Yes you read that correctly, I built a duct tape shroud for my new push-pull config. Why on earth would I want to do this? Well this setup is only temporary as i save up money for a PA120.3 and sheet metal is not real cheap so I did not want to waste it.
It all started because I had a lot of 6-32 1.5 inch stand offs and well a roll of duct tape. The basic idea is to use the stand offs to raise the fans and then wrap duct tape around the stand offs and fans. Yes, can you spell ghetto?
Lets meet the players in this sad drama. The pics are a little blurry, sorry about that.
My old trusty MCR220
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The fans. 4 YL. How can you argue for 3.95 a pop and they come in festive Halloween colors
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The supplies. 16 6-32 1.5 inch standoffs and a roll of black duct tape.
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The first part was to install the standoffs on to the rad and apply tape to the long sides. The duct tape is wide enough to provide a seal on the rad itself and cover the tops of the stands off. Good deal!
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After that. I taped the short sides just the same and repeated on the other side since this is a push-pull setup.
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I also wrapped duct tape around the rad itself to help and seal the tape. Hey, why not go all the way because I did have a whole roll of tape. Next was to install the fans. I just poked holes in the duct tape where it covered the holes in the stand offs. Here is the back (pull side) with fans on.
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After I installed the fans, I wrapped a single piece of tape around the sides of the fans to cover the gapping holes. The posts for the fans are not flush with the outer edges, so it needed to be sealed. I repeated this on the front (push) side.
Now, my computer is in a equipment rack and since it is a HTPC case, the rad is out side of case. My solution for this was to get a 3U vented rack panel. I then use slightly larger screws to go through the vented panel and then nylon spacers to give the rad some breathing space. Then I just mount the whole thing in the rack. Here is the finished product (not in the rack)
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So how well does it work? Well since I had everything torn apart, I put my gpu block back in the loop so no before and after temps. Right now with my mild OC I am get 49,50,44,49 C on load 35,38,32,38on idle with ambients of 26 C. It is not amazing but it is slightly better than I was getting with just the 2 nexus slient fans no shroud in pull only.
It all started because I had a lot of 6-32 1.5 inch stand offs and well a roll of duct tape. The basic idea is to use the stand offs to raise the fans and then wrap duct tape around the stand offs and fans. Yes, can you spell ghetto?
Lets meet the players in this sad drama. The pics are a little blurry, sorry about that.
My old trusty MCR220
The fans. 4 YL. How can you argue for 3.95 a pop and they come in festive Halloween colors
The supplies. 16 6-32 1.5 inch standoffs and a roll of black duct tape.
The first part was to install the standoffs on to the rad and apply tape to the long sides. The duct tape is wide enough to provide a seal on the rad itself and cover the tops of the stands off. Good deal!
After that. I taped the short sides just the same and repeated on the other side since this is a push-pull setup.
I also wrapped duct tape around the rad itself to help and seal the tape. Hey, why not go all the way because I did have a whole roll of tape. Next was to install the fans. I just poked holes in the duct tape where it covered the holes in the stand offs. Here is the back (pull side) with fans on.
After I installed the fans, I wrapped a single piece of tape around the sides of the fans to cover the gapping holes. The posts for the fans are not flush with the outer edges, so it needed to be sealed. I repeated this on the front (push) side.
Now, my computer is in a equipment rack and since it is a HTPC case, the rad is out side of case. My solution for this was to get a 3U vented rack panel. I then use slightly larger screws to go through the vented panel and then nylon spacers to give the rad some breathing space. Then I just mount the whole thing in the rack. Here is the finished product (not in the rack)
So how well does it work? Well since I had everything torn apart, I put my gpu block back in the loop so no before and after temps. Right now with my mild OC I am get 49,50,44,49 C on load 35,38,32,38on idle with ambients of 26 C. It is not amazing but it is slightly better than I was getting with just the 2 nexus slient fans no shroud in pull only.
