CM 200mm Fans

Just imagine all of the hard and optical drive slots filled

With all your Hard Drive slots full you may have a problem with in-coming air, have you tried removing one Hard Drive (just to see the difference in air flow ?)

The front fan is only a single 200mm and I do not think that it has the optional mounts for multiple smaller fans...only the top, side and bottom do. The front fan is sandwiched between the case and the drive rack in a fashion that just replacing it would be a task. It should be understood that none of my temps are problems, therefore I'm not willing to do anything drastic or costly. I bought the side fan as an experiment, but it seems that experiment failed. At most, I might dual 120mm fans on the side panel, if the temps do become a problem, but if I'm right about the 200mm fan causing the higher temps because of their obstruction to airflow, I doubt that dual 120mm fans would fare any better. While they would expose a smaller profile to the airflow, they are also square, rather than round, like the 200mm, and would produce more drag.

I have considered putting Lian Li rollers on the case, like I have done with my other computer, which would raise the case ~1 1/2" off the stand, but haven't because of the stand itself (it would be too easy for it to roll off, even though it does have a wheel lock). Of course, even on the bottom, it would be an obstruction to airflow, but I doubt as much as on the side.

EDIT: Hmm, a curious thought popped into my head. Even though I would not mount the fan externally on the side, if I had Lian Li rollers, I think there would be room to mount it externally on the bottom, but then the fan would probably not have any better clearance than mounted internally without the rollers.

EDIT 2: Another odd thought...what would happen if I mounted the fan externally on top, having two fans mounted one over the other? I thought about this because I made a DIY shelf (which sits over the blowhole) that would hide it somewhat, being less of an eyesore.

Since the wheels do lock, the blocks wouldn't be any better, because it really isn't whether it would roll off, but whether I would knock it off. Either way, it would probably be just as stable as it is now, but I simply don't trust myself. In addition to getting older, I'm also getting clumsier.

linnemeyerhere said:

Seekermeister,
Try slowing the side fan down with the provided resistors this could allow the are flow to normalize. Don't push/pull the top fan. But do think about a stand that raises the case off the floor, better air flow, less lint/dust and better ergonomics.
Computer Tower Stand - CPU Stand, Rolling CPU Stand

In so far as lint/dust goes, what I use for a stand is better than that (raises the case ~13"). I converted an old aquarium using drilled board as a top. Even though I drilled a lot of holes, with the idea of providing airflow to a botton fan, I don't believe that there are enough, and if they were, the board might become to fragile to use.

Although the stand that you linked appears fairly good, it still doesn't raise the case much more than my Lian Li rollers do, and the Lian Lis are far, far more durable. I bought them because I often had to roll the case over obstacles, like the legs of my desk, and anything plastic and not bolted to the case would either break or slip.

That is where the legs for the shelf that I made came from...inverting an old plastic stand that broke on me. Fortunately, it almost looks like it is part of the original case.

EDIT: I will play with your fan speed suggestion though.