New Posts  All Forums:Forum Nav:

PC in a kitchen cabinet?

post #1 of 13
2/25/08 at 2:26am
Thread Starter 
This isn't exactly an A/V topic, but it's kinda related and I'm sure members of the AVS forum will be able to help me.

I'm building a desk out of two 15" kitchen cabinets with a 30" drawer in between. This is so my kitchen desk will match my kitchen cabinets. The left cabinet is where I want to place my PC. It's a standard, one door cabinet. As you might expect, I need to ventilate this cabinet to keep the PC cool.

Based on some suggestions on this forum, I was thinking about purchasing a Home Theater dual fan kit from coolerguys.com http://www.coolerguys.com/840556082224.html. I'd place one on the left side of the CPU cabinet and a second fan on the right side.

My questions are as follows:
1. Do you think this setup will adequately cool the PC?
2. Which direction should I have the fans blow? Towards where the user's feet will be or away from them?
3. Is there anything else I should consider?

Thanks,
Kelly
Reply
Reply

AVS Top Picks

post #2 of 13
2/25/08 at 6:08am
Thread Starter 
The rear of the cabinet is against the wall, just like kitchen cabinets.
Reply
Reply
post #3 of 13
2/25/08 at 10:38am
Right, so do all the damage in the knee well space.
Reply
Reply
post #4 of 13
2/25/08 at 1:30pm
Thread Starter 
You mean fan damage or intake hole damage on the knee side?
Reply
Reply
post #5 of 13
2/25/08 at 1:53pm
both, one low, one high.
Reply
Reply
post #6 of 13
2/26/08 at 12:26pm
Thread Starter 
So you mean one fan low, one fan high, both on the right side of the left cabinet where the user's knees will be? BTW, who's on first? :-)
Reply
Reply
post #7 of 13
2/26/08 at 1:48pm
Won in and Won out. Right of the left. Won at ankle, Won at knee. Knee height one blowing out because heat rises.

I think one good fan at knee height is all you would need if it's powerful enough and you provide an inlet down low.
Reply
Reply
post #8 of 13
2/26/08 at 1:50pm
Thread Starter 
80 or 120mm? What brand do you prefer? How about controller?
Reply
Reply
post #9 of 13
2/26/08 at 2:12pm
oops I accidentally erased my first response where I mentioned that I had no experience and was just offering suggestions. Can't help you with the rest.
Reply
Reply
post #10 of 13
2/26/08 at 2:38pm
Hello, is opening the back of the cabinet an option?

What kind of pc are you thinking of putting in this cabinet, meaning processor type and such not necessarily name brand?

That cooler kit is pretty massive, I would have to assume you are planning on running a multiple processor type app.
Reply
Reply
post #11 of 13
2/26/08 at 2:56pm
Thread Starter 
No opening on the back. Computer is an HP m7470n: AMD Athlon 64 X2 Dual-Core Processor 4200+, 2 GB RAM
Reply
Reply
post #12 of 13
2/26/08 at 3:11pm
if you are putting in fans you should put in two, one sucking air in from one side and one venting it out from the other, assuming a front to back, rear discharging tower, I would set the cabinet fans up in the same fashion. This of course would not look pretty, but it would give optimal fresh air flow into the space. Just be sure the cabinet fans you purchase are moving more air out than your case fan is or hot air will still build up. I would also make sure your cabinet fans are equaling each other in flow.

try to align the fans to match intake and exhaust as well if your particular case is pulling air in and venting it out as opposed to just venting it out.

I hope i am clear.
Reply
Reply
post #13 of 13
2/28/08 at 4:41am
Thread Starter 
Here's something I just thought about. As everyone has recommended, my goal is to put (2) 120mm fans in the cabinet, probably on opposite sides. The cabinet is 15" wide x 29" high x 24" deep and is constructed primarily out particle board. The particle board is approximately 3/8" thick. The cabinet front and doors are solid maple. There is another 15" cabinet on the right, which completes the support mechanism for the counter, which is solid granite and weighs about 150 lbs.

Will drilling two 120mm holes in both sides of the left cabinet weaken it to the point that it becomes structurally unsound?
Reply
Reply
New Posts  All Forums:Forum Nav:
  Return Home

AVS Top Picks