Thermaltake Armor Revo: external PSU mounting idea

[80251]

The only thing I really have against this case now is the lack of airflow to the GPU, since the PSU is located to the bottom rear of the case, I was thinking if I removed it and installed it outside of the case on top I would get a lot more airflow to the GPU. I'd route the PSU cables back into the case through the liquid cooling hose grommets located in the back top of the case or maybe thru the front, top 5.25" external ODD bay. I'd mount the PSU using an L-bracket to the unused front 140mm roof mount screw holes and mount a shroud and filter to the PSU fan. The big question is how much a machine shop would charge to fabricate the bracket. Anyone have any thoughts?

L-bracket concept:

 

[eidairaman1]

Doesnt that case have a side panel fan mount?

 

[80251]

Yes, I believe all the Thermaltake armor series all had side panel fans.

 

[AsRock]

Yes, I believe all the Thermaltake armor series all had side panel fans.

They had the option but you could get some with and without them.

 

[eidairaman1]

Yes, I believe all the Thermaltake armor series all had side panel fans.

The side fan is for pcie devices, use it dude

 

[80251]

I have been using the side panel fan and while it does make a few degree celsius difference, I'm hoping for more.

 

[looniam]

horrible paint s skillZ but 80mm fan worked for me.

holy oversized image batman!

 

[80251]

But looniam, imagine instead of your 80mm fan where it is, a 120x38mm, 127x38mm, 127x50mm fan where your PSU is blowing up on the videocard from beneath?

 

[Mr.Scott]

But looniam, imagine instead of your 80mm fan where it is, a 120x38mm, 127x38mm, 127x50mm fan where your PSU is blowing up on the videocard from beneath?

Fan on PSU is intake. It doesn't blow up on the GPU.

 

[80251]

Fan on PSU is intake. It doesn't blow up on the GPU.

The idea here is to remove the PSU from the bottom rear of the case (and move it to the top of the case externally) and replace it with an intake fan where the PSU once was so that the videocard gets more cooling air.

 

[looniam]

The idea here is to remove the PSU from the bottom rear of the case (and move it to the top of the case externally) and replace it with an intake fan where the PSU once was so that the videocard gets more cooling air.

sorry i was suggesting an alternate that would just require a fan header and a fan. and yeah the PSU is on the bottom i did neglect the air flow arrows

believe it or not - it did help my 980ti but my 3060 not so much - run into power limits loooong before it could help. a couple of twist ties secured the top to the pci bracket.

I'd mount the PSU using an L-bracket to the unused front 140mm roof mount screw holes

your idea has potential i wonder if a pair of these:

for (more horrible paint skillZ!)

i sortaa eye balled the psu mounting screws and i think the top ones are 138mm. close enough for government work. if that fan (when on bottom) works about - is there a filter there on the case?

but i don't have knowledge on who to call and certainly not cost or time to for what you're looking to fabricate.


so feel free to ignore me.

 

[80251]

@looniam
Thanks, Is there no way to increase the power limit with afterburner with your RTX 3060? That used to be an option with afterburner but I haven't had any power limited cards in a long, long time (because kepler and maxwell featured moddable VBIOS and my 1080ti is cross-flashed with the strix XOC VBIOS.

Actually I'm now thinking of taking the top cover off the PSU, drill some 140mm fan mounting holes in it and use the existing 140mm fan mount to mount the PSU to the top of the case.

Routing the PSU cabling trunk back into the case is going to be interesting...

 

[eidairaman1]

@looniam
Thanks, Is there no way to increase the power limit with afterburner with your RTX 3060? That used to be an option with afterburner but I haven't had any power limited cards in a long, long time (because kepler and maxwell featured moddable VBIOS and my 1080ti is cross-flashed with the strix XOC VBIOS.

Actually I'm now thinking of taking the top cover off the PSU, drill some 140mm fan mounting holes in it and use the existing 140mm fan mount to mount the PSU to the top of the case.

Routing the PSU cabling trunk back into the case is going to be interesting...

Understand, GTX 1000 series could be crossflashed but not modded, RTX 2000/3000 cannot be crossflashed or modded at all.

RX 590 was the last line that could be modded, or crossflashed.

RX Vega, RX 5000 can be crossflashed, but not modded. RX 6000 can't be modded, it is unknown if those can be crossflashed though, just not enough data to know yet.

 

[looniam]

@looniam
Thanks, Is there no way to increase the power limit with afterburner with your RTX 3060? That used to be an option with afterburner but I haven't had any power limited cards in a long, long time (because kepler and maxwell featured moddable VBIOS and my 1080ti is cross-flashed with the strix XOC VBIOS.

i have no problem using AB its just 180 watts seems to a tease after 330-350 on my 980ti - low asic card that took 1.27 to bit 1500Mhz. (i did put in underwater for that) after i used this guide as a bible - modded the bios not just voltage/boost but an aggressive fan curve so i only needed AB's OSD. good times.

since then, just been a spectator and felt left out.

Actually I'm now thinking of taking the top cover off the PSU, drill some 140mm fan mounting holes in it and use the existing 140mm fan mount to mount the PSU to the top of the case.

Routing the PSU cabling trunk back into the case is going to be interesting...

right after i posted - but didn't want to edit - or maybe a bong was involved i thought how ugly that would look and remembered alot of wet/test benches have a PSU brackets that might have mounting holes 140mm apart and googled for it when i ran across:

Horizontal PSU Mounting Bracket for DIY Open Test-bench W/ PC - Etsy

This Computers item by ZackEberly has 17 favorites from Etsy shoppers. Ships from Ephrata, PA. Listed on Feb 9, 2023

www.etsy.com

3d printing on etsy go figure.

being plastic - i wonder about grounding (normally fine but bad things do happen!) but thought if you are who i think you are - you would know . . .

 

[ThrashZone]

Hi,
Seems easier to remove unneeded pci-e clovers and unused hdd cages
Front fans and one bottom fan should be plenty of air
Blocking the top exhaust or intake fan with a psu is just going to hamper memory and cpu air flow.

 

[Mr.Scott]

The entire idea is too much effort for the minutia of 1 more degree cooler.

 

[ThrashZone]

Hi,
Might also fill in your system spec's page so we might have the big picture of setup with all your posts.

 

[80251]

The entire idea is too much effort for the minutia of 1 more degree cooler.

Can you predict stock futures as well?

Lian Li used to manufacture/sell a custom bracket to allow the PSU to be installed partly outside of a standard ATX case so I'm not the only one who has thought of this:
https://www.techbuy.com.au/p/96130/CASINGS_CASE_ACCESSORIES/Lian_Li/LL-PE-01B.asp

 

[oobymach]

Yes but Lian Li cases are for micro itx or whatever builds, they make tiny cases where you have to compromise on psu or mount a regular one externally.

As far as the dif on temps if you remove the psu and have 2 intake fans on the bottom feeding air to your gpu it won't make as much of a difference as properly mounting a good blower near the front of your case to feed the gpu. A bad pic of mine as example.

Hanging from the bottom of the hdd cage I have an Evercool Fox 2 pci blower fan with the shroud removed mounted taking air from below and propelling it towards the area under the gpu. It makes about 2 degrees difference in temps but if you want to go the extra mile then use my pic for example, the Fox isn't the quietest fan but it moves a lot more air than a traditional fan.

 

[80251]

Yes but Lian Li cases are for micro itx or whatever builds, they make tiny cases where you have to compromise on psu or mount a regular one externally.

Lian Li makes mid-tower and full tower cases (incl. the huge o11 dynamic XL).

I can't remove the HDD cage from this case so the centrifugal blower really isn't an option.

I'd rather have the Cooler Master HAF 700 EVO but it's twice the weight of the case I have now and too expensive.

There's not much airflow from the bottom of my case because the PSU and its cabling trunk cover most of the available vent space.

I'm not using the 140mm fan mount on the front, roof of the case presently and it would be too far away to make any difference in GPU temps.

 

[Count von Schwalbe]

Before you go modding, just pull it out and slap a fan against the opening with zip ties to check temps. This should tell you if it is worth it.

 

[FreedomEclipse]

There's not much airflow from the bottom of my case because the PSU and its cabling trunk cover most of the available vent space.

I'm not using the 140mm fan mount on the front, roof of the case presently and it would be too far away to make any difference in GPU temps.

This is where youre wrong. The whole point of having fans is that they assist you in moving more air in and out of your case. The front 140mm fan is still helping my shovelling more air into the case and the 140mm at the top is assisting in pulling the hot air out. Every little helps, Just get a fan that is pressure orientated or something like a Silverstone 140i that will channel the air more directly. If you want an ARGB version, they have one too

 

[eidairaman1]

Lian Li makes mid-tower and full tower cases (incl. the huge o11 dynamic XL).

I can't remove the HDD cage from this case so the centrifugal blower really isn't an option.

I'd rather have the Cooler Master HAF 700 EVO but it's twice the weight of the case I have now and too expensive.

There's not much airflow from the bottom of my case because the PSU and its cabling trunk cover most of the available vent space.

I'm not using the 140mm fan mount on the front, roof of the case presently and it would be too far away to make any difference in GPU temps.

If the cage is riveted in and you're not using it, drill the rivets out lol

Another solution is to use High Static pressure fans at the front and bottom of case

 

[Mr.Scott]

Lian Li used to manufacture/sell a custom bracket to allow the PSU to be installed partly outside of a standard ATX case so I'm not the only one who has thought of this:
https://www.techbuy.com.au/p/96130/CASINGS_CASE_ACCESSORIES/Lian_Li/LL-PE-01B.asp

That doesn't make them or you any more brilliant.
Their marketing team is though.
Your expectations are too high.
1 or 2 degrees don't make a damn bit of difference.

 

[80251]

That doesn't make them or you any more brilliant.
Their marketing team is though.
Your expectations are too high.
1 or 2 degrees don't make a damn bit of difference.

You're assuming that the difference will be 1 or 2 degrees (celsius I'm guessing). The difference in GPU load temps between cases can be upwards of 10°C -- as gamersnexus reviews bear out:
https://www.gamersnexus.net/hwreviews/3506-lian-li-o1-dynamic-xl-case-review-benchmarks

And so does overclock3d.net's reviews of cases:
https://www.overclock3d.net/reviews...haf_-_cooler_master_haf_700_evo_case_review/3

I can't get any more front to back airflow in this case, it has a low RPM 200x32mm fan in front that's blocked by the 3.5" HDD cage, the only intake fan I have is the sidefan.

This is where youre wrong. The whole point of having fans is that they assist you in moving more air in and out of your case. The front 140mm fan is still helping my shovelling more air into the case and the 140mm at the top is assisting in pulling the hot air out. Every little helps, Just get a fan that is pressure orientated or something like a Silverstone 140i that will channel the air more directly. If you want an ARGB version, they have one too

The top, front 140mm fan mount is blocked by the NH-D15s and the shrouded fan I have attached to the front of it. I'd think an intake fan blowing directly up at the videocard would make more difference than an exhaust fan located 6" away.

The top performing cases in terms of GPU delta-T temps at gamersnexus and bit-tech.net and overclock3d.net case reviews all have direct intake airflow at the videocard, that can't be coincidental.