Air flow improvements ( Need Advice )

[Gabb]

Is there any way you can make a hole in the back of the desk, on the desktop, or move the desk out a bit? That way you could put a fan above that fan you already have set up to extract hot air out the top - cause hot air rises.

Theres a wall in the back of the desk so making a hole isn't an option, I guess I can move out the desk to create additional space ( not too much more...maybe 6 inches max but I don't really know what that will accomplish. Putting another fan above isn't a bad idea since your right hot air does rise...although I have to create a platform of some sort to hold it.

unless its already hot in ur room, the card should not be getting that hot, in which case ur should rma it. Ull prob get back a newer card anyway becuase i doubt they have 8800gtx's lying around.external fans wont do ****. unless they are full size fans becuase ur gonna need huge cfm/loud fans to do the job 1/2 effectively. the gtx is a hot card and usually gets about 80c in load but should egt too much higher than that, so i say rma it. the other solutions are not worth ur while.

Yeah I see what your saying, back in the day when it was brand new it ran at like 70-80ish load, I guess just over time it had that whole expansion/contraction thing problem so its picking up heat, that and dust probably too. So I appreciate all your guys input on the situation and I'm sticking with my decision to RMA it and hoping they will give me a better one. I don't really know about a 9800 gtx if its weaker or more powerful then a 8800 gtx, sure it is definately more efficient when it comes to heat but the whole memory bus of 256 instead of 368 or whatever should be a factor?

 

[jfenwick]

I made a crummy diagram already explaining my current setup and what i may plan

I can't see the external fans helping much. As long as your intake isn't in the same area as your exhaust then it probably won't make much of a difference. The hot air may be pooling behind your comp but that air isn't getting in unless there is an intake there. Much more important is the temperature of the air in the front where air is being sucked in.

Now this may sound stupid but did you check the actual airflow of all the fans? Manufacturers have on occasion installed them backwards. If you wave a kleenex in front of the fan you'll see if it's intake or exhaust, maybe your rear fan is actually blowing air in? Long shot....

 

[Gabb]

I can't see the external fans helping much. As long as your intake isn't in the same area as your exhaust then it probably won't make much of a difference. The hot air may be pooling behind your comp but that air isn't getting in unless there is an intake there. Much more important is the temperature of the air in the front where air is being sucked in.

Now this may sound stupid but did you check the actual airflow of all the fans? Manufacturers have on occasion installed them backwards. If you wave a kleenex in front of the fan you'll see if it's intake or exhaust, maybe your rear fan is actually blowing air in? Long shot....

My first step as it should be of course is to check all the flow on the fans, I actually checked my top fan and see that its an exhaust fan as it is supposed to be ( according to their diagram ) so the individual who suggested that I turn it into an exhaust fan...well it was already designed like that

 

[jfenwick]

what model thermaltake armor do you have?

 

[Gabb]

what model thermaltake armor do you have?

8000 BWS I believe, the steel black one without a side fan ( as I stated before I didn't want to get the side fan because they are reviews that it is very weak and might actually touch the 8800 GTX in some cases )

 

[jfenwick]

So this guy without the fan window:

Newegg.ca - Computer Parts, PC Components, Laptop Computers, Digital Cameras and more!

Can't remember if this came up already...too lazy to read the thread all the way through. If the fans are still stock you can do a search and get some that are high CFM to swap in. Also, it looks like it has removable HDD trays? If so, pull the extras to improve air movement as they are in the way where they are of the intake. If you aren't using all your 5.25 bays and you only have one or two HDDs you can buy a conversion kit (or just get some long screws of the same size and thread as the mounting screws at home depot with some rubber washers) and mount your HDDs in the empty DVD bays so that you have minimal interference with the intake at the bottom where the HDDs are currently mounted.

If it was my case I'd get out my hole saw and add a 120mm fan on the window for intake once I confirmed it would fit. But that's up to you and if you've never done it before it could get messy

 

[ricanflow]

I still think the best idea is to improve cooling on the gpu itself.

 

[jfenwick]

I still think the best idea is to improve cooling on the gpu itself.

or even better...new gpu

Nah, he said he didn't want to attempt an aftermarket cooler...although an aftermarket cooler is easier than installing a side fan on plexyglass without making it look like a hack job....much easier.

 

[Gabb]

or even better...new gpu

Nah, he said he didn't want to attempt an aftermarket cooler...although an aftermarket cooler is easier than installing a side fan on plexyglass without making it look like a hack job....much easier.

hmm can anyone recommend a good aftermarket cooler for the 8800 gtx? I heard the 8 series hard problems with them because their so fat so thats why I'm weary.

 

[ricanflow]

hmm can anyone recommend a good aftermarket cooler for the 8800 gtx? I heard the 8 series hard problems with them because their so fat so thats why I'm weary.

Drop everything you heard...this is tech forums we aint noobs when it comes to hardware and cooling.

First answer me this...do you want a better card?? can you afford it??