1. #1
    Deleted

    PSU mounting, fan facing up or down?

    Hey,

    So I just got myself a new case, the HAF 922 to be exact and the PSU mounting allows me to face the fan downwards but now I'm wondering if this is a good idea?

    Will it restrict the air flow to the PSU or anything? My computer is on a hard wood desk so doesn't get a lot of dust or build up underneath it. My old case had a top mounted PSU instead of bottom mounted so I've never really tried this before so just wanted to ask if it'd be good for the PSU since I don't want it to over heat or anything.

  2. #2
    You can have it either way. I have mine down with a dust filter on the case.

  3. #3
    Deleted
    Does it have 8 screw holes for mounting it both ways or just 4?

  4. #4
    Deleted
    There's no "right" way of doing it.

    I mount the fan facing "down" because of the following (which I argue to be the "right" way):
    • Doesn't indirectly steal air from the graphics card.
    • Cables usually (on non-modular PSUs anyway) end up closer to the motherboard tray.

    There has to be a filter at the bottom for this to work though. Preferably removable.

  5. #5
    Pit Lord Ghâzh's Avatar
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    In the end it matters extremely little which way you do it. In most PSU's the fan hardly spins at all under normal load and even when it does, it's not going to dramatically affect the overall air flow.

    Fan down you are essentially isolating the PSU air flow from the case. Air gets sucked from underneath the case and pushed out from back never going inside the case.

    Fan up PSU sucks air (usually warm air) from inside the case and blows it out from the back. This doesn't matter though as any modern PSU should be fine with that. You are also changing the airflow inside the case by introducing an another 'exit' for the air. It might or might not effect negatively / positively your overall airflow depending on the setup. Only way to find out is to try. Most likely yields minimal results in either direction.

  6. #6
    I would always advice pointing the fan away from the cases airflow, if there's a cut-out for it to support it; fan filter or not.
    The one exception I'd make, and one I'd always make in those circumstances, is if it's a fan-less PSU. Those I would include in the cases airflow.
    Having it isolated makes sure you aren't feeding "bad air" and can let the PSU control the air-intake itself.

    Quote Originally Posted by Ghâzh View Post
    In the end it matters extremely little which way you do it. In most PSU's the fan hardly spins at all under normal load and even when it does, it's not going to dramatically affect the overall air flow.
    This is only true for the higher-end PSUs and far from "most". Most, rather, have a rather tight fan-curve.
     

  7. #7
    Cooler PSUs last longer and don't mess up airflow. Thus, providing said PSU with fresh air from outside of the case (facing it down) is the "right" way to do it if your case supports it.
    i7-4770k - GTX 780 Ti - 16GB DDR3 Ripjaws - (2) HyperX 120s / Vertex 3 120
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  8. #8
    Deleted
    Turns out I couldn't mount mine facing downwards. When ever I tired to the PSU hole didn't line up with the case holes without some force which resulted in the grill over the PSU fan eating some of the rubber grips on the PSU mount.

  9. #9
    Quote Originally Posted by Pyre Fierceshot View Post
    Turns out I couldn't mount mine facing downwards. When ever I tired to the PSU hole didn't line up with the case holes without some force which resulted in the grill over the PSU fan eating some of the rubber grips on the PSU mount.
    Which PSU do you have? I mounted my Seasonic PSU upside down in my HAF 922 case.

    Two of the PSU holes should line up with actual holes in the case. The other two PSU holes should line up with little nibs, which still function as screw holes.
    Last edited by yurano; 2012-09-15 at 10:26 PM.

  10. #10
    Deleted
    Quote Originally Posted by yurano View Post
    Which PSU do you have? I mounted my Seasonic PSU upside down in my HAF 922 case.

    Two of the PSU holes should line up with actual holes in the case. The other two PSU holes should line up with little nibs, which still function as screw holes.
    I have an Antec VP550P

    The fan grill thing pops out slightly and if I force it to line up with the screw holes, it eats so of the rubber of the PSU mount in the case.

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