those weren't the images I was expecting to see...

BHopkins · Apr 25, 2014

If this is just a media server why is it getting so hot? I would imagine there is a software issue causing the CPU to stay near 100% all the time.

bertbaby · Apr 25, 2014

The graphics card could be running hot and many have fans that fail way too often. I've add fans just to call graphic cards.

akacash · Apr 26, 2014

What exactly is overheating? The mobo, or the cpu itself? If it's the cpu itself, try applying some new thermal paste as someone said above. If it's your mobo, then it's an airflow problem. Your case sounds like the problem honestly. It's way too restricted. You could probably just replace that and the added airflow from a new one would probalby be all you need. If you don't want to go through all that though, and because of the limited space you have available, water cooling might be your only option.

OldSalt · Apr 26, 2014

If the case it's in has only 1 fan with no ability to expand it, just get a new case with more fan possibilities - cases (and addtional fans) are pretty cheap and it's not hard to swap everything over.

Today's CPUs could work as space heaters and you have to get the heat out of the case.

OS

thekidwithstars · Apr 26, 2014

I thought this was a thread about your vagina.

JuicyBlack · May 1, 2014

OK.. so finally got around to installing a liquid cooling kit on this media server.

I still have to arrange the cabling properly but u get the idea.

Now the problem is getting the thing to run headless on linux mint XFCE and RC to it via SSH should I need to access the desktop for one reason or the other.. but thats a different problem all together.

Cnotey · May 1, 2014

SeanAustin said:
Ever considered a water coolant system? A friend of mine uses one and his computer literally can't get hot.

Look at the third picture on the OP. See that round disk with two tubes coming off of it? And the smoke? That's a liquid cooler for the processor. Don't forget to buy aftermarket thermal paste!!!!

OP please let us know how the LC unit works out. I've heard those corsair M55's are loud as shit.

Also OP, if you move to a box where the power supply is mounted on the bottom, it will help heat quite a bit.

safex · May 1, 2014

My Machine have 9 Fans In It. and Use it on Air Conditioned Room. And nothing will Happen like this Ever Again.
Or There is a Cooling Kit in Market which My brother is using but I don't remember the name is Good. But that Kit Make little much Sound.

JuicyBlack · May 1, 2014

Cnotey said:
OP please let us know how the LC unit works out. I've heard those corsair M55's are loud as shit.

I bought the H55 for this small box.. there is a quiet edition which is not bad at all.. I tested the thing last night and its just slightly louder than my 1 year-old laptop. I've read horrible reviews from other Corsair models about noise so you are quite right.

This cooler keeps my quadcore cpu at 37C max while streaming movies, running conky, 20 tabs on FF and running amarok .. all working together at the same time for 2 hours.

Im not going to be giving this unit that much use (just streaming media) so this small test seemed Ok..

Also OP, if you move to a box where the power supply is mounted on the bottom, it will help heat quite a bit.

I am putting together another machine which will be an upgrade to my main one; that one does have the PS unit towards the bottom. I am just putting this one to use since I need a media server for my rokus.

BTW.. when I removed the previous heatsink from my CPU I noticed that the thermal compound had crystallized.. .. nothing else to say :idea:

My Box is burning up! Need some help cooling the thing [Seriously]

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