I need a PCI slot fan, any suggestions?

Well no, because I don't have a pile of cash to throw at this. I already spent $65 on this PC and the HDD failed 2 days after I began using it. I have to put a new HDD in and I can't have it eaten up by heat. Since no one will straight answer me on why the HDD is running so hot I have to assume it's hot because of case design.

My options are a PCI low profile slot fan or a HDD cooler. I can't use a 5.25 bay cooler because I only have one such bay in this computer. My only option for HDD cooling is something that can sit right into the 3.5 bay above it where the floppy drive was sitting, the same way a standard HDD or floppy would mount in, and they seem to make few of those type of cooler. I can't use one that mounts to the bottom of the drive because this case uses a plastic HDD caddy.

So I'm going to have to get this up and running for cheap otherwise I may as well buy another used PC. Failing other options I can drill out holes on the top panel to mount fans but the power cables will have to be long.

linnemeyerhere said:

I concur the best solution would be to bring in more cool air and try to exhaust more hot air. Maybe the solution would be to add a low profile fans on the side panel with one drawing cool air and the other exhausting hot?

This is not a standing PC tower, this is an Optiplex "desktop" that sits flat. There are no options to mount them on the sides. Holes in the front, and in the back.

This could be what I need, it's made for a floppy drive 3.5 bay
EVERCOOL SB-F3 Case Fan - Newegg.com

linnemeyerhere said:

Lady Fitzgerald said:

Diosoth said:

Since it seems I need a low profile PCI slot cooler, this looks to be one of my only options.

Low Profile PC Case Video VGA Slot Cooling Fan Cards | eBay


Or perhaps one of these though they don't specify the slot size it takes up

Amazon.com: Titan Adjustable Dual Fan PCI Slot VGA Cooler (TTC-SC07TZ): Computers & Accessories

Neither of those will move air out of the case; they just blow air around inside the case. If you look at the photos carefully in the flea-bay listing, two are designed to mount in a PCI slot and the other two in a PCI-e slot. The two kinds aren't interchangeable.

I concur the best solution would be to bring in more cool air and try to exhaust more hot air. Maybe the solution would be to add a low profile fans on the side panel with one drawing cool air and the other exhausting hot?

Or mayhap a side panel fan and a blow hole (top panel fan). I tried to do without the blow hole on my build in an effort to maintain positive pressure in the case to keep dust out (it's extremely dusty where I live). After blocking off the blow hole, I had three 120mm intake fans (two front and one side) pulling in air through filters and one 120mm exhaust fan. When I stress tested the CPU, it would quickly overheat because I wasn't getting the hot air out of the case fast enough (it did just fine with the case side off). I reopened the blowhole and replaced the fan (140mm). The case now cools much better.

Is it possible the existing fans move too little air and mayhap replacing them with quieter, higher speed fans would move enough more air?

bobafetthotmail said:

I repeat what I said above. A case fan attached as in the pic below would do a lot better than anything else even if it is a bit smaller.

Measure and buy a case fan that would fit, then remove the PCI slot covers and use metal wire to keep it in place over the hole. Will look very ghetto (or not, depending on your skill) but will keep stuff cool.

I think a pair of 40mm fans attached to that grid above the serial port could work just as well and be easier to attach. No idea how I'd power them though. One could run off the 3-pin port but not sure about two. They don't seem to make those with Molex connectors.

If I go with the slots a 70mm fan is the biggest I could fit in.

Lady Fitzgerald said:

Is it possible the existing fans move too little air and mayhap replacing them with quieter, higher speed fans would move enough more air?

There is one fan in this case by the CPU. Here's the exact insides of this case



Mine is nearly identical- I don't have that little button/switch thing that goes to the 3-pin port(I would assume it's just a "case open/close" detector toggle switch, it's not a fan) but it's otherwise the same.