07-07-2003, 01:53 AM
Den,Jul 6 2003, 05:15 PM Wrote:You're right about the PS fan Pete, as usual. ;)Actually, there are a few power supplies that come with intake fans instead of exhaust fans. I have also had occasion to turn the fans around in power supplies to make then intake.
Having the PS fan exhaust means that the air enters the case through any place available. Floppy drives are really bad for this, since they tend to have some areas that are lubricated, and dust gets stuck there. Since most people don't use floppy disks much anymore, when they do have occasion to use a disk the head may be badly covered with crud. That can ruin the disk, or even the disk head by scratching. Cleaning disks aren't much use in this case, since the grit can still scratch the heads. The only options are to disassemble the drive for cleaning, or replace the drive.
With the power supply fan acting as intake, you can control where the air gets in to the case. Then you only have one place where you need to put a dust filter, and it can go outside the power supply making it easy to remove and clean.
The downside to having the power supply fans as intake are that the air picks up heat from the power supply before it gets in to the rest of the 'puter, making it less effective at cooling. Also, in a conventional tower style case, where the power supply is at the top, an intake fan is fighting against the natural convection airflow. So, this is not the best option if your number one concern is cooling. It is a viable option if dirt is a problem.
-rcv-